My Ravens’ round one analysis for the 2022 draft is posted here. The offensive live profiles are posted here. Now, it’s time to post the defensive secondary prospects for 2022.
What follows below is an analysis of just the cornerbacks and safeties who I believe the Ravens should consider drafting, and why. A few others are listed because they received some scouting acclaim, but who don’t warrant drafting by the Ravens in my view. Again, please use the embedded table of contents immediately below to jump to specific players. Just click the player’s name.
With that, here’s this years’ group.
Defensive Secondary Prospects – Cornerbacks
This year presents a very deep group of cornerbacks. Some are outside corners, others are better (or solely) suited for inside nickel play. The Ravens are very thin at the corner position right now. They have their two Pro Bowl corners (Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters) but not much else. Frankly, I’m not looking to go into 2022 with Kevon Seymour, Kevin Tolliver II, Robert Jackson and the ever-invisible Iman Marshall in my secondary. Or, for that matter, on my roster. Sure, Brendan Stephens has some utility at the nickel. But I’m sure the Ravens would prefer a pure nickel.
Derek Stingley, Jr.
Derek Stingley, Jr. is 6’, 190 lbs. from LSU. He’s an elite athlete. Let’s start off with the issues. Stingley both suffered through a series of injuries in 2020 and 2021 (leg, and then foot), and played through a bunch of coaching changes. He played in a total of only ten games over those two seasons. But Stingley was a “superstar” as a freshman, with Pro Football Focus calling that season “the best we’ve ever seen at the cornerback position in eight years of grading.” His play in 2020 and 2021 was more “flashes” of greatness than consistency.
Make no mistake, Stingley is uniquely gifted with speed (runs the 40 in the high 4.2s), size, and explosiveness. He is extremely athletic, fast, and loose. He has all of the physical traits – all of them – to be an elite corner. This is a guy designed to play on an island. His pre-snap stance is elite. He is a prototypical press-man cover guy with the speed to handle go routes. Stingley has the twitchiness needed to play on the inside. He plays physical and can match up with bigger receivers. Stingley is very disciplined at the line. He is tough and has a fiery edge like Jalen Ramsey. His hips, feet, and agility are outstanding for a six foot cornerback.
Stingley is a master of the mirror technique, given his great fluidity, and he maintains excellent weight distribution. If there’s a knock on his physical dimensions it’s his comparatively shorter wingspan. With shorter arms, he will need to rely on his hands a bit more in those short yardage situations where the mirror technique just isn’t as effective.
Stingley possesses great ball skills (he creates turnovers, though not as many in more recent play) and can play both man and zone. He has a great ability to track the ball in virtually any position. His mental awareness is outstanding. He has a high football IQ. He has the long-end spend to recover. This is a player who is completely scheme-versatile.
The tape from the last two years shows a player who did not always display the effort demanded by the Ravens. Now I note that he wasn’t alone on the LSU roster from that perspective (some have called the LSU program in 2020 and 2021 “dysfunctional”, and Stingley played for three different defensive coordinators), but that’s no excuse. Perhaps a bit of immaturity was at play here. One of the few complaints about Stingley’s game is his run support tackling, where he’s not as efficient as he should be. He missed too many tackles that a player of his skill should make, and he’s just not as forceful as he needs to be. But he’s still young, at almost 21. He’s reported not to have an alpha personality, and he seems very family oriented. His grandfather was Daryl Stingley.
With Stingley, the concerns are his competitive toughness and his medicals (he had Lisfranc foot surgery at the end of the 2021 season). He ran a 4.37 at his recent pro day so the foot injury seems like a thing from the past. Otherwise, he has it all.
Stingley is not going to be on the board at the Ravens’ pick 14. Rumors have it that the Giants will take him at pick seven. I’ve analyzed scenarios where the Ravens try to move up in the draft to get Stingley beginning at pick nine, which you can read here. But could Eric DeCosta be so bold as to move up even higher?
Now we all know DeCosta’s preferred draft strategy is to have as many picks as possible. I generally agree with it. But when I’m convinced that an All-Pro caliber player is on the board, I can be convinced to trade away a potential starter to go get that great player. Sure, going all the way up to seven is going to cost the Ravens probably their second round pick and a fourth rounder (with a low pick in return), but where do you draw the line? And yes, the Ravens need a bunch of starters coming out of this draft. That’s the essence of the trade-off. Stingley is one of the top five players, to me, in the draft, and the best corner. Round 1.
