Pewter Report analyzes the top players in the 2023 NFL Draft with its position previews – energized by CELSIUS, the official energy drink of Pewter Report. Josh Queipo continues the previews with the cornerback position, and a comprehensive look at what the Bucs have and what they need at cornerback. Queipo also provides a detailed list of this year’s top cornerbacks. Scott Reynolds offers up the Bucs draft needs and the annual Pewter Report Bucs Best Bets – the most likely cornerbacks for the Bucs to select in Rounds 1-3, and in Rounds 4-7.

What The Bucs Have At Cornerback

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs have one of the most elite cornerback duos in the league with Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean manning the outside. Following Dean’s re-signing this off-season both players now rank in the Top 15 in annual average value for the cornerback position. Behind them is Zyon McCollum entering his second year after the Bucs traded up to select him in the fifth round in 2022. McCollum struggled quite a bit during his rookie year after being pressed into action due to injury.

Dee Delaney rounds out the group with experience on the outside, in the slot as well as at safety. Delaney has limitations to his physical ability but has proven to be a smart, heady player who understands his assignments and can be counted on to be in position. Duron Lowe and Don Gardner round out the current roster at cornerback. Both are far from locks to make the final Bucs 53-man roster at the end of training camp.

What The Bucs Need At Cornerback

The Bucs are set at the outside as Davis and Dean are locks to be starters. And the Bucs brass is high on McCollum as a backup to both of them. While Delaney does have experience in the slot, the team had ample opportunity to give him shots there last year and continually passed him up. Delaney joins Gardner and Lowe as bubble players who are not guaranteed a spot on the active roster.

That means that the Bucs only have three corners who can be counted on as part of their plans for the season. With a deep crop of cornerbacks in this year’s draft you can rest assured that the Bucs will most likely draft one or two. One of them should be a player they believe can play a role as a slot corner. The Bucs have used different types of players in that role in the past, from 6-foot Sean Murphy-Bunting to 5-foot-9 Antoine Winfield Jr. This means they will be able to cast a wide net in terms of targets in the draft to move into that position going forward.

Top Cornerbacks In The 2023 NFL Draft

*Important Note: These players are NOT listed in the order of Pewter Report’s ranking for them. Rather, the numbers are provided to show you the rough order in which we expect them to come off the board during the draft.

1. Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon – Junior – 5-11.5, 181 – N/A

Witherspoon is a fierce competitor who battles through the route and at the catch point. That helped him log three interceptions and 14 passes defensed in 2022 alone. What he lacks in size he more than makes up for in fight. He allows his instincts to take over games putting him in advantageous position to make plays in both the run and pass games. Those instincts empower Witherspoon to take risks that rarely get him burned and often allow him to make big plays. This is a big reason why he only allowed 22 catches for 206 yards and no touchdowns last year despite being targeted 62 times per Pro Football Focus while logging the highest coverage grade in their system last year. Despite his stature, Witherspoon is physical in run defense, logging 16 defensive stops in 2022, including five against Virginia in Week 2.

There will be some questions about his size (his 181 pounds is in the 10th percentile for cornerbacks per MockDraftable.com) and scouts are surely disappointed that he did not get to run any Combine or pro day testing drills due to a hamstring injury. That may bring him down on more than a few boards. But no other corner in this class is quite as physical and competitive from press to catch point as Witherspoon. For his career Witherspoon has logged 157 combined tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five interceptions, 25 passes defensed, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.

2. Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez – Junior – 6-1, 197 – 4.38

Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez – Photo By: USA Today

Gonzalez is a long and lanky corner with easy speed to keep up with even the fastest wide receivers in the NFL. He is extremely comfortable in zone coverage reading route concepts and smartly deciphering how to react. When in man coverage Gonzalez stays in phase well, mirroring and matching comfortably as receivers stem to slants, digs and posts. He shows loose hips that aide him in that effort, changing direction without difficulty. He also showed improved ball skills this past year snagging four interceptions and defending seven passes for the Ducks.

