Top 10 DEs In 2018 NFL Draft

1. Ohio State CB Denzel Ward – Junior – 5-11, 183 -4.32
Ward is the next and newest model of what has become the defensive back factory in Columbus, Ohio. Ward, though not as physically gifted as his predecessors Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore, plays with tenacity, strength and elite athleticism. His smaller size hurt him form being  locked Top 10 pick, but his ability to play man coverage and zone coverage for any scheme will likely make him the first cornerback off the board.

2. Iowa CB Josh Jackson – Junior – 6-1, 192 – 4.56
Jackson led the nation in interceptions in 2017 with eight, three of them coming in one game, arguably their biggest game of the year against Ohio State. Jackson is a prototypical off-coverage cornerback who does his best work when he’s given the chance to read a quarterback’s eyes rather than stay locked on a receiver. He has the size to play man coverage, but isn’t as a natural as a backpedaler and would be better suited as a zone coverage player for a Cover 3 team.

Louisville CB – Jaire Alexander – Photo by: Getty Images

3. Louisville CB Jaire Alexander – Junior – 5-10, 196 – 4.38
Alexander had one of the best seasons in the country for a starting cornerback in 2016 when he was just a sophomore. unfortunately we didn’t get to see him build off that much in 2017 due to injury, but after a stellar Combine performance, he reminded everyone that the 2016 tape is who he really is. Alexander has ideal size to play a variety of different schemes and he has the ball skills and mental makeup to be a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL.

4. UCF CB Mike Hughes – Junior – 5-10, 189 – 4.53
Former UCF head coach Scott Frost gave Mike Hughes a second chance to play with D-1 competition and Hughes made the most of it. He’s a player who is very athletic for his size as a cornerback and can be played in a variety of different systems because of it. Hughes shows flashes, but is still raw due to his journey to the NFL which had him start at North Carolina then transfer to UCF from community college.

5. Colorado CB Isaiah Oliver – Junior – 6-1, 190 – 4.50
If you’re looking for the next long, athletic cornerback to take a chance on in this class, it’s Oliver. Oliver’s long frame, specifically his arms, make him a nightmare match up for wide receivers and cornerbacks. He’s the prototypical man coverage cornerback who can press you at the line of scrimmage.

6. Auburn CB Carlton Davis – Junior  – 6-1, 206 – 4.53
If a team can’t get their hands on Oliver earlier in the draft, Davis would likely be their next target. Early in 2017, Davis showed he had lockdown abilities in the team’s early game versus Clemson. Though he wasn’t as strong as he was early on for the rest of the season, Davis still showed flashes of a man coverage cornerback who can deal with size and speed. Any team that plays press could use a cornerback of his caliber. He led his team with 11 passes broken up in 2017 and also had one interception.

7. LSU CB Donte Jackson – Junior – 5-10, 178 – 4.32
LSU knows a thing or two about cornerbacks. The one with the most claim to fame is certainly Patrick Peterson, but even Tre White did great things as a Buffalo Bill in his rookie year last year. The top Tiger from the secondary this year is Donte Jackson. Jackson is a hyper athletic player who uses his speed to neutralize mismatches. Perhaps that turns him more into a nickel cornerback at the next levele, but that’s no slight. Every team needs on, and Jackson has the speed to contribute.

LSU CB Donte Jackson – Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

8. Stanford CB Quenton Meeks – Junior – 6-2, 205 – N/A
Is it stereotypical to call a Stanford prospects smart? Well, if it is, too bad, because Meeks is; and it’s a great attribute. Meeks has ideal size to play cornerback in the NFL at 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds. The reason why he’s not higher on this lists is because his explosiveness just isn’t quite there. He can use his size to stay with players, but quick reactions and movements sometimes give him trouble. He’ll be a Day 2 pick, but those are the reasons why he would be a Day 1 pick at his size.

9. Maryland CB J.C. Jackson – Junior – 5-10, 200- 4.46
Jackson was one of the top cornerbacks at the University of Florida before legal troubles forced him to transfer. Jackson has a good combination of size and speed, he just doesn’t have a lot of experience. He still struggles to recover when he either flips his hips the wrong way or can’t quite press a receiver, but the right coaching and better technique could make him a good CB2 in the NFL.