Ahmad Gardner
Ahmad Gardner is 6’3, 190 lbs. from Cincinnati. Gardner is a dominant press cover corner. He plays physical with tremendous technique and brings great length to the position. Gardner led the country last year in press coverage snaps; the corollary is that he needs more experience in playing off the line in zone coverage. He has top end footwork and mirrors well. There’s no one in this draft who plays the kick slide technique as a press style at the line than Gardner. He has excellent fluidity in his hips which allows him to easily play this style. Gardner is excellent using his long arms and hands to jam receivers, with an occasional lunge with his arms before he moves his feet.
Gardner stays in-phase wonderfully. His fluidity allows him to easily stay on top of route-breaking receivers and he has enough short-area explosion to get back in position in the instances where those cuts create separation.
Gardner is not at an elite level when transitioning in his turn to run. But he has excellent recovery capability. Gardner ran a very good 4.41 forty, although this is not top-end elite straight-line speed. But he has plenty enough speed and fluidity to play off-man in addition to press. He is highly competitive and almost cocky. He is physical against receivers and in the run game. Yet his play strength is not notable. And although he’s great using his length and in his hands in the press game, he can be a bit grabby, which must be corrected in order to avoid NFL penalties.
Gardner’s footwork could improve a little. He played against lower competition at Cincinnati but played very well against Alabama. He’s able to shed blockers to make tackles, playing the run well. Gardner has a high football IQ and plays with a great motor with top-end ball skills. He is a very good jumper and competes well at the high point. He is well suited as an excellent bump-and-run corner. If there’s a complaint in his general game it’s that he doesn’t create as many turnovers as one might expect given his skill level. That’s partly the result of his tight coverage style of play.
On balance, Gardner is a complete package and should be one the next great shut-down corners in the league. There’s simply no way he’s on the board for the Ravens. Round 1.
Andrew Booth, Jr.
Andrew Booth, Jr. is 6’, 194 lbs. from Clemson. Booth is a scheme-diverse corner. And there’s a lot to like. Booth is a twitchy athlete who’s blessed with long arms and plays with a lot of energy. His feet are outstanding, and he uses them well in press coverage and in his backpedal. He runs in the high 4.3’s. His long speed allows him to carry receivers vertically. He has very good ball skills and tracks to the highpoint instinctively. He finds the football.
Booth is a very aggressive corner who brings terrific physicality to his tackling. He can sometimes play too hot when attacking, causing him to miss a bit too often, and will need some coaching-up to get to an acceptable place. But he is very willing in the run game. Booth is an excellent processor, but sometimes his aggressive nature can get him in trouble.
Booth has good lower-body quickness, but his hips aren’t as fluid as Gardner and Stingley and he occasionally showed tightness, which at the NFL level could create some challenges for him on in-breaking routes. Now I don’t want to overstate this as I saw plenty of instances where he turned with easy fluidity. But to the degree that this is more than an occasional issue it would probably dictate that Booth stay on the outside.
Booth has very good playmaking potential, and has made his share of game-changing plays. Now Booth is still relatively inexperienced as a starter (he was a full-time starter for only one year and he’s only 21.5 years old) and needs more development to refine his techniques. He can lack acceleration when transitioning and has shown a tendency to get spun by top-end route runners. NFL coaching can get him to his potential with his transitioning footwork.
In all, Booth’s physical qualities combined with his ball skills, toughness and physicality offer great promise. He’s known as a fired-up alpha male competitor. He is always running hot. This guy is just competitive as hell. He needs to improve his zone play, particularly in pushing on routes and in recognition (again, further coaching up), but he is very scheme versatile. Booth has appeared more effective in off-man play and will need to show more in tight man coverage. There’s no reason to think that he can’t. I see Booth as an ascending player with star potential. Round 1.
Dax Hill
Dax Hill is 6’ 191 lbs. from Michigan. Let me say right off the bat, this is a player I love. A safety by label, Hill played a ton last year in the slot (580 snaps) and I list him here as a natural slot corner candidate for the Ravens. His brother is Justice Hill. He offers tremendous positional flexibility, effectively playing all over the field though, again, I love the notion of him at slot corner.
