2022 NFL Draft: CB Rankings

1

Strengths

Booth is a high ceiling player that has the skillset to do everything. He is a good athlete with the speed and quickness needed to stick with top WR’s. His ability to start and stop is very good, which makes it tough for WR’s to get rid of him. He routinely is sticky in man coverage. Booth is even better in zone. He has elite closing speed and can close gaps in no time. Booth has an aggressive style, but anticipates correctly the majority of the time. While he isn’t the most tested guy out there, he has shown good ball skills. The ability to track the ball in the air is outstanding, and he is able to make a play on it. Booth isn’t only aggressive in coverage, but also in run support. He is fully willing to come down low to make a play. Booth sheds blocks well, and is a good tackler in space. He brings a certain toughness when attempting a tackle. His fearless style has served him well.

Weaknesses

The biggest concern with Booth is his medical history, which goes all the way back to highschool. Teams will need to feel comfortable about his long term outlook. On the field, there are also a few things to make note of. His aggressiveness usually pays off, but on occasion, he does bit on fakes, which leaves him vulnerable over the top. As well, he is a little stiff when flipping his hips, which was a bit surprising, given his overall athletic profile. Booth played a lot more zone at Clemson, and ball production wasn’t super high. Now, neither of these are necessarily his fault. Clemson’s system utilised more soft looks, which isn’t something that Booth can control. As for the production, he just wasn’t tested that often, but did still show good ball skills when he was. Now, he has shown to be good in these areas regardless, but perhaps the relatively small sample size is something to think about.

2

Strengths

Gardner has a frame that is very long and tall for a CB. He uses this extra length to his full advantage, reaching into breakup psses. The length allows him to recover a bit faster as well. Gardner’s size allows him to compete for jump balls and win. There is no such thing as a size mismatch when he is in coverage. Gardner has great athleticism for his size. Speed is good and his quickness is also good for his size. He looked more fluid turning his hips towards the end of the year, and his footwork looked a bit better as well. Gardner has shown that he can shadow any kind of wideout. His performance against Jameson Williams was very impressive. He has good instincts and can jump routes to the outside. His size and strength are assets in run support. He is willing to help out, and is a sure tackler.

Weaknesses

Gardner is a good athlete for his size, but the hip stiffness is hard to overlook. As I mentioned previously, this did improve as the year progressed, and was not noticeable much in his Alabama tape. That said, the small sample size leaves behind the question of whether or not it will be the new norm. Technique will need to continue to improve at the next level. As well, Gardner will have to cut down on the amount of grabbing he does down the field, or he will have penalties called against him. 

3

Strengths

Stingley has one of the highest ceilings in this draft. His freshman 2019 season was elite and he has shown those flashes in the years since. He is an outstanding athlete. Stingley is able to flip his hips effortlessly and can blanket any kind of receiver. His speed is elite and he can keep up with speedy receivers on vertical routes. The speed and burst is there to close gaps quickly in zone coverage. Stingley has flashed nice ball skills at various points in his college career and he has nice reach to breakup contested passes. Stingley overall has good size, and has shown some flashes in run support.

Weaknesses

The seasons after his elite 2019 freshman year were riddled with injuries, and he didn’t play up to that original standard. The same ball skills that he had previously shown were not always there. At times, he was slow to get his head turned and slow to find the ball in the air. He allowed more separation in some man coverage reps than I would have liked. Quick receivers in particular gave him trouble. Additionally, he had some bad reps when he had to bump his opponent at the line. Stingley shows flashes in run support, but has always been inconsistent in this area.

4

Strengths

Elam has a nice blend of size, speed, and length. He has the tools to match up against receivers of any skill set. Elam is smooth in his backpedal. Hips are fluid and he can get turned around quickly to run with his opponent. Stop/start ability is also good, and he can remain tight in coverage on routes that come back towards the line of scrimmage. Strength is good and he matches up well in press coverage. He is able to bump his opponent at the line and disrupt the route. Elam has great length and matches up well against bigger targets. He is able to break up 50/50 passes. Instincts and ball skills are good. His length helps in situations where he does need to recover to break up a pass. The instincts show up in both man and zone coverage. Speed is good to break quickly on the ball.

Weaknesses

Despite his good size, Elam is inconsistent in run support, and the willingness isn’t always there. His tackling in general is also hit or miss. His footwork and general technique didn’t always match the talent, and it led to him getting burned a few times. In some of these situations, he would get a bit grabby as he attempts to get himself back in position. However, this is a bad habit that will lead to penalties. He has great athleticism and length to help him recover when beaten. He needs to trust that ability, as opposed to grabbing and tugging. 

