The cornerback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft are reviewed below from the Ravens perspective. Previous position analyses are listed below.
Offensive Players:
Tackles are reviewed here.
Guards are reviewed here.
Defensive Players:
Edge linebackers are reviewed here.
The Ravens Current Cornerback Situation and Need
Two starter cornerback slots are currently filled, with Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens. Beyond that, the cornerback room is very unsettled. The Ravens resigned Arthur Maulet, who will certainly see time in the slot. Both Pepe Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis, neither of whom made any contribution in 2023, will get another shot to make the team (arguably, the last chance for each). Williams, as I’ve claimed, could contribute in the slot. Armour-Davis has played so little and been so injury prone with soft tissue problems that I would not count on him at all.
Now I expect the Ravens to sign one of the veteran corners still on the market, post-May 2 when signings don’t count against the compensatory pick formula. Likely targets will include Xavien Howard, Steven Nelson, Stephon Gilmore and Adoree Jackson at the top of the list.
But the Ravens need to find at least one corner in this draft who can take the field in 2024, preferably on the outside. Ideally, however, they would find two corners – a second who could play the slot or who has inside/outside versatility.
Last year the Ravens played a significant amount of zone coverages, a very big shift from the old Wink Martindale and earlier eras. The question is what type of coverages will new defensive coordinator Zach Orr prefer. Will he follow Mike Macdonald’s approach, or will the Ravens revert to more man coverages. I suspect, without knowing, that he will follow Macdonald’s lead. And it makes a difference with respect to the type of cornerbacks the Ravens should focus on in this year’s draft.
It’s a deep crop this year, and this post couldn’t quite get to everyone.
Cornerback Prospects
With that as backdrop, lets take a look at the draftees. I did not review Terrion Arnold or Quinyon Mitchell, both of whom will be gone well within the top 15 picks in the draft.
Nate Wiggins
Wiggins is 20.7 years old, 6’1 and 173 pounds from Clemson. Wiggins ran a blazing 4.28 forty. Off the bat I tend to shy away from corners who are so very thin like Wiggins. It’s the primary reason I didn’t like Emmanuel Forbes last year. At 173 pounds, it’s just impossible to see Wiggins offering much if anything by way of run support on the edge. He’s limited at what he can bring at the point of attack, and the Ravens ask more of their corners in this regard.
It’s easy to see Wiggins getting a bit man-handled by big receivers, and having a hard time getting off of blocks. I can also envision some difficulty at the high point, as bigger receivers will have an advantage in blocking him out. It’s true that Marcus Peters had little presence towards the line attacking the run, which the Ravens accepted because of Peters’ man cover ability. But Peters was much more of a ballhawk than Wiggins has shown (only three picks in 18 college starts) and was very adept when contesting at the high point. So these are the risks with Wiggins.
Wiggins is absolutely among the fastest corners you’ll ever see. He’s an excellent athlete. His outstanding speed allows him to both stay attached to anyone. But that speed does not transition as well when he loses contact and has to recover. Wiggins’ speed and easy footwork allow him to play with great range. As you would expect for a player with his frame, he has outstanding hip fluidity. Wiggins is able to stay over the top of stop and go routes and is not easily fooled.
Wiggins has elite mirror skills, and stays in phase with receivers, which are difficult traits to find. His mirror skills don’t diminish in press coverage (at least not at the college level), though I think it will be more difficult for him to stay attached with bigger physical receivers off the line. His range should play well in NFL zone packages. In off coverages he will drive hard on the ball and bring the wood.
Wiggins was not as productive as one would have thought, and you expect more productivity given his play recognition and burst. He also closes ground very quickly. Although he has a long frame, his arms are quite short. Wiggins has been adept in both man and zone coverage packages. He brings very smooth and quick feet. Wiggins plays very tough and competitively.
Wiggins’ frame certainly allows for him to put on mass. But will teams want him to, given the potential trade off between added strength versus speed and explosion? In general, another eight to ten pounds of muscle mass might be essential for him over the longer term. Even Deion Sanders weighed 188 pounds as an NFL rookie.