Hill is a fantastic athlete. He ran a 4.38 forty, was the 98th percentile in 3-cone and 88th percentile in the 20-yard shuttle. He has very long arms. Hill has a great blend of explosiveness and speed to go along with his versatility. He moves easily and his hips are very fluid. As a safety by training, Hill offers solid run support and although he is not a powerful tackler, he is not a liability. Hill’s loose hips allow him to turn on a dime, and there were numerous examples on tape where he shifted direction without losing a step. He moves easily in getting in and out of breaks and backpedals smoothly. Hill’s footwork to match laterally against slot receivers is very good. He can turn and run with the best of them. He has also shown a good ability to anticipate route breaks.
Hill attacks the high point of the ball and has certainly been able to turn and run with tight ends; he’s faster than all of them and his catch up speed was evident. Hill plays very fast. Hill has elite processing ability. He has proven to be an excellent blitzer. Hill brings tremendous positional versatility as he can play deep-safety, slot corner, or in the box (though the latter is not his strength). He’s a very smart, instinctive player who, at age 21, is going to get a lot better (and he’s already very good). It would serve him well to add ten more pounds to his frame.
Hill was made to play for the Ravens given that the Ravens are blessed with two cover corners. Mike Macdonald, his coach at Michigan who obviously knows Hill very well, would likely drool over the almost limitless way in which Hill could be used. He is a much better version of Brandon Stephens, particularly given that I think he can straight up play nickel. As I said, I love the player. Playing slot corner, Hill would solve a major Ravens’ need. Round 2.
Trent McDuffie
Trent McDuffie is 5’11, 193 lbs. from Washington. McDuffie is a bit smaller than the other top corners in the draft and his size presents some issues which I review below. He has ample speed as he ran a 4.44. McDuffie’s greatest physical asset is his tremendously fluid hips. He can rotate them on a dime, and I saw plenty of examples of McDuffie shifting seamlessly to great effect. He also brings very quick feet.
At Washington, McDuffie played much more zone than man or press. He spent a great deal of his time in cover 3 and cover 6 (which the Ravens don’t play). His body is perfectly built to play zone, as he utilizes those hips supremely in executing all of his responsibilities, easily adapting to what he sees. McDuffie’s ball production has not been nearly as good as his peers. He broke up only 9% of the targets thrown at him. Bu McDuffie was rarely challenged last year, as he was targeted on only 36 plays, yielding a total of 111 yards on 16 receptions. McDuffie tracks the ball well. He has excellent mental skills and can really process things. He is polished with a variety of cover techniques.
Although he has the reputation of being an excellent tackler, the tape reveals a very significant flaw that just won’t cut it in the NFL. He’s a shoulder tackler by instinct and regularly fails to wrap up runners. This obviously raises real issues in his ability to offer run support, blitz potential, and tackling downhill runners. But McDuffie is a top notch competitor, and I saw several examples of him running entirely across the field at full speed to make tackles.
So, here’s the challenge with McDuffie. He lacks the ideal traits of a shutdown outside corner. He lacks size and his arms are only 29.75”. That absence of size has been a challenge for him in college as I saw several examples of him struggling against big-bodied wide receivers. McDuffie got outmuscled and was unable to work around these bigger frames. He also gets boxed out. He will be challenged to play press man against these guys. I think it will be very difficult for McDuffie on the outside to defend against back-shoulder passes. Although I didn’t see examples on the tape I watched, I’m also concerned about his ability to compete on jump balls against bigger receivers. Moreover, I saw instances where McDuffie was simply unable to disengage from wide receiver blocks down the field, and this will present a problem for him in NFL run support.
All of these things – his plusses and his minuses – lead me to project McDuffie’s best position as a nickel corner. Not that he can’t play on the outside, but those hips are just made for him to play on the inside against the smaller, twitchy receivers where I think he is ideally suited. He’s got that type of short-area agility that is ideally suited on the inside (a clear Ravens’ need).
The question then becomes, do you draft a nickel with the 14th pick? I don’t think so, even though he offers positional flexibility to the outside if needed. And I don’t think McDuffie will fall too far below 14 because some teams might not be as concerned as I am regarding his prospects on the outside. He’s not going to fall out of the first round. He has a lower round grade from me than most because I see him only in the slot. But because of where the Ravens are drafting, I don’t see him as a likely selection. Round 2.
