2021 NFL Draft cornerback rankings: Patrick Surtain II leads strong group

19. Thomas Graham Jr., Oregon
5-foot-11, 197 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fourth round

Going into the 2020 season no player had been more productive when it came to breaking up passes than Oregon’s Thomas Graham. Going into last season Graham was the FBS active leader in passes defended (40) and pass breakups (32). While he decided to sit out the 2020 season he did have a strong Senior Bowl week. As a prospect, he shows outstanding ball skills and good overall technique.

While teams love the production Graham has put up there are some concerns about how good of an athlete he is. He lacks great deep speed and also only shows average quickness when it comes to breaking on the ball. He also can be a tad slow when it comes to getting out of his breaks, which could cause him issues with smaller wide receivers.

20. Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota
6-foot-3, 200 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Fourth round

One of the bigger corners in the 2021 NFL Draft is Minnesota’s Benjamin St-Juste. St-Juste has the size and strength to be a good developmental cornerback in a cover-two scheme. He moves well for his size and was able to stick with the more agile receivers he saw at the Senior Bowl. He is willing to play the run as well and has no issue coming up to make the tackle.

While St-Juste does have the traits to be a good press corner he might not be a great fit for every defensive scheme. This is mainly due to his lack of overall speed, which could cause him issues in man-to-man situations. The fact he is not the most fluid athlete and is willing to be a force vs. the run could allow teams to look at him as a safety in the NFL if he does not ideally fit on the outside.