NFL Draft 2012: Janoris Jenkins and Cornerbacks That'll Be Elite

The final day of the 2012 NFL combine gave a ton to talk about. Not only were the defensive backs the fastest group in Indianapolis, but they also have arguably the most prospects with the potential to become elite players.

That is saying something, considering elite cornerbacks are few and far between in the league in this day and age. With rules now tailored towards the offensive players, quarterbacks and wide receivers most notably, there aren't many cornerbacks who deserve the rare "elite" label.

This draft class could easily produce four when all is said and done.

Morris Claiborne, LSU

The No. 1 cornerback on the board is also the No. 1 defensive prospect in the entire draft. Claiborne has great length, good speed and, above all, simply knows how to cover wide receivers. He's instinctive, possesses great ball skills, isn't afraid to battle.

But again, above all, he's an elite cover man. Some players do a great job of recovering, have make up speed or simply gifted playmakers near the football, and while Claiborne is all of that, he is also always in position.

He's a surefire top-10 pick who deserves top-five consideration.

Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

Unlike Claiborne, Jenkins isn't always in position. He does, however, have good speed, elite playmaking skills and is an Asante Samuel-type gambler who loves to squat on routes and make quarterbacks pay for what they think they see.

He has shown the ability to get beaten over the top, but unless it is a true speedster, he can recover on almost everything but a perfectly thrown ball.

Jenkins will have to battle with some off-field demons and needs to mature, but physically he's up to the task of being an elite playmaker at cornerback.

Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

Kirkpatrick possesses a rare combination of size and speed at cornerback. He's nearly 6'2", runs sub-4.5, and loves to be physical on the line scrimmage and in the run game.

He comes from an NFL-caliber and NFL-coached defense under Nick Saban and is a gifted all-around athlete.

The only question mark on Kirkpatrick is ball skills. He often finds a way into possession, but doesn't always make plays on the football. He'll hit you though, and teams will take a surefire tackling cornerback any day.

Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska

The Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year isn't an elite prospect. He does everything well but doesn't excel in any phase of the game. That said, he's a prototypical fit for a defense like the Green Bay Packers that loves to use physicality in the secondary.

Dennard doesn't have a ton of ball skills, but he's bound to be in position and, as evidenced by his combine performance, is improving on weaknesses as we speak.

He's the biggest longshot to truly become elite, but in the right system he'll shine.

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