Kyler Gordon
Kyler Gordon is 5’11.5, 194 lbs. from Washington. Gordon was a much improved player in 2021. He played slot corner during the second half of the season. He’s a very good athlete who moves with explosive burst and dynamism. Gordon has excellent agility and quickness, allowing him to match receivers at the tops of their breaks. His fluid hips allow him to easily turn and run. He has good functional athleticism in coverage and is physical without being too grabby. In press, he often uses a bail technique. In off man he relies on his athleticism while cheating a bit with his eyes. Gordon is a very good tackler with good instincts, and though I can see him on the outside, slot is likely his best fit.
Though he has good ball skills, Gordon has not been the finisher one would like to see (no interceptions in his career). He should get better here as he consistently takes strong playmaking angles. As a tackler in space, he is exceptional though he has missed a bit more tackles after the catch than he should. He’s willing on special teams and he’s tough. He offers stout support in the run game and has done well limiting YAC.
Gordon can play all types of coverages but needs more polish. He brings a lot of strength to his game. I see him as an excellent blitzer from the slot. He has a good processing ability. But he can overthink things and needs to improve his instincts. He’s susceptible to the double move. Gordon has more maturing in front of him but has the combination of fluidity and toughness to be a top competitor.
Gordon would be an excellent fit for the Ravens for the slot position. The problem is one of draft slotting. He is not worthy of the 14th pick, and likely won’t last until the Ravens second rounder at number 45. I grade him as a high second round prospect because I think he should wind up in the slot, though others will see him on the outside. Round 2.
Kaiir Elam
Kaiir Elam is 6’2, 191 lbs. from Florida. Ravens’ fans might immediately cover their eyes and turn away because Elam is the nephew of arguably the Ravens’ biggest round one bust – Matt Elam. But let’s take a fair view of this generation of Elam.
He is a very experienced corner who played against top competition. Elam is very physical, whether at the line or on the back end. He has posted too many penalties due to his hand stickiness, and this could become a problem in the NFL, especially on double moves. Twitchy receivers who can bend the route tree could be a challenge as he is just not fluid or agile enough. This probably prevents him from sliding into the slot.
Elam seems most comfortable playing off the line, both in zone and in man. When he needs to flip his hips he lacks ideal burst, which can leave him chasing. His 2021 season was a bit inconsistent, and it was not his best season, as he was beaten on the deep ball against numerous teams. Was it lack of attention to technique? That’s a major question in need of an answer.
Elam is best suited for a team that plays zone and press. His length, physicality, athleticism, and ball skills fit here. In man coverage, he is best suited for situations where he can get his hands on the receiver and physical them out of the play. He is even better suited for zone, where he can come forward and attack the ball. As a tackler he is just so-so, and he will not bring elite run support. Therefore, Elam needs to improve his tackling technique as he sometimes takes poor angles. There are some questions regarding some processing issues.
I don’t grade Elam has high as some. I see him as a Round 2 prospect and not a perfect target for the Ravens given issues in man coverage against the twitchy guys. Round 2.
Roger McCreary
Roger McCreary is 5’11, 190 lbs. from Auburn. McCreary played a ton of press coverage (10th most in the country) against some of the best receivers in the nation and did it well. His forced incompletion percentage last year was third best in the country. But for McCreary the question is (and it is a big one) whether his physical skill set will lead to success in the NFL. For one, his 28.88” arm length would be the shortest of any outside starting corner in the NFL (and he has small hands to boot). That alone is cause for pause when evaluating McCreary’s positional future, and it prompts me to conclude that his best fit must be on the inside, no matter how well he played on the outside in college. McCreary played almost no slot coverage in college.
McCreary has shown very good capability in press man coverage where he has enough speed (though not elite as he runs a 4.5) to run with receivers. But he’s a short-strider. He can mirror well and shows very good closing quickness at the top of routes. McCreary has shown to be sticky in coverage. But he’s not the most fluid player when transitioning from off-man and has not been explosive enough to stay with receivers across the field. Because he has average twitchiness at the top of routes, elite quick receivers will likely give him problems. And this is more problematic for McCreary in particular given the physical limitations he has playing on the outside.
McCreary has very good ball skills and is a good tackler. That tackling ability projects well to the slot position in the NFL. McCreary possesses a solid route-recognition ability. He can be a little late reacting to in-breaking routes. He can sometimes be a bit too grabby. In all, I have some reservations regarding McCreary. He is not a first round prospect in my book. And I’m not sure he will be a top-end slot cover guy. I believe McCreary is a guy the Ravens should pass on. Others almost universally grade him higher than me but that’s because I’m valuing him as a slot corner for the Ravens. Round 3.
