Patraw's 2022 NFL Draft Rankings: Cornerbacks
With the NFL Draft only one week away, it's time to finalize the rankings and make some tough decisions on where to rank these prospects. It's time to look at this deep class of cornerbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft, and I dive a little deeper and give you my top 25 and the round I would feel comfortable drafting them.
The class of cornerbacks is deep with talent. Despite having five with first-round grades, I could see up to eight prospects selected at the position. With a top-tier cornerback becoming a must-have on defense, NFL teams are going to be thrilled with who they can get outside of the first round.
I went back and forth on Derek Stingley Jr. and Ahmad Gardner, but Gardner landed as my top-ranked cornerback. His overall coverage ability paired with his production and ability in run support set him apart from the others. While Stingley didn't quite reach the potential we saw in his freshman tape, he still should be regarded as one of the best prospects in this class. His pure athleticism and football IQ are enough for me to understand why some have him as the top cornerback in this draft class.
After my top two, there's a plethora of talent remaining. From Kaiir Elam to Kyler Gordon, all could hear their names called early on Day 2, or potentially sneak to the bottom of Day 1. But outside of the first two days of the draft, talented players like Alontae Taylor, who could project better as a safety in the NFL, and Jermaine Waller could make an impact early in their NFL careers.
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QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | iOL | iDL | EDGE | LB | CB | S
1. Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati
Age: NA | HT: 6026 | WT: 190 | Round Grade: 1
2. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
Age: 20.8 | HT: 6002 | WT: 190 | Round Grade: 1
3. Kaiir Elam, Florida
Age: 21.0 | HT: 6014 | WT: 191 | Round Grade: 1
4. Trent McDuffie, Washington
Age: NA | HT: 5103 | WT: 193 | Round Grade: 1
5. Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
Age: 21.6 | HT: 6002 | WT: 194 | Round Grade: 1
6. Roger McCreary, Auburn
Age: NA | HT: 5110 | WT: 190 | Round Grade: 2
7. Tariq Woolen, UTSA
Age: 23.0 | HT: 6041 | WT: 205 | Round Grade: 2
8. Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State
Age: 23.0 | HT: 6020 | WT: 199 | Round Grade: 2
9. Coby Bryant, Cincinnati
Age: NA | HT: 6013 | WT: 193 | Round Grade: 2
10. Kyler Gordon, Washington
Age: 22.4 | HT: 5114 | WT: 194 | Round Grade: 2
11. Mykael Wright, Oregon
Age: NA | HT: 5112 | WT: 173 | Round Grade: 3
12. Jalyn Armour-Davis, Alabama
Age: NA | HT: 6005 | WT: 197 | Round Grade: 3
13. Martin Emerson, Mississippi State
Age: 21.6 | HT: 6015 | WT: 201 | Round Grade: 3
14. Alontae Taylor, Tennessee
Age: 23.4 | HT: 6001 | WT: 199 | Round Grade: 4
15. Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist
Age: 22.8 | HT: 5112 | WT: 202 | Round Grade: 4
16. Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State
Age: 23.3 | HT: 6005 | WT: 197 | Round Grade: 4
17. Mario Goodrich, Clemson
Age: 22.3 | HT: 6002 | WT: 176 | Round Grade: 5
18. Jermaine Waller, Virginia Tech
Age: NA | HT: 6000 | WT: 180 | Round Grade: 5
19. Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State
Age: NA | HT: 6024 | WT: 195 | Round Grade: 5
20. Jaylen Watson, Washington State
Age: 23.6 | HT: 6014 | WT: 197 | Round Grade: 5
21. Isaac Taylor-Stuart, USC
Age: 22.5 | HT: 6014 | WT: 201 | Round Grade: 5
22. Chris Steele, USC
Age: 21.6 | HT: 6003 | WT: 187 | Round Grade: 5
23. Derion Kendrick, Georgia
Age: 21.7 | HT: 5114 | WT: 194 | Round Grade: 6
24. Josh Jobe, Alabama
Age: 24.0 | HT: 5114 | WT: 182 | Round Grade: 7
25. Akayleb Evans, Missouri
Age: 25.3 | HT: 6020 | WT: 197 | Round Grade: 7
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QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | iOL | iDL | EDGE | LB | CB | S
