Pre-Combine Predictions: CB Rankings Will Get Murkier
Josh Frey
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The NFL Draft Combine is upon us and with that means a ton of excitement to watch April’s prospects showcase their skillsets in front of all 32 NFL teams. The draft is notoriously shallow at the QB position, and that has given extra shine to a number of skill positions. One of these said positions is the cornerback spot; a position that could see as many as five players drafted in the first round. There seems to be a consensus right now that Ahmad Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. are the top two players in the class, but could things change after this weekend?
I believe they will. The combine is built for pure athletic freaks, and there are a number of those in the middle of this cornerback class. Muddling things up even more is the fact that 1) Stingley will not be there and 2) Gardner is not necessarily one of these athletic freaks. In fact, Gardner is projected as quite normal in terms of his pure athletic skills, especially his speed. His current 40 time is 4.50. Instead, the Cincinnati corner relies on elite instincts and ball skills to make plays. If he comes out and executes to expectations, Gardner should be fine. If he is disappointing in any manner though, we could see some questions come to the surface.
Meanwhile, the athletic freaks coincidentally fall right beneath Gardner and Stingley. Both Andrew Booth Jr. and Trent McDuffie have the potential to run in the low-4.4s or even high-4.3s. Even further down the board, Roger McCreary is in danger of falling out of the first round because of a lack of size/length. So, what’s his plan going into the weekend? “Just crush everything.”
With strong marks in the 40 and speed score this weekend, McCreary could re-enter that first round conversation, especially if someone like Booth were to struggle. This is something that Vikings fans should be hoping for. The more chaotic that things get at the combine, the higher the likelihood that the board falls into the Vikings hands. Whether that means landing one of the top CBs or another position, Minnesota should be able to get a star in the first round.