Damarri Mathis
Damarri Mathis is 5’11, 196 lbs. from Pittsburgh. Mathis is a very aggressive player (sometimes too much so) and is fiercely competitive. He has the necessary long speed (ran a 4.39) and is strong enough to force receivers to the boundary. Mathis has been successful in zone coverage as he is quick to read and redirect. He’s very tough at the catch point. Mathis has been leery in drive routes, backing off too much, and he’s had too many penalties downfield. But he is a smart player.
Mathis missed the entire 2020 season with a shoulder injury. He has very small hands. When his back is to the ball his awareness tends to disappear. He has rarely played in the slot. He also bites bit too much on underneath routes and can be grabby. He’s an inconsistent tackler. Mathis has shown a pretty good ability with press technique. He brings a good athletic profile and has solid reactive twitch capability. Mathis has the ability to play man or zone but I see him only on the outside. The challenge for Mathis is to eliminate the panic in his game. He’s an interesting prospect. Round 3-4.
Cam Taylor-Britt
Cam Taylor-Britt is 5’11, 196 lbs. from Nebraska. Taylor-Britt has the size and traits (with long arms) to be successful but often takes poor pursuit angles. He’s a guy who falls for double moves even though he has the feet and ability to pounce. He has top-notch recovery speed. Some see him as a safety.
Taylor-Britt’s hip fluidity is inconsistent. He often turns them on the snap yet winds up positioned poorly. Hard breaking routes can leave him a bit behind, and in deep routes he can be an instant behind in executing his turn and run. He is reasonably twitchy with fast feet. In off coverage he’s shown a smooth and quick backpedal ability.
Taylor-Britt has very good ball skills and is vertically explosive to the high point of the ball. But he generally doesn’t trust his own deep speed as he backpedals too early, yielding too much ground. His route anticipation needs to improve. On the surface he appears better suited for zone play than man, and Nebraska played predominantly zone, which accounts for Taylor-Britt’s relative inexperience in man. Zone schemes where he can play over the top and then come down are probably his strength.
Yet, Taylor-Britt’s press skills, when called upon, were actually better than one would’ve thought. He ran an excellent 4.38 forty and that speed shows in press coverage. He also exhibited a reasonably good jam technique, where he can use his natural physicality. But overall, he has not demonstrated consistent ability to regularly win in press man and he needs to be coached up.
Taylor-Britt is a very willing and excellent tackler. He definitely has special teams’ coverage ability. He had several knee surgeries when he was much younger. On balance, as a man cover player, Taylor-Britt definitely needs further development. I don’t see him stepping on the field immediately. He is likely to be drafted higher than where I place him because I don’t see him as a primary target for the Ravens.
Said another way, the Ravens have to fill that slot/position flexible corner position before turning to depth. And that likely won’t happen before round four. I don’t see Taylor-Britt as offering this type of positional flexibility; I don’t picture him faring well in the slot. Therefore, his appeal to the Ravens towards the top of the draft is more limited. Round 4.
Marcus Jones
Marcus Jones is 5’8, 174 lbs. from Houston. A very small armed undersized prospect, he’s the perfect kind of twitchy athlete to play in the slot. But even there he is unusually small. He has outstanding hips and the quick feet to handle the top-end slot receivers. He is explosive and gets to top gear almost immediately. Jones is very instinctive and has shown an ability to undercut routes. He has outstanding mirroring skills. Jones is a very willing and aggressive tackler in the run game. And not that this matters much to the Ravens, but Jones has been the best kick returner in college over the last few years.
There’s no doubt that his size will be an issue for him at the catch point. And there’s obviously no way that Jones will be able to match up with NFL tight ends. His skill set suggests that he would be an excellent blitzer, but one wonders how he’ll fare against blitz pick-ups given his small stature. Now, could Jones be a play-maker on offense? He’s so dynamic in the return game that one would think some teams would try. But there’s no need for the Ravens to go there given their current receiving group. He has had surgery on each of his shoulders, one in December, 2021 and the other in February, 2022.
I think there is too much risk with Jones, from the Ravens’ perspective, to be that answer in the slot. His size is just problematic. But he grades well otherwise. Round 4.
