Who are your favorite early and mid-to-late round cornerbacks in the draft, and why?

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

This might be cheating since he's projected as a lb in the NFL, but JoJo Domann from Nebraska is intriguing. He played a lot as a big nickel, and he can cover like a safety and tackle like a linebacker.

 

I think he can be a big upgrade over Siran Neal and replace Klein in the 4-3

[Logic]

15 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

i mean if you wanna get technical, safety is a need. Maybe not on the surface but Poyer and Hyde aren’t spring chickens. Eventually they’ll have to be replaced. A safety like Hill could play in 3 safety looks and cover backs and TEs. I’m not advocating for it just can see his point of not overlooking a safety higher in the draft 

 

12 minutes ago, RocCityRoller said:

 

Jordan Poyer is 30 and a UFA after this year

 

Mich Hyde is 31 and is a FA after 2023 (void years now go out until 2026!)

 

May be wise to find a cheap and productive player to groom with these S

 

I think they already have two safeties on the roster that they like and are grooming behind Po and Hyde: Damar Hamlin and Jaquan Johnson.

I also think they like practice squad guy Josh Thomas quite a bit. Could they draft a safety? Sure. But I think they have a five-deep depth chart that they like there as it is.

[Floydboy12]

If given my choice of corners I’d go with Gardner. But he’s not gonna be there. Mid to late round guys I think might be worth a shot are Kalon Barnes - Baylor and Matt Hankins - Iowa. I’d prefer they got one of the stud receivers or other offensive weapon in round one. 

[TC in St. Louis]

I want them to draft Tariq Woolen.  He's 6'4" and ran 4.26 at the combine.  He just made Joe Marino's top 50.  Somebody can coach him up.  Go the thedraftnetwork.com and read his profile.  Kid's an athletic freak.  

[Lost]

2 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

 

Jordan Poyer is 30 and a UFA after this year

 

Mich Hyde is 31 and is a FA after 2023 (void years now go out until 2026!)

 

May be wise to find a cheap and productive player to groom with these S

 

Was just about to post this.  I really like the looks of this guy from his highlights.  Some draft boards have him going as low as mid 3rd round.   I think he's an absolute steal at that level.  I'd be happy to get him in the 2nd.

[Richard Noggin]

7 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

What would they do with Hill?  He isn’t beating out Hyde or Poyer this year and Taron Johnson is fine covering slot receivers.  Hill has no experience in covering outside receivers.

 

if they were set at Corner for this year, maybe, but I would not like this idea.

IF the Bills truly entered the 2022 draft with no glaring holes (which doesn't look likely), then drafting a high-end safety prospect could make long-term sense. The cap situation would be helped considerably by moving forward in 2023 with only ONE big veteran safety contract (the Bills must be near the top of the league in cap allocation for safeties). 

 

Couple factors that convincingly, for me, counter this approach (of drafting a replacement for either Poyer or Hyde): the Bills have already drafted and begun developing Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin, who each have some promise. Also, if McD is at all guilty of sticking with "his" guys too long, then for sure he will not easily part with either of the two safeties (his own college position, of course) that he seemingly personally targeted and signed before he even had his own GM in place. 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Richard Noggin

[HappyDays]

I'm trying to not get my hopes up that Booth makes it to 25. Perfect fit for our defense and fills our biggest need. Everything I've seen on him tells me he is a top 10 worthy talent, but for some reason there a few mocks that have him dropping to our pick. No question in my mind he'll be the pick if still on the board. I just don't know why he would fall that far. Then again Tre'Davious White did.

[OldTimer1960]

12 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

 

Jordan Poyer is 30 and a UFA after this year

 

Mich Hyde is 31 and is a FA after 2023 (void years now go out until 2026!)

 

May be wise to find a cheap and productive player to groom with these S

I don’t disagree with that at all.  My concern is that there is nobody to play CB this year.  Counting on a developmental prospect to play a lot early with White likely out is a daunting proposition.  It would be shaky even with a first round corner who has plenty of experience in a major conference,, but worse if you are counting on a raw small school prospect.  Again, if they sign a decent vet, then I could see passing on CB in round one and taking one in the 2nd.

[RocCityRoller]

On 3/23/2022 at 9:06 AM, OldTimer1960 said:

I don’t disagree with that at all.  My concern is that there is nobody to play CB this year.  Counting on a developmental prospect to play a lot early with White likely out is a daunting proposition.  It would be shaky even with a first round corner who has plenty of experience in a major conference,, but worse if you are counting on a raw small school prospect.  Again, if they sign a decent vet, then I could see passing on CB in round one and taking one in the 2nd.

 

Oh I am in that camp and have been all along. CB is the biggest need now

[Sierra Foothills]

Cornerback-wise I was totally onboard with the Bills drafting Eric Stokes last year. He went the pick before we took Rousseau. I watched the video and loved the player. It was a deep CB draft with Horn, Surtain, Farley, and Newsome taken in the first round ahead of him. I had Stokes as my 3rd CB though he went 5th. It'll be interesting to see how the careers play out.

 

As for this year I've only started watching the prospects and the only CB I've watched so far is Trent McDuffie because I've seen him associated with the Bills in some mock drafts.

 

If he was available in the 2nd round I wouldn't hate the selection depending on who was still available. He's a very similar player to Antoine Winfield... extremely good tackler, very instinctive. The jury is out on him as far as being a ball athlete. He wasn't thrown at much so he didn't get a lot of ball opportunities.