Wiggins brings elite ability away from the line of scrimmage. He’ll barely be 21 by the start of the season. For the Ravens, I’d be surprised if they were satisfied with a 173 pound corner, no matter how talented he might be on the back end. If they are convinced they can bulk Wiggins up (and he’s young enough to think he might naturally add eight to ten pounds anyway) then he’s worth the pick. Round 1. Ravens: Yes, with the preceding caveat.
Kool-Aid McKinstry
McKinstry is 21.6 years old, 5’11 and 196 pounds from Alabama. McKinstry brings just decent speed (4.47 forty) to the table, and there’s no single athletic trait that stands out with him. He can take a tick or two to reach top speed. His short area burst in man coverage struck me as just average, and when he was out of phase he found himself in trouble. McKinstry is well schooled.
McKinstry is just average in run support and is not the type of player to swarm to the line. And although he is reliable and generally a good tackler who can be an effective blitzer, he can struggle getting off blocks.
At Alabama, McKinstry was mostly tasked with playing press coverage. He showed good lateral ability, quick and fluid feet, and good hip fluidity with an ability to mirror and stay over the top. He is not really a jam presser. But there were more occasions than I expected where he got stacked over the top, which was a bit disconcerting. He can be grabby. At the same time, he demonstrated an ability to play trail, being a patient player who didn’t bite, but speedier receivers could get too much separation leaving McKinstry in full chase mode. He has very good hand usage at the catch point.
McKinstry has a good route recognition ability. His recovery speed is a bit lacking. He can be a little delayed transitioning out of his press packages. I saw him struggle a bit on routes where the receiver came back towards the quarterback – curls, for example. He has to improve his ability to sink those hips on these comeback routes. McKinstry was fairly adept in zone packages in passing off his switches, which was a necessary trait in the Ravens 2023 zone schemes. McKinstry’s productivity wasn’t what you’d like to see with only two interceptions in his career, though he frequently got his hands on the ball. He has some difficulty getting his head around to the ball.
Overall, I thought McKinstry wasn’t as clean as I expected. I’m a bit concerned that he could struggle staying attached down the field and open to the big play. And although he does a lot of things well, I’m not sure I see elite written anywhere in particular. He is scheme flexible. McKinstry has punt return skills. I have him rated a little lower than others. He may well be a high floor, lower ceiling player. Round 2. Ravens: Maybe.
Cooper DeJean
DeJean is 21.25 years old, 6’ and 202 pounds out of Iowa. He ran a 4.44 forty. DeJean brings good size and a diversity of skills, including punt returning. Although DeJean seems comfortable playing press coverage (though sometimes he can get off balance), he didn’t play a lot of it at Iowa. He’s very comfortable playing the bail technique (body turned toward the field instead of being square with the LOS). He has shown a good ability to flip his hips and he mirrors very well.
I don’t think his first step is all that explosive, as he gathers speed as he goes. But Dejean has good closing linear speed and can carry people vertically. He competes and is disruptive at the catch point. DeJean has a physical style of play and will remain physical all through the route and through the catch point (in fact, he can be a bit too grabby). But DeJean struggles a bit when transitioning as his feet can be a bit slow. His wide base causes him to be a bit slower transitioning. He has some difficulty handling outside releases leading to in-breaking routes. There were instances when his outside shoulder (outside release) was attacked and he gave up easy completions on in-breaking routes. But DeJean will make a play on the ball.
DeJean is fairly scheme versatile. He can play the nickel. He displays good vision when playing zone and knows both when to switch his assignment and how to pass off players. DeJean is an excellent tackler, and physical, against the run. He will come up and compete in run support and can deliver the wood. He can play in the box and is versatile.
In all, DeJean is a very versatile player, though I think he fits best primarily in zone schemes. I don’t think he’ll be an elite cover corner playing press man on the outside. In fact, he might be better on the nickel, and as a player you can move around the field. But the Ravens have that kind of slot player already. But what’s wrong with having two of them? Round 1-2. Ravens: Yes.
Mike Sainristil
Sainristil is 24.5 years old, 5’9 and 182 pounds out of Michigan. He ran a 4.47 forty. Sainristil is obviously diminutive. Right off the bat it’s hard to envision him playing anywhere other than nickel in the NFL; he’s just too small to play on the outside. Sainristil is a very aggressive player who is quite tough for his size. He’s instinctive. Although he’s 24, he started as an offensive player and has only two years of play as a defender.