Jalyn Armour-Davis
Armour-Davis is 6’1, 197 lbs. from Alabama. Armour-Davis has prototypical traits. He runs a 4.39. He has one-year starters experience at Alabama. He’s relatively undeveloped given his time at Alabama, but has good upside. He has the size to play on the outside. His range is very good. Armour-Davis is a fluid athlete with the ability to mirror and he brings a good backpedal. He has strong closing speed and can carry vertical rotes to the boundary. Armour-Davis uses good leverage and has solid hand usage in press man. But he is not as physical or as instinctive as he should be. He doesn’t pressure inside routes as much as he needs to. His biggest flaw might be in transition, where he seems to lose a half-step and this is an issue when receivers cross his face. He must shift his hips better. He’s a willing tackler.
Armour-Davis is an interesting and rising prospect. He still needs to develop further but he’s worth attention and is draftable by the Ravens. Round 4.
Joshua Williams
Joshua Williams is 6’3, 195 lbs. from Fayetteville State. Williams is a small school standout. Very long-limbed, he is skilled and versatile enough to play in any type of coverage. He mirrors receivers well and is instinctual in zone coverage. He has good footwork and a quick pedal. Williams turns and runs with ease. He has excellent ball skills. He also has good recognition. Williams allows some separation against twitchy receivers at the break point, but he is athletically gifted enough (speed and agility) to recover quickly. His feet are quick enough that he has very good stop/start ability, allowing him to recover against double moves. He also plays very well downhill and is intense in run support though he needs to improve in disengaging from blocks.
Williams needs to grow his game in press-man, as his technique was not as sound as it should be, particularly in his attempts to jam receivers. Transitioning downhill sometimes is a challenge as he will take false steps, and route recognition at the higher level of play in the NFL will take some time.
His athleticism for his size can’t be overstated. At the Senior Bowl he had one of the top five maximum speeds recorded, which is fantastic for a 6’3 corner. He ran much slower at the Combine. He also has displayed all-around special teams skills.
Granted that Williams is coming from a small school, but this is where the right analysis can really find a gem. I like Williams and he brings all the measurables, and good tape, such that the Ravens should seriously consider drafting him with one of their fourth round picks. Round 4.
Jaylen Watson
Jaylen Watson is 6’2, 197 lbs. from Washington State. Watson is still raw but he has the traits to play as a big press corner. Watson is big and he is strong. When he stays disciplined, he is very physical in press coverage. His body can allow him to add some bulk. He is able to use his physicality to disrupt patterns and he has shown an ability to stick with vertical routes. Watson does a good job high pointing the ball. He is aggressive and yet has managed to avoid penalties. However, Watson can play too tall, and his agility is not ideal to match up against twitchy wideouts. His short-area quickness is not great. His footwork needs improvement and he has not shown a consistent ability to accelerate when trailing.
As a tackler Watson is undisciplined and needs refinement. He has played in only 15 career games. Although he is raw, Watson has upside and possesses the traits to be interesting to the Ravens as a potential press corner though he is not a perfect candidate. He does not have potential in the slot. He only has average speed (ran 4.51). Round 4-5.
Tariq Woolen
Tariq Woolen is 6’4, 205 lb. from UTSA. Woolen clocked the fastest forty yard dash (4.26) ever at the combine for a player of his height. And his arms are longer than Kayvon Thibodeaux’s. His vertical jump at the Combine was an incredible 42 inches. Woolen started as a wide receiver and played the last two years at corner. At this point he is a traits-outstanding prospect, bringing a special combination of length, size, and athleticism. To what degree he can hold up in press man coverage, given his size, is the question to be answered at the next level though he has fared well crowding receivers so far. He obviously has great recovery speed. He improved his mirroring ability last year as his footwork improved. But his hand usage must improve as must his processing.
Woolen’s technique and fundamentals need work, no doubt. And he likely fits better right now in zone coverage. He must improve his pattern-matching skills. Woolen is a very willing tackler and will bring the heat, but lacks fundamentals in this respect. There’s no way Woolen can wind up in the slot. One of the biggest challenges form Woolen is that his instincts just aren’t there yet, nor has he shown a great ability to either play the ball in the air or to get his eyes back around.
In all, Woolen does not project well for the Ravens. He’s raw in many ways, and needs development. I’m not sure about his ability to play special teams. He’s better suited for zone play and is not a slot candidate. I’d be surprised if the Ravens have him high up on their board and I see him as a raw developmental project who is a classic (but outstanding) traits pick. Round 4-5.