5

Strengths

McDuffie is a quick, twitched up CB who offers outside/inside versatility. His primary role in the NFL will likely be on the outside. McDuffie is smooth in his backpedal and can get his hips turned quickly. The speed is there to maintain tight coverage as the route progresses into the second and third phase. McDuffie has the burst to close down quickly in zone, and shows good anticipatory skills. His aggressive style and athleticism bring turnover potential, and he has the ball skills to finish plays off. McDuffie is a willing tackler and looks to do his part on a consistent basis.

Weaknesses

Size is a bit of a concern for McDuffie. Some question marks linger about how he’ll be able to handle himself against bigger receivers and true jump ball specialists. Press coverage isn’t where he is at his best. His lack of length figures to hurt him in certain situations, both close to the line and down the field. McDuffie is generally good in run support. However, there were a few instances of errant tackle attempts where he would just launch himself in. This is likely a result of his size, as it can be more of a challenge to wrap up bigger ball carriers. In the film I was exposed to, he didn’t face the same elite competition that other players in this class did.

6

Strengths

Jones is a projected slot CB with elite athleticism and a game changing skill set. He is extremely sticky in man coverage, mirroring every single movement made by his opponent. Jones will make QB’s pay for staring down their target or delivering the ball late by undercutting the route and either breaking it up or picking off the pass. He has the speed to hang deep, but the quickness to stay tight on shorter routes. Jones equally excels in zone, where he has used his downhill burst to break on the ball and get his hands on it. His instincts looked good in all of my exposures, and he has ball hawking tendencies to him. Jones is a dynamic player that has also been one of the best returners during his time in CFB, returning 9 kicks for TD’s. Additionally, he took advantage of some reps at receiver, showing off his play making ability.

Weaknesses

The biggest concern with Jones is easily his size. As a result, I just don’t see him playing on the boundary in the NFL, which is where he spent most of his time in college. Press coverage isn’t something he’ll be good at, and outside receivers with a big catch radius would be able to take advantage of the size mismatch. Further, Jones is limited in how effective he can be against the run. He is plenty feisty, which is good, but that can only take you so far. He has trouble getting off of blocks and can also be hit or miss when tackling bigger players.

7

Strengths

Woolen has one of the highest ceilings in this draft class. He has a freakishly good combination of size and speed. You don’t see many 6’4” CB’s run a 4.26. But it isn’t just Combine speed. It shows on the football field. He can stick with the fastest receivers on vertical routes, and he has shown unbelievable recovery speed when beaten. This is to either chase down the receiver if the catch has been made, or to get back into position while the ball is still in the air. His outstanding length only adds to this ability. Woolen is able to reach into the bread basket, disrupting the receiver’s hands and breaking up the pass. He has ability in the run game. With his big frame, he is able to bring down bigger players. His traits translate to zone coverage as well as man. His burst especially allows him to break on the ball quickly to either break up the pass, or tackle the ball carrier at the catch point. 

Weaknesses

Woolen has outstanding tools, but is still raw in a lot of ways. He is still relatively new to the position, so this doesn’t come as a big surprise. Woolen needs to clean up his footwork and technique near the line of scrimmage. There have been times where poor technique and missteps has allowed the receiver to get early separation and end up burning him for a big play. Instincts are also still a work in progress. He needs to do a better job of turning his head while the ball is in the air. He tries to guess too often but just putting up his hands and hoping he gets it right. Unsurprisingly, the results of this method have been hit or miss. Improved instincts in zone coverage would also help take his game to another level, and give him that extra split second to reach the ball. In man, the athletic traits stand out, but there are instances where his hips do look a bit clunky. But this is expected for a taller guy. It actually isn’t nearly as bad as it should be. But I still have to mention it. He is capable in run support. I’m not worried about his ability, but I would like to see a bit more downhill effort.

8

Strengths

Gordon is a good athlete with ability in man coverage. He has good agility and, more often than not, is able to mirror receivers through sudden breaks. Gordon has good size and length to match up against taller receivers on the outside. But his quickness also gives him the versatility to slide inside to the slot. Flashes of ball hawking ability shows up, and with his tools, there is the chances for the flashes to become more consistent. Flashes also show up in run support. He is clearly very willing. When technique is on point, he usually secures the tackle.

Weaknesses

I like the tools, but Gordon is still a raw prospect that will need further development before landing a starting spot. His technique in coverage can be sloppy, and there are a few instances where some stiffness creeps in when flipping his hips. A bigger problem, however, is his ability to track the ball in the air. He is often too late getting his head turned towards the ball, and when he finally does, he loses track of the receiver. Instincts are still a work in progress, and this hurts him in zone coverage as well. Gordon shows nice flashes in run support, but had his fair share of poor reps. His tackling technique is completely abandoned in some instances, leading to terrible whiffs. 