Sainristil does not bring the top end speed that you sometimes associate with players his size. But he brings good foot quickness, gets out of his breaks quickly, and does an excellent job mirroring receivers. He has a good route understanding and very good ball skills (six interceptions last year). Although Sainristl is willing to be physical at the line, his lack of size just makes it harder for him to jam bigger receivers. And sometimes he just plain old needs help brining down a runner.
Sainristil is a pure NFL nickel. I like what he brings in just that role. It’s an interesting question for the Ravens regarding what they want to have at the nickel spot. Obviously, Kyle Hamilton is a dynamic weapon at the line in that role. How many reps are really available for someone else to play that spot in situations where the Ravens want Hamilton on the back end? Maybe not a lot. In fact, and we’ll look when reviewing the safety position, one could argue the Ravens should invest higher draft capital looking for more of a pure safety than a pure nickel.
How high should a pure nickel corner go in the draft? Round 2. Ravens: Yes, depending on what their safety/nickel plan is.
Max Melton
Melton is 22 years old, 5’11 and 187 pounds from Rutgers. Melton ran a very good 4.39 forty. He’s an excellent athlete. With his slight stature, Melton could have some difficulty lining up outside against bigger wide receivers. He is probably best suited as a slot corner in the NFL. Melton competed at the Senior Bowl practices but did not stand out per se.
Melton has excellent burst and acceleration. He brings quick footwork and changes directions very well. He stays in sync and in contact on straight vertical routes. Melton can be a bit too grabby.
One of Melton’s biggest flaws to date has been his inability to locate the ball. His head just doesn’t get back around to the quarterback when he’s left in man coverage. His punch and jam are below grade. Unlike DeJean, he handles inside releases fairly well. Melton excels more in zone coverages and is much more instinctive and reactive.
Although very willing in the run game, he showed some impatience. He does not tackle with ferocity, lacking strength, and can’t be expected to consistently hold the point of attack if he’s tasked with run support on the outside. There are character concerns with Melton. He was arrested in 2021 for aggravate assaulted and possession of a weapon.
I don’t see Melton as a great fit at this point for the Ravens because I just don’t see him winding up on the outside, which is really what the Ravens need. He’s not the best of the slot candidates, and then there’s the character red flag. Round 2. Ravens: No.
T.J. Tampa
Tampa turned 22 in March, is 6’1 and 194 pounds from Iowa State. He is a thick-framed corner who ran a pedestrian 4.58 forty, which makes one wonder how he will be able to stride with top-end vertical speed. In a certain sense Tampa can be seen as a mixed bag. In press coverage he lacks the natural fluidity to turn his hips and as a result can get beaten by quick-releasing receivers. His technique needs work. When he plays off coverage, he brings a reasonably good back-pedal. His feet are quick. His transitions are just ok. Tampa jams reasonably well and uses his physicality to reroute receivers.
Although he only had three interceptions in 29 starts, he gets his eyes back to the ball, and tracks the ball well. In zone schemes Tampa aggressively plants and drives on the pass. In zone he also displays good route recognition and understanding. I think he’s more adept in zone packages than likely to succeed on an island in man coverages.
Tampa competes well, and has the jumping ability to compete on high contested throws. Tampa will attack in the run game but doesn’t always bring the best technique when he fails to wrap up. He has the ability to shed wide receiver blocks on the edge. But his run support has been a bit inconsistent; he can do it, he just doesn’t always do it.
In all, Tampa is not the answer if you’re looking for a number one press-man corner. He will do well in zone packages, and will ultimately be strong in run support. He’s a good, but not great, prospect. I rate him lower than some. Round 2-3. Ravens: No.
Ennis Rakestraw, Jr.
Rakestraw is almost 22 years old, 5’11 and 183 pounds from Missouri. He ran a slightly below average 4.51 forty at the Combine. Like Tampa, Rakestraw has some mixed elements about him. Initially, he definitely has some medical red flags, most recently requiring surgery in the offseason, but also having suffered a torn ACL in 2022, and missing four games last year due to a groin injury.
