2023 NFL Draft: The Cornerback Group Provides High-End Talent and Depth

Highly-Touted Transfers

Eli Ricks (Alabama)

The Alabama Crimson Tide got a boost to their already-stacked secondary when Eli Ricks announced his transfer to the program for the 2022 season. Ricks comes over conference rivals, the LSU Tigers.

Ricks played at an elite level as a true freshman for LSU, recording four interceptions with two resulting in touchdowns via a pick-six. He played well as a sophomore but was dealt a midseason injury that ended his 2021 campaign early.

Ricks’s decision to transfer took many by surprise, but head coach Nick Saban continues to be one of the best at using the transfer portal to his advantage. Ricks still has to earn the first-team reps, but given his sheer amount of talent, it will be hard for Alabama to keep him off the field.

Ricks has great size for a cornerback prospect and is more than adequate in terms of athleticism. He must continue to work towards earning playing time because NFL scouts will want to see some production on tape that isn’t from his true freshman season. Alabama players tend to rise after a successful season; Ricks should be the next one to do so.

Mekhi Garner (LSU)

The LSU Tigers may have lost Eli Ricks to the transfer portal, but they also used it to bring in a highly-touted transfer of their own: Mekhi Garner. Garner is a former three-star recruit that spent time at Navarro College in 2018, before spending the next three seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Garner only appeared in a couple of games his first season but went on to start 19 games over the past two campaigns. With the Ragin’ Cajuns, Garner made a name for himself on the national scene by serving as the team’s top cornerback on the roster.

He will have a chance to rise even more if he puts together a great season in Baton Rouge. The Tigers have some of the best secondary members in the NFL currently, which surely played a part in Garner’s choice to transfer.

The massive cornerback possesses the confidence necessary to succeed on an island in coverage. He is a willing tackler and flies around the field frequently throughout the game. If Garner can prove that his talent will translate to the highest level of college football, NFL scouts will begin taking notice.

Mekhi Blackmon (USC)

The USC Trojans were as active as any team in the transfer portal this past offseason. We all know the major additions of quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Jordan Addison, but those two don’t tell the full story.

For the Trojans to reach immediate success in year one of the Lincoln Riley era, they’ll need contributions from the defensive side of the ball. Mekhi Blackmon comes over from Colorado after spending four seasons in the PAC-12. He has valuable starting experience that should allow him to make a difference instantly.

Blackmon is smaller in stature than others on this list and has some of the least amount of production as well. The numbers don’t jump out at you when researching, but seeing Blackmon on the field quickly shows that there’s more to it than statistics.

Blackmon hits hard and has a relentless motor. He was regularly shown stopping a running back or wide receiver in their tracks after they get to the second level. He does well in coverage but must continue to clear up some sloppiness in his technique. Mainly inconsistent hand usage from the games I was able to watch.

The former zero-star recruit worked his way up from JuCo to being a team captain at Colorado and now earning a starting spot on the USC Trojans. He is the type of guy that you want to root for.