 

That said McDuffie is a really good football player. He's a bit short but is thickly built and quite physical. He's a rugged, physical downhill player who attacks the run and that makes me think he could slide to safety if/when the Poyer/Hyde team ages out.

 

Not sure he fits the Bills physical profile though. My next viewing will be McDuffie's teammate Kyler Gordon.

[The Jokeman]

I really like the reports o read about Kyler Gordon. I know some worry with his forty but he ran in 4.5 range which not super slow like Levi Wallace's 4.6. He should be available at our top pick but wouldn't risk waiting til Round 2. Ideally we could trade down and get him early Round 2 and get another mid rounder in the move.

 

If we wait for Round 4 Alontae Taylor feels like a guy that needs a little grooming but has good size/speed but needs to work on his tackling a bit. 

Edited March 25, 2022 by The Jokeman

[Sierra Foothills]

On 3/24/2022 at 7:13 PM, Sierra Foothills said:

That said McDuffie is a really good football player. He's a bit short but is thickly built and quite physical. He's a rugged, physical downhill player who attacks the run and that makes me think he could slide to safety if/when the Poyer/Hyde team ages out.

 

Not sure he fits the Bills physical profile though. My next viewing will be McDuffie's teammate Kyler Gordon.

 

Kyler Gordon is Trent McDuffie's teammate at U-Dub. I compared McDuffie to Antoine Winfield and I'll extend that comparison to Gordon reminding me of Winfield's old teammate Nate Clements.

 

Gordon is not as good an athlete as Clements (who is?) but has a similar profile as an exceptional blend of size, strength, and speed. Gordon was expected by many to blow up the combine drills but he ran only the 40 in a somewhat disappointing 4.52 and skipped the other drills. At the combine his heavily muscled frame was obvious and made me think that he would benefit from losing weight and playing leaner. He measured just under 6' and weighed 195 pounds and looked above his fighting weight to me.

 

Still the game tape shows explosive quickness and excellent game speed. He seems to play well in both zone and man and with good coaching (a given with McFrazier) and pro training I think Gordon's ceiling is pretty high.

 

Unlike most I would be good with Gordon at #25 and I like him ahead of McDuffie because I believe he has a higher ceiling, if a lower floor.

 

 

[GunnerBill]

Early (round 1):

 

Andrew Booth, Clemson: He is my #4 player in the entire draft. His instincts are exceptional, his movements smooth and fluid, he shadows receiver routes as well as any corner I have evaluated with the exception of Jalen Ramsey and his feet are sudden and fast. The only knocks on him are experience and concerns that his tackling occasionally is hyper aggressive and if he misses he can give up plays. 

 

Mid (round 3):

 

Alontae Taylor, Tennessee: Has the length, size, speed combination that you look for, can get aggressive at the point of attack, good anticipation in zone and has decent ball skills. The knock on him is he does occasionally give up outside leverage where he should be channeling plays inside into the coverage scheme and it results in receivers blowing by him too often. That is correctable though. 

 

Late (rounds 6/7):

 

Jaylen Watson, Washington State: Love the length, the core strength, the competitiveness at the point of the catch and the straight line speed. What I like less is the slow ponderous change of direction and that allows good route runners to work him. But I think as a #2 outside corner in a zone scheme where you to tell him to keep the game in front of him and then rally and tackle I think he could be a productive starter.

[GunnerBill]

On 3/23/2022 at 2:53 AM, TC in St. Louis said:

I want them to draft Tariq Woolen.  He's 6'4" and ran 4.26 at the combine.  He just made Joe Marino's top 50.  Somebody can coach him up.  Go the thedraftnetwork.com and read his profile.  Kid's an athletic freak.  

 

He is and I loved him at the Senior Bowl. He was one of those "pop" guys that jumped off the screen. My concern with him is now people have gone slightly crazy. Top 50 player? I mean the tape just doesn't support that. 2nd round pick? Not for me. When I thought he was a late 3rd / early 4th I thought that he was a swing worth taking. But I think people have got a bit carried away. He needs a lot of coaching up, even though I agree the ceiling is sky high. 

[GunnerBill]

On 3/26/2022 at 10:09 AM, Sierra Foothills said:

Unlike most I would be good with Gordon at #25 and I like him ahead of McDuffie because I believe he has a higher ceiling, if a lower floor.

 

I agree I'd be fine with Gordon at #25. Personally I think he has a higher ceiling and higher floor than McDuffie. I just think he is a better player. He is the 23rd overall player on my board. 

[GunnerBill]

On 3/23/2022 at 4:11 AM, HappyDays said:

I'm trying to not get my hopes up that Booth makes it to 25. Perfect fit for our defense and fills our biggest need. Everything I've seen on him tells me he is a top 10 worthy talent, but for some reason there a few mocks that have him dropping to our pick. No question in my mind he'll be the pick if still on the board. I just don't know why he would fall that far. Then again Tre'Davious White did.

 

And while I don't love pro comparisons because every player is unique I can't help but see Tre White when I watch Booth's film. 

[LyndonvilleBill]

I like Gordon in the 1st. But if they go WR, I like Woolen in the 2nd.

 

Late swing, 7th or UDFA Josh Thomson out of Texas. Decent speed 4.43, mainly a zone corner though,  but could play safety.