9

Strengths

McCreary is a feisty CB that can annoy his opponents as the game progresses. I like him best in tight press coverage. He has the strength to handle the job, but his aggressiveness is what really helps to disrupt routes. He shows some mirroring ability and can blanket receivers running straight line vertical routes. His ball skills are good enough to break up passes that are within his reach. McCreary has continued to improve his instincts in zone coverage. I like where he is at right now in that aspect of his game. His toughness translates over to the run game. He is ready and willing to help out, and does a good job of finishing off his tackles.

Weaknesses

McCreary isn’t quite as twitched up as I would normally like. He has enough speed to hang with fast receivers on vertical routes, but things become more complicated when routes break inside. He isn’t as quick to flip his hips, so when his opponent gains a quick step, he is immediately in recovery mode, making it easier to further extend the separation when breaking towards the middle. Speaking of the middle, McCreary will sometimes get lost in traffic when covering a crosser. He struggles at times in off coverage and quick routes, like slants, can give him trouble. Some result in easy pitches and catches, as well as chunk yardage after the catch. Length is alright, but not at that elite level, which would help a lot when in recovery mode.

10

Strengths

Bryant is at his best in zone coverage where he can keep everything in front of him and survey the field. He shows tremendous instincts and anticipation to pick out where the ball will be going. Bryant has good ball skills, with some impressive interceptions and pass breakups. Ability in man coverage is decent. He shows good patience and technique to help him stay tight. Bryant’s ability to turn his head while not losing track of his opponent is good, and he is able to make a play on the ball in these situations. Bryant shows flashes in run support. He has a dense enough frame to be good in this area, and the willingness is there.

Weaknesses

Athletically speaking, Bryant is a bit underwhelming. He can have some trouble when matched up in man coverage against faster receivers. He doesn’t have the long speed to hang with some opponents on deep routes. Further he has stiff hips that aren’t so fluid when turning. This can allow the receiver to create quicker separation. In run support, Bryant is willing, but technique is inconsistent. He needs to do a better job of squaring up and wrapping up, as opposed to just taking out the feet of the ball carrier, which can lead to whiffs.

11

Strengths

McCollum is a ball hawk on the boundary with the athleticism and size to develop into a starter. He racked up 13 picks in his FCS career, and forced some fumbles as well. He reads the game well and is able to pounce when the opportunity presents itself. His backpedal is smooth and he can get the hips flipped to run with the receiver. Good size to play in press and to also be an asset in run defence.

Weaknesses

As someone who faced lower competition in college, it will be a tougher transition for McCollum. He won’t be afforded some of the turnover opportunities he was in college, and he will have to work harder to maintain tight coverage. Even in the lower level, he did allow some separation at the top of routes. As well, I would like to see him do a better job of turning his head towards the football.

12

Strengths

Kendrick brings excellent athleticism to the table, as well as good length. As a converted WR, he has great ball skills and is someone who flashes ball hawking tendencies. He has shown the ability to shadow in man coverage, and his speed and length allow him to recover when beaten vertically. Kendrick has good burst which serves him well in zone coverage when looking to close gaps. As well, it helps him fly downhill in the run game. The willingness to tackle shows up on a consistent basis. Kendrick also brings some experience in the return game, stemming from his days at Clemson.

Weaknesses

Kendrick has a lean frame and can sometimes have trouble when more contact is involved. This goes for his coverage and run defence. Additionally, instincts are still developing, and there are times where he’ll allow more separation than you’d like to see. He often seems committed to running deep with his opponent, but fails to anticipate the comeback, leading to an easy pitch and catch, plus a few extra yards after the catch. Kendrick had some off the field stuff during his time at Clemson, which led to his transfer to Georgia. Teams will have to make sure they are comfortable with the situation.

13

Strengths

Taylor is a solid all around prospect with some tools that may have him end up starting at some point. He has good long speed and is able to keep up with speedy receivers on deep routes. Length is good and it affords some extra room for pass breakups. I love his tackling technique. Taylor, for the most part, stays square to his opponent and wraps up, as opposed to diving in with no control. His anticipation in zone has been improving and he has been able to make some nice plays on the ball. When the play is in front of him, you see flashes of anticipation. Taylor might be at his best in press coverage, where he is able to disrupt the route closer to the line. He can deliver a nice strike. 

Weaknesses

Taylor is a good athlete in terms of speed, and some quickness. However, he doesn’t have a great start/stop ability. A lot of times, he comes to more of a rolling stop. Receivers have exposed this when running comeback routes and others with sudden breaks, being able to create a good amount of separation. Quick acceleration is okay but not great. His speed is more of the build up variety, as opposed to instant. Additionally, Taylor, with his size, should do a better job of disengaging from blocks when defending the run.

14

Strengths

Castro-Fields is a smooth player who also has the size and length to potentially develop into a good starter. He moves well in tight areas, but also has enough speed to run deep. Castro-Fields has a tall frame and long arms. As well, he is pretty strong. All this makes him competitive in contested situations, and he is able to win these more often than not. The traits suit him perfectly to play a lot of press man, where he can use his strength and long arms to disrupt routes at the line. Castro-Fields shows ability in the run game, with some nice tackles on tape.

