Another year of college football, another group of supremely talented players across the country. The center of today’s discussion will be on the cornerback class for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
The NFL is trending in such a way that multiple superstar wide receivers enter the league each draft period. Guys like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase have produced legendary beginnings to their respective NFL careers.
The established veteran talent is paramount, as well. Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and Stefon Diggs are all among the best in the entire NFL, not just at wide receiver. Cooper Kupp put together a season worthy of MVP consideration in 2022 and helped the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl title.
In the 2022 NFL Draft, two cornerbacks (Derek Stingley Jr. & Sauce Gardner) went inside the top four! The Houston Texans and New York Jets spent valuable draft capital in order to have a player that can lock down opposing wide receivers at will.
2023 NFL Draft: Cornerback Group Features High-End Talent and Great Depth
This marked the third year in a row that multiple cornerbacks came off the board inside the top nine selections of the draft. Teams are woefully desperate to get capable defenders on the outside and are unafraid to use coveted resources to ensure that.
Even slot-only cornerbacks have started rising in value because many teams deploy a five-defensive back system. The nickelback is a starting position on a lot of NFL depth charts. This helps combat not only wide receivers but running backs out of the backfield and athletic tight ends downfield too.
Keeping all of this in mind; who could be the next prospect(s) to be worthy of a top ten pick? The margins between each tier are incredibly thin at the moment, and of course, should not be taken as a strict order. With that out of the way, let’s dive in and see what the 2023 cornerback class has in store for us.
The Elite
Kelee Ringo (Georgia)
It isn’t by much, but Kelee Ringo stands above the rest at the position as we enter the 2022 college football season. The Georgia cornerback is sat atop the depth chart for the Bulldogs and will be looking to replicate the unit’s success from 2021.
Ringo possesses a near idyllic frame (6’2”, 210 pounds) for a cornerback in the NFL. He uses this size to be physically imposing both in coverage and as an oncoming tackler. The standout play from last year’s College Football National Championship Game came when Ringo intercepted Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young, and took it back for six points.
All eyes will be on the former No. 1 overall cornerback recruit. He will have every opportunity in 2022 to prove that all the hype he’s garnered is warranted. He is the early favorite to be CB1 in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Borderline Elite
Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State)
These next few names are not too far behind Ringo, but for one reason or another, they check in a shade below the Georgia cornerback.
Penn State has a strong track record over the past half-decade of sending productive players to the NFL. Joey Porter Jr., yes that Joey Porter, figures to be the next Nittany Lion to make an impact on Sundays.
The biggest selling points for Porter Jr. include his size and length, starting experience, and NFL bloodlines. Entering his third season as a starter, Porter Jr. is still just as hungry as ever to hone his craft.
To hear his name on day one of the NFL Draft, and perhaps as the first cornerback taken, he must clean up his technique. The physicality he plays with oftentimes hurts the team as much as it helps. If he can cut down on the penalties, there is a clear path to CB1 for Porter Jr.
Cam Smith (South Carolina)
While Cam Smith isn’t quite the athlete that the previous two entries on this list have proven to be, he more than makes up for it with a near-flawless technique in coverage. He has a high football IQ and a knack for sticking to his assignments like glue.
Across his 11 games played in 2021, Smith allowed multiple catches only twice. He allowed a mere 15 receptions last season, supporting his case as one of the best cover cornerbacks in the entire nation.
If he wants to shoot up the draft board and become a first-round pick, like former Gamecock Jaycee Horn, Smith will have to prove that his shortcomings as an athlete won’t hold him back at the next level.
Even without the number of starts that some others in this class have to their name, Smith matches their production with ease. His 14 passes defended and three interceptions set the pace for South Carolina. Look for Smith’s name to be a hot commodity next spring.
Clark Phillips III (Utah)
Unfair or not, Clark Phillips III will be embarking on an uphill battle when it comes to his size on the field. Phillips lacks the height and overall frame that teams look for when drafting an outside cornerback, but a deeper dive shows that he plays much bigger.