If there are any questions regarding Gonzalez’s game, it would be how quickly he reacts to hard stems for curls and comebacks. His instincts in those situations tend to be a bit slow as he tries to guard against being beat deep and gives up the underneath route. Gonzalez has improved in each season he has been in college, improving from 2020 to 2021 at Colorado before becoming one of the best corners in college last year after transferring to Oregon last year. He ended his collegiate career with 128 combined tackles, six for a loss, four interceptions, and 17 passes defensed.

3. Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. – Junior – 6-2, 198 – 4.46

Teams looking for a tall, physical corner who loves disrupting receivers at the line of scrimmage or at the catch point will look no further than Joey Porter Jr. His father was one of the most physical players in the NFL during his time in the pros and you can tell Porter Jr. brings that tough mentality to his position. While Porter doesn’t light up the radar gun with the fastest 40-yard dash, although his 4.46 time is more than good enough for the NFL level. But when you add onto his good speed with an arm length and wingspan that is in the 99th and 98th percentiles for his position and you get a rangy corner who can reduce throwing windows with ease. Looking at his MockDraftable’s profile and the number one comp for Porter Jr. is Ahmad Garner who just came off the greatest rookie season by a cornerback in over 20 years.

Porter’s top quality in my mind is his confidence. It is the basis for all of the other traits in his game. That confidence allows him to keep his eyes on the quarterback in zone long after other corners would have broken off to stay with their receiver. That confidence is what pushes him to play with such physicality. It also prevents him from panicking in man coverage even if he loses a step or two. Porter’s lone negative on his resume is the lack of ball skills. While he had an impressive 11 pass breakups in 2022, he failed to intercept a single pass and only has one for his entire career. In addition to that interception, he leaves Penn State with 113 combined tackles, two for a loss, one sack and 20 passes defensed.

4. Maryland CB Deonte Banks – Junior – 6-0, 197 – 4.35

Banks has the prototypical size and speed to easily plug into a press-man heavy system. Some of his best reps are when he gets to jam at the line of scrimmage where you will see him throw receivers around like rag dolls. His hip sink gives him the opportunity to quickly stop and drive back down on curls and comebacks with authority. That authority in almost every aspect of his game comes from an unteachable confidence he brings to each rep that helps him not only in coverage, but also in run support where his is a plus contributor. Banks’ speed and smoothness help him stay in phase with receivers attempting to use diverse route trees. That combined with his physical traits helps his projection be that of a true #1 shut down corner.

In order to reach that ceiling, he will need to work on a few areas. Firstly, he will need to improve his confidence and preparation as a zone defender. He isn’t bad in zone looks, per se, but you can tell he is much more comfortable trailing receivers in man coverage. Secondly, he will need to become a bit less grabby. He ended 2022 with eight penalties having to do with getting his hands on receivers too early.  And lastly Banks will need to better develop his ability to get his head around and track the ball in the air on deep developing routes. This was the main reason why he only recorded two career interceptions. For his career, Banks had 83 tackles, half a sack, 13 passes defensed and two interceptions in 30 games (21 starts). Banks visited with the Bucs for a Top 30 pre-draft visit.

5. South Carolina CB Cam Smith – Junior – 6-0, 180 – 4.43

South Carolina CB Cam Smith – Photo by: USA Today

Smith is an instinctual corner who can anticipate and react to route combinations allowing him to play up his 4.4 speed. His athletic testing was surprisingly good adding another dimension to his game. Smith is a physical corner who enjoys attacking the ball at the catch point. This helped him register 24 passes defensed and six interceptions over his career at South Carolina.

He will need to improve his technique to reduce his proclivity for penalties and improve the use of his hands at the line of scrimmage in press coverage. And his slight frame hurts his ability to win in run defense despite his willingness to contribute. In 33 games (19 starts), Smith registered 91 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, 24 passes defensed and six interceptions for his career.

6. Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes – Junior – 6-0, 166 – 4.35

Forbes is the definition of an outlier. No cornerback in the history of the modern NFL has been able to play at a high level at his weight. The concerns center around whether he will be able to hold up when having to cover larger, more physical receivers and if he can survive helping in the run game where tight ends and offensive linemen will be looking to displace him to a different continent. Assuming he can put those concerns to bed, there is a lot to like about Forbes. He is fast and instinctual, often placing himself at the right place and time and capitalizing with turnovers.