Kalon Barnes
Kalon Barnes is 5’11, 183 lbs. from Baylor. Barnes clocked out as the fastest cornerback at the combine, running an amazing 4.23. This blazer, however, relies too much on that blazing speed. He has been more of an athlete than a cover man so far. With his athletic gifts he should play with better technique. Barnes can obviously press and run, and he can catch up to anyone. He has lower body explosion and of course tremendous blitz speed. He has the balance and the feet to compete against twitchy athletes. At best, Barnes is an average tackler.
Barnes has more difficulty competing against taller receivers. Good route runners take advantage of his undue reliance on his speed. He gives up too much ground early on. And he’s not the greatest reader when turning his back to the ball. He has been described as a bit too much of a freelance artist. Receivers have successfully attacked his leverage. Barnes must improve his technique to be successful in the NFL. He is probably best suited in the nickel position. Round 4-5.
Alontae Taylor
Alontae Taylor is 6’, 199 lbs. from Tennessee. Taylor played his best ball in 2021. He has the size and length teams look for. He’s a high character guy and a leader. Taylor is plenty versatile and physical in his play. He is well suited for press coverage and zone, and has shown an ability to hold his own in off-man, carrying routes vertically. The challenge for Taylor is handling the twitchy wideouts and the top-end route runners horizontally. He’s aggressive and physical at the line of scrimmage in press man, creates jams and caps routes early on.
Running a 4.36, Taylor has the speed to carry vertically. His agility is not a strength, which contributes to his challenges with the twitchy guys. He is stronger in zone cover right now. He does not have elite ball skills, certainly not downfield. Taylor is most effective when facing the action, is effective reading the quarterback, and has a good closing burst.
Taylor is physical and competitive as a tackler, though inconsistent. I don’t see him as a great slot candidate. His short-area quickness is just not great enough to consistently compete there in the NFL. He does offer serious special teams’ capability. Taylor is still developing, and I would not overdraft him as I think he projects strictly to the outside and I’m not sure he gets there as a full-time starter. Round 4-5.
Zyon McCollum
Zyon McCollum is 6’2, 199 lbs. from Sam Houston State. McCollum has a great combination of athletic traits and size. He ran the third fastest cornerback 40 (4.33) at the combine. He displays physicality in coverage with outstanding footwork. He’s instinctive and has very good ball skills at the catch-point. His football IQ is very good. McCollum was a team captain.
McCollum is a physical tackler, but he sometimes flies around too fast, missing as a result. He’s patient in zone coverage. McCollum has shown good recovery speed. One would think that his size limits his change of direction ability, which becomes problematic in the NFL against twitchy athletes. There were frequent examples in press coverage where he just opened his hips too quickly, giving the wideout easy access. Mind you, this was against a low level of competition. And this showed up at the Senior Bowl against NFL-caliber talent. Even though he logged an incredible 6.48 time in the three-cone at the Combine, his poor technique gives away the natural advantages he should have. Mind you, his 3-cone time is better than 99.6% of cornerbacks who have ever tested the three-cone at the Combine, yet it’s not translating like it should.
McCollum can lose his balance at times during his back pedal. He’s shown a tendency to bite leaving him exposed to double moves. He will surely have a learning curve in the NFL, and perhaps a steeper one than some might believe. I think his prospects dimmed after his poor showing at the Senior Bowl, where he received PFFs third-lowest cornerback grade. To me, McCollum is a fabulous traits player who is more project than prospect at this point. He might better fit at safety, who know. Round 5.
Martin Emerson
Martin Emerson is 6’2, 201 lbs. from Mississippi State. Emerson is a talented player who was under-utilized by Mississippi State. He has excellent size and the long limbs to play in press coverage, yet he was infrequently played in that way. His very good length allows him to win. But Emerson just isn’t a blazer. And his run support has been suspect. He does not have great movement skills and lacks burst when he needs to turn and run. He probably plays best in a cover 3 scheme, which just doesn’t fit with the Ravens (absent Mike Macdonald changing the approach). Round 5.
Cobie Durant
Cobie Durant is 5’9, 180 lbs. from South Carolina State. Durant is a very good athlete who has the fluidity and footwork to play in the slot in the NFL. But he was not used there in college and is already 24. He’s plenty fast (ran a 4.38) and plays that way too. He has been solid in bump and run and is able to locate the ball well. Although Durant may have problems competing against the bigger guys (tight ends are likely problematic), he played very well in the Clemson game with four passes defensed and two picks. Durant has strong ball skills with which to attack. His size limits him in the run game.
