College Football Recruiting 2011: Power Ranking the Top 25 Cornerbacks

As we go through the 2010 high school football season it's time to re-evaluate the talent of the 2011 recruiting class and hand out some new positional rankings. 

Based on performances throughout the summer in various camps around the country there's been some noticeable shifts in opinion from every recruiting outlet you'll come across. 

That's the nature of the business; sports are a show me now game, and when it comes to recruiting, there's no difference. 

We'll take a look at the top 25 of every position and keep you up to date with the biggest names to watch out for this year.

Here's the updated rankings for the top 25 cornerbacks of the 2011 class.

25. Delonte Hollowell, Michigan

Commitment: Michigan

For a cornerback listed at 5'8" and 168 lbs, Hollowell is a physical and aggressive player who will throw his body around to make a play. 

He plays with sound technique, moves well, positions well, recovers well, pretty much does a solid all-around job at the position. But his size is a real issue. 

24. Valdez Showers, Florida

Commitment: Florida

Valdez Showers is a top 10 cornerback on Scout, but doesn't crack the top 30 at the position on Rivals.

He's got great instincts and cover skills, but needs to work on his tackling and run support to be effective on the next level.

23. David Jenkins, LSU

Commitment: LSU

Jenkins is projected as both a top 25 safety and cornerback on the next level, but plays most of his time at safety in high school. 

At 6'1" and 190 lbs he's got the size and athleticism for both positions and it'll likely come down to where LSU needs him to line up more. 

22. Senquez Golson, Mississippi

Commitment: Mississippi

Golson is a versatile athlete that lines up at cornerback, wide receiver and running back for his high school team, but scouts agree his future is on the defensive side of the ball.

His ball skills and instincts are really impressive. Golson is the type of player who switches from cornerback to receiver when the ball is in the air. 

21. Jermaine Whitehead, Mississippi State

Commitment: Mississippi State

Whitehead is a do it all player at the high school level. As a junior he had over 1,500 all-purpose yards at quarterback, 32 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 5 forced fumbles. 

This year he's lining up at wide receiver, running back and cornerback, making plays at all three positions. He's one of the top prospects in Mississippi. 

20. DerJuan Gambrell, Ohio State

Commitment: Ohio State

Gambrell is a super athletic prospect who has potential to shine on both sides of the field on the next level. 

He hits hard, has great instincts and has a knack for making plays wherever he lines up. 

19. Malcolm Mitchell

Commitment: Uncommitted

Mitchell is one of the most intriguing prospects at the position in the 2011 class. He's an elite athlete who moves really well and has ideal size at 6'1" and 190 lbs. 

But Mitchell is still very raw though and and needs a lot of practice reps to get fine tune his skills before he can make an impact. 

18. Nick Marshall, Georgia

Commitment: Georgia

Having Marshall ranked as the No. 18 cornerback might be slighting him a bit based on his exceptional athletic ability and ball control. 

But Marshall lines up almost exclusively at quarterback in high school and has a skill-set strong enough to continue there in college. Georgia wants him in it's secondary though and that will be where he gets his first shot. 

17. Jabriel Washington, Alabama

Commitment: Alabama

Washington has a ton of potential but definitely falls into the raw category; this one will be a bit of a project for Nick Saban and his staff.

He moves very well and has great hips and change of direction ability. His time at receiver has helped him attack the ball at it's highest point; which well be huge for him down the line.

16. Blake Countess

Commitment: Uncommitted

Countless is an aggressive and physical corner who tackles well and does a solid job in run support as well as generally blanketing his receiver in coverage.

At 5'11" and 171 lbs, his style will get him injured in college in a hurry if he doesn't bulk up significantly. 

15. Kyshoen Jarrett, Pittsburgh

Commitment: Pittsburgh

At 5'11" and 175 lbs, Jarrett falls into the same category as some other undersized prospects, but he uses such sound technique in run support that he might be able to get away with it. 

He's very athletic, has great closing speed, and is one of the best cover corners in the class. He moves about as naturally as any prospect at the position.

14. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu

Commitment: Uncommitted

Ekpre-Olomu is a physical corner that craves contact and hits with a ton of force. He's got the size to play safety and the speed and athleticism to develop into one of the top cornerbacks in the nation.

He's got a great ball skills and instincts, but his change of direction ability and quickness when adjusting could become issues if he doesn't work on it. 

