The 2024 NFL Draft is shortly approaching, with the three-day occasion set to start on April 25 in Detroit.
Contemplating we’re within the golden age of huge receivers, the necessity for high quality cornerbacks has by no means been larger. The 2024 draft class has some intriguing high-end expertise on the cornerback place with names like Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell and Alabama’s Terrion Arnold. However, as we have seen 12 months after 12 months, groups can nonetheless discover future starters later within the draft.
With that in thoughts, listed here are three cornerbacks projected to be chosen outdoors of the primary two rounds who may show to be steals within the draft.
Beanie Bishop Jr., West VirginiaÂ
Top: 5-foot-10 Weight: 184 kilos
A complete of 321 gamers had been invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Mix, none of whom had been Bishop, who transferred to West Virginia final offseason following a lackluster season at Minnesota and 4 productive years at Western Kentucky. Throughout his lone season with the Mountaineers, Bishop made waves, main the nation in passes defended (24) and cross breakups (20) en path to being named a consensus All-American.
Regardless of not incomes an invite to the mix, Bishop was a prime performer on the Massive 12 professional day in Frisco, Texas, this previous Thursday. Bishop ran a 4.39-second 40-yard sprint, the quickest time of any participant taking part within the Massive 12 professional day. Moreover, Bishop clocked a 1.82-second “flying 20,” which might’ve ranked fourth amongst all gamers competing within the mix, in line with Shrine Bowl director Eric Galko.
Whereas he is a bit undersized, Bishop has all of the instruments to reach a slot position on the NFL degree. It is doable {that a} staff may signal him as an undrafted free agent, however given his on-field manufacturing and powerful testing outcomes, Bishop is value contemplating as a Day 3 choice.
Khyree Jackson, Oregon
Top: 6-foot-4 Weight: 194 kilos
The prolonged cornerback’s lack of expertise adversely impacts his draft inventory, however he displayed sufficient promise with the Geese this previous season to nonetheless warrant some late Day 2 buzz.
A former JUCO standout, Jackson performed two seasons at Alabama, throughout which he’d begin only one recreation, earlier than transferring to Oregon, the place he turned a first-team All-Pac-12 choice. In 12 video games, Jackson collected a team-leading three interceptions, together with 34 tackles, 5 for loss and two sacks for the Geese.Â
Jackson’s 4.50-second 40-yard sprint time on the mix was considerably underwhelming, because it ranked twenty second amongst 29 cornerbacks, however he did rank sixth on the place within the 10-yard break up (1.50 seconds). To not point out that, as per Kent Lee Platte’s Relative Athletic Rating, Jackson scored a 9.42 out of a doable 10, rating because the 129th-best rating out of two,222 cornerback prospects since 1987.Â
Given his giant body and spectacular intangibles, Jackson would make for an interesting developmental challenge for any staff drafting within the third or fourth spherical, particularly in the event that they efficiently fine-tune his approach.Â
Max Melton, RutgersÂ
Top: 5-foot-11 Weight: 187 kilosÂ
Melton, whose older brother Bo is a large receiver for the Inexperienced Bay Packers, is a late riser within the draft course of. The 21-year-old loved a strong four-year profession at Rutgers, racking up 114 tackles, 9 for loss, 30 cross breakups and eight interceptions. Nonetheless, he actually began turning heads on the Reese’s Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Mix.Â
Of all cornerbacks on the mix, Melton ranked ninth within the 10-yard break up (1.51 seconds), eighth within the 40-yard sprint (4.39 seconds), fifth within the vertical leap (40.5 inches) and first within the broad leap (11-foot-4). For his efforts, Melton was named the “greatest athlete” amongst draft-eligible cornerbacks in a lately revealed prospect superlatives article written by Professional Soccer Focus’ Trevor Sikkema.Â
Along with his athleticism, physicality and flexibility, Melton is well-equipped to thrive as a slot cornerback or on the boundary if needed. In Matt Miller of ESPN’s newest seven-round mock draft, Melton went off the board 71st total to the Arizona Cardinals. Ought to he fall that far, Melton could be an ideal match for Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon’s stingy protection.
