You could make a strong argument that this talented group of cornerbacks is the deepest position in the entire 2023 NFL draft.
I currently have a whopping total of 21 cornerbacks ranked/graded in the top 150, 16 of which are in the top 100. The current consensus at the moment isn’t too far behind, either.
Using the collective data from over 130 different big boards, the consensus opinion is that 15 cornerbacks currently rank inside the top 100 (tied for most at any position).
Unfortunately, this forced a lot of good cornerbacks to just miss the list despite having a strong grade. Some of the corners that just graded outside my top 10 include Utah’s Clark Phillips (72.9), Alabama’s Eli Ricks (71.1), and Syracuse’s Garrett Williams (70.9).
Before we get started on the rankings, a quick reminder of how my grading process works.
These explanations can get repetitive once you’ve read them a few times, therefore, feel free to keep scrolling and jump right into the list if you’ve been keeping up with our offensive rankings.
If not, let’s provide some background information for our new readers.
Over the last couple of months, I have evaluated over 150 players in total. This process includes me grading a minimum of three games for each prospect before coming up with my opinions/grades.
More often than not, I would watch at least five or six contests for each prospect before doing an evaluation, but unfortunately there were some cases where I had trouble getting certain all-22 tapes, so I had to work with what I had.
The way this works is I would evaluate each game I watched individually, then I averaged those grades into one final film grade worth a total of 20 points.
Example: blue-chip prospects (90 percent or higher) received anywhere from 18-20 points in all likelihood.
Game tape is the only criterion that is worth 20 points on my grading scale, while other areas, such as analytics, athletic score, ceiling/floor, etc., are worth a maximum of 10 points.
Truthfully, when you consider how thin the offense currently is, it’s hard to envision the Titans investing a premium pick on a defender unless there is a player for the taking that is simply too good to pass up on.
Therefore, it can’t be dismissed completely as a possible scenario, especially when Tennessee’s best chance to legitimately compete in 2023 is fielding a stout defense that can slow down these high-powered AFC offenses.
Realistically, there’s only so much the Titans can do to improve the offense at this point. Nevertheless, Tennessee has to at least get its unit to sufficiently complement what’s likely to be a very good defense in 2023.
After covering the top 10 offensive prospects by position, let’s shift our focus to the other side of the ball and find out which cornerback prospects made my top 10 with less than two weeks to go until the draft.
1. Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Quick analysis: True alpha on the boundary who is capable of being on an island with No. 1 WRs. He is also capable of wreaking havoc when given the opportunity to attack down hill.
Overall grade: 88.1 (first round)
Consensus rank: No. 2
Relative Athletic Score: N/A
Ceiling projection: Top-10 pick
Floor projection: Mid-first round
Today’s prospect breakdown:
CB Devon Witherspoon, @IlliniFootball2022 Grades:
•Overall: 92.0
•Coverage: 92.5
•Run Defense: 78.6•Witherspoon allowed fewer than 35 receiving yards in 11/12 games in 2022 #Illini #HTTO #2023NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/AM3v8um68b
— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) February 20, 2023
No. 2: Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Quick analysis: Ridiculously fluid and explosive athlete who possesses an ideal blend of size, length, and speed. Gonzalez is a scheme-versatile cornerback who can do it all.
Overall grade: 87.6 (first round)
Consensus rank: No. 1
Ceiling projection: Top-10 pick
Floor projection: Mid-first round
Today’s prospect breakdown:
CB Christian Gonzalez, @OregonFootball2022 Grades & Stats:
•Overall: 81.2
•Coverage: 81.4
•Run Defense: 75.9•Targeted: 64
•Receptions allowed: 39
•Yards allowed: 495
•TDs allowed: 3
•Interceptions: 4
•Forced Incompletions: 9#GoDucks 🦆 pic.twitter.com/OlNWweXfGc— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) February 21, 2023
3. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Quick analysis: The best corner in this year’s class at establishing leverage early in the routes. Porter thrives in press coverage where he uses his 34-inch arms to his advantage.
Overall grade: 84.5 (first round)
Consensus rank: No. 3
Ceiling projection: Mid-first round
Floor projection: Early second round
Today’s #2023NFLDraft prospect:
Joey Porter Jr. @PennStateFball2022 Grades & Stats:
•Overall: 73.2
•Coverage: 77.4
•Run Defense: 53.2•Targeted: 30
•Catches allowed: 15
•Yards allowed: 143
•Touchdowns allowed: 0
•Interceptions: 0
•Forced Incompletions: 12#WeAre pic.twitter.com/yafJPlqcLd— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) February 22, 2023
4. Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
Quick analysis: Long and lean cornerback who has explosive athleticism and tremendous ball skills. He will have to prove that he won’t be a liability against physical wide receivers, though.
Overall grade: 82.7 (first round)
Consensus rank: No. 5
Relative Athletic Score: 9.26
Ceiling projection: Mid-first round
Floor projection: Mid-second round
5. Deonte Banks, Maryland
Quick analysis: Smooth mover who is long enough to cover bigger wideouts, and quick enough to mirror the faster guys. Needs to use his length better when challenging at the line of scrimmage.
Overall grade: 80.8 (first round)
Consensus rank: No. 4
Relative Athletic Score: 10.00
Ceiling projection: Mid-first round
Floor projection: Late second round
Today's Prospect breakdown:
CB Deonte Banks, @TerpsFootball2022 Grades:
•Overall: 72.0
•Coverage: 74.3
•Run Defense: 57.7•Banks ranked fourth in the Big Ten in 2022 with a 43.3% completion rate when targeted (26 catches / 60 targets)#2023NFLDraft #TBIA 🐢 pic.twitter.com/DF3U63Qlah
— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) February 23, 2023
6. Cam Smith, South Carolina
Quick analysis: Playmaking and instinctive cornerback who produced an interception or pass break-up on 23.4 percent of his career targets. He has to refine his footwork so he stops resorting to panic-grabbing.
Overall grade: 78.9 (second round)
Consensus rank: No. 6
Relative Athletic Score: 9.68
Ceiling projection: Late first round
Floor projection: Early third round
7. Tyrique Stevenson, Miami
Quick analysis: Reliable and patient corner on the boundary who trusts his instinctive skill set instead of trying to guess what’s coming next. He only allowed a completion rate of 42.5 percent in 2022.
Overall grade: 77.7 (second round)
Consensus rank: No. 11
Relative Athletic Score: 8.93
Ceiling projection: Early second round
Floor projection: Early third round
8. D.J. Turner, Michigan
Quick analysis: Explosive athlete who combines his speed and fluidity with sufficient technique. Would benefit from improving his overall play strength.
Overall grade: 77.0 (second round)
Consensus rank: No. 9
Relative Athletic Score: 9.59
Ceiling projection: Early second round
Floor projection: Late third round
9. Julius Brents, Kansas State
Quick analysis: Another ridiculously athletic corner who has a prototypical combination of size and length. Brents isn’t afraid to make his presence felt in the ground game, either.
Overall grade: 76.2 (second round)
Consensus rank: No. 8
Relative Athletic Score: 9.99
Ceiling projection: Mid-second round
Floor projection: Early third round
10. Kelee Ringo, Georgia
Quick analysis: From a physical standpoint, he has all the tools you could want, but he must do a better job of anticipating what’s coming next instead of relying on his athleticism to bail him out. Ringo’s ability to read and react leaves a lot to be desired.
Overall grade: 75.4 (second round)
Consensus rank: No. 7
Relative Athletic Score: 8.30
Ceiling projection: Mid-second round
Floor projection: Late third round
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