2014 NFL Draft: How Do Top Cornerbacks Compare to NFL Counterparts?

As the 2014 NFL draft approaches, teams that reside outside of the city limits of Seattle and New England are going to be searching for their very own Richard Sherman or Darrelle Revis.

Adding your very own autobot or private island, however, is not an easy task. As the NFL continues to lean toward being a passing league, defensive coaches will be scouring the draft from top to bottom looking for the next shutdown corner. 

Here are my top five cornerback draft prospects and the current NFL players they most closely resemble.

Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State)

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NFL Comparison: Joe Haden (CB, Cleveland Browns)

Michigan State corner Darqueze Dennard is one of the most aggressive players in the 2014 NFL draft. He excels at the line of scrimmage and is able to use his strength and technique to prevent receivers from gaining a clean release.

Like Haden, Dennard is no stranger to tackling. He wraps up effectively and can make plays in space. He might not have the same top gear as Haden, but Dennard is able to play faster due to his excellent technique. He rarely takes false steps in coverage, allowing his 4.5 speed, according to NFL.com, to be more than adequate.

One area in which Dennard and Haden both struggle is with the quicker, shiftier receivers. If the receiver can get off the line, they will often struggle to get back in phase.

Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State)

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NFL Comparison: Lardarius Webb (CB, Baltimore Ravens)

Ohio State corner Bradley Roby has elite physical ability, which is both a blessing and a curse. He has blazing speed, smooth hips and excellent change-of-direction ability, but he tends to rely on those skills too much.

Roby would be well served to refine his technique. He locks on to the receiver and often fails to find the ball when in phase. He also seems limited in zone coverage at this point of his career.

Like Webb, Roby is more than willing to square up and make a tackle. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Webb ranked fourth in tackles among cornerbacks in 2013, totaling 67 tackles and missing on 16 additional tackle attempts.

Roby could end up with similar numbers. Despite delivering jarring hits in the open field, the mundane tackles sometimes escape him. Taking proper angles and wrapping up—rather than reaching and grabbing—will help his effectiveness at the next level.

Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State)

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NFL Comparison: Antonio Cromartie (CB, Arizona Cardinals)

Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert is an incredible athlete and a good football player. While the latter would probably get him drafted on Day 2, the former will likely propel his draft stock high into the first round.

Like Neal Coolong of SB Nation's Behind the Steel Curtain, I see a young Antonio Cromartie when I look at Gilbert.

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It's really hard to not make a comparison to CB Antonio Cromartie. An incredibly gifted athlete who struggled with portions of the physical part of the game. He showed flashes of high-level coverage ability, and played consistently for stretches of time. But he struggled with his footwork, particularly his back pedal, in his early years.

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If Gilbert's technique—he has far too many false steps when transitioning—and recognition skills can catch up with his athleticism, he will be the shutdown corner in 2014 that he was in 2013. If they don't, put on his tape from 2012, and that is what you'll see in the NFL.

Jason Verrett (CB, TCU)

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NFL Comparison: Brandon Boykin (CB, Philadelphia Eagles)

Jason Verrett plays cornerback like he is a receiver. He expects to get his hands on the ball each time it is thrown in his direction. Like Boykin, who racked up six interceptions in 2013, Verrett is a turnover machine. He has picked off eight passes in his last 15 games.  

NFL quarterbacks who try to pick on Verrett due to his size better be ready to make a tackle.

Boykin and Verrett are both 5'9" and weigh under 190 pounds, but neither backs down from opposing receivers and running backs. Boykin missed just two tackles according to Pro Football Focus, while Verrett racked up six solo tackles on bruising running back Le'Veon Bell when playing Michigan State in 2012.

Kyle Fuller (CB, Virginia Tech)

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NFL Comparison: Alfonzo Dennard (CB, New England)

Virginia Tech corner Kyle Fuller has the ball skills necessary to become a corner NFL quarterbacks shy away from. He gets his hands on a lot of footballs due to his fluid movements, solid instincts and plus speed. 

His tackling technique leaves a lot to be desired. Like Dennard—who missed 11 tackles in limited opportunities in 2013 according to Pro Football Focus—Fuller ends up with a mixed bag of big hits and misses when trying to bring down ball-carriers.

Due to that technique, Fuller—also like Dennard—has had some issues staying healthy. Some teams may have concerns about his long-term durability.

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