2011 NFL Draft: Ten Cornerbacks the San Francisco 49ers Should Target
49ers general manager Trent Baalke knows how difficult it is to find a shutdown cornerback in the NFL Draft, but he also knows it is possible. Baalke was asked last week by Matt Barrows of the Sacramenta Bee about drafting a cornerback, to which he said, "They're out there, you've got to find them. The whole thing to playing that position is confidence. Obviously they have to have the physical ability to do it, but they have to be put in position to make plays and they have to be coached to make plays. And they've got to have confidence about them."
The New England Patriots struck gold in the first round of the 2010 draft in Devin McCourty. Baalke and head coach Jim Harbaugh will be looking for a similar gem early on during the upcoming draft.
With that in mind, who are the top cornerbacks available for the 2011 draft? We have your top ten.
10. Ras-I Dowling, Virginia
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A confident cover man, Rowling has NFL size and instincts. What he may lack is NFL speed. Many scouts are questioning if Rowling has the quickness and foot speed to keep up with wide receivers at the next level, which could mean a move to strong safety.
We like Dowling as a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick in the 2011 Draft, but injury concerns could push him farther down the board. Dowling missed time with a broken ankle this year after two straight All-ACC selections. A strong week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama will go a long way in improving Dowling's stock.
Dowling is listed as the No. 4 cornerback in the 2011 NFL Draft by ESPN's Mel Kiper.
9. Curtis Brown, Texas
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Brown is a fabulous athlete and overall football player. He brings value as a cover man and returner. With legit 4.4 speed, he is also dangerous to score after an interception.
Brown's elite speed, ability to mirror receivers on the outside, and special teams ability make him a great prospect for the 49ers; a team in desperate need of athletes.
Look for Brown's stock to rise with a good off-season. His film from playing at Texas is not great, but his raw abilities make him very intriguing. Like many Longhorns of late, Brown will most likely enjoy a much better NFL career than college.
8. Johnny Patrick, Louisville
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Many NFL teams are looking for the next Devin McCourty. They may not have to look much farther than Johnny Patrick.
A star cover man at Louisville, Patrick has the tools to excel early in the NFL. He is strong, fast and confident. His All-Big East performance in 2010 has NFL teams talking.
Unfortunately, many teams will also talk about two off the field incidents involving Patrick. He has at least one arrest on his record. A strong showing at the Senior Bowl, in the interview room as well as on the field, will be paramount to his being drafted in the top 100.
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7. Davon House, New Mexico State
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In four of the last five years a cornerback from the WAC has been drafted in the first three rounds. In 2011 that player will be Davon House.
House has been a starter since his true freshman season, never looking back and never backing down from the best receivers in his conference.
For the 49ers, House would provide an immediate upgrade in man coverage, where he excels. His ability to press and play zero coverage on the outside make him a very interesting prospect in round two.
6. Jimmy Smith, Colorado
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At 6'2" and 205lbs, Smith is the biggest of the elite cornerback prospects in the 2011 draft. He has the size to shut down the tall receivers in the NFL, but he also has good speed, which is a bit of a rarity for players his size.
Need evidence of what Smith can do? Look up film on Colorado vs. Georgia this year and watch Smith shut down top five prospect A.J. Green.
Smith comes from a football family and is a class act on and off the field. The comparisons to Antonio Cromartie are there, and for good reason, but Smith is definitely not as fast as Cromartie.
5. Aaron Williams, Texas
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Looking for an aggressive cornerback with great size? Williams is your man.
Somewhat handicapped by the scheme at Texas, Williams has true cover corner potential in the NFL. He will never be an overly physical cornerback or tackler, but Williams has the tools to excel in San Francisco. He is also a much better athlete than any corners on Niner roster today.
With prototypical height, quickness and the length to knock away passes, Williams will see his stock continue to rise.
Williams received a second-round grade from the NFL Advisory Committee but could hear his named called as early as the late first round.
4. Brandon Burton, Utah
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Our pick as the "Devin McCourty" of the 2011 NFL Draft is Brandon Burton. Burton has the size, 6'0", 185 lbs, and physical style of play. He also has the confidence and overall athleticism to make an impact as a rookie.
Burton has been a very solid cover man at Utah, but he also brings value as a special teams ace; he blocked two field goal attempts in the final two games of the season.
The 49ers cannot afford to miss on draft picks in the early part of the 2011 draft. Burton as an early round two pick would be safe, but also a pick that fills a huge need.
3. Brandon Harris, Miami (FL)
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Harris is next in a long line of Hurricane defenders drafted in round one who become Pro Bowlers in the NFL.
As a sophomore in 2009 Harris emerged as one of the best cover men in the country. By 2010 offenses were refusing to throw his way. With 25 passes broken up over the past two seasons, Harris has the experience and ball skills the 49ers need in a left cornerback.
Harris is a legitimate first round pick, but with the 7th pick overall he would be considered a small reach. However, if the 49ers trade back out of the seventh slot, Harris is worth considering.
2. Patrick Peterson, LSU
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Many scouts have Patrick Peterson rated as their No. 1 cornerback, and some even have him as their number one overall player, but not us.
Peterson is a phenomenal athlete and good cover man, but he has weaknesses in his game that prevent us from moving him above Nebraska's Prince Amukamara.
Peterson would be a great pick for the 49ers, though. He brings immediate value as a return man, but also as a No. 1 cover man. He has the speed to lock down and mirror the best receivers, and he's dangerous with the ball in his hands.
Peterson may not be the true cover man that Amukamara is, but he is the better overall athlete.
1. Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
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Our No. 1 ranked cornerback, and a top five overall player, Amukamara is among the best cornerbacks we have scouted over the past five years.
He brings a combination of toughness, confidence, quickness and aggression to a position that is being overrun with prissy sprinters who are afraid to hit someone in the mouth. Not Prince.
As a running back in high school Amukamara developed a toughness that he has brought with him to defense.
He did have one very bad game against Oklahoma State, but every cornerback since Charles Woodson has had at least one bad game in college. Amukamara will be a very high draft pick, and is a target for San Francisco with pick seven.
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