2020 NFL Draft Big Board: Ranking the top ten cornerbacks

Projected Round: 2nd-3rd

Game reviewed: Virginia vs NC State, 2018

If Bryce Hall had not been injured back in October of this season, I firmly believe Hall would be higher on this list. Coming into the season, the Virginia Cavaliers senior looked to compete for the first cornerback spot on most analyst’s 2020 NFL draft boards. In 2018 Hall had a ridiculous 21 passes deflected. In college football, no player was significantly better than Hall. Alas, Hall had an ankle injury midway through the season and we are left wondering what to do with Hall now.

I’m still including Hall on this list since his talent when healthy is well worth the risk it will take to snag Hall in the draft. A two-star recruit coming out of Pennsylvania, Hall played both wide receiver and cornerback in high school. Once in Virginia, there was some debate about what position the young player would commit to full time.

Once Hall made the transition to full-time cornerback, it became clear that this kid was a special talent. His freshman year saw him make 2 interceptions and 25 total tackles and Virginia had him playing in all 12 games with 7 starts. A freshman who plays every game is rare enough, but a freshman willing to back up his coaches’ confidence with the performances he put out there started Hall’s career off strong.

Unlike some other cornerbacks in the 2020 NFL draft, Hall is the definition of a shutdown cornerback. You put him in press, let him follow his receiver down the field, and that is that. At 6-foot-1 200 pound, Hall is the default size general managers are looking for in the draft. Besides that Hall has a fantastic wingspan, and he uses his exceptional span to challenge receivers at the catch point.

Hall is fast, can keep pace with his assigned receiver and does an excellent job mirroring their movements downfield. Hall isn’t often taken off the route by double moves, and when he is, Hall recovers well. He does a good enough job keeping an eye on the offense, but during a play he rarely looks back at the quarterback, instead choosing to rely on his receiver’s movements to give away the plan.

Hall also wins the physicality battle with receivers at the line of scrimmage and in contested catches. His aggressiveness will have to be tempered in the NFL however: Hall can get a little handsy downfield and those same tendencies will draw illegal contact penalties more often in the league.

What may be his biggest selling point for Hall is the multitude of different defensive coverages he has been asked to play in Virginia. I would have Hall ranked much higher, but his ankle injury earlier this year leaves his status as questionable heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.

Scouts and general managers will want to see in the combine if he has lost a step or two since the injury. But assuming Hall stays the fast, dynamic defender he has been in Virginia, expect Hall to be an early second-day selection.