10. Florida CB Duke Dawson – Senior – 5-11, 197 – 4.46
Dawson may show up bigger than some of these other cornerbacks in terms of the exact measurables, but he doesn’t play as a big as them. Dawson isn’t great at the catch point when the ball goes up high, but he is good with quick feet and keeping up with receivers in space. He looks like a good slot cornerback, in that regard. That’s likely where he’ll end up in the NFL, but he has the chance to be a good one.

Best Of The Rest

11. North Carolina CB M.J. Stewart – Senior – 5-11, 200 – 4.54
Stewart has been UNC’s starting cornerback for the last two season, but really he’s a player who could play safety or cornerback at the next level. He’s a physical player who can really stick with receivers coming out of press and close coverage. He’s not the most fluid player when it comes to changing direction, but he’s savvy with his contact with receivers to where it doesn’t hurt him much. Smart, physical corner. He had 31 passes defended in three seasons.

12. Boston College CB Isaac Yiadom – Senior – 6-1, 190 – 4.52
Yiadom (pronounced yuh-EYE-dum) started all 13 games as a senior in 2017, making 53 tackles with two interceptions and seven passes broken up. He’s a long cornerback who can get physical with players at the line of scrimmage, but he’s not the most natural athlete.

Alabama CB Anthony Averett – Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

13. Alabama CB Anthony Averett – Senior – 5-11, 183 – 4.36
In the NFL talent factory that is Alabama, Averett got his starts first in 2016, starting all 13 games with season stats of 48 tackles, three tackles for loss and eight passes broken up. In 2017 he was again was a starter all 14 games with 48 tackles, four tackles for loss and interception and eight more passes defended. He’s a smaller cornerback, but tough as they come — and athletic to boot.

14. Texas CB Holton Hill – Junior – 6-3, 200 – 4.49
Hill could likely be picked before some of the players above him on this list just because his frame is so alluring for a cornerback. At 6-foot-3, teams will always take chances on longer cornerbacks who can match up against bigger receivers. He has the talent to play in the NFL, and be good, but he need to be more disciplined matching up against likely WR1s and red zone targets.

15. Florida State CB Tavarus McFadden – Junior – 6-2, 198 – 4.67
Going into the season, people thought that McFadden could be the next Top 15 pick because of his size and his interception total from his sophomore years (8). But, 2017 really exposed some of his weaknesses, mainly his lack of natural athleticism. McFadden is a press cornerback who does his best work when he can get physical with receivers, but if he can’t he too often get burnt in coverage.

16. Tennessee CB Rashaan Gaulden – Junior – 6-1, 193, 4.61
Gaulden has played in every single game he’s been available for the Vols. He played in 11 games as a true freshman, started nine games as a true sophomore and then started all 13 games in his final season. He’s played as an outside and nickel cornerback, and will likely maintain that versatile tag in the NFL.

17. Alabama CB Tony Brown – Senior – 6-0, 199 – 4.35
There is no other way to say it: they just don’t make ’em like Tony Brown. At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Brown ran a blazing 4.35 40-yard dash. He’s a former Junior olympics hurdler, and was Mr. Football in high school in the state of Texas. His size means he’s not as fluid, and for that he’s likely a safety/nickel cornerback hybrid in the NFL. He had disciplinary issues while at Alabama that a team will have to be cautious of.

18. Kansas State CB D.J. Reed – Junior – 5-9, 188 – 4.51
Reed started his career at Fresno State before transferring out to a community college and then eventually Kansas State. He’s a very confident slot cornerback who moves well. he just won’t be a player you wan on the outside facing big guys too often.

19. Dubuque CB Michael Joseph – Senior – 6-1, 181 – N/A
Coming out of high school, Joseph wasn’t even rated as a high school recruit. He redshirted his first season at Dubuque, but then became a consistent starter from then on out.  Iowa Conference coaches named him the Defensive Player of the Year after his senior season, as well as first-team all-conference for the third straight season.

20. Virginia Tech CB Brandon Facyson – Senior – 6-2, 197 – 4.53
Facyson looked to be the next big defensive back prospect from Virginia tech after his freshman season back in 2013, but a stress injury to his leg the following year caused him to miss a good amount of time over the next two years. Five years after first arriving to VT, Facyson is finally in the NFL Draft pool. He has great tape when healthy, it’s just a matter of staying healthy and continuing to improve in the NFL.

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