2012 NFL Draft: Ranking the Top Cornerbacks in the Draft

In today's pass-happy league, cornerbacks are being sought after and are a bigger need than say, 10 years ago. With the likes of Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford throwing the football an average of 30-40 times per game, it's easy to say that cornerback has become the second most important position (behind quarterback, of course) on the football field.

Since the 2009 NFL Draft, the cornerback position has had the most players selected overall. From 2006 to 2008, wide receivers were the most popular pick. This goes to show that teams are focusing more on the aerial attack than in the traditional ground & pound. 

There are a lot of talented cornerbacks entering the Draft this year and it should be one of the most sought after positions by bad teams, average teams, and Super Bowl contenders.

Here's a list of the top 5 cornerbacks in the 2012 NFL Draft.

#1: Morris Claiborne, LSU

#1: Morris Claiborne, LSU

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Morris Claiborne has solidified himself as the cream of the crop in this years draft and will go into the NFL with tons of playing experience and plenty of skill to start for any team on day 1. He has played for one of College Football's best defenses and has started every game for them. He had a key interception against the Crimson Tide in their first meeting that led to the game tying field goal that would eventually lead to overtime.

Claiborne is a game changer with lots of skill and play making ability. He has great speed and athleticism, and will become an elite cover cornerback for any team in no time. He has great instincts and has the ability to play both man and zone while still making game changing plays. He also has the ability to help out in the run game, which will entice many of the teams picking in the top ten.

Projection: Top 5

#2: Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

#2: Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

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Dre Kirkpatrick also has a ton of skill that will make him an elite cornerback at the next level in no time. He goes to the NFL having played three years for the most disciplined and most feared defense in College Football. In Alabama's first match-up against the LSU Tigers, he completely shut down Reuben Randle and played mistake-free football. 

He can be a little inconsistent at times, but that shouldn't hurt his draft stock too much as he is capable of making big plays when they are most needed. Last year, Kirkpatrick got dominated by the bigger Alshon Jeffery and teams could worry about what he can do against those types of receivers. It is also unclear if playing for the nation's best defense had anything to do with his productivity and ability to make plays.

Kirkpatrick has a high ceiling and will surely step up and be a starter for any team in day 1.

Projection: Top 10

#3: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

#3: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

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Alfonzo Dennard has been a fairly consistent player this year and has played well in big games. He had a fantastic game against Michigan State, where he shut down B.J. Cunningham, and he also had a great game against Iowa, shutting down Marvin McNutt. He does a great job of jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage and is an extremely physical cover corner. He is rarely caught out of position and rarely has mental mistakes.

Dennard is a little undersized, but his physicality makes up for his size. He is excellent in press man coverage and can also play zone coverage. Last year, he displayed most of his skills as teams tried to stay away from Prince Amukamara. This year, teams did the same and tried to stay away from Dennard.

Projection: 15-20

#4: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina

#4: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina

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I thought Stephon Gilmore should have stayed for his senior year as he has some things he still needs to work on. Gilmore is probably the best run supporter of all the cornerbacks in the draft. He has been stopping the run since his freshman year and has been doing it consistently well. He was recruited as a safety out of high school, which may explain his great run stopping skills. He constantly goes up against the best receivers on the opposing teams and does a great job with keeping up with them.

His return skills will also entice a team to maybe draft him a little too high. He does an excellent job playing zone, but his man coverage skills really need to improve. He got beat a couple times this year because he got lost in coverage and was unable to recover. He also had some pass-interference penalties because of poor coverage. If he had stayed at South Carolina for one more year, he might have been a top 15 or maybe even a top 10 pick.

Projection: 20-25

#5: Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

#5: Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

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Janoris Jenkins is a curious case. Had he stayed out of trouble in his years at Florida, he might have been the first cornerback taken in this years draft. However, his off-field issues cost him a spot with the Gators and has had to play for North Alabama since. He obviously dominated against weaker competition while at North Alabama and his draft stock will depend on how he interviews with teams, and  if he can stay out of trouble from now until the draft.

Jenkins does not have great size for an NFL cornerback, but his skill-set will put down any questions about his size. The only reason he will not get drafted as high is because of some of the arrests he had for smoking marijuana while at Florida, but if he can manage to stay out of trouble in the NFL, he will be one of the best cornerbacks out of this draft.

