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Note: Scroll right for each prospect’s RAS composite and comp. RAS size-adjusted athletic composites provided by Kent Lee Platte. RAS scores should be read as percentiles -- ie “5.0" is 50th-percentile. Rankings based out of 125 qualifying draft-eligible FBS cornerbacks in my database.
1. Ahmad Gardner | 6026/193 | Cincinnati
RAS: N/A
DOB: 08.31.00
PFF grade: 4
PFF coverage: 5
PFF tackling: 43
PFF run D: 17
Cincinnati knew it had something special right away. In Gardner’s first season, 2019, he returned two interceptions for TD (three total) and broke up eight passes to earn first-team All-AAC honors. The past two years, as a sophomore and junior, Gardner was a second-team and first-team AP All-American, respectively.
Gardner picked off nine balls in college and didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage. Opponents wised up quickly. They stopped throwing at him. After Gardner was targeted 58 times over 320 coverage snaps as a freshman (one every 5.5 snaps), he was targeted only 77 times over 804 coverage snaps the past two years (one every 10.4 snaps).
Over 482 coverage snaps last year, Gardner allowed only 18 receptions for 122 yards, holding opponents to a 22.6 NFL QB rating when targeted. A coverage ace from the second he stepped on campus (elite 90.2 PFF coverage grade as a freshman), Gardner flowered into an every-phase star last season. He set a new career-high in tackles and run-game stops while posting three sacks.
I can see why there's no questions about Sauce Gardner's effort pic.twitter.com/tvYKUX8HUG
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) April 18, 2022
Those who say he only dominated inferior competition are telling on themselves. In five games against Alabama, Notre Dame, Houston, SMU and Indiana last year -- the five-most talented offenses Cincy played -- Gardner allowed seven catches for 38 yards. In the national semifinal, often matched up one-on-one with Alabama star WR Jameson Williams, Gardner allowed only 14 yards on three catches. Williams is likely to be a top-10 pick.
Gardner is an outside press-man corner physical prototype. He’s a twitchy speedster with Stretch Armstrong-length arms. He jolts receivers off the line and uses his length and movement to funnel them to help. Quarterbacks that test him need to make certain they have the arm to get it there quickly. Gardner RSVP’s to every catch point and becomes a receiver when the ball’s in the air.
Like Patrick Surtain in the last class, a premier defensive coaching staff trusted Gardner early on to be on islands with opponents’ WR1s. Per PFF, Sauce had 851 career press-coverage snaps. His relative weaknesses? Good-but-not-elite speed, a lithe frame, and a willing-but-mediocre tackler in part because of that. Fortunately, Gardner isn’t done improving.
In 2021, not only did Gardner add more defensive responsibilities to his plate while continuing to shut down one-half of the field in coverage, but he drew fewer flags, cleaning up a previously-problematic area of his game. Gardner was penalized 12 times in coverage over 642 snaps his first two years (one every 53.5 snaps), but only two times over 482 snaps last year (one every 241).
Gardner projects as a press-man CB1 and brings All-Pro upside to the next level. If everything breaks right, he’s Richard Sherman.
Comp: Richard Sherman
2. Trent McDuffie | 5106/193 | Washington
RAS: 9.49
DOB: 02.29.01
PFF grade: 7
PFF coverage: 4
PFF tackling: 32
PFF run D: 14
McDuffie entered the starting lineup a few games into his true freshman year in 2019. He flashed star ability during the COVID-shortened 2020 season before earning third-team AP All-American honors for his work over 11 starts in 2021. He’s the only corner in this class that earned 80.0-plus PFF grades each of the past three seasons.
Belying his stature, McDuffie is a physical presence on the boundary. He gets his hands on receivers off the line in press coverage, dictates initial terms, and carries routes to the end. Swivel-hipped, quick-footed, and explosive in his lower half, McDuffie changes direction with ease and accelerates like a Ferrari. In zone coverage, he crashes downhill to contest at the catch point.
Across 15 games the last two seasons, McDuffie allowed only 16 catches and 163 yards on 46 targets. McDuffie’s competitiveness stretches to run defense. He’s one of the class’ best in this area. McDuffie diagnoses running plays as quickly as he deciphers route patterns.