With 14 interceptions over three years, Forbes has established himself as one of the best playmakers in this cornerback class. Forbes has an incredible wingspan that he uses to his advantage. He excels in zone coverage where he can parce out route combinations and click and close quickly. And Forbes can win against wide receiver screens by slipping past would-be blockers to reduce YAC opportunities. Forbes racked up 149 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 35 passes defensed and 14 interceptions over 36 games in his career.

7. Georgia CB Kelee Ringo – Junior – 6-1, 207 – 4.36

Ringo may be better suited for a safety role in the NFL. While Ringo has the requisite size and speed to play corner, his hips are stiff and he flips them prematurely making his transitions notchy. He is a physical corner who competes at the catch point. He isn’t afraid to turn his head to locate the ball on deep routes while still staying in phase.

Ringo is also not advanced in his route recognition which leaves him late to react to stems. Therefore, Ringo ends up allowing more completions than he should. The bottom line with Ringo is whether he will be able to develop his technique to evolve from a corner who relies on his physical traits into a smart and talented NFL corner. Over 30 career games Ringo has amassed 76 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 19 passes defensed and four interceptions.

8. Kansas State CB Juju Brents – Senior – 6-2, 198 – 4.53

Kansas State CB Julius Brents – Photo by: USA TODAY Sports

Brents was the darling of the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl. There he showed off his length, physicality, and surprising agility as he matched up with and shut down small and agile receiver after small and agile receiver. Even though he does not have elite speed Brents can carry receivers vertically using his long frame and even longer arms to dissuade quarterbacks from targeting him.

Brents is best suited for a zone system where he can minimize his lack of speed and maximize the effectiveness of his length. He will struggle in the NFL with his balance and when he loses early, he gets grabby leading to penalties. And while Brents has the frame to be an elite run defender he could stand to improve his aggressiveness to drive through the ball carriers. For his college career he registered 111 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, 16 passes defensed, and six interceptions over 46 games and 32 starts. He had a Top 30 visit with the Bucs.

9. Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson – Senior – 6-0, 198 – 4.45

Stevenson is a physical and imposing corner who likes to make receivers uncomfortable. He uses his hands well to re-route opponents into positions they would rather not be in. Stevenson stays calm in most situations, even when he may lose a step early, because he trusts his natural explosiveness to help him recover without resorting to panic moves like grabbing receivers.

Stevenson does lose early in the route more often than he should do to poor transitions and unneeded extra steps. He also lacks the closing speed/decision-making to bite down on early breaking routes like slants and curls. Stevenson’s run defense is streaky as he can lose focus and technique, allowing himself to be exploited from time-to-time. In four college seasons Stevenson racked up 115 tackles, six for a loss, 1.5 sacks, 24 passes defensed and three interceptions.

10. South Carolina CB Darius Rush – Senior – 6-1, 198 – 4.36

Rush is a fluid mover with plus leg drive to stick and click at a high level. He uses his big and long frame to win at the catchpoint and in the run game. He has good acceleration and deep speed to man up against even the most physically gifted receivers. With nine passes defensed in each of the last two seasons, Rush has good ball skills due to his attacking mentality.

At under 200 pounds he lacks the size and mentality to play strong in the run game. Additionally, he misses tackles way too often. Rush’s tape also shows a propensity to hedge against giving up “the big play” which leads to him allowing short, underneath completions at a high rate. Rush played in 43 games, starting 21, during his college career where he amassed 74 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, 18 passes defensed and three interceptions.

11. Stanford CB Kyu Blu Kelly – Senior – 6-0, 191 – 4.52

Stanford CB Kyu Blu Kelly – Photo by: USA Today

Kelly is the epitome of a press man corner, using his strong build and heavy hands to physically manhandle opposing receivers at the line of scrimmage. While his long speed isn’t impressive, he can still keep up deep due to his smooth hip transitions and acceleration. Kelly is able to easily re-route receivers, driving them to the boundary and putting them in tight spaces where they have trouble creating space. Kelly takes his physical play seriously, displaying it as he plays through the catchpoint and in run defense.