Weaknesses

Nice upside, but Castro-Fields is still a raw player. There were multiple times only this past year where he bit hard on double moves and got burned deep. Instincts aren’t these yet, and these plays headlined this. However, the problem is not exclusive to man coverage, as he still has improvements in the area to make when in zone coverage. He needs to read the field better and anticipate plays, as opposed to reacting to things as they are happening. With his size, I would like to see more effort in run support.

15

Strengths

Taylor-Britt is a high upside player with great athleticism, and good strength to complement it. Blazing speed to matchup with the fastest receivers, but he is also very twitchy. Taylor-Britt has excellent change of direction skills and the acceleration to get to full speed right away. He brings a tough, rugged style. He has put some explosive tackles on tape, and he is very quick to fly downhill to help out against the run. The strength is there to be an asset in press coverage, and his burst helps in zone when he needs to attack the ball.

Weaknesses

Taylor-Britt has plenty of traits, but his tape is littered with mistakes that will need to be taken care of before he is ready to see meaningful snaps. His positioning in man coverage isn’t great, and he often will allow the receiver to create more separation than he should. He bites on fakes and double moves, leading to big plays given up. Additionally, there are times where he tackles with terrible technique, and no control whatsoever. This has led to plays being much bigger than they needed to be. He needs to see the field better, and eliminate the dumb mistakes.

16

Strengths

Jobe has a big frame and good length. He brings a tough playing style to the CB position, almost like that of a safety. Jobe is effective in press coverage. His jabs are powerful and are able to disrupt the route of the receiver. His physicality helps him in run support, and he isn’t one of those guys who shys away from contact. His strength and height makes him an asset down the field in contested situations. He does a good job of getting his hand in between the receiver’s hands in an attempt to knock down the pass.

Weaknesses

Jobe is a solid player, but upside is limited due to average athleticism. He can be a bit stiff when changing directions, which can allow his opponent to create an extra step of separation. Furthermore, his long speed isn’t great. He isn’t always able to hang deep with his opponent, and he doesn’t have the speed to consistently recover. Jobe shows flashes in run support, but needs to play with a bit more control in order to limit mistakes. In coverage, he needs to cut down the grabbing, or he will be a penalty risk.

17

Strengths

Williams is a Division II prospect with the talent to potentially become a starter in the NFL. He is pretty fluid, yet has good size and length. At the DivII level, you could easily see the talent. Williams is able to flip his hips and run with the defender. His size and long reach should help him in contested situations as he continues to develop. He showed ball hawking tendencies and was able to create turnovers and make plays on the ball. Size and strength abre both assets vs the run and Williams is able to tackle with good technique to not lose it.

Weaknesses

Level of competition will be a big question mark for Williams. He looks athletic vs DivII players, but can he carry it over? He did alright at the Senior Bowl, but it is a small sample size. From watching his game film, there were a couple of losses in contested situations, which I wasn’t happy with. As well, his ball tracking ability is still improving. 

18

Strengths

Emerson is a big CB that is at his best when he is able to use his physicality to his advantage. He has good height and reach, which helps him in contested situations. Additionally, he has shown to be able to reach in to breakup passes at the last second. Emerson is good in press coverage. He is physical and doesn’t let the receiver get into his route cleanly. His physicality also shows up when he is making tackles. He is a harder hitter than what you would see form most CB’s, and for the most part, he does well to wrap up the ball carrier.

Weaknesses

Emerson has the size, but looks a bit more limited in terms of athletic traits. He can be slow to flip his hips, and allow his opponent to gain a step of separation. It places a ton of extra importance on the need to successfully disrupt the route early in the process. His burst is average and this will limit his playmaking ability in zone coverage. Emerson has made some nice plays on the ball, but some of them were good opportunities to create turnovers, which he was not able to take advantage of. Additionally, in some of these situations, he gambled a bit. He needs to make sure to get these right, or he will end up out of position.

19

Strengths

Armour-Davis is a longer CB whose size may be his biggest asset. He’s got a long reach and loves to get his arm up near the hands of the receiver as he is about to make the catch. He is disruptive in general. Strength is solid and, combined with his length, makes him a good fit to play press man. Straight line speed is good and he can run with receivers on vertical routes. Armour-Davis is a willing tackler and has the length to disengage from blocks and wrap up the ball carrier. 

Weaknesses

Armour-Davis is a much better linear athlete than he is lateral. He is slow to get his hips flipped in coverage, and I am having a tough time getting past it. Opportunity is opened up for quick separation, and additional separation as the receiver breaks. Ball skills are a work in progress, and he needs to get his head turned around faster. Starting experience is limited, and you can see that instincts are still developing.