He flies out of the block downhill in efficient paths and will chase down running backs from behind from the opposite side of the field. A hard-hitting form tackler, McDuffie forced three career fumbles while proving to be one of the class’ most reliable tacklers. Coming into this year, he’d missed only two attempts on 54 career tackles.
The biggest concern with McDuffie is his sub-30” arms (29.75”), which puts him in the fifth-percentile for length. Per PFF’s Austin Gayle, the only corners with sub-30” arms to play 400-plus snaps in any season since 2017 are Ross Cockrell, Donte Jackson, Cameron Sutton, Troy Hill and Avonte Maddox. And while he looked good in his press-man opportunities, McDuffie played a lot of zone coverage in college.
McDuffie has the technique, athleticism, brains, and competitive fire for any assignment, but will have to prove he can buck recent CB-length trends to stick outside long-term. I’m bullish that he will. Even if not, McDuffie’s movement and run-game utility will make him an awesome slot, an increasingly-valuable role in today’s NFL. But don’t book him there just yet.
If Malik Willis is this class’ Lamar Jackson, then McDuffie is this class’ Jaire Alexander, Jackson’s collegiate teammate who rarely allowed completions but fell on draft night due to concerns about his size and length. Jackson and Alexander were both unorthodox in their own ways, and each provided his drafting NFL team with incredible ROI. I think the same will prove to be true of McDuffie and his NFL organization.
Trent McDuffie's measurables aren't gonna blow anyone away, but his closing speed *pops* on screen. Hits like a freight train, too. pic.twitter.com/3O2kJrMnJW
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) April 3, 2022
Comp: Jaire Alexander
3. Derek Stingley Jr. | 6002/188 | LSU
RAS: 8.98
DOB: 06.20.01
PFF grade: 65
PFF coverage: 59
PFF tackling: 121
PFF run D: 77
Look, I get it. Stingley is a stud athlete in an ideal physical package. He ran a 4.37 forty with a 38.5” vertical and 10’2” broad jump at his pro day workout. He had highly-impressive tape as a true freshman in 2019 after signing as a ballyhooed recruit. He has NFL bloodlines, the grandson of Darryl Stingley.
Everything above is descriptive of a top-10 or top-15 talent. It’s the rest of it that makes Stingley too risky to place a premium investment in. Stingley’s only good season in college was over two years ago as a true freshman. That season, he played on one of the greatest teams in college football history.
#LSU CB #24 Derek Stingley Jr. locates the football better than most freshmen locate their classes. pic.twitter.com/uWGDs4ZrhT
— Fed Scivittaro (@FedScivittaro) September 8, 2019
Stingley started across from former Round 2 pick Kristian Fulton in a secondary that also featured the Thorpe winner (Grant Delpit). In the second level, LSU had two first-rounders (K’Lavon Chaisson and Patrick Queen). Most opponents had predictable game scripts, forced to aggressively air it out most of the game from behind.
In 2020, with all the guys I mentioned in the previous paragraph off to the NFL, Stingley badly regressed and was regularly torched. Stingley’s 2021 campaign ended early with a torn foot ligament in September. It turned out to be a Lisfranc injury. In his 10 games played since 2020, Stingley allowed 15 catches for 201 yards and two TD with zero interceptions. He’s a shoddy tackler with a 17.9% career missed-tackle rate.
Stingley looked good moving around at his Pro Day and said all the right things, but a Lisfranc injury for a player so dependent on his footwork and athleticism is concerning. As is Stingley’s almost unprecedented top-20 cornerback profile of scant on-field success since his true freshman year. Some at LSU believe he checked out on his team the past two years.
Stingley has the physical package, athleticism, sweet feet, and coverage chops to be an NFL star. On reps he’s right and on, Stingley is an eraser. Just ask 2019 Biletnikoff winner Ja’marr Chase. Their practice skirmishes that year are legendary in Baton Rouge.
But Stingley is a long way away from being that guy play-in and play-out. And it’s far from a sure thing he gets there. I see Stingley as a boom-or-bust dice roll. The physical package, athletic ability, 2019 play, and flash reps demand a gamble in the 20s. I just personally wouldn’t pick him sooner.