Phillips has started all 19 games during his two-year stint with the Utes, serving as the top cornerback on the roster and also being one of the most productive in the country. The 15 passes defended and 61 total tackles he posted in 2021 highlight this fact.
At the end of the day, Phillips has a chance to work his way into the round one picture, even if he is ultimately shorter than his listed height of 5’10”. Some teams won’t be able to look past this, but there will still be plenty of interest around the league in the Utah playmaker. At a minimum, he should be an impact player in the slot.
Potential Big School Risers
Tyrique Stevenson (Miami)
Tyrique Stevenson originally committed to the Georgia Bulldogs as a four-star recruit, before deciding to transfer back to his hometown of Miami, Florida. Stevenson joined the Hurricanes before the 2021 season and served as one of the better players on their team this past year.
Stevenson was the No. 38 recruit nationally, which helps showcase his immense talent as a defensive back. He stands at 6-foot-flat and weighs in at 214 pounds. He uses this size to thrive in run support, as he led the secondary in total tackles with 43.
Surprisingly, he is extremely fleet of foot in coverage too. Stevenson allowed a 50% completion percentage on balls that he was targeted on in 2021 (per PFF). His body type will allow Stevenson to serve at any spot in the secondary at the next level.
Stevenson has the talent and opportunity to be the biggest riser of anyone mentioned on this list. He is a rare blend of strength and agility, with an underrated football IQ. If he can clean up any penalty concerns, expect the Miami Hurricane star to ascend the cornerback rankings as the 2022 college football season progresses.
Tony Grimes (North Carolina)
There are a few similarities between Tony Grimes and the aforementioned Tyrique Stevenson. Grimes committed to the North Carolina Tar Heels as a heralded five-star recruit. Grimes ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in the entire 2021 draft class before reclassifying to 2020.
The Tar Heels used Grimes as a starter for four games at cornerback, with the talented defensive back serving as a pivotal piece for the team’s special teams unit. In 2021, Grimes made his star turn on the outside.
Grimes started all 13 games for North Carolina as a sophomore. He recorded 47 tackles, solidifying the fact that he’s more than willing to come in and stick his nose in the pile. Even more impressively, Grimes still defended nine passes in 2021, while regularly being avoided by opposing teams.
Unfortunately for the first-round hopeful, Grimes suffered an upper-body injury early in the team’s first game of the 2022 season versus Florida A&M. He will need to recover in time to put more production on tape if he wants to be taken on day one or two of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)
Emmanuel Forbes arrived at Mississippi State as a four-star cornerback recruit. He quickly earned first-team reps, parlaying his sky-high talent into nine starts across his true freshman season. This is no small feat for a youngster in the SEC.
Forbes intercepted an astonishing five passes as a freshman and returned THREE of them for a touchdown. He recorded 45 tackles as well to cap off an incredible first season and firmly placed his name in the mind of evaluators everywhere.
As a sophomore, Forbes started 13 games for the Bulldogs, improving on a few key statistics from the year prior. He set career-highs in total tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles. While he didn’t match the five interceptions from 2020, Forbes brought in three of them nonetheless.
As a junior, Forbes is returning to assume the top position on the depth chart. His production is unmatched by a majority of prospects and Forbes is a deceptively great athlete given his size. Still, there are a few things to improve in 2022 if he wants to maximize his draft status. These include tackling angles, hip fluidity in coverage, and long speed.
Garrett Williams (Syracuse)
Garrett Williams first landed on my radar while watching tape of 2021 third-round pick, Ifeatu Melifonwu. The two formed a terrifying duo in the secondary, with Williams leading the team in passes defended (12) that season. After Melifonwu’s departure, Williams slotted in as CB1 for the Orange.
In 2021, Williams replicated his success by leading the ACC in passes defended (10) for the second season in a row. One of my favorite games for Williams last season came against the Liberty Flames and quarterback Malik Willis. The Syracuse cornerback recorded multiple stops, both on the ground and through the air, as he spearheaded the upset victory.
