The NFL scouting combine is officially underway at Lucas Oil Stadium as the Indianapolis Colts and the rest of the league converge for the biggest scouting event of the offseason.
The drills don’t start until Thursday but Monday does have some importance with official measurements taking place. This week is also crucial for the Colts to get in the room with a lot of the prospects that might be on their draft board.
Before the drills get underway, here are five cornerbacks the Colts should watch at the combine:
CJ Henderson | Florida | Draft Wire rank: No. 3
The Colts are likely to continue looking at the cornerback position this offseason. It could come in the form of free agency such as a Byron Jones type or they could look toward the draft. Henderson is one of the best options in this year’s class and one that is likely going to come with a high price tag.
Here is the scouting report on Henderson from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Silky smooth boundary cornerback with mirror-and-match footwork and the agility and athleticism to stay connected to routes. He has NFL recovery burst and the long speed to track vertical routes downfield. He has the twitchy acceleration to jump a throw and take it away if the quarterback lingers on the target, and he’s quick to wrap and finish after the catch. He makes mental mistakes from time to time and occasionally loses awareness from zone. He’s willing and capable in run support but needs better control as an open-field tackler. Henderson is a fluid cornerback with ball skills and burst and has CB1 ability as a first-rounder.
Would the Colts draft another cornerback with high draft capital? Who knows but adding a talent like Henderson would give the Colts three high-quality cornerbacks to work with.