Kelly, who is the son of former Bucs cornerback Brian Kelly, can draw more than his fair share of flags and lacks the recovery speed when he gets beat early in routes. He also can be timid when lining up ball carriers leaving him susceptible to jukes. Kelly compiled 148 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 26 passes defensed and three interceptions during his four years at Stanford.

12. Iowa CB Riley Moss – Senior – 6-0, 193 – 4.45

Moss has been an under-the-radar sleeper in this year’s draft process. Very few analysts place him high on their boards, but you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who can find significant flaws in his game. He has smooth hips that elevate his change of direction abilities and sufficient speed to turn and burn with any receiver. Moss pairs these physical gifts with a high football IQ. He is a competitor who plays aggressive and attacks passing windows.

Moss can be manipulated by savvy route runners, and he can catch a penalty flag here and there due to his tendency to lean on receivers, but overall Moss represents a good corner with the size to be used in an inside/outside versatile manner. Moss accumulated 158 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 37 passes defensed and 11 interceptions for his college career.

13. Purdue CB Cory Trice – Senior – 6-3, 206 – 4.47

Coming off of an ACL tear, Trice returned to football in 2022 and had a successful platform season. Trice is one of the biggest corners in the draft and uses his size and length to impose his will on opposing receivers and clog passing lanes. Trice has good athleticism for his size with loose hips and quick feet. He stays in phase well and offers a strong run defense profile as well.

Trice plays tall in his pads. He is prone to lapses in coverage which can lead to big plays given up. And there are opportunities for him to improve his play through the catch point. Over 35 games and 26 starts Trice has amassed 105 tackles, four tackles for loss, 20 passes defensed and five interceptions.

14. Texas A&M CB Jaylon Jones – Junior – 6-2, 200 – 4.50

Jones is a natural press-man corner who can win contested catch opportunities. He has good instincts and sound run defense to create a complete player overall. His speed is just average which means there are certain receivers who will give him fits. Lacks explosiveness and has a tendency to draw flags. Jones also has a chance to convert to safety at the next level. In 32 starts, Jones recorded 98 tackles, two for a loss, 17 passes defensed and three interceptions.

15. Alabama CB Eli Ricks – Junior – 6-2, 188 – 4.55

Alabama CB Eli Ricks – Photo By: USA Today

Ricks competed at a high level in the SEC, giving him a battle-tested demeanor as he enters the NFL. At 6-foot-2 he has the height to compete with any receiver he might face. He enjoys re-routing receivers with a strong jam and crowding them to the sideline to make their lives uncomfortable. He also shows strong click and close speed to break down on shorter routes.

Ricks struggles with lateral movement and change of direction which leave him susceptible to shiftier receivers. He also struggles with long speed. When he loses, he gets grabby, which leads to too many penalties. Ricks’ career is light on production with just 44 tackles, two tackles for loss, 15 passes defensed and five interceptions in just 26 games and 18 starts.

16. Minnesota CB Terrell Smith – Senior – 6-0, 204 – 4.41

Smith meets the minimum height requirement for a boundary corner. He complements his height and solid frame with plus speed and an impressive wingspan. Smith is a twitched-up athlete who can drive down on short routes, carry vertically and make up if he loses early.  Smith uses his hands well in both press coverage, at the catch point and as a tackler.

Smith struggles with transitions due to stiff hips and a lack of sink which leaves him playing too upright. He also has a proclivity for penalties and an inconsistent track record when it comes to anticipating route breaks. For his career he has played in 48 games, starting 29, logging 109 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, 20 passes defensed and four interceptions.

17. LSU CB Mekhi Garner – Senior – 6-2, 212 – 4.55

Garner is a tall, physical corner who succeeds when he is able to turn one-on-ones into jump ball contests. But when tasked with changing direction or keeping up against speedier receivers, Garner becomes exposed as a lackluster athlete. Garner enjoys playing forward and attacking receivers, but if he gets caught having to defend in reverse he ends up flat-footed. Garner will also need to improve his tackling mechanics at the next level to stick as a special teamer. For his career Garner compiled 105 tackles, five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 26 passes defensed and three interceptions.