Entering the 2022 college football season, Williams retains his top spot on the depth chart. Given how much noise he’s made over the past two years, don’t be surprised if teams begin to avoid targeting him. He already has great production on tape, so it shouldn’t hurt his stock too much.
There are a few things I’d like to see Williams improve upon in 2022. The first of which is the angles he takes as a tackler. To make an impact in the NFL, he must become more efficient with his movements. This also shows up while in coverage, as he can be guilty of guessing the route rather than playing the receiver.
The tools and production are already there for Williams, now it is up to him to refine the deficiencies in his game. If he is successful in doing so, the talented cornerback could find himself as the first day one pick for Syracuse since 2013.
Jaylon Jones (Texas A&M)
Jaylon Jones has been a mainstay for the Aggies in each of the past two seasons. He has started 22 games in that span, helping to lockdown opposing pass catchers weekly. Jones posted 12 PBU’s as a starter, highlighting his first-class ball skills.
Jones possesses the ideal size for a new-age outside cornerback in the NFL, standing at 6’2” and weighing a stout 205 pounds. He uses this frame in crafty ways when defending players downfield. Jones has the playing strength to knock wide receivers off their route, while also possessing the agility to cover them 20+ yards downfield.
Jimbo Fisher is one of the best recruiters in the nation, and over the past few NFL Draft cycles, this has become clear as day. Jones is looking to be the next to reach his goal of making the NFL, as is his teammate and my top-ranked safety, Antonio Johnson.
The main thing keeping Jones from being a first-round pick today is that he’s still inconsistent with both his effort and fundamentals at the position. Jones returns to a stacked secondary that allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the SEC. He’s in a great spot to evolve into an even better prospect in 2022.
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.
Wildcards
Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)
Speaking of Colorado cornerbacks, Christian Gonzalez transferred away from the Buffalos this offseason as well. Similar to Blackmon, Gonzalez remained in the PAC-12, choosing the Oregon Ducks as his next school.
Gonzalez is a better prospect athletically, having earned a four-star rating during his high school days. He spent time on both sides of the football and as a key member of the 200m track team for his school.
The talented cornerback can do a little bit of everything for the Ducks in 2022. During his time with Colorado, Gonzalez (6’2”, 200 pounds) used his imposing frame to deliver monster hits in the open field. The former safety recruit transitioned well to coverage as a cornerback, adding to his versatility.
The ball is in his court now, and Gonzalez has the chance to gain even more fans if he wins the starting role outside for the Ducks. Most NFL scouts look at him as a safety at the next level right now, so he must prove that the “tweener” label isn’t something for teams to fear. He is one of the most intriguing pieces of the upcoming draft class.
Nehemiah Pritchett (Auburn)
The SEC is home to a slew of talented cornerbacks, as is apparent by this list. The next one to make an appearance from this conference is Nehemiah Pritchett.
Pritchett has a lot of room to grow before NFL franchises are ready to select him in the first two days of the draft. He is unpolished in coverage. His tape has plenty to be excited about, but there are times when he gets beaten and for whatever reason, the receiver doesn’t come down with the ball.
Not to slight Pritchett, he does more good things than bad. He is arguably the best in press coverage in the entire nation. Similar to Roger McCreary, Pritchett has the utmost confidence in himself when matching up with his assignment.
The cherry on top of it all is the fact that Pritchett is an elite kick returner. It cannot be understated how vital the special teams are to a team’s overall success, both in college and the NFL. Even if he has to develop longer than others, Pritchett can contribute immediately on special teams.
Kris Abrams-Draine (Missouri)
Kris Abrams-Draine arrived to Missouri as a four-star wide receiver, but after seeing virtually zero playing time, he decided to flip to the other side of the football.
Wide receivers-turned-cornerback is becoming a more frequent thing year in and year out. Sometimes it’s due to a lack of success, other times it’s due to a lack of playing time, but there are examples of this change being magical for a prospect.
