2022 NFL Scouting Combine: Cornerback Notes
The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is on the final day. We’re lucky we even got one but luckily the NFL decided to cancel on their stupid bubble idea. We’re here. I’m tired and need sleep.
Two more groups to go through. The cornerbacks and safeties make up the final group. On the surface, it looks like a baller cornerback group minus the fact that Derek Stingley won’t be participating as he recovers from injury. Let’s get through the cornerback notes!
*Derek Stingley did not work out. Don’t be stupid. He’s a generational prospect. Andrew Booth and Josh Jobe are other notable guys who did not work out.
The Next Trend?
I think sometimes we have to think ahead. It’s a weapons league. Everybody wants receivers now. Eventually, we’re going to want corners that can catch too. Trevon Diggs is awesome because he creates turnovers. At some point, we’re going to have to live with the idea that even the best corners are giving up plays.
I want this Derion Kendrick on my side. No 40 time but god he’s smooth. Best pure mover in the group. Great back pedal. Natural athlete. Not a surprise he’s a former Clemson talent WR. Stupid ball skills. Really quick feet. Looks different. Has to get a bump.
Sauce?
Overall solid day when you factor in all the circumstances. 4.41 time on the 40 is really good. He’s going to be a long press corner. When you look at him, the eyeball test tells you he’s looooong. 33 1/2 arms was a given. Long tall press. Keep it in mind.
The workout was ok at best. At some points, it could be described as very below average. High but understand why. Good for his size. Not natural hands. Drifting on the drills. Choppy feet. Some pauses in the start and stop. Really tall. Limited pop. Really no explosion. Back bender. So so athlete. More fast than athlete.
Good
I like this Kaiir Elam. I know the name Elam on Florida still scars. Liked that workout he had. Quick feet. A bit tight but not crazy. Good hands. Has a confidence movement to him. Flips well. T step instead of chain mover. Not perfect but can pop. Arms tied to his body. Confident and good.
Overall good day for this Kyler Gordon. Tight but tracks ball well. Confident hands. Can high point. Attacks the ball. Just not quick. Especially for being shorter.
Count me in for Roger McCreary. Smooth. Really low to the ground. Plays compact. Quick feet. Thump. Can catch. Chain mover. Keeps feet going. So so bad pedal but power strider.
The Washington guys looked similar. Not studs but good. Trent McDuffie showed good turns. Compact. Not twitchy. Good ball skills. Sort of looked like a running back. A bit shifty.
This was a tall corner I liked. Say hello to Jermaine Waller. Quicker than fast. High but can flip the hips. Good ball skills. Easy catcher. Can high point. Bit high but the foot speed and change of direction was there.
Hey, how bout this Cordale Flott? LSU corners usually work, right? Hell of a day. No 40 but the drills were really good. Looks long. Good feet. Can high point. Quick with it. Very good. Oily hips. Totally on it.
Bad
Montaric Brown belongs in the bad category. No explosion. Suffered a drop. Not twitchy. Slow. Back bender. Serious quicksand. Not in on him.
Didn’t love Akayleb Evans. Lacks twitch. Body turner. Don’t see play speed. Just slow.
DaMarcus Fields can be described as more so terrible. Tight and not covering ground. Bad tracker. Bad knees. No twitch. Really stiff.
It’s a no on Vincent Gray. Narrow base. No ground. Bad tracking the ball. Two drops. Slow. Can bend knees but drifting.
Ditto for Damarii Mathis at Pitt. Fine backpedal. Not quick feet. Stuck in the mud. Good calves. Limited ball skills. Bad stop starts. Body catcher. Really slow.
Chris Steele is a tall long corner but it doesn’t make up for the fact that his work out was bad. Really bad eye level. Way too high. Bad knee bend. Drops. Really thin.
Alontae Taylor was trash. Ran fast. On field garbage. 3 drops not including gauntlet. On his heels. Narrow base. Bad ball tracker. Ok pure mover. Total body catcher.
Josh Thompson was terrible. Looked like a safety. Arms bit wild. Terrible knee bend. Back bender. Eye level down. Really slow. Just bad.
Jaylen Watson gets a no go. Not natural hip turner. Slow. Not covering ground.
Sam Webb was the worst corner on the field. If it wasn’t him, it’s the next guy. Slow but like to the point where he stood out as REAL slow. Play speed was just awful. Super high. Stuck out like a sore thumb.
Tariq Woolen was dreadful. Don’t care that he’s fast. Guy can’t play. Really high. Play speed was bad. No technique at all in drills. Can’t catch. Not quick. 4.26 but made me want to stick a fork in my eyes during drills.
Other
Jalyn Armour-Davis kinda looks like a Bama guy. Except more safety than corner. Not quick. Some hands but more body catcher. No high point.
Kalon Barnes K he ran fast. Cool. I think that means something but plenty of these track guys have failed. On field wasn’t good. Tight hip. Bad turns. Bad knee bender. Too high. As if he had no idea this was football.
Coby Bryant just isn’t going to be an elite athlete. That’s just how it’s going to be. Ok turns. Not fast fibers.
No Tariq Castro-Fields in the drills. Did run.
MJ Emerson was ok. Just looks like a long corner so be a bit more lenient. For sure drifter on the lines. Good change of direction. Stumbling a tad. Can get there but too tall in pivots.
So so for Jack Jones. Stumbling a bit but smooth overall. Quick on his feet. Ball skills. Good on the backpedal.
Vendetta’s Top 5 Cornerbacks:
1. Derek Stingley (LSU)
2. Sauce Gardner (Cincinnati)
3. Derion Kendrick (Georgia)
4. Kaiir Elam (Florida)
5. Roger McCreary (Auburn)