With his thin frame (only 14th percentile in weight among corners) there are immediate concerns with how Rakestraw will compete with big bodied receivers, particularly at the catch point and in box out routes. His play strength against these wideouts is suspect. And his recovery speed when he’s beaten is below average, with concerns whether, given his lack of elite speed, he can ride a receiver vertically.
But there is also a lot to like about his game. Rakestraw has very good short area athleticism. He has quick feet, is an elite fluid mover, and flips his hips instantly to change direction. Rakestraw gets through his transitions quickly. He back pedals well and seems very comfortable in press coverage; he does a very good job early when he gets his hands on the receiver. Rakestraw is disciplined in his technique.
Rakestraw also is very good in zone packages, maintaining the proper spacing between wide receivers and passing off when and as he should. He breaks very well on balls thrown in front of him. Rakestraw locates the ball well, with 21 passes defensed last year. But he surprisingly produced only one interception across 32 career starts, strongly implying he’s just not a productive ballhawk. It appears that he loses eye contact with the ball at the catch point.
Rakestraw is much more physical than you would think. PFF grades him as their eight highest defensive back in run support. Rakestraw brings physicality and is active. He attacks screens with determination.
In all, Rakestraw is a scheme diverse corner. He can play outside and inside, man and zone. I think he’s ultimately a best fit in the slot in the NFL, away from the bigger men who would give him the most trouble, and matched against the quickness that he is well suited to defend. From that spot he could be effective in both man and zone. I also think from the inside he could become an effective blitzer. Medicals are clearly a concern. Round 2. Ravens: Yes (if satisfied with the medicals).
Andru Phillips
Phillips is 22.5 years old, 5’10 and 190 pounds from Kentucky. He ran a 4.48 forty. His size immediately projects him as a slot corner in the NFL. He had only 16 starts in college with no interceptions.
Phillips has excellent feet, and showed solid evidence using a variety of coverage techniques. He is great in transition, and can plant and change direction on a dime. Phillips mirrors well. Despite his smaller stature, he brings a lot of physicality. Phillips has excellent closing speed. He backpedals well, and reacts quickly to the ball. His instincts are just average so far, which may account for his lack of ball production.
Phillips had a very good week at the Senior Bowl, winning all five of his one-on-one reps. He was able to look back and locate the ball in the air, and shut down Ladd McConkey twice (who was probably the best receiver at the Senior Bowl). His performance certainly enhanced his standing.
Now if tasked with playing on the outside Phillips will likely face difficulty against bigger receivers; he could face block-out, back shoulder, and high-point problems. He could stand to improve in zone schemes as he can be a tad late reacting, which could just be a function of his inexperience. But Phillips has the necessary zone tools and in the right packages should be able to sit on underneath routes with success. He generally sticks on in man coverages, and will fight above his weight. Phillips can be a bit too grabby. In the run game he is tough and aggressive but, like a lot of smaller corners, needs to better refine his technique to become a more consistent finisher. He is a hot and aggressive tackler down the field.
Phillips is an interesting prospect who could be better in the pros than in college as he gains the necessary experience. He’s well suited to play the slot with his ability to cover a wide area between the numbers, offer stout run support, and likely become a strong blitzer. He’s a special teamer. Round 3. Ravens: Yes.
Jarvis Brownlee
Brownlee is 22.75 years old, 5’10 and 194 pounds from Louisville. He ran a 4.51 forty. Brownlee brings good lateral movement, uses his hands well, but lacks top end elite speed. He can be a little slower transitioning than you like. He has a lot of experience playing press coverage, where he excels using his strength and force to re-route receivers. Brownlee has quick feet and hip flips, giving him the ability to change direction and slide into off coverage.
Brownlee is very aggressive, hustles all the time, and will compete. Sometimes his aggression leads to penalties. He has work to do in zone packages, with refinement needed in passing off receivers. But he’s very twitchy and has the natural ability to improve in these packages. He comes out of his backpedal well, and attacks screens. Brownlee is also stout in run defense, taking on blocks with physicality.
Brownlee had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl. Although there remain some questions about his vertical speed, he was tightly locked onto receivers underneath, mirroring at a very high level. He used his arms well in press coverage. He was aggressive, and successful, to the ball. It’s certainly true that his coverage was so tight that he was essentially running the routes for the receivers. Brownlee was outstanding at the catch point. And he was able to stay in phase.