We only have to look as far back as the 2022 NFL Draft where Tariq Woolen followed this exact path into a round-five selection. He has been a star this preseason for the Seattle Seahawks, proving that he should have been taken higher and potentially helping the case for those who follow after him.
Abrams-Draine started 10 games for the Missouri Tigers in 2021 after making the transition. He led the team in interceptions (3) and passes defended (7), making the coaches and player look brilliant for the decision to change course.
Abrams-Draine enters his third year at Missouri, but more importantly, his second season at cornerback. He will be working on eliminating the wide receiver tendencies that followed him to the cornerback position. He must cut down on running the routes rather than defending the receiver. It’s a common difficulty for those who switch positions.
With that, comes one of his most redeeming qualities. Abrams-Draine is elite at mirroring the receiver. It’s almost like he reads the mind of the receiver and knows the exact route they’re going to run. This is something that is nearly impossible to teach.
Abrams-Draine uses his athleticism to serve as a productive kick returner for the special teams as well. The hope is that he can smooth out his edges, so he can be the first day two cornerback from Missouri to be taken in the NFL Draft since William Moore in 2009.
Slot Specialists
Malachi Moore (Alabama)
The Alabama Crimson Tide calls their slot position the “STAR” position. Malachi Moore assumed the starting role as a true freshman and immediately vaulted his name into future draft discussions. Moore is another player that could be better suited at safety on Sundays, but this doesn’t do his man-coverage skills justice.
Moore is a superb athlete, and he uses this to make plays on multiple levels of the defense. He possesses a knack for being where the ball is at all times. Whether it be in pursuit downfield or as the tackler on run plays. That versatility is his biggest calling card.
Moore doesn’t come without red flags, though. While he played through injury, Moore noticeably was not the player in 2021 that he had been the year prior. He struggled to make an impact consistently and enters 2022 with a log jam in the secondary for Alabama. Brian Branch is challenging Moore for the starting position in the slot.
Due to his stellar play as a freshman, Moore should be allowed to prove that the injury is what hampered him the most. If he can remain healthy and locked in each week, there’s a possibility that Moore is the first Crimson Tide defensive back taken in 2023.
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU)
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is the nephew of former TCU and NFL legend, LaDainian Tomlinson. He has earned First-Team Big-12 honors in each of the past two seasons and will be looking to do the same in 2022.
Hodges-Tomlinson is one of the smallest players in terms of height and overall frame in the class. However, he is also the feistiest player I have evaluated thus far. The guy never, ever, takes a play off. He is a wrecking ball that is stuck in a compact frame.
Due to his size concerns, teams will likely look at him as more of a slot defender. During his time with the Horned Frogs, Hodges-Tomlinson has primarily played cornerback but also spent time as a safety.
His strengths as a tackler and in coverage should be enough to win scouts over that are on the fence. Hodges-Tomlinson will never be outworked and regularly leaps off the screen when watching him. He reminds me a lot of former Washington Husky and current Tennessee Titan, Elijah Molden.
Tiawan Mullen (Indiana)
The Indiana Hoosiers have not seen a player go in the first two days of the NFL Draft since Dan Feeney did back in 2017. Entering the 2021 college football season, there was tons of momentum surrounding Tiawan Mullen, with many wondering: could he be an early draft pick?
Unfortunately for Mullen, the 2021 season was the worst tape he’s put together in his time with the Hoosiers. Much of this is attributed to injury issues, but it was a very rough showing for the talented defensive back.
Mullen is the brother of current Cardinals cornerback, Trayvon Mullen. He is also the cousin of former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson. The bloodline is thick with NFL talent, so it would be unwise to bet against Mullen regaining his lofty status in draft circles.
Size is the concern with many college cornerbacks, and this is no different for Tiawan Mullen. More than likely, his best role in the NFL will be as a slot defender. As an inside cornerback or safety, Mullen’s shortcomings in terms of his frame are less prevalent. We’ll see if 2022 features a rebound season for both Mullen and Indiana.