13. Tevin Mitchel, Nebraska

Commitment: Nebraska

Mitchel is ranked as the No. 6 cornerback on Rivals, but drops down to No. 20 on Scout. Usually when there's that kind of disparity, someone sees something someone else doesn't. 

In Mitchel's case, he got off to a slow start last season and didn't really pick up steam until over the summer and at the beginning of his senior season. At the rate he's improving, Mitchel looks more and more like a top 10 cornerback every day. 

12. Nick Waisome, Florida

Commitment: Florida

Waisome is joined by Valdez Showers to form a solid duo of 4-star cornerbacks the Gators have received commitments from.

Waisome is ranked as the No. 8 cornerback on Scout and the No. 11 cornerback on Rivals. He and Showers have the potential to be a scary pair, but if you had to chose one to hitch your wagon to, it's Waisome. 

11. Damian Swann

Commitment: Uncommitted

Swann is a very athletic defender who plays receiver and safety, with some time at cornerback as well, but he projects as a defensive player at the next level.

His athleticism is off the charts, and there is potential for him to develop into a truly special talent, but he needs to work on his technique to be successful; his footwork and coverage reads are still very raw.

10. Charles Jackson

Commitment: Uncommitted

Jackson needs to bulk up a bit, but he's got the height and long arms that scouts drool over. Not too mention his hip movement and quick feet are really impressive.

He's got a knack for big plays and plays with really strong instincts, but can play overly-aggressive some times and get himself into trouble.

9. Quandre Diggs, Texas

Commitment: Texas

Diggs is an exceptional athlete with lights out speed. He runs like a track star, and has some of the best acceleration of any prospect of the 2011 class.

He plays quarterback, running back, receiver, and cornerback, but based on his size and skill set, lining up as a scat back, wideout, or corner is the most likely scenario.

8. Marcus Roberson

Commitment: Uncommitted

Roberson is ranked as the No. 2 cornerback on Rivals and the No. 13 safety on Scout. He plays with exceptional confidence and has really great closing speed and range. 

That's why some scouts see him as an elite safety, but Roberson insists that he wants to play cornerback and could be a real force in the right system based on his size advantage and aggressiveness. 

7. Jonathan Rose, Auburn

Commitment: Auburn

Rose is a solid tackler with great ball skills. He's one of the best cover corners in the class and moves so fluidly on the field he just makes it look easy.

He's also a dangerous return man with the potential to find playing time immediately on special teams. If he's not going to redshirt, he needs to bulk up a lot though. 

6. Demetrious Nicholson

Commitment: Uncommitted

Nicholson is a playmaker with a great set of hands. He moves well and has great closing speed, but gambles a lot and needs to play more in control..

He also struggles when it comes to run support and tackling and that has a lot to do with his small frame. Nicholson could probably use a redshirt year while he bulks up and learns the position. 

5. Stefan McClure

Commitment: Uncommitted

McClure might not have the speed to be effective at cornerback at the next level and could wind up making a switch to safety.

But he's got such great timing and positioning to make up for it it wouldn't be surprising to see him overcome the odds; there might not be anyone better at making a play once the ball is in the air. 

4. Josh Turner, Texas

Commitment: Texas

Turner is another great addition to the Longhorns' secondary. He's a great all-around corner with a great pair of hands and solid football instinct.

He is the No. 2 CB on Rivals and the No. 4 CB on Scout. He and Leroy Scott should form a dominating tag team on the outside and really is hard to decide who's the better of the two. 

3. Leroy Scott, Texas

Commitment: Texas

He's one of those rare players that's looked like a man among boys since he was freshman in high school. At 5'10" and 190 lbs, he's a very physical player who tackles well and is always on the lookout to land a big hit.

His coverage skills are probably the top in the country. He glues himself to his receiver and has great instincts when it comes to jumping in front of his man and making a play for the ball.

2. De'Anthony Thomas, USC

Commitment: USC

Thomas has the potential to play any number of positions, from running back to cornerback, safety, and even linebacker.

Most experts agree he'd be a five star prospect regardless the tag put on him. If he wasn't listed at 5'9" and 160 lbs, Thomas would most likely be the top prospect in the country, but even at his size, he has the tools to be a star wherever he lines up. 

1. Doran Grant

Commitment: Uncommitted

Grant is the best cornerback prospect in the country, rated No. 1 by Rivals and No. 2 by Scout. He's even better than advertised and definitely fits the bill at a generous 5'10" and 175 lbs.

He's lighting-fast, tests are off the charts athletically, tackles with a lot of power, and has a great nose for the ball.