Brownlee is another corner in this year’s class who is probably best suited on the inside. His lack of top end speed is a concern on the outside. But in packages underneath with over the top help he should excel. But he has enough size to stay outside. I expect Brownlee to be an effective blitzer, and he could become a top level nickel corner. Round 3. Ravens: Yes.
Nehemiah Pritchett
Pritchett is 23.25 years old, 6’ and 190 pounds from Auburn. He ran a blazing 4.36 forty at the Combine and has long arms but very small hands. He’s an excellent athlete. Pritchett only had three picks in 40 starts in his career.
Pritchett is a scheme versatile corner. He plays both bump and press-bail techniques in man coverage. Pritchett hits top gear almost immediately, can take that speed all the way vertically, and brings excellent recovery ability. He is sometimes late getting his head around and leaves some plays on the field as a result. Pritchett has very good range and is excellent in short space. He figures to play on the outside in the NFL.
In press-man packages Pritchett has shown a good ability to mirror. He stays in phase throughout the stem of the route, and uses his long arms to disrupt. Pritchett is very competitive at the catch point. He’s effective with his hands when pressing at the line. He occasionally struggles when transitioning and though he has a good backpedal Pritchett can sometimes be delinquent getting out of it. But he reads well and reacts with explosion
As a run defender Pritchett is almost reckless with his body. However, he lacks good consistent tackling form, and is an ankle diver who frequently fails to wrap up, substituting his shoulder for good tackling form. These tackling traits can be improved with good schooling. This is an essential improvement to his game, particularly if Pritchett wants to play outside in the NFL. Adding a little muscle mass would likely help him.
Pritchett has also been a successful kick returner and, if he can get his hands on the ball, a threat to go all the way. With his tools, you would think Pritchett would have had more productivity.
I like Pritchett a little more than the consensus. He’d be a nice year one rotation corner for the Ravens, with the upside of being a starting corner in a year if he can improve on his flaws. Round 3. Ravens: Yes.
Kamari Lassiter
Lassiter is 21.25 years old, 5’11 and 187 pounds from Georgia. He ran a very slow 4.64 forty on his pro day. Lassiter is not an elite athlete. He also brings short arms and small hands. But he has a good football IQ. Lassiter is neither particularly twitchy nor explosive out of the blocks. The long speed, or lack thereof, is a big concern. And he tends to fall behind when he is in trail technique. Lassiter tends to be very grabby at the top of the route tree down the field, which is no surprise given his lack of vertical speed.
For me, his lack of speed is almost a non-starter. Corners who are that slow just wind up with limited field range. I have a hard time projecting him as a press-man or island corner. He will need help over the top. Now with the Ravens, with the amount of Cover 2, 3, and 6 that they played last year, he could probably do a reasonably good job underneath in those zone packages. But, de facto, that’s where (in my view) his limits allow him to succeed. And he can blitz well from that spot.
Lassiter is very fluid; that’s the key to his game. He diagnoses things quickly. He maintains good spacing in zone coverages. Lassiter will take on blocks and make tackles in run support, where he is very physical.
Lassiter knows what he’s doing and understands what he sees; he’s an instinctive player who simply works his butt off. He’s aggressive at the catch point, though there was little production. But when you don’t have the speed, and your lateral quickness is just average, you’re just not the guy I’m going to run up to give the card on. I hope he proves me wrong. Lassiter is seen by others as a day two player. To me, you can only get there by moving him to the inside, where he might be better served in the slot. As an outside corner, I rate him lower. Round 4. Ravens: No.
D.J. James
James is 23 years old, 5’11 and 175 pounds from Auburn. He ran a 4.42 forty. He has a very thin frame with no body mass. James struggled at Auburn against bigger, physical receivers, and that’s only likely to get worse at the NFL level. It’s hard to see him adding the bulk he needs to compete against those players. I don’t see him, for example, delivering successful jams. As a result I think James should wind up on the inside in the slot.
James brings a very smooth backpedaling ability and solid footwork. He has good hip fluidity and transitions well, with explosion when he plants and drives. He mirrors reasonably well. James struggles more in zone packages, where he’s not particularly adept at anticipating or carrying routes, and oftentimes yields too much cushion on underneath plays. Nor is James (unsurprisingly) a very good tackler, as he struggles wrapping to bring down the ball carrier. But he is a tough competitor. Round 4. Ravens: No.
