The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns all enter the 2023 offseason in need of cornerback help. Another thing these teams all have in common? They’re each currently over the NFL’s $224.8 million salary cap, according to Over the Cap.
Fortunately, inexpensive help is on the way. Day 2 of workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine put the athleticism of this year’s crop of cover corners on full display. This spring’s draft could see six cornerbacks as well as a safety or two among the first 31 picks of the first round. We may be a few scouting decisions away from the Vikings trading their way into Christian Gonzalez or the Steelers replacing a departing Cameron Sutton with Deonte Banks.
Here’s our breakdown of the seven guys who raised their draft stock with big showings on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf — along with one super productive college star who may have raised more questions than he answered.
1
CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Gonzalez burst into the first round conversation with a stellar season at Oregon after transferring over from Colorado. His draft stock had climbed steadily throughout the late stages of winter as scouts and analysts predicted a big Combine showing.
The 6-foot-2 corner didn’t disappoint.
Gonzalez found a way to stand out among a sea of ridiculous athletes, showcasing the speed and strength to be an impact player in the NFL. He broke the 4.4 second barrier in the 40 and uncorked a vertical leap that stretched beyond 41 inches.
41.5" vert for Christian Gonzalez.
That's tied for 2nd among DBs. 😤 @chrisgonzo28
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/jxJrwEXhQE— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
2
Illinois safeties
Illini star cornerback Devon Witherspoon didn’t work out in Indy due to a minor hamstring injury. Fortunately, his backfield teammates were there to ensure scouts wouldn’t sleep on Illinois this draft.
Sydney Brown, a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, showcased the kind of burner speed and explosion to make his lack of height irrelevant. He ran a 4.47 second 40 while putting up top three numbers in both the broad and long jumps.
Teammate Jartavius Martin was even better.
Jumping out of the stadium. 🐇@IlliniFootball DB Jartavius Martin with an insane 44" vertical.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/KfMTm4xTeA— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
That vertical leap approached four full feet and his broad jump cleared 11 feet total. His 1.47 second first 10 yards of his 4.4 second 40 showcased the fastest acceleration of any safety at the Combine.
Brown came into March ranked 84th on the consensus mock draft big board. Martin was 164th. Expect both to see significant bumps after showing out in front of NFL scouts.
3
CB Riley Moss, Iowa
Moss was productive over five seasons at Iowa, notably coming up with 11 passes defensed for a team that badly needed its secondary to make up for the burned-out Indianapolis 500 port-a-potty it tried to pass off as an offense. The 6-foot-1 corner had to prove he has the athleticism to play on Sundays, especially if he wanted to stay close to the sideline rather than sliding over to safety.
On Friday, he got that done.
Moss ran a 4.44 second 40 with a top-five 1.48 second 10-yard split to showcase the acceleration needed to keep up with NFL wideouts. That could be enough to move him into fringe Day 2 consideration for needy teams.
Riley Moss is feeling pretty good after his drills 😂 @R_moss5 @HawkeyeFootball
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/ZDIyBJRUZy— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
4
S Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State
Taylor isn’t related to the Dolphins’ Hall of Famer, though his dad did play defensive line at NAIA Langston University. He looked like he could contribute at a Miami position of need in 2023, however, after uncorking a reassuring Combine that could push him to the the middle of this year’s draft.
The Cowboy safety was a big play engine last fall, recording six interceptions that each came against a Big 12 opponent. While he projects more like a run-stopping strong safety, Taylor showed off the chops that could make him a menacing center fielder against explosive NFL offenses. His 43-inch vertical jump was second only to the aforementioned Martin and he tacked on a 4.5 second 40 to prove he’s got the chops to track deep threats downfield.
Oklahoma State safety Jason Taylor II just had a 43-inch vertical jump. 😯
He was a late addition to the Senior Bowl and played well right away. Fluid defender on tape I'm excited to watch in positional drills. #NFLCombine
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) March 3, 2023
5
CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
Ringo’s stock has slid in the space between his second-straight national title and the 2023 Combine. His consensus big board rank dropped from a peak of fifth down to the mid-20s headed into workouts. His performance Friday helped reassure scouts that, yes, he remains a top tier cornerback prospect.
The Georgia product measured in at 6-foot-2 and a solid 207 pounds, then ripped off a 4.36 second 40 and smooth hips in coverage drills to prove he can do this at the next level. On a day filled with explosive performances, Ringo acquitted himself well enough to retain his status as a first round pick.
.@GeorgiaFootball boys continue to dominate the 40. 🐶
4.36u for DB Kelee Ringo.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/F7e96y7A9L— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
6
P Michael Turk, Oklahoma
The Oklahoma specialist had a better vertical leap (34 inches) than first round cornerback prospect Kelee Ringo and highly regarded defensive backs like Clark Phillips III, Antonio Johnson and Brandon Joseph. He’s built like an inside linebacker at 6-feet and 227 pounds and has a 40 time (4.80 seconds) roughly in step with that group. I’m not sure what that means for his NFL career, but he should he able to put some decent hits on unsuspecting returners this preseason.
.@iamSauceGardner perfectly guessed PK Michael Turk's 4.8u 40 time. 👀
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/Nw7rTzEO6u— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
7
One guy we're worried about: CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
We’re trying not to point out the negatives in what’s a glorified workout. Several players have bounced back from poor Combine showings en route to All-Pro seasons.
But Phillips had already been sliding from “potential Day 1 pick” to “firm second round selection” before Friday’s drills. His performance in Indianapolis was concerning.
While his acceleration off the line in the 40 was promising, just about everything else was a problem compared to the rest of his defensive back cohort. The cerebral cornerback always had production outstrip his measurables — he’s much better on the turf than on paper. He’ll have to hope NFL teams can see through his underwhelming workouts and focus in on the guy who had six interceptions in 2022 instead.
