Making the Case for Marcus Peters as the 2015 NFL Draft's Top Cornerback

It is time to have a conversation about why Washington cornerback Marcus Peters is the top cornerback prospect for the 2015 NFL draft. This draft class is just dying for a top cornerback to take the lead, and it really should be Peters. Among a very talented group of players, Peters really does stand above the rest.

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Why is Peters the top cornerback? It really comes down to a multitude of factors. First off, we have to consider Peters’ physical type. Honestly, if there is a real strength of this cornerback class across the board, it is size. Looking at CBSSports.com’s cornerback rankings, of all the cornerbacks assigned a first- or second-round grade, only one (Florida Atlantic’s D’Joun Smith) checks in at under 5’11”.

However, where Peters gets the edge over the two cornerbacks ranked ahead of him is that Peters carries around 10 more pounds of quality weight. In the NFL, a cornerback must be able to not only play coverage on a variety of players but also cannot be afraid to get in there and stuff the run. Peters’ powerful frame really lends itself to that.

Scheme Versatility

In extensive study of Peters, one of the things that really stood out is how the Washington defense used him within its defensive scheme. Unfortunately for Peters, there is an awful lot of film on him where he is playing in schemes designed to mask the deficiencies around him in the secondary and not showcase his skills.

What I mean by this is the Huskies employed a lot of Cover 3, which is in essence an umbrella of zone coverage with defensive backs splitting the field in deep thirds. If you want to break down the plays where Peters was at his worst, those are where you need to look.

Below you’ll see a great example of Peters getting caught looking for help inside in the Cover 3 and when it isn’t there, he's late to recover and gives up the touchdown to Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong.

In this case Peters was where he was supposed to be, but he worked inside late to help. It’s not hard to imagine that if Peters is up tight at the snap, Strong’s route is jammed and the entire timing of the play is changed.

Where Peters excels is in press-man coverage where he is able to use his physical advantage and strong upper body to redirect wide receivers and throw off their timing.

Here we see a great example of how Peters is able to use the sideline and create very little space for the receiver. This is something that shows up over and over on film. When Peters is playing press, he is able to seal the inside and force the receiver to work to the outside under tremendous duress.

In the proper secondary, Peters could be a very good zone cornerback; however, it's clear, man coverage is what he does best.

Also, let’s not undersell Peters in run support. Here’s a play that epitomizes how Peters is willing to break down, chase and finish. Whether the play is coming at him or going to the other side, Peters isn’t afraid to mix it up and go after the running back.

This simple play is just an extension of what Peters does in coverage. Fluidity, no wasted steps and closing speed. Peters is a finisher regardless of whether it is a wide receiver or running back.

Technique

A hallmark of good cornerbacks is in how they coordinate their upper and lower body. Peters has fluid hips and soft ankles allowing him to work with very little wasted motion. It is impossible to undersell how important it is for a cornerback to be able to conserve energy and movement.

This fluidity and flexibility allows Peters to not only mirror receivers downfield, but in short zones it also gives him an excellent break on the ball. Below you see a great example of this where Peters is able to slide and break on the football quickly. His timing is impeccable, and plays like this pop up all over his film.

Ball Skills

Another aspect of Peters’ game that really stands out are his ball skills. Peters is a tremendous athlete and has great leaping ability. However, like a great NBA shot-blocker, Peters gets his hands on the football through elite instincts and timing.

Check out Peters going up and high-pointing the football and turning what looked like an excellent throw into a pass breakup.

If you dig into the film, you will see more and more examples of his ability to get his hands on the football. Sometimes it’s an interception, and sometimes it is knockdown, but teams will look at Peters’ ability to stall out drives and flip the field as a huge positive. 

The Bad News

If there is a chink Peters' armor in terms of the draft, it has to do with his triangle numbers. At the combine, one of the conversations was about Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes' blistering 40-yard time. When Waynes ran his 4.31, the bar was set, and every other cornerback was put on notice.

So when Peters checked in with a rather pedestrian 4.53, the draft world gasped. But ya know what? It isn’t going to matter. Peters is so rarely caught with bad leverage or out of position, any perceived lack of field speed is negligible. On the field Peters has shown enough speed to catch Stanford wide receiver Ty Montgomery, and the impact of that can’t be diminished.

Overall

If you want to really dig into what Peters has done, check out this full video of some of his best plays.

It is hard—no nearly impossible—to find a cornerback as big and physical as Peters with the refinement to his technique. Compared to the other top cornerbacks, Peters’ game is complete. He reminds me a great deal of Kyle Fuller, now with the Chicago Bears. He didn’t light up the triangle numbers, but he has impeccable technique and refinement to his game.

If Peters isn’t the first cornerback off the board, it will be because some GM is more concerned with track speed or more concerned about possible character concerns than getting the best football player for the team.