Jarrian Jones
Jones is 23 years old, 5’11 and 190 pounds from Florida State. He ran a very fast 4.38 forty but has very short arms. He is an outstanding athlete, with elite vertical and broad jump numbers.
Jones played entirely on the outside until he was moved into the slot this past season and had an excellent year. Jones allowed only 14 catches on 213 coverage snaps in the slot. He has outstanding quickness, accelerates well, and brings good footwork. He can mirror but is inconsistent because he gets impatient and then loses contact.
Jones has a very good understanding of the game and anticipates well. He’s tough and smart. His tested speed was a bit surprising because on the outside he seemed to have challenges getting vertical. Jones had three interceptions last year and five for his career, and he generally has very good ball skills. He has played well against quick receivers, able to turn his hips horizontally and stay in sync. But his transitioning is not tight because his footwork needs work.
Jones sometimes can be tardy recognizing route breaks. His recognition overall needs improvement as his instincts aren’t quite there yet. Jones plays physical in zone packages. He has excellent awareness and gets the proper depth. He plays physical in the run game and will chase runners, driving all the way through his tackles. Jones is not easy to block. In the open field his aggressiveness can leave him too hot, making him miss his mark.
Overall, Jones can play inside and outside though I think he’s best suited on the inside. I see him as an ascending player who has more to go with proper coaching. He has the athletic traits but needs a better grasp of nuance. Round 4-5. Ravens: Yes.
Caelen Carson
Carson is 22 years old, 5’11 and 193 pounds from Wake Forest. He ran a 4.52 forty. Carson is a very competitive player who could line up inside or outside, but he’s best suited for press man coverage. Although he has very good ball skills, that hasn’t translated into interceptions (he had none over his last 18 games) and he has not been a game-changer. In a press-man scheme he has good footspeed, explosiveness and has shown technical discipline. He’s physical enough to be a lockdown corner at his best.
Carson brings a high football IQ. He plays confident. He’s a very good tackler, will challenge in run support, and has good tackling technique. Carson brings good functional strength. He is tenacious at the catch point. Carson has been susceptible to wideouts manipulating his positioning. He’s a risk taker – and that’s a risk in the NFL. Carson generally has the versatility to compete across the formation with good body control, and he will fight and bump all the way. He can undercut receivers and win inside to the ball.
Carson has had some trouble at the top of route stems and can wind up losing the receiver over the middle as a result. He clearly needs refinement in this part of his game. He’s very straight-line in his movement and has some difficulty with his footwork and angles. But he has enough twitch and hip fluidity to handle this better and stay in phase at a higher level. At this point, Carson is best suited for man-press, and not so much for zone schemes. He’s not even as well suited for off man coverages as he is for press.
Carson has some medical red flags as he missed seven games over the last three years with injuries. Carson is a good prospect who needs to be further coached up. He’s not a day one starter. Round 3-4. Ravens: Maybe.
Kris Abrams-Draine
Abrams-Drain is 22.5 years old, 5’11 and 179 pounds from Missouri. He ran a 4.44 forty. In my view he is a slot-only corner who will not be able to compete physically on the outside. His physical limitations limit his appeal to me as I don’t see him as scheme versatile and view him mostly as an off ball zone cover. Abrams-Draine’s low body mass limits his tackling strength and he’s not effective taking on bigger ball carriers at the line. His tackling technique needs work.
Abrams-Draine is instinctual. He brings very good ball skills that have turned into productivity (something missing with a lot of the other corner prospects), as he had four interceptions last year and seven in his career. He’s flexible and patient and maintains his speed in his backpedal, staying in sync. He has been an inconsistent jammer at the line and can be easily boxed out by bigger-bodied receivers.
Abrams-Draine has fluid hips and a good first step. He has very good footwork and play recognition. He loses speed laterally and winds up in trail position. He’s aggressive and competes at the catch point. He plays confident in zone coverages and is well suited for off ball play.
Abrams-Draine can not become a starting outside corner. At this point you could foresee him playing nickel and being used in zone packages. He is not versatile enough for my taste. Round 4. Ravens: No.