Projection: Early Second Round

2012 NFL Draft: Where Will South Carolina's Players Get Drafted?

South Carolina's historic season has come to an end. The first ever 11-win season for the Gamecocks ended with a 30-13 victory against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl and showed why these is one of the best Gamecock teams ever.

However, it is now time to focus on those players that will no longer be part of the program, whether it's because of graduation or declaring early for the NFL draft. Such players include Alshon Jeffery, Melvin Ingram, and Stephon Gilmore, which have been the backbone of this team all season long.

Three of these guys have the ability and potential to be first-round draft picks and make an immediate impact for their new teams. Let's take a look at where some of these Carolina players will get drafted.

Alshon Jeffery: Round 1, Jacksonville Jaguars

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Alshon Jeffery is one of the top wide receiver's in this year's draft class. Him, along with Justin Blackmon, have everyone talking about who will get drafted higher, and who will have a bigger impact on their new team. I have Jeffery going 7th overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars right behind Justin Blackmon, which I have going 4th to the Browns.
Blaine Gabbert hasn't looked anywhere near what the Jaguars thought he would look, but they have to get him some weapons. Marcedes Lewis is a pretty good tight end, and Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the top running backs in the league, but who else do they have? Mike Thomas could be a decent #2 receiver but is nowhere near a #1 target, and Taylor Price has some potential, but won't be a top receiver either.
The Jaguars will give Blaine Gabbert a target for the next ten years, and they might just be able to stay in Jacksonville.

Melvin Ingram: Round 1, Seattle Seahawks

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Melvin Ingram has been one of the most dynamic defensive players this past year. He came into this season without being on anybody's radar and has played at an extremely high level all season. He has played himself into the first round of the draft and will be highly regarded come April.
The Tennessee Titans really need to be able to generate some pass-rush if they want to be successful in the coming years. They drafted Derrick Morgan a couple years ago and he hasn't really played up to expectations. They have a very good offense with Chris Johnson, Jared Cook, Nate Washington, and Kenny Britt.
With the likes of Derrick Morgan, Akeem Ayers, Colin McCarthy, and the addition of Melvin Ingram, the Titans would have one of the best young defensive front seven in football.

Stephon Gilmore: Round 1, Dallas Cowboys

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Stephon Gilmore has seen his stock rise and fall consistently this season. He has been the Gamecocks best cornerback for the last three years and has made game-changing plays on a consistent basis. He led the Gamecocks in interceptions for the second straight year and has the potential of being a first-round pick this coming April.
The world was shown what the Dallas Cowboys' secondary looks like against the New York Giants in the last Sunday Night game of the season. They are in desperate need of a solid cornerback that can shut down the other team's top receivers. Gilmore will step in right away and compete for the starting cornerback role, and will likely come out on top. He will also be used in special teams and will allow Dez Bryant to focus more on playing wide receiver than worry about returning punts.
Terrence Newman might have seen his last days as the Cowboys starting cornerback after getting embarrassed against the Giants.

Antonio Allen: Round 3, Cincinnati Bengals

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Antonio Allen was the Gamecocks most efficient defensive player all season long. He led the team in tackles and made just about every play the Gamecocks needed on defense. His absence was evident when the Gamecocks took on the Arkansas Razorbacks while he healed from an injury. The defense appeared lost without their vocal leader on the field.
The Cincinnati Bengals had a breakout season this year. Andy Dalton looks like the real deal and A.J. Green is already a Pro Bowl Wide Receiver. They will have two picks in the first round this year and will look to further improve their young squad. One hole the Bengals have right now is at the safety position. Chris Crocker had a solid season but is not the answer for the future. Taylor Mays has been a bust since being drafted in the second round and will not be making the starting lineup anytime soon.
Allen would give the Bengals a playmaker at safety and someone that will become a leader in the secondary in the near future.

Rokevious Watkins: Round 6, Philadelphia Eagles

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Rokevious Watkins has played everywhere they have asked him to play. With the Gamecocks injuries along the offensive line this year, Watkins has played both tackle positions, as well as both guard positions. He has been a block on the offensive line throughout his time in South Carolina and his size should be looked at as an advantage. The guy is a monster.
The Eagles struggled mightily in pass protection this year. When Michael Vick gets sacked four times in a game, there is something very wrong with your offensive line. The Eagles might look to fill the void earlier in the draft, but Watkins would give them more depth and will possibly become a very solid starter with a couple years of experience. The Eagles improved their offensive line problems with the addition of Danny Watkins last year, but will have to keep improving it this year.
Watkins will likely be used at right tackle or guard, and will help the Eagles passing game, and their running game get better than it already is.

Travian Robertson: Round 7, San Diego Chargers

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Travian Robertson was the least talked about player on the defensive line for the Gamecocks. When you're playing next to Melvin Ingram, Devin Taylor, and Jadaveon Clowney, you have to really stand out to be noticed. Robertson had a solid season as a senior, but many may say it was because of the attention payed to those other players on the defensive line.
The Chargers need to keep improving their pass rush and Robertson will clearly help them out. As a 7th rounder, he won't get many opportunities to show what he can do on the field, but if Robertson keeps improving, he will soon find himself seeing the field more often. The Chargers struck gold with Corey Liuget in last year's draft, and won't stop from improving their defensive line.

2012 NFL Draft: Should Alshon Jeffery Be the First Wide Receiver Taken?

Going into bowl season, it was clear that Justin Blackmon had been the best wide receiver all season and was destined to be the first receiver taken in the upcoming draft. He didn't disappoint in the Fiesta Bowl either, as he caught eight passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns. He is without a doubt an elite prospect at the position and will be a top 10 pick in April.

Alshon Jeffery also failed to disappoint as his South Carolina Gamecocks took on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl. Jeffery went up against another first-round talent in cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.These two got into it late in the game and were ejected, but it's safe to say that Jeffery won the battle. He racked up 148 yards on four catches and a touchdown.

These two players are clearly 1A and 1B in terms of talent, and where they will go in the draft depends only on the team picking and who they feel will better fit their system.
Jeffery had been slipping on draft boards and at one point was behind Michael Floyd of Notre Dame. Really? I don't see the logic in that.

I'm not saying that Floyd isn't a good receiver, but he shouldn't be in Blackmon's and Jeffery's level. Jeffery proved everybody wrong against Nebraska when he played with a still recovering right hand (he broke it against Clemson), and dominated future first-rounder Alfonzo Dennard.

So which of these two players should be drafted first?

In terms of productivity, Blackmon has Alshon beat by a long shot. Heck, he has everyone beat by a long shot. He recorded 121 receptions for 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns. Talk about impressive.

Jeffery's productivity did suffer a lot because of shady quarterback play from Day 1. Whether it was Stephen Garcia or Connor Shaw, they had the best target in college football and they failed to give him the ball on a constant basis. Jeffery recorded only 49 catches for 762 yards and 8 touchdowns.


One must keep in mind that Blackmon played in a system where the air-it-out style dominated over the ground & pound. He had one of the best quarterbacks in the country throwing him the ball and had a running game that they did not rely on, but it kept defenses honest.

Jeffery wishes he could've had at least someone that could get the ball in his area. The Gamecocks also relied heavily on the run even when star running back Marcus Lattimore went out with a torn ACL.

In terms of measurement, Blackmon is Michael Crabtree's clone. They are both 6'1", 215. Crabtree had a lot of hype coming out of Texas Tech as he had won the Biletnikof Award two years in a row. Remind you of someone?

Crabtree has yet to live up to the hype and has been a dissapointment. He has stepped up this year but is still greatly underachieving. Blackmon has as much, if not more, hype than Crabtree, and I expect him to struggle his first year.

I do think he will live up to expectations starting his second year as he gets accustomed to NFL cornerbacks. Playing in the Big 12 clearly doesn't put you up against top level cornerbacks which might be something to look at when grading Blackmon.

Jeffery, on the other hand, is Brandon Marshall's clone. They both measure 6'4" barefoot and weigh 230. They can both catch passes over the middle or catch the deep balls. They can both rack up yards after the catch and are matchup nightmares for opposing defenses.

Jeffery has better hands than Marshall, which is even scarier. Jeffery has also gone up against SEC defenses and has won almost every battle. Last year, Jeffery went up against Auburn's national championship defense and caught eight passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He followed that up by catching seven passes for 127 yards and two more touchdowns against Alabama's defense.

Whether Blackmon goes ahead of Jeffery or vice-versa, both of these players will be great NFL receivers and will follow in the footsteps of recent first-rounders A.J. Green and Julio Jones. The team that drafts either of these players will have a receiver for years to come and will have one of the most feared passing attacks.

Justin Blackmon and Alshon Jeffery are two names every NFL fan will become familiar with in the near future.