NFL Scout Ranks NFC North Cornerbacks
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Who has the best personnel in the NFC North?
We took that question to a high-ranking scout whose focus is pro personnel. He ranked each team’s position groups. Part 8 of this 10-part series focuses on the cornerbacks.
No. 1: Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings blew up their cornerback room in the offseason, with the release of Xavier Rhodes and the free-agent departures of Trae Wayes and Mackensie Alexander. Combined, they played almost 2,100 snaps last season and played a role in the Vikings finishing 10th in opponent passer rating each of the last four years.
Still, the scout put the Vikings at No. 1 in his rankings based on potential. Mike Hughes (499 snaps), Holton Hill (150) and Kris Boyd (96) return. Hughes, the team’s first-round pick in 2018, had one interception and nine passes defensed in a promising second season.
That group was fortified with three draft picks: TCU’s Jeff Gladney in the first round, Mississippi State’s Cameron Dantzler in the third round and Temple’s Harrison Hand in the fifth round. In four seasons, Gladney intercepted five passes, had 43 total passes defensed and had six tackles for losses. His 37 breakups ranked sixth among active players. In three seasons, Dantzler had five interceptions and a total of 20 passes defensed but fell out of first-round consideration after a woeful 4.64 in the 40.
No. 2: Green Bay Packers
The Packers have the best cornerback in the division with Jaire Alexander. After an all-rookie season in 2018, Alexander was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019. He intercepted two passes and tied for fourth with 17 passes defensed. He added one forced fumble and a unit-best four tackles for losses. Passing judgement on defensive backs is difficult without knowing coverage calls. According to Sports Info Solutions, Alexander was targeted a league-high 101 times. Quarterbacks completed only 48 passes (47.5 percent).
King finally stayed mostly healthy and turned in a strong season by some standards. He ranked among the league leaders with five interceptions and dropped three others. He tied for eighth in the league with 15 passes defensed. Of 81 corners to play 350 coverage snaps, he ranked last with 1.66 yards per coverage snap, according to PFF. If he can clear up the mental lapses and stay healthy again after two injury-plagued seasons, the Packers could rise above the Vikings.
The question is who will replace Tramon Williams in the slot. Chandon Sullivan was outstanding in a relatively small sample size. Among the corners with at least 230 coverage snaps, he ranked second with a passer rating allowed of 41.1, according to PFF. The depth is hard to find. Can Josh Jackson live up to his second-round draft status after spending most of last season on the bench? Can former sixth-round pick Ka’dar Hollman take a big Year 2 jump?
No. 3: Chicago Bears
The Bears have a quality No. 1 cornerback in Kyle Fuller but nothing but question marks otherwise. According to Sports Info Solutions, Fuller allowed a combined completion percentage of less than 50 percent during his first three seasons. That includes his sensational 2018, when he intercepted seven passes. Last year, however, that completion rate swelled to 62.7 percent.
Prince Amukamara left in free agency and the Bears took a flier on Artie Burns as the replacement. A first-round pick in 2016, Burns had an excellent second season with a catch rate allowed of just 46.5 percent. However, he played his way into the doghouse and out of a job. After giving up a 70.8 percent catch rate and five touchdowns vs. one interception in 2018, he barely played on defense in 2019. Buster Skrine mans the slot. In his last two seasons, according to SIS, he allowed eight touchdowns with no interceptions. There are high hopes for second-round pick Jaylon Johnson. Johnson, who had basketball scholarship offers from Ivy League schools, had six picks in his final two seasons at Utah.
No. 4: Detroit Lions
The Lions traded perhaps their best defender, Darius Slay, and let Rashaan Melvin go in free agency. They responded by signing former Falcons star Desmond Trufant and using the third overall pick of the draft on Ohio State ace Jeff Okudah.
Trufant, a first-round pick by Atlanta in 2013, recorded a career-high four interceptions in just nine games last season but also gave up a career-worst 10.0 yards per target, according to Sports Info Solutions. Slay was a second-round pick in that draft. He led the NFL with eight interceptions in 2017 and has given up a catch rate of less than 50 percent the past two seasons, according to SIS. In 2019, Okudah had three interceptions – the first three of his career – and an additional nine pass breakups in earning unanimous All-American honors. He has size (6-foot-1), length (32 5/8-inch arms), speed (4.46) and athleticism (41-inch vertical).
Justin Coleman, a big-money addition from Seattle last offseason, man the slot. He is coming off a miserable first season in Detroit. According to PFF, he allowed eight touchdown passes, third-worst among corners. Amani Oruwariye, a fifth-round pick last year, provides potential depth.
Rest of the Series
Part 9: Safeties (coming up)