Durant is an interesting, though flawed, candidate for slot play. He can not hold up on the outside. Round 5.
Coby Bryant
Coby Bryant is 6’1, 193 lbs. from Cincinnati. Bryant won the Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in the country. He lacks ideal speed (ran a 4.54 forty) which could cause him to struggle against NFL speedsters. He has above-average ball skills and is able to anticipate routes particularly in zone coverage. He’s smart, a studier and tough. Bryant offers very good run support. He can sometimes be overaggressive, leaving him susceptible to double moves. I have concerns about whether he will be able to match route breaks, and I think he is a bit suspect if left on an island. His explosiveness is only average. I give him a much lower grade as an NFL prospect than others and he doesn’t interest me for the Ravens given that he is likely best suited for off-zone schemes. Round 5.
Damarion Williams
Damarion Williams is 5’10, 182 lbs. from Houston. Williams is a slot corner candidate. He stands up to larger players and is very competitive and extremely tough. He can sometimes play with almost reckless abandon. Williams has good twitchiness underneath but lacks ideal downfield speed (ran a 4.53). He’s very willing to mix it up in run support. Williams has outstanding mental makeup. He is physical in press coverage and will jam you. His coach calls him an “absolute warrior.” His challenge will be his play strength. Because he is so competitive, he has shown to be susceptible to double moves and cheats a bit with his eyes. He will have to school himself out of this. He closes out well against separation.
Williams is a reasonable slot corner candidate who is lacking top-end speed. But he has the potential to be a beast inside of 15 yards and will likely make a good blitzer. Round 5-6.
Tariq Castro-Fields
Tariq Castro-Fields is 6’, 197 lbs. from Penn State. Although he has appealing physical traits and speed (ran a 4.38), he lacked consistency in his play. He is challenged to stick with receivers on a regular basis as his feel for coverage is not terrific. He’s tough in run support and he’s aggressive in press coverage. He’s got a good football IQ. Castro-Fields is good on jump balls and he has a good backpedal. I see him as only offering backup potential. Round 6.
Josh Jobe
Josh Jobe is 5’11, 182 lbs. from Alabama. Jobe had a disappointing senior season. He is a physical and strong player. His hips are a bit too tight and his punch and jab in press coverage is too inconsistent. He is not sudden in his backpedal. His play recognition is adequate. Jobe is a good tackler. Jobe is better suited for zone coverage as he is not a great mirrorer and can be too grabby. He’s not a great fit for the Ravens. Round 6.
Bryce Watts
Bryce Watts is 5’11, 187 lbs. from Massachusetts. Watts has good athletic traits and reaction skills. He can flip his hips and accelerate to top speed quickly. He ran a 4.40 forty. Watts closes out well against break separation and is fairly good in diagnosing plays. He’s tough and a sturdy tackler though he sometimes runs around blocks. I think he’s an ascending player and a good special teamer. He’s a bit too lean to play on the edge at this point so his project is to the inside. He’s shown a susceptibility to double moves. There is some talent here. Round 6-7.
Isaac Taylor-Stuart
Isaac Taylor-Stuart is 6’1, 201 lbs. from USC. Stuart is a long-strider who can struggle with his pad level. He is definitely a traits prospect, but his play last year did not live up to those traits. Taylor-Stuart regularly yields too much space. He is not physical as a run defender. Taylor-Stuart has not had much ball production. He generally is slow to react. He has not particularly impressed in deep coverage. Round 7.
Akayleb Evans
Akayleb Evans is 6’2, 197 lbs. from Missouri. The challenge with Evans is that he lacks the reaction quickness necessary to be a playmaker. He lacks the footwork and short-area agility needed to be successful in man coverage. He’s also lacked in ball production in college. I didn’t see much potential to be a full-time starter and therefore passed on a further review. Pass.
Defensive Secondary Prospects – Safety
I spent very little time looking at the safety position, where I think the Ravens are set with Marcus Williams, Chuck Clark, Brandon Stephens, Geno Stone, and Ardarius Washington. Therefore, I did not identify any draftable candidates from the fourth round and lower who I though were worthy of Ravens’ draft capital – the safety class is just not very deep. There are one or two candidates for special teams’ only prospects, but this might be better addressed with players left undrafted.
