Cornerbacks (10) are tied for fourth with linebackers for having the most prospects ranked inside my top 100 prospects. Wide receivers (16), edge defenders (15) and offensive tackles (11) all have more.
The position group is a bit top-heavy, however, as Washington’s Kyler Gordon is my CB7 and my 43rd-ranked prospect overall. Through that point in my rankings, edge defenders (eight) are the only position with as many prospects as cornerbacks (seven).
One of the most interesting storylines heading into the draft is how high (or low) LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. will be selected. A couple of years ago, he seemed to be a lock to be the CB1 in this draft class and a potential top-three selection.
Coming out of the combine, however, Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner appears to have tightened his grip on the CB1 spot, and some mocks (including mine) have Stingley going off the board in the middle of Round 1. A strong work out at LSU’s pro day on April 6th could help to turn around his draft stock.
With that said, here are my cornerback rankings for the 2022 NFL draft:
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1. Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati (JR, 6' 3", 190 pounds)
Ideally suited for press coverage, Gardner is a lanky corner with elite length (33 ½” arms), toughness and a CB1 mentality. When asked at the combine how he’ll react to giving up an NFL touchdown, Gardner said “I don’t have plans on giving one up.” He checked the box by showing his long speed (4.41 40-yard dash) and his change of direction and agility are good for a corner with his height. “Sauce” has ended each of his three seasons in Cincinnati with three interceptions.
2. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU (JR, 6' 0", 190 pounds)
Stingley has had the best individual season (2019) among draft-eligible cornerbacks and did that as an 18-year-old true freshman during LSU’s title run. On the flip side, however, he has played only 10 total games over the past two years, suffered a Lisfranc injury and wasn’t as dominant (as he was in ’19) when he was on the field. He has the speed, athleticism and fluidity to thrive on an island in addition to outstanding ball skills (six INTs in ’19). If he falls outside the top 10, he could potentially be a steal if he’s able to regain his freshman form.
3. Trent McDuffie, Washington (JR, 5' 11", 193 pounds)
McDuffie has just average size and lacks length (sub-30” arms), but he’s aggressive and physical in run support and limits yards after the catch. He has outstanding short-area quickness, fluid hips and is rarely out of position. McDuffie is at his best in zone coverage with the versatility to play outside, in the slot and even some safety. McDuffie leaves college with only two career interceptions and 10 passes defended.
4. Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson (JR, 6' 0", 194 pounds)
Booth is an athletic, agile and scheme-diverse cornerback. While he has a few missed tackles in part to being over aggressive, Booth is physical and willing as a run defender. The former five-star recruit is competitive at the catch point and has outstanding hands as this highlight reel grab demonstrates. Per PFF, no ACC cornerback played more snaps than Booth without allowing a 20-yard completion in 2021.
5. Roger McCreary, Auburn (SR, 5' 11", 190 pounds)
With limited offers coming out of high school, McCreary plays with a chip on his shoulder. While he’s tied with Marcus Jones (5' 8", 174 pounds) for the shortest arms among corners in my top 100, McCreary is a smooth and fluid athlete that is sticky in coverage and will compete through the catch point.
6. Kaiir Elam, Florida (JR, 6' 2", 191 pounds)
Kaiir will soon become the next Elam to play defensive back in the NFL as his father (Abram Elam) and uncle (Matt Elam) were both NFL safeties. With an ideal combination of size and speed, Elam is at his best in press where he can be physical at the line of scrimmage. While he has outstanding straight-line speed (4.39 40-yard dash), Elam shows some tightness when it comes to changing directions.
7. Kyler Gordon, Washington (rJR, 6' 0", 194 pounds)
Expected to wow at the combine, Gordon only ran the 40-yard dash and posted a relatively disappointing time (4.52). I wouldn’t be surprised if he posted a better time at Washington’s pro day later this month, but Gordon has outstanding short-area quickness and change-of-direction ability. The scheme-diverse corner is a smooth and fluid mover with excellent ball skills.
8. Tariq Woolen, UTSA (rSR, 6' 4", 205 pounds)
Woolen is a converted wide receiver (24/263/1 combined receiving line in 2018-‘19) and relatively raw at cornerback, but he has elite traits to make him one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft class. He has a rare combination of size, length (33 5/8” arms) and speed. Woolen ran a blazing 4.26 40-yard dash, second-best at the combine, and led all players at the Senior Bowl in GPS-tracked speed (22.45 MPH). In addition, no prospect at the combine had a better vertical jump than Woolen (42”).
9. Derion Kendrick, Georgia (SR, 6' 0", 194 pounds)
10. Marcus Jones, Houston (SR, 5' 8", 174 pounds)
11. Martin Emerson, Mississippi State (JR, 6' 2", 201 pounds)
12. Mario Goodrich, Clemson (SR, 6' 0", 176 pounds)
13. Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska (SR, 5' 11", 196 pounds)
14. Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State (SR, 6' 2", 199 pounds)
15. Jalyn Armour-Davis, Alabama (rJR, 6' 1", 197 pounds)
16. Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State (SR, 6' 3", 195 pounds)
17. Coby Bryant, Cincinnati (SR, 6' 1", 193 pounds)
18. Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State (SR, 6' 1", 197 pounds)
19. Josh Jobe, Alabama (SR, 6' 0", 182 pounds)
20. Alontae Taylor, Tennessee (SR, 6' 0", 199 pounds)