Cam Hart
Hart is 23.4 years old, 6’3, and 202 pounds from Notre Dame out of Baltimore. He ran a 4.50 forty and brings very long 33” arms. Hart is a prototype corner from a traits perspective and looks the part as much as any other corner in the draft. He’s explosive and athletic. His height and length make it difficult for receivers to create space. He’s made to play press-man.
Hart is a very willing tackler with good run support instincts. He processes information well. But inconsistency has been a problem with Hart, as has effort. He can be seen missing zone assignments and becoming very lackadaisical competing at the catch point. Hart has the gifts to attack the catch point but doesn’t regularly do it. He seems to prefer playing the man over the ball.
It seems that the burning desire to be the best on every play isn’t there. In that sense, he doesn’t “Play Like a Raven.”
Hart is blessed with the agility to match receiver releases, and stay in phase and mirror. But his recovery speed is below grade. Hart will use his physical gifts to re-route receivers. But he can wind up too upright and lose contact with shifty receivers changing direction. Hart had only two interceptions in 33 starts across his career. He has had several shoulder injuries over the course of his career.
At this point my odds are that Hart will be an NFL tease from a traits perspective who doesn’t convert into what he should become. There’s a fair amount of boom or bust to his prospects, and I don’t like to put players like that on my board before the fifth round, which is where I slot him. But I still think the risk is high with Hart. Round 5. Ravens: No.
DeCamerion Richardson
Richardson is 23 years old, 6’2 and 188 pounds from Mississippi State. He ran a blazing 4.34 forty and possesses long arms. Richardson is an interesting prospect who is just not there yet. He has great acceleration and tremendous straight line speed which allows him to recover at a very high level. Richardson is an outstanding tackler (only three missed tackles last year), and he does it all over the field. He’s great in run support, won’t give up the corner, and has very good technique.
But Richardson had only ten passes defensed in his 26 career starts and the grand total of zero interceptions. He obviously struggles to find the ball. Richardson’s size and long arms are a great asset. He lacks great short area quickness. His change of direction ability is suspect (his hips are somewhat tight), which makes it hard to see him sticking to complex routes in the NFL.
Richardson’s transitions are very segmented, and his comparatively weaker reactive athleticism will find him in chase mode. Richardson is also a bit grabby. He is still a work in progress from an awareness perspective, making him a bit suspect in zone schemes right now. I didn’t see much by way of his jam technique, and he tends to run with a bit of a high pad level in his backpedal. Yet for all of that, PFF gave him an 86.5 coverage grade last year.
Richardson should be a solid special teams player. On balance, Richardson has certain traits that NFL teams drool over. But after 26 starts, one wonders when he will start to put it all together. He has a lot of work to do both in man and zone schemes and is very much a developmental prospect. Round 5-6. Ravens: No.
Renardo Green
Green is 23.5 years old, 5’11 and 186 pounds from Florida State. He ran a 4.49 forty. Green’s best performances last year were against the best receivers, particularly Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. of LSU. Yet, he didn’t put it all together all the time. At his core, Green is a press-man corner who plays physical and can be a bit grabby (four pass interference calls last year). He brings fluid hips and is smooth, allowing easy transitions. Green is not a twitchy athlete. He has quick feet but is not dynamically fast. Green lacks great recovery speed and could need help over the top in the NFL.
Green is a high football IQ player. He changes direction almost effortlessly allowing him to easily react to route breaks and prevent easy separation. This also allows him to mirror well and compete against double moves. Green brings very good body control. He doesn’t have a top end jam to this point. But he uses his arms well throughout most routes, at the top of the stem and through to the catch point. He gets into the passing lanes.
Green has a little problem on fades. He only produced 22 passes defended and one interception (when the receiver fell down) across 32 starts, indicating that he doesn’t find the ball all that well. On the other hand, he faced ten targets of over 20 air yards last year and yielded only one reception. Green possesses a good understanding of how to use leverage and of spacing concepts. He plays physical, and has good strength.
Green also competes well in off-coverage zones. He has a good understanding of route combinations among receivers and can plant and drive downhill. Green has experience on the inside at the nickel as well.
Green is willing in run support, though he could improve his tackling technique which, to this point, is just average. He’s an intense and competitive player. He has to learn how to play physical without drawing flags.
