2020 NFL Draft Big Board: Ranking the top ten cornerbacks

Projected Round: 2nd-5th

Game Reviewed: Michigan State VS Ohio State, 2019

Despite only being a sophomore this year, Ohio State’s Shaun Wade has allegedly been leaning towards entering the 2020 NFL Draft. His decision to enter the draft would have ramifications for every player on this list. Where he is selected in the draft (if he does indeed enter the draft) will largely be determined by what the general consensus among scouts and analysts is at draft time.

Very few people thought Wade would consider entering the draft until next year. It is hard to tell how well a cornerback is going to perform in the NFL with four years of starting footage to judge. It will be much harder to go off the two seasons Wade has been a contributor for the Buckeyes.

With that being said, Wade is very different than his teammate Jeffrey Okudah. While Okudah is your classic outside, shutdown cornerback, Wade plays a more nebulous role for the team, playing in the slot, in press coverage or zone near the line of scrimmage to eliminate underneath routes.

The film we’ve seen so far is encouraging for the young cornerback, as he plays a great physical game, has shown great technique and skills reading offensive players, can reliably tackle and is a contributor in run support. It was expected once Okudah left for the NFL this offseason, Wade was going to have a chance to play the outside role and have a chance to beef up his resume for the 2021 draft.

But with several reports indicating Wade intends to enter the 2020 NFL Draft, it looks like his last chance to beef up his cornerback credentials will be in the college postseason championship. I find it hard to determine how high in the draft Wade will go.

On one hand, Wade is a playmaker, who has shown excellent potential in his 2 seasons at Ohio State. At 6-foot-1 194 pounds, he has all the physical traits you are looking for in a cornerback. In his 2 seasons playing for Ohio, he amassed 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 sacks. But with only 2 seasons of tape to review, some general managers will be apprehensive to select such an unknown commodity.

However, there is an upside to Wade. Playing that versatile, playmaking slot position has been an important position in recent years in both college and the NFL. His unique skill set is valuable in the NFL and if scouts think he is ready to play at the next level, I expect general managers will be excited to get a player one year earlier than expected.

Selecting Shaun Wade in the 2020 NFL Draft will be nerve-racking and exciting for whichever general manager decides to pull the trigger and draft the Ohio sophomore. This cornerback is too talented to go undrafted, and he will be on a team’s 53-man roster come 2020.

However, because of his general lack of long-term playing time for Ohio State and the potential fan backlash for drafting a sophomore that could need another year or two of development, I expect most GM’s will wait till the third round or later to draft this extremely talented cornerback. But the draft is months away, and if Wade has a productive performance in the college championship, along with a strong combine, there is no telling how early Wade could go.