Comp: Xavien Howard
4. Andrew Booth Jr. | 6002/194 | Clemson
RAS: N/A
DOB: 09.28.00
PFF grade: 18
PFF coverage: 21
PFF tackling: 104
PFF run D: 44
Comp: Marlon Humphrey
5. Kaiir Elam | 6014/192 | Florida
RAS: 8.63
DOB: 05.05.01
PFF grade: 85
PFF coverage: 96
PFF tackling: 58
PFF run D: 19
Comp: Carlton Davis
6. Kyler Gordon | 5114/198 | Washington
RAS: 9.69
DOB: 12.17.99
PFF grade: 3
PFF coverage: 3
PFF tackling: 52
PFF run D: 11
Comp: Byron Jones
7. Roger McCreary | 5113/191 | Auburn
RAS: 5.48
PFF grade: 1
PFF coverage: 2
PFF tackling: 64
PFF run D: 67
Comp: Rock Ya-Sin
8. Cam Taylor-Britt | 5105/196 | Nebraska
RAS: 8.32
DOB: 10.15.99
PFF grade: 35
PFF coverage: 27
PFF tackling: 69
PFF run D: 54
Comp: Desmond King
9. Tariq Woolen | 6041/205 | UTSA
RAS: 9.7
DOB: 05.02.99
PFF grade: 94
PFF coverage: 74
PFF tackling: 112
PFF run D: 120
Comp: Ifeatu Melifonwu
10. Marcus Jones | 5080/177 | Houston
RAS: N/A
DOB: 10.22.98
PFF grade: 6
PFF coverage: 6
PFF tackling: 36
PFF run D: 5
Comp: Amik Robertson
11. Martin Emerson | 6015/203 | Mississippi State
RAS: 8.48
DOB: 09.27.00
PFF grade: 19
PFF coverage: 20
PFF tackling: 19
PFF run D: 35
Comp: Joejuan Williams
12. Coby Bryant | 6013/193 | Cincinnati
RAS: 5.59
PFF grade: 5
PFF coverage: 7
PFF tackling: 11
PFF run D: 4
Comp: Jalen Mills
13. Zyon McCollum | 6021/199 | Sam Houston St.
RAS: 10
PFF grades: N/A
Comp: Kevin King
14. Joshua Williams | 6027/195 | Fayetteville St.
RAS: 9.43
DOB: 10.17.99
PFF grades: N/A
Comp: Greedy Williams
15. Josh Jobe | 5114/189 | Alabama
RAS: N/A
PFF grade: 70
PFF coverage: 62
PFF tackling: 90
PFF run D: 75
Comp: Cordrea Tankersley
16. Akayleb Evans | 6020/201 | Missouri
RAS: 9.55
DOB: 06.22.99
PFF grade: 34
PFF coverage: 39
PFF tackling: 2
PFF run D: 29
Comp: Ahkello Witherspoon
17. Jalyn Armour-Davis | 6005/194 | Alabama
RAS: 7.18
PFF grade: 10
PFF coverage: 12
PFF tackling: 10
PFF run D: 45
Comp: Trayvon Mullen
18. Tariq Castro-Fields | 6005/197 | Penn State
RAS: 9.73
DOB: 01.14.99
PFF grade: 53
PFF coverage: 40
PFF tackling: 114
PFF run D: 107
Comp: Ka’Dar Hollman
19. Damarri Mathis | 5111/198 | Pittsburgh
RAS: 9.72
DOB: 04.12.99
PFF grade: 56
PFF coverage: 63
PFF tackling: 25
PFF run D: 2
Comp: Steven Nelson
20. Cordale Flott | 6004/178 | LSU
RAS: 7.46
PFF grade: 11
PFF coverage: 8
PFF tackling: 37
PFF run D: 102
Comp: Rashard Robinson
Thor’s recent NFL Draft work:
- 3-Round Mock 4.0 (4/18)
- 2022 NFL Draft position rankings
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Howell, Zappe, Crum, Coan, Kelley
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Pickett, Strong
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB3 Desmond Ridder
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB2 Matt Corral
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB1 Malik Willis
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: RB20-30
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: RB14-19
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: RB7-13
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: RB1-6
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Wide receivers
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Tight ends and fullbacks
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Interior offensive line
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Offensive tackle
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Defensive line
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: EDGE rushers
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: Linebackers