Green is not an easy call. He didn’t play much in the slot over his career (only 15 snaps last year) but I wonder if he might wind up there, or at least offer NFL position versatility given his skills. Green graded extremely well in man coverage last year. His lack of ball production is a concern. But there are other aspects of his game that are NFL ready. Round 4. Ravens: Yes.
Dwight McGlothern Jr.
McGlothern is 22.25 years old, 6’1 and 185 pounds from Arkansas. He ran a 4.47 forty. McGlothern is not high on the radar, but he was actually PFF’s number two rated corner last year, and number one rated corner in coverage playing almost exclusively on the outside. He brings nice size but has small arms and tiny hands. McGlothern has eight career interceptions in 25 starts with 28 passes defensed across those games.
McGlothern scored very well in several other PFF metrics. On passes thrown in three seconds or less he faced 20 targets on 145 coverage snaps. These are plays where the quarterback is generally going to his first read, and route anticipation by the corner is critical to success. On those plays last year, McGlothern allowed only six open targets, forced five incompletions and had three picks. Very impressive.
PFF gave him the highest grade at outside corner as he forced an incompletion or interception on 33% of his targets and allowed only five open targets. And there’s more: he was the top-rated coverage corner on early downs, showing an ability to diagnose and close from off coverage.
With all of that out of the way, McGlothern is not seen as a day one or two evaluation because he’s just an average (or below average) athlete and doesn’t profile well for man schemes. His hips are tight and he doesn’t transition well. McGlothern doesn’t have the type of twitchiness you need to stay on top of sharp breaks. He plays too upright. But he really understands routes and recognizes at a high level, traits that fit well for zone packages.
McGlothern possesses high level anticipation. He is ball aware and had outstanding ball production. McGlothern is a player in need of a lot of technique work in man coverage and who might not be able to get there at a high level, but who also offers a lot for zone schemes. He’s a willing and competitive tackler, but he’s not a high-end run support guy. For the Ravens, if Zach Orr decides to utilize the level of zone packages we saw this year, McGlothern could be an interesting fit. Round 4-5. Ravens: Yes.
Josh Newton
Newton is 23.6 years old, 5’10 and 190 pounds from TCU. He ran a very average 4.51 forty, so the top end vertical speed is not there. Nor is the recovery speed or explosiveness. Newton can lose his phasing, and he tends to grab on vertical routes. In 59 starts (27 at TCU) he had seven picks and 40 passes defensed. He’s one of the older rookies on the board.
I don’t see anything unique or special to Newton’s game. With average athleticism at best, his developmental potential (upside) is likely capped, and he may be near or at his ceiling already. He is technically sound, however, and plays physical, including in his man coverages. He has good short area agility. His fit in the NFL is likely on the inside. He’s best in off coverage and is better suited for zone packages. He will need help over the top in man coverages. Round 5-6. Ravens: No.
Myles Harden
Harden is 22.4 years old, 5’10 and 195 pounds from FCS school South Dakota. He ran a 4.50 forty but had an absolutely sensational 20 yard shuttle and a top-level 3-cone. Harden has extremely short arms. His future in the NFL is strictly as a slot corner.
Harden is blessed with excellent change of direction ability. He’s fluid with excellent hips, and handles coverage transitions easily. Harden has quick feet but doesn’t always make the most of them. He lacks elite speed and will be challenged to match vertical speed down the field if left with man responsibilities. But he is very competitive.
Harden has been fairly productive, with six interceptions and 26 passes defensed across 28 starts. There are medical red flags as he missed six games in 2021 and five games with a foot problem in 2022. He played all 13 games last year.
Harden brings excellent route recognition ability. He is a very good tackler and willing participant in run support. He’s physical and will compete at the catch point. But his short arms and physical stature, along with his athletic gifts, dictate a move to the inside, and he performed well in both zone and off man packages in college. In a draft class that is deep in nickel corner candidates, Harden compares well. Round 5. Ravens: Yes (subject to medicals).
Others – Pass:
Khyree Jackson
Elijah Jones
Kamal Hadden
Daequan Hardy
M.J. Devonshire
Others – Possible:
Willie Drew
Chigozie Anusiem
Tarheeb Still
