Insider Hints at Five CB Options Broncos Could Target in Draft
On Monday afternoon, Mike Klis of 9News in Denver wrote an article breaking down the status of the Denver Broncos cornerback room, highlighting the several question marks at the position moving forward outside of Pat Surtain. They desperately need to find a long-term starter at the position opposite of Surtain. Unfortunately, the development of Damarri Mathis has faltered and last year’s third-round pick Riley Moss barely played after having hernia surgery in training camp.
Despite the breakout performance of Ja’Quan McMillian as the team’s starting slot cornerback, finding a player with starting upside on the boundary to round out the room would be prudent for the boys in orange and blue.
The public discourse around what the team could eventually do with the 12th overall selection in the 2024 draft has been deafening, especially with talk of the team trying to find a franchise quarterback. With limited draft capital, Denver will likely have to address the position late on day two or even at the top of day three.
At the end of his piece, Klis listed five players that could go somewhere around that range. When Klis speaks, people need to listen. There are always clues as to what the team could be looking for when he gives his reporting. That said, here are simple breakdowns of those players for some added context.
Cam Hart | Notre Dame
A three-year starter for the Fighting Irish, Hart collected 90 career tackles (58 solo), two interceptions, and 17 passes defensed, along with three forced fumbles in his senior season. He has a long frame, good athleticism, and plays with intense physicality.
Khyree Jackson | Oregon
A former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Jackson posted a breakout senior season for the Ducks. He was a reliable tackler who showed a willingness to stick his nose in, collecting 34 total tackles (25 solo) as a senior. He picked off three passes and knocked away seven more. Making him even more intriguing was his ability as a blitzer coming from the boundary, as he notched a pair of sacks in 2023.
Mike Sainristil | Michigan
A fifth-year senior, Sainristil has a massive amount of experience at multiple different positions while playing in well over 60 games for the Wolverines. He is an incredible tackler, posting 108 total tackles (70 solo) with the vast majority of those coming in the last two years. He stepped his game up in coverage this past season, posting a career-high six interceptions with a pair of them returned for touchdowns.
Caelen Carson | Wake Forest
Carson is a fourth-year junior with 36 total games played. He’s a tackling machine with 120 career tackles (90 solo) that also forced a pair of fumbles in his time as a Demon Deacon. While sometimes higher tackle volume for cornerbacks could indicate a lack of coverage ability, Carson also posted 30 total passes defended and three interceptions in college.
Josh Newton | TCU
A fifth-year senior with loads of experience (57 total games played), Newton started his collegiate career at Louisiana-Monroe for three seasons before transferring to TCU. Another high-volume tackler, Newton racked up 152 total tackles (105 solo), with his highest totals coming in his final year at Louisiana-Monroe and his first year at TCU. He had a breakout year in coverage as a junior for the Horned Frogs, with 12 pass breakups and three interceptions (one touchdown) that year.
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