18. Oregon State CB Rejzohn Wright – Senior – 6-1, 193 – N/A

Wright has a solid physical profile and good zone instincts. He understands route concepts well and passes off receivers easily. He has an explosive first step that helps him close on receivers and in the run game quickly. He is more of a freelancer than a technician in coverage. He isn’t a great tackler and can draw penalties too often. But if he can work on his mechanics, Wright has the length and instincts to be a contributor at the next level. For his career Wright has accumulated 92 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 21 passes defensed and four interceptions.

19. Oregon State CB Alex Austin – Junior – 6-1, 191 – 4.53

A former receiver, Austin shows secure hands and a strong ability to compete at the catch point. Using his length and body control Austin is comfortable staying in phase and playing in zone. Austin’s speed can be limiting as he is susceptible to getting beat deep. His foots peed is average which can leave him flat-footed in his backpedal. That combined with slower instincts lead to him being late to react to route stems. Austin has registered 140 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 24 passes defensed and four interceptions for his career.

20. Louisiana Tech CB Myles Brooks – Senior – 6-0, 201 – 4.50

A ball-hawking playmaker, Brooks works best playing in press coverage where he isn’t afraid to use his physicality to an opportunistic end. Brooks is a natural catch point winner disrupting throws at the last second and shows a willingness to participate in the run game coming down hill quickly to assist.

However, he is also a limited athlete who lacks the instincts to get his physical traits to play up. He plays with a high center of gravity and tight hips, which lead to awkward transitions where he can get lost or turned around on route-breaks. Due to his press-man technique and his average-at-best speed (4.51 40), if he falls behind a receiver he tends to panic and get grabby, leading to far too many penalties. Brooks will need to apply what NFL coaching will try to teach him to clean up bad habits while trying to show an ability to play special teams to stick on an NFL roster. Brooks has compiled 94 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, 35 passes defensed and nine interceptions for his career.

Bucs Best Best At Cornerback

Bucs Best Bet – Rounds 1-3: Kansas State CB Juju Brents

Is outside cornerback a pressing need in Tampa Bay? No, not with Jamel Dean re-signed and Carlton Davis III under contract for two more years. But it seems like the Bucs always suffer some injuries at cornerback as Davis and Dean have combined to miss 19 games since the 2020 season. The Bucs already have one developmental cornerback they like in Zyon McCollum, who was drafted last year in the fifth round. He might get a shot inside playing in the slot due to his agility, but his length is probably better served outside. Tampa Bay has learned you can never have enough good cornerbacks.

Brents is a tall, 6-foot-3, physical cornerback with pterodactyl-like arms (34 inches, 82-inch wingspan) who led K-State with four interceptions and three pass breakups. The Wildcats star has adequate speed (4.53), but crushed the NFL Scouting Combine with a 41.5-inch vertical, a 138-inch broad jump and a 6.63 time in the 3-cone drill. Athletically, he’s a second-round pick. Turn on the film and you see a third-round cornerback, but his best football is ahead of him. Todd Bowles was at the K-State pro day and Brents was in for a Top 30 visit with the Bucs.

Bucs Best Bet – Rounds 4-7: Louisiana Tech CB Myles Brooks

With more pressing needs at other positions and their starting cornerbacks set, the Bucs are more likely to draft another one on Day 3 than in the first three rounds. Tampa Bay has shown an interest in Brooks during the pre-draft process, conducting an informal interview with him at the NFL Scouting Combine and then hosting him on a Zoom call with the coaches. At 6-foot-1, 201 pounds, the junior cornerback has ideal size to play in Tampa Bay.

After three years at Stephen F. Austin where he notched six interceptions, Brooks added three more picks in his lone season at Louisiana Tech along with 12 pass breakups. Outside of the season opener at Clemson, which was his first game with the Bulldogs and his worst game of the season, Brooks didn’t allow a catch longer than 16 yards, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Brooks can bide his time on special teams while developing as a late-round pick.