Preseason Top 5 Corners
By Dwayne Wilton
We continue our series on the top draftable players entering the 2013 season. The NFL is a passing league and most teams use multiple wide receivers. Because of the multiple receiver packages, you can never have too many good corners. Not only do you need a lot of corners, but you need guys that have the ability to cover outside and slot receivers. Since not all corners have the skill set to do both, you need a mix of corners with many different abilities. This is our list of the top 5 corners available for the 2014 draft.
Bradley Roby Ohio State Junior
Bradley Roby was a 2nd team All-American and 1st team All-Big Ten in 2012. He is a brash, confident two year starter with 25 starts under his belt. Roby is very fast and he has very good closing speed. He recovers well if the receiver gets a step on him and he normally is able to bat the ball away. Roby has good agility and explosiveness. He does a good job blitzing from the corner or the slot. Roby also plays special teams and has a blocked kick to his credit. He had a battery charge earlier this year for striking a security guard outside of a night club. The charges were dropped, but he will still serve a one game suspension. NFL teams will investigate that incident. If Roby declares for the 2014 draft and NFL teams think this is a one-time incident, look for him to be the top corner taken in April.
Loucheiz Purifoy Florida Junior
Loucheiz Purifoy started 12 games for the Gators in 2012. He also excelled on special teams, blocking two kicks and causing 3 fumbles. His blocked punt late in the 4th quarter against Louisiana Lafayette was recovered by Jelani Jenkins and returned for the winning touchdown. Purifoy is a long, athletic corner that does a very good job in tight man coverage. He does a good job jamming receivers off the line of scrimmage and he has the hip flexibility to turn and run with most receivers. Purifoy is a very aggressive corner that comes up quickly in run support. He has also been used sparingly on offense. It will be interesting to see how many offensive snaps he gets this year.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Oregon Junior
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu was a 3rd team All-American and 1st team All-PAC 12 selection in 2012. Ekpre-Olomu is a playmaker that is constantly around the ball. He tied for second in the country with 6 forced fumbles, led the PAC-12 with 20 passes defensed and he picked off 4 passes. Ekpre-Olomu is athletic, physical and has very good instincts. He can play in tight coverage or off coverage. Ekpre-Olomu doesn’t have elite speed and isn’t a shut-down corner, but he uses his vision and instincts to make plays on the ball. At the next level, I could see him using his physical nature and playmaking ability to be either a nickel or slot corner.
Jason Verrett TCU Senior
Jason Verrett was a 3rd team All-American and 1st team All-Big 12 selection in 2012. He tied for #2 in the Big 12 and 5th nationally with 6 interceptions. Verrett is a fluid corner that does a good job flipping his hips when transitioning from his backpedal. He uses good technique and good timing when separating the ball from the receiver. Verrett is a versatile player that blitzes well from the corner. He is a confident player that reads and reacts quickly to the ball in the air. He has good burst and at times will bait the quarterback, then breaks sharply on the ball make the pick. Verrett isn’t real aggressive in defending the run, but he uses good technique and he tackles well in space. If he has a good year, he could easily move himself to the top of this list.
Aaron Colvin Oklahoma Senior
Aaron Colvin is a versatile player that was a 1st team All-Big 12 selection in 2012. He has good size and has started at both safety and corner. Colvin is able to cover the slot position and can be a weapon blitzing from that spot. He is an aggressive player that will sometimes bite on a fake and can be beaten on a double move. Colvin doesn’t have great speed, but he plays with very good physicality. He has the ability to read the quarterback then undercut routes to make plays. Colvin isn’t a fluid athlete and may be a better safety at the next level, but he is a guy that’s always around the ball.
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