The final day at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is here. It’s time for the defensive back. Cornerbacks notes are on the way. Overall I think the group is pretty deep. There are going to be a lot of quality starters in this draft. Let’s take a look at our cornerback notes for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Who stood out for better or worse?
*Trevon Diggs did not run. Great ball skills. Looked okay in drills. Stefon Diggs’ brother will be just fine.
Foot Speed
Darnay Holmes was the best technician going through the drills. He looked outstanding. This is what you want to look like. Stock way up. I don’t need to say much, take a look yourself.
Troy Pride is a natural athlete. Able to bend his knees. Pride ran a good time and looks like he can fill any roll in the secondary.
I thought CJ Henderson had a great workout. Gave me flashes of Vernon Hargreaves. Cone drills moving his feet and getting after it. Exploded off the back foot going forward. His 40 time was what you wanted to see. You can see his closing speed on the field. Put on a clinic. Able to stop on a dime and get going. I thought it was a great workout. 20 reps on the bench is a great number too. Add in 4.39 speed and Henderson proved he was a big winner.
Jeff Gladney was a tough one for me. Saw the burst but kind of got lost in the shuffle. Didn’t see him emerge as a real player but overall looked good. Good day but maybe not a special day. 4.48 speed was about as expected.
Top Tier
I thought Jeff Okudah looked smooth in drills. You don’t see super elite athletic traits but so fluid and easy. The talent isn’t hard to spot. Okudah didn’t get called for a single penalty last year. He’s a real number one corner. Okudah left the drills after landing on his hip trying to catch the ball. Okudah also had a 41 inch vert to add to his great day.
Kristian Fulton may have won the day. Great speed, smooth, agile, bent well. Long press corner that can be physical and stick to receivers. The question here was his long speed because movement was never an issue at LSU. That got answer. Fulton has plenty of speed at 4.46 – 40 time. That number is big for him and more than fine.
Long
Cameron Dantzler had a rough workout. Not an athlete and his 40 time was 4.64 which is so bad that it’s almost a death sentence. Swerving all over the place. He’s long but can’t stay low.
Jaylen Johnson had a great workout. For a long corner, he went through the drills fast and never lost control. Really good hips and able to open up easy.
AJ Green is long but tight hipped. Considering his size at 6-foot-1, I don’t think he moved poorly. Now 4.63 speed is a different story. That’s not a great time.
BAD
AJ Terrell had a rough workout. Dropping back down the line, Terrell was all over the place. You can’t unsee what LSU did to him in the National Championship game. Watch him drop back here. This is an issue. Swearving all over the place, can’t open his hips, bad knee bend. Big yikes. I think he was the only guy to fall over in his back peddle too. I’m way out. 4.42 speed is good but I thought his workout was horribe.
Michael Ojemudia got stopped in the drills multiple times. Feet got caught in the mud and had to be reset. Looked lost. Covers no ground in drop step either.
Brian Cole went through drills like molasses. SlOW.
Stantley Thomas Robinson not only couldn’t move, but he couldn’t track the ball in the air to save his life.
Lamar Jackson looks like he was in a car accident. His hips were horrible. Worst twitchy athlete on the field. His arms looked like chicken wings just such an unnatural movement skill.
Essang Bassey was already off the board after that Senior Bowl performance. He did nothing here but confirm what I already thought.
Noah Igbinoghene was really bad with his turns. Any time he had to flip and go in another direction, he lost ground. Not smooth at all. Explosive athlete but not always smooth. A little unfair to put him in the bad category but it wasn’t enough to put him in the good category.
Slot
Javaris Davis is a rocket ship. Good speed, low to the ground, burner. Bit tight hipped but he can get to where he needs to be. Didn’t always catch the ball. 4.39 speed will do.
Dane Jackson looked like he was high stepping. I didn’t love him at the Senior Bowl either.
Damon Arnette not a fast athlete but in the cone drills, he really put in the ground and drove on the ball. Not a special athlete but gets the job done.
Other Notes
Stanford Samuels belongs at safety. Bad 40 time (4.66) and really high in the drills. Bad feet slipping and stumbling.
James Pierre is another safety. Slow, super high, can’t move. It was ugly.
Add in Reggie Robinson. Can’t bend his knees at all. He was super grabby at the Senior Bowl. Makes a lot more sense now. He can’t explode and get to spots. Big red flag.
Keep an eye on John Reid. I don’t know what position he is but I thought he did well. Not an elite burner but smooth technique. In control and tracked the ball. Able to keep his shoulders up with eye level.
Vendetta Big Board
1: Jeff Okudah (Ohio State
2: CJ Henderson (Florida)
3: Kristian Fulton (LSU)
4: Trevon Diggs (Alabama)
5: Jaylen Johnson (Utah)
