Cornerback Position Shows a Lot of Promise for 2020

Even with some turnover from the 2019 season, the Oklahoma State cornerbacks room shows a lot of promise for 2020.

STILLWATER – For the first time since the spring, the Oklahoma State media got to speak with defensive leader Rodarius Williams. Williams has been a defensive mainstay since his redshirt freshman season in 2017 and has been instrumental in the Cowboys’ success over the past three seasons.

In the three years on the field, Williams has recorded 151 total tackles, 24 pass break ups, two quarterback hurries and two interceptions. With each season, he’s gotten better and better and I’d expect his senior season to be no different. Oklahoma State has a chance to be really good this season and Williams announced his return for his senior season back in January.

While the mainstay Williams will be on the field, the corner position is going to look different than it did in 2019. A.J. Green graduated and moved onto the NFL this past spring, so there’s a couple of new guys to get adjusted to, but Williams said it hasn’t been a problem.

Tim Duffie brought in Missouri grad transfer Christian Holmes and they shifted Jarrick Bernard-Converse down from safety.

Williams is from Shreveport, La. and went to Calvary Baptist Academy, while Bernard-Converse is also from Shreveport and went to the other private school football power in Evangel Christian. Holmes is transferring from Missouri, but is originally from Leland, Miss. The deep south has produced a lot of good corners including Williams brother, Greedy, who plays for the Cleveland Browns. 

In fact, our research shows that 11 of the top-25 cornerbacks in the NFL as ranked by Pro Football Focus hail from the south. Only one, Chris Harris Jr. of Bixby is from Oklahoma and only one, William Jackson III is from Texas. 

"It's been really easy from a standpoint that everybody's been on the same page and a lot of maturity on the back end,” said Williams. “Even with Christian Holmes coming in, I feel like he's been here are couple years already. Just coming in and getting ahead of the game.

"Same with [Bernard-Converse]; there's a lot of learning phases with him. He's really got a good grasp of the game and what it takes to play corner and what it takes to play safety. He's really come along way. He's making plays too.

“We're comfortable with everybody in the room. Any guy that steps on the field, we'll be confident that he can make the same play as the starter."

With those three guys, plus guys like Thomas Harper, Demarco Jones, Gabe Lemons, there’s certainly a lot of competition for playing time.

"Just to have that competition in the room, it gives me that fire not to be comfortable with my starting position as well,” said Williams, “Our level of play has been outstanding. That goes back to Day 1 of fall camp. We came out with a passion to not give up a ball. Our competition level has been top tier."

Of course, with the departure of Green last season and the departure of Holmes and Williams at the end of this season, there’s an urgency to get the younger guys ready to go.

"All those [younger] guys are standing out,” said Williams. “Korie [Black] and Jabbar [Muhammad] are mainly getting the reps for the younger guys. Those guys are coming in and they're ready to play. You can tell the ability that they have and the leadership that they're trying to show as young kids also. Just really excited to have younger guys coming up."

With the turnover from last year and some new guys looking for playing time, the corner position certainly has some questions going into the 2020 season. However, with the experience of the older guys and the talent of some of the younger guys, there’s certainly a lot of promise.