A Scout's Take on Some Top Cornerback Prospects Who Might Interest the Packers

The 2015 NFL draft is exactly one month away, and one might expect the Green Bay Packers to possibly select two cornerbacks in this draft. Why? Two key players at that position, Tramon Williams and Davon House, left the team via free agency this offseason.

Williams was a seven-year starter, while House saw plenty of playing time. The Packers definitely need to add quality depth to the cornerback position due to their departures.

Right now the starters look to be Sam Shields and Casey Hayward, with Micah Hyde manning the slot corner position. Second-year player Demetri Goodson is in reserve, while Jarrett Bush remains an unrestricted free agent.

I expect Bush to be re-signed, but that is mostly due to his prowess on special teams.

When one takes a look at general manager Ted Thompson's track record in drafting cornerbacks, the Packers seem to add most of their corners late in the draft or through the undrafted avenue.

Thompson has never drafted a cornerback in the first round since he took over the front office in 2005. Plus, he has selected only two cornerbacks (Pat Lee and Casey Hayward) before the fourth round.

Last year's starters, Williams and Shields, were obtained as undrafted free agents. House was a fourth-round pick, while Hayward was chosen in the second round. Hyde was drafted in the fifth round.

The best cornerback the Packers have ever had since Thompson became general manager was Charles Woodson. Woodson was signed in 2006 as a free agent after the Raiders had released him.

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Woodson had a fantastic seven-year career in Green Bay. No. 21 was the 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and he had 38 interceptions (nine for touchdowns), 11.5 sacks, 15 forced fumbles and six recovered fumbles as a Packer.

Ironically, the one year that Thompson wanted to pick a cornerback in the first round, he had the biggest first-round bust he ever selected.

The year was 2007, and Thompson had his sights on Darrelle Revis with the 16th pick of the first round, as Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes in this story.

But Revis was snatched up by the Jets with the 14th pick, and the Packers instead took defensive tackle Justin Harrell. Harrell was constantly injury prone in his short career in Green Bay and played in only 14 unproductive games.

The other aspect that people need to be aware of regarding Thompson's history with cornerbacks is that he has never drafted or signed a cornerback under 5'11".

Getting back to the upcoming draft, there are a number of cornerbacks who the Packers might be able to select with either their first- or second-round pick.

That is why I wanted to get NFL scout Chris Landry's opinion concerning some of these prospects, as he is one of the best in the business.

I talked to Landry about these prospects on 620 WDAE's Steve Duemig Show last Friday.

I specifically wanted to obtain Landry's opinion on Jalen Collins of LSU, Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest and P.J. Williams of Florida State.

Landry gave me his takes on them and offered up more on some other prospects, as well.

The 6'1", 203-pound Collins started only 10 games in his career at LSU and had just three picks over that time. Still, Collins has enormous upside.

"Collins is a guy who is another one of those one-year wonder guys," Landry said. "He's got rare size, speed and flexibility.

"He just had a little injury on his foot and had it noticed at the combine, and he got it fixed. I just came back; we had the LSU workout this morning at the pro day and I just saw him over there and just spoke with him a little bit ago. The surgery went well and he's going to be ready for minicamps.

"But this guy's got great length and can play press or off-man coverage. In terms of production, he doesn't have a lot. He actually was benched for two or three games this year and not for off-the-field issues. So, his best football is ahead of him.

"He's going to be taken, and I expect him to in the first round. Just because there is not a lot of quality at the top [at the cornerback position] and he's got the freakish ability with the height, long arms and speed."

Landry then talked about the other top prospects.

"Trae Waynes of Michigan State is the best corner," Landry said. "And the kid from Washington, Marcus Peters, may be right there with him if he didn't have the off-the field problems."

Then there is the 6'0", 188-pound Johnson. Unlike Collins, Johnson saw a lot of playing time in college.

He was a four-year starter at Wake Forest, where he had 190 tackles, seven interceptions, 35 passes defended, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

"Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest I like a lot," Landry said. "If he was a little bit bigger he would really be a high pick.

"He's a slender guy. He's got good cover skills. He has good body control. He's got some height to him. I think his on-the-field demeanor is very good."

The 6'0", 194-pound Williams started the past two years at Florida State and had four interceptions.

"P.J. Williams from Florida State is another guy that I like a lot," Landry said. "He's a smart, instinctive player. I think he's got value at the top of the second round.

"He's got good awareness. He understands good zone concepts. He's tough and aggressive in man. I think he's got some ability to play some at safety, and he has the frame to be able to do that."

Landry then talked about Quinten Rollins of Miami of Ohio, who has a similar background to Goodson, the 2014 sixth-round pick of the Packers. If you recall, Goodson was a point guard for the Gonzaga basketball team for three seasons before he moved on to Baylor to play cornerback on their football team.

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The 5'11", 195-pound Rollins only played one year of football at Miami after playing four years of hoops, but he had seven interceptions right out of the gate in his first and only year on the gridiron.

"The one guy that I want people to remember just for the future, is Quinten Rollins of Miami of Ohio," Landry said. "He played one year of football. He was the starting point guard of Miami of Ohio's basketball team.

"This guy has got really natural instinctive qualities, even though he doesn't know what he's doing. This guy is going to end up being an outstanding corner at the next level. And I think you are going to get him at real good value in the second round.

"If he would have played like a couple or more years, we would be talking about a top-15 or top-20 pick."

We will find out in a month what Thompson and the Packers will do in the draft at the cornerback position.

My guess is that the Packers will select two corners in the draft. One fairly early and one later in the draft.

Could one of cornerbacks who the Packers may select be among the players that Landry talked about?

One never knows. But all are at least 5'11" or taller, which is a prerequisite for corners who have played in Green Bay under Thompson.