Broncos Draft Fits: 5 CBs to Watch
The Denver Broncos have a major hole at cornerback and it could only get worse this offseason. Odds are, the corner position is one the Broncos will prioritize highly in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Who are the names, as DraftSZN is officially set to kick off, Broncos Country should know? I've scouted the 2021 class and based off what Vic Fangio demands from the position in his scheme, here are the five corners know.
- Caleb Farley | Virginia Tech
- Eric Stokes | Georgia
- Derion Kendrick | Clemson
- Jaycee Horn | South Carolina
- Israel Mukuamu | South Carolina
Why do these five corners rise above the pack for the Broncos? I break that down in-depth in the video above.
A.J. Bouye's missed time with injuries, his six-game suspension, and his not-so-good play could see him stripped of his Broncos uniform and back on the street. It would be a painless move because Bouye has no guaranteed money left on his deal. The Broncos' salary cap dollars could be better spent elsewhere.
This secondary was hit hard when it lost Bryce Callahan, who was a Pro Bowl snub and playing at an All-Pro level as the Broncos' nickel corner. Rookie Essang Bassey was also injured and lost for the season.
These injuries, combined with Bouye's suspension, have exposed the depth, or lack thereof, at the Broncos' corner position, rendering it a massive roster need.
Rookie Michael Ojemudia has had his ups and downs with the potential to still be a capable No. 2 boundary corner, with Callahan as the nickel and Bassey as the fourth. What the Broncos are lacking is obvious — a true No. 1 boundary corner.
The 2021 draft has plenty of big names, but not all of them are the best scheme fit for Fangio. Over his years in the NFL, Fangio has shown he will pass on top corner talents that don't fit his philosophy to take great scheme fits later on.
Remember, in the video above, I break down the five corners who either fit the scheme Fangio runs or could fit in Denver. These five prospects aren't all first-round-caliber, but there is some top talent that fit and could see Fangio take a corner on Day 1 of the draft.
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