Tag: cornerback

Lions select Terrion Arnold at No. 24 in NFL draft

The Lions picked cornerback Terrion Arnold at No. 24 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Detroit Lions selected Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit on Thursday evening.

Arnold (6-0, 189 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and a 10-yard split in 1.54 seconds at the combine. After a redshirt season in 2021, Arnold made the Freshman All-SEC team in 2022 and then earned first-team All-SEC recognition in 2023.

In 14 starts with the Crimson Tide, Arnold broke up 12 passes and totaled five interceptions last fall. He now enters the NFL as a 21-year-old rookie.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Arnold to Marshon Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler who was a first-round pick out of Ohio State with the New Orleans Saints in 2017.

Many draft pundits had Arnold ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in this year’s class. Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon has Arnold ranked No. 2 among cornerbacks behind Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and above Iowa’s Cooper DeJean.

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Eagles select Quinyon Mitchell at pick No. 22 in NFL draft

The Eagles picked cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night.

The Philadelphia Eagles selected Toldeo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit