The Patriots need help at corner, especially outside corner. J.C. Jackson is good but they need help across from him and don't say Jonathan Jones. Stephon Gilmore is gone but the Patriots saw how the team worked with two number ones and just J.C. If the Patriots wanna stay competitive, they need to improve outside corner.
Here's 18 early cornerback prospects for the Patriots. Along with three other players that might be of interest to the Patriots.
Derek Stingley LSU 6'1" 195 LBS
TDN "Stingley Jr. is a technician in man-to-man coverage. He shows the ability to mirror WRs off the line of scrimmage and plays with great patience. He understands how to properly shoot his hands and keep his feet active. Has great eye discipline keeping his eyes focused on the WR’s midsection."
TDN "Gardner has proven to be a reliable man-coverage corner where his length and speed are notable assets. With that said, he has a tendency to be extremely grabby and I want to see him trust his athletic confidence more in man coverage."
Roger McCreary Auburn 6' 190 LBS
TDN "His ability in man coverage is elite. He excels in press coverage and does a good job mirroring receivers. He has also shown the ability to play off and consistently get his hands on the football."
Andrew Booth Clemson 6' 200 LBS
TDN "Booth Jr. is a sticky man coverage corner with loose hips, quick feet, and excellent route-anticipation skills. He does well to read route stems and stay connected as routes elongate. Booth Jr. has every necessary physical trait to be a shutdown man coverage corner in the NFL."
Kaiir Elam Florida 6'2" 195 LBS
PFN "As it stands, Elam is already a fairly sticky man coverage cornerback. With further refinement of his footwork, his combination of length, mobility, and ball skills could be a death knell for opposing receivers. It could also eventually earn him the CB1 designation."
Akayleb Evans Missouri 6'2" 200 LBS
TDN "He’ll need to press at a high rate of success in order to serve such a role in a man-heavy system in the NFL."
PFN "Evans is a physical press-man cornerback who also offers versatility. He’s aligned both as a boundary and field outside corner. Additionally, he’s seen action in the slot."
Darrion Kendrick Georgia 6' 190 LBS
Bleacher Report "Kendrick is a versatile cornerback who is able to make plays in both zone and man coverage. In man, he plays with great leverage and positioning. He's able to quickly and fluidly get in and out of breaks. Kendrick struggles with receivers who immediately threaten him with speed, causing him to panic and play outside of his skill set."
Trent Mcduffie Washington 5'11" 195 LBS
TDN "He has very good man coverage ability, particularly in the short-to-intermediate area. He plays with outstanding quickness and short-area agility. This allows him to stay in phase in zone coverage."
Tariq Castro-Fields Penn State 6' 200 LBS
TDN "Castro-Fields has the size and physicality to be effective in press coverage, but I do have some concerns with his reactive quickness." "Scheme tendencies: Half-turn deep zone coverages, primary Cover-3 shell." *Possible safety convert*
Kyler Gordon Washington 6' 200 LBS
TDN "He is a dynamic mover with regards to quickness and agility. As a result, he has very good man coverage ability. If the ball is late or off target, he can close separation and get his hands on the ball."
Mykael Wright Oregon 5'11" 182 LBS
Sports Illustrated "The Oregon defender is at his best in man coverage. Wright is extremely patient and uses his movement skills and above-average play strength to stay in phase through route breaks."
Tariq Woolen Texas San Antonio 6'4" 205 LBS
PFN "Woolen has also showcased some versatility. He has been aligned as an outside cornerback on both sides of the formation. Additionally, he’s seen some reps in the slot, and he’s even been aligned as a single-high safety."
Josh Jobe Alabama 6' 190 LBS
TDN "Josh Jobe is a pure press-man and matchup-based corner. His length and frame make him an ideal candidate for bigger receiving threats."
Alontae Taylor Tennessee 6' 200 LBS
Sports Illustrated "Outside cornerback who possesses good length. Taylor is deployed in press, off man and a variation of zone coverages. He has above-average speed, allowing him to carry most wideouts vertically."
Martin Emerson Mississippi State 6'2" 200 LBS
Bleacher Report "Emerson often struggles with shiftier receivers, as they can create space against him and take advantage of his lack of ability to change direction. Though he runs well, he lacks the elite top-end speed desired of top cornerbacks in the NFL.When playing the ball, Emerson does a great job attacking the ball and playing through the receiver's hands."
Marcus Jones Houston 5'8" 195 LBS
Bleacher Report "An undersized player, he has shown the ability to play in both the slot and outside cornerback position. Jones has also shown special team value as a kick and punt returner, racking up both yards and touchdowns."
Coby Bryant Cincinnati 6'1" 200 LBS
Bleacher Report "Ultimately, Bryant has both the length and cover skills to perform at the next level. He will have to continue to get stronger and play with more physicality in the run game. With the ability to play in press and off coverage, he will add depth to a team’s roster; and possibly compete for a starting job in his rookie season."
Jermaine Waller Virginia Tech 6'1" 180 LBS
TDN "Waller is best in man coverage when he has a chance to play up on the line of scrimmage, play physical, and disrupt the timing of the route. While there are plenty of reps where he is tight in man coverage, there are other instances where he bubbles his transitions and allows separation. His ability to anticipate route breaks is modest."
Long shots and dark horses:
Matt Hankins Iowa 6' 185 LBS
Draft Dive "Hankins is a very good NFL prospect; his raw athleticism is something that you cannot coach. Hankins should work on fine tuning his craft the first few years in the NFL. This will allow him to be an unstoppable force when he moves his way up the depth chart."
Daxton Hill Michigan 6' 195 LBS
TDN" While Hill has good overall athleticism to be an effective man cover player both playing high safety and in the slot, he can get lazy in his transitions and can be slow to open up and run, leaving separation between him and the receiver."
Kalon Barnes Baylor 6' 185 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Tracks and plays the ball well, and has decent hands for the interception. Provides very tight man coverage with playmaking ability in zone. Rare hand-eye coordination and agility, vision and third gear to make a living in the return game."
Cam Steele USC 6'1" 190 LBS
NFL Draft Buzz "Very aggressive attacking receiver blocks and tackles like a safety. Aware zone cornerback who is also adept in man coverage, flashing physical hand punch at the line and straight-line speed to stay with receivers downfield."
Other players to watch:
Quarterback: (backup)
Dustin Crum Kent State 6'1" 210 LBS
TDN "Crum projects as a player who could be at least become a reliable backup (though he has been rightfully tagged as a potential sleeper with the success he’s had) and brings a lot of exciting traits to the table as a true dual-threat quarterback who has all the arm strength to be desired and is a shifty runner."
Tight End:
Trey McBride 6'4" 260 LBS
TDN "This players versatility may be his strongest attribute. He is equally proficient at aligning at Y, F, H or FB. He also projects as a good core special teams player, as well." "He is a big play TE who has been extremely productive. He has been their primary receiver and the person their offense runs through."
Punter / Kicker:
Matt Araiza San Diego State 6'2" 180 LBS
PFN "No other player this season has two 80+ yard punts. These aren’t just courtesy of a lucky bounce either; these punts are traveling through the air.
Araiza’s leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. The San Diego State punter has a career-long 53-yard field goal to his name. Furthermore, it’s reported that Araiza routinely makes kicks from 50+ in practice."
The Patriots might bring in a long snapper just to give Cardona competition since he's past the average age of the position.
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