As we at Pewter Report continue to give you as much 2025 NFL Draft coverage as possible, I am going to put out my own rankings periodically by position group, primarily focusing on the Bucs’ needs. Since cornerback is one of the most discussed position groups for the Bucs, despite the team retaining Jamel Dean, re-signing Bryce Hall and adding Kindle Vildor, I wanted to make it one of the earlier positions I cover.

2025 NFL Draft Cornerbacks

Tier One

Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter – Photo by: USA Today

Just one player is featured in my top tier. And like many other analysts I have Colorado’s Travis Hunter as heads and tails above the rest of the group. Hunter’s physical gifts are apparent no matter which side of the ball you are observing him. Considering the context that all of his tape features a player who is on the field for well over 100 plays per game just adds to his lore.

Hunter isn’t technically perfect and could stand to continue to learn more of the nuance of the position. But he still plays with an incredible intelligence. When he was the flat defender in Cover 2 he showed an innate ability to bait throws deep before breaking to disrupt or pick off the pass.

Tier Two

I have four players in my second tier. Two technicians and two raw talents, but physically gifted players make it into this group. There are questions about what Texas’ Jahdae Barron’s best role is. He has almost 500 snaps as a safety, over 700 in the slot and over 800 on the perimeter as an outside cornerback. I think he would be a plus in any of the three spots.

On the outside I think he can be a very effective zone corner playing deep thirds and quarters. Add in his aggressive play in the flat as a Cover 2 and that’s intriguing. Barron’s height and arm length will most likely keep him off the Bucs’ radar, at least as a perimeter player, but his talent is apparent.

Michigan’s Will Johnson has limited and inconsistent 2024 tape due to injury, but his 2023 play was special. He’s losing steam on a lot of draft boards right now as he has not been able to go through pre-draft testing, but I am still confident in what he will be once he is healthy again.

East Carolina’s Shavon Revel Jr. is recovering from an ACL tear of his own, but the physical traits are special. Size, length, speed, fluidity – he has it all. He dominated at ECU, albeit against a lower level of competition. His toolbelt is full, but he still needs to learn more consistent hand placement and understanding how routes and plays develop. But you can’t teach his elite recovery speed.

Iowa State’s Darien Porter is a less refined version of Revel, but a bit older. Still the fun thing with him is in addition to his potential ceiling, Porter offers an extremely high floor as a special teamer. Iowa State ran a ton of man coverage last year and he stayed in phase against a whole host of routes. The man/match skills are elite, but he’s only a one-year starter despite being in school for six seasons.

Tier Three

Ole Miss CB Trey Amos – Photo by: USA Today

Ole Miss’ Trey Amos doesn’t excite like some of the players ahead of him, but there is very little he doesn’t do well. I think he is one of the few corners in this class who can play in any scheme. Amos is big, physical, smart and does well to keep his eyes in the backfield to better read out the play. He may not have the highest ceiling, but Amos might be one of the best day-one corners in the class.

Tier Four

Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas may be the opposite of Amos. He is one of the youngest players in this class, he will be 20 on draft day and has an extremely high ceiling as a physical man/match player. But he still struggles to read out route combinations in zone coverage.

And I have some worries about how Thomas’ speed will hold up against faster receivers. He will have to develop a strong use of his impressive length to combat that concern. The Bucs love long, developmental corners, so Thomas could be a match, although the lack of speed – 4.58 – may cool them on him.

Tier Five

Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morris – Photo by: USA Today

Benjamin Morrison was one of the best players on Notre Dame’s defense in 2023. His 2024 was cut short due to a hip injury that required surgery. I was worried about hip tightness before the injury, so my concerns are even more exasperated now.

It’s why I am lower on Morrison than most. His refined technique is some of the best in the class, with impressive footwork, strong instincts and a high IQ. But Morrison lacks a physicality in press and struggles as a tackler. That may slow the Bucs’ interest in him.

Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston tests and plays in an explosive manner. His ability to click and close is special. His sub-six-foot stature and 31-inch arms mean the Bucs would likely see him as a slot. My worries with Hairston are related to how well he can help in the run game and his tackling, but he’s plenty fast with a 4.28 time.

Tier Six

Kansas’ Cobee Bryant’s mentality and ball skills are fun. The lack of weight on his frame is not. If he were 10 pounds heavier, I’d probably have him four spots and three tiers higher. But his slight build at 6-foot, 180 pounds makes him a longshot to last at the NFL level. He reminds me so much of a slower Emmanuel Forbes, who I was similarly low on in 2023.

Bryant plays bigger than his stature and backs down from no one, but he can still be thrown off at the top of stems. He is at his best in zone where he can keep his eyes in the backfield and challenge throws at the catchpoint.

You can catch the video on my top 10, complete with clips of each player by clicking here.