If any city knows what a dominant secondary can do for a defense it’s Denver.
Chris Harris Jr. has departed and the “No-Fly Zone” is nothing but a memory. Rebuilding the secondary now becomes a priority on the defensive side of the ball.
The 2020 NFL Draft features a solid group of cornerbacks with some Day Two players that could be good contributors as a rookie.
Jeffery Okudah is the only tier-one cornerback and chances are that he will not be in play for the Broncos when they’re on the clock in the first round.
Other positions may take priority, but it is plausible that the Broncos will select a corner early on in the draft. To break down the tiers along with their strengths and weaknesses, here are 15 prospects that could become Broncos this week.
First Round Dark Horse
C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
Momentum has been picking up for the Florida stand-out defender as we get closer to the draft. Once Henderson is selected, he will make it five straight years that a defensive back has been drafted out of Florida.
Henderson shows natural athleticism, speed, fluidity in coverage and is versatile enough to play outside or in the slot. He can play sticky, physical man coverage and has the ability to mentally process routes and make quick breaks on the ball in zone coverage. He has good ball skills and fights through the receiver’s hands from the catch point to the ground.
At the NFL Combine, Henderson clocked the third-fastest 40-yard dash among defensive backs with a 4.39 to solidify himself as a first-round prospect.
The concerns about Henderson are valid and are centered around his tackling and habit of giving up big plays.
The traits and natural ability are there for him to develop into a top-tier cornerback, but there is plenty of risk involved when selecting Henderson. Especially in the first round.
Fangio’s Types
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Feisty, quick, and technically sound, Jeff Gladney plays an aggressive yet smooth brand of football that is sure to put him on the Broncos’ radar.
Quick feet and fluid hips result in a smooth backpedal that easily transitions into the route. His lower half and eyes work together allowing Gladney to always be in position to make a play on the ball. He is not afraid to get his hands on receivers from the snap through the catch and does a great job of locating the ball consistently.
Tackling is not necessarily a strength of Gladney’s but he’s one of the more technically sound corners in that area.
At times his play speed and strength do not match up with the numbers he put up at the Combine. He might have to play in the slot as he adjusts to the size and strength of NFL receivers, however, Gladney will fit in just fine in the NFL and would be a good fit for the Broncos.
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
At one point through the 2019 season, Hall was considered by many to be the best cornerback prospect if he declared following his junior year. Hall decided to return to Virginia for his senior season and unfortunately suffered an ankle injury resulting in surgery that ended his 2020 season early.
Hall has the ideal size and length for an NFL cornerback and has good play strength and physicality. That size and mentality make Hall a good press corner. He also has the instincts and ball skills to be a reliable corner in zone coverage.
For being such a big cornerback, Hall has impressive closing speed. On the other hand, his long speed is less than ideal and he could struggle against the fastest receivers in the NFL. His tackling skills are sufficient at best but this cornerback class as a whole struggles to tackle consistently.
Overall, Hall has impressive traits and projects to be a solid contributor in the NFL if he can recover from his injury and remain healthy.
A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
A poor first-half outing in the national championship game sunk Terrell’s stock for months leading up to the draft. The draft cognoscente seems to be coming around on Terrell as selection day draws closer.
Terrell possesses oily hips and quick feet that make him a fluid defender in man coverage with good mirror ability. He is physical on the line of scrimmage and downfield in coverage and has the length necessary to make plays on the ball.
While ball skills are a strength, he is inconsistent when it comes to finding the ball in the air and can allow some big plays. The physicality he shows in coverage does not show up in the run game either. He has some questionable tackling skills.
At the end of the day, Terrell is a talented cornerback that has natural cover skills. He has plenty of areas that will need to be ironed out in the NFL. But in terms of guarding the man across from you, he is one of the best prospects entering the league this year.
More from a strong day-two crop
Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
The next player in a long line of highly drafted defensive backs from LSU, Fulton is one of the most impressive man-coverage defenders in this class. Fulton’s ball skills are good and he is seen making plays on the ball at all three levels of the field.
Speed and fluidity are some of Fulton’s best traits as evidenced by his 4.46 40-yard dash and 6.94 3-cone time.
In the screen and run game, Fulton is average at best and he can get caught hesitating. His play strength is suspect at times which can be a problem against bigger wide receivers. He has average length (30 ⅝ inch arms) which could cause troubles when challenging at the catch point in the NFL.
Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Jaylon Johnson may lack the flash other prospects in this category possess but he is a solid football player all-around. He has good size, instincts, coverage and ball skills allowing him to be scheme versatile.
The Utes’ standout defender is a smart player that has a good understanding of route combinations and the ability to move and read the quarterbacks in zone coverage.
While already a good player, Johnson could use some polish especially when it comes to his technique off the line of scrimmage.
Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
One of the most polarizing players in the draft, Diggs is the younger brother of Buffalo Bills star receiver, Stefon Diggs. He is highly versatile with the ability to play outside or in the slot. He boasts very good size and length that will be used to cover tight ends at the next level. His movement skills are impressive for his size.
A former high school wide receiver, Diggs moved to cornerback after his freshman season at Alabama. Those skills show up when he can make a play on the ball.
He is a much better player when asked to play zone than when he is singled up in man coverage. All those traits aside, Diggs is rather raw and carries some bust potential. Whichever team drafts him will have their work cut out for them in regards to coaching and development.
Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
Another former wide receiver turned defensive back from the state of Alabama, like Diggs, Igbinoghene shows flashes of great potential but is a raw player. Igbinoghene tested consistently average at the NFL combine but shows natural movement skills and fluidity on tape. He is primed to make an early impact on special teams as a gunner and returner.
The former four-star recruit is a tough, physical player that does not shy away from contact and will get his hands on receivers off the line of scrimmage.
Measuring in at 5-foot-9, 198 pounds he is slightly undersized for the position. For being a former receiver, his ball skills are hit or miss. He needs to lower his strike zone when tackling and clean up his footwork to become a consistent, quality starter.
Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
The other half of Ohio State’s lockdown cornerback duo, Arnette has good size but lacks the ideal length for the position. He plays with physicality and has shown the versatility to play outside or in the slot.
Like many other corners that have come out of Ohio State in recent years, Arnette shows good technique to stay in phase downfield and attack the ball at the catch point.
Arnette’s physical limitations may limit his upside in the NFL. Running a 4.56 40-yard dash, he flirts with outlier territory in terms of NFL success.
Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State
Dantzler plays with a physical, competitive edge while possessing a long, lengthy frame. He is rather thin and has some inconsistencies when it comes to his physical testing and play on film.
He is not afraid to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage in press and remains physical until the whistle is blown. He shows good football intelligence to process routes and sink in zone to challenge any ball thrown in his zip code.
A disappointing 40-yard dash time (4.64s) has Dantzler staring down the barrel of outlier territory. However, lack of play speed was not overly concerning when you look at the tape.
Fits from round-three and beyond
Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
Pound-for-pound, Robertson is the most physical and competitive cornerback in this class. Measuring in at 5-foot-8, 187 pounds, he is a small stick of dynamite that is unintimidated by receivers and is more than willing to mix it up in the run game.
Robertson has very impressive ball skills and good coverage skills. Due to his size, he might be limited to being a nickel corner.
Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA
Holmes was a three-year starter for UCLA. He is slightly undersized at 5-foot-10 but is compactly built. His length is below average which will be a cause for concern at the next level.
He shows good speed, especially in closing and recovery situations. Holmes must improve his lower-body technique upon entering the league. He plays with a tough mentality and should fit in at slot corner early on.
Javaris Davis, CB, Auburn
Next on the list of undersized corners, Javaris Davis. Highly versatile with good speed, range and movement skills; Davis played outside, in the slot and in the box.
While competitive, his play strength is lacking but he makes up for that with football intelligence. In the NFL, Davis could be a swiss-army knife defensive back with early value on special teams and in the slot.
Troy Pride Jr., CB, Notre Dame
Pride started 12 games the last two seasons for the Golden Domers and earned himself an invite to the Senior Bowl this year where he turned some heads.
He showed off his speed and movement skills in the 40-yard dash and 3-cone drill at the Combine. Pride showed flashes on tape with his cover skills and ability to mirror.
Michael Ojemudia, DB, Iowa
Physically, Ojemudia is one of the more impressive cornerbacks in this class at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds and 32 ¼ inch arms. Mix in a 4.45 40-yard dash and 6.87 3-cone, and you’ve got the makings of a potential hidden gem.
The measurables are impressive but the tape can be underwhelming. He was not asked to play press coverage often and appeared rather conservative when playing on the line of scrimmage. Inconsistencies with instincts, physicality and mental processing showed up often. Development and fit will be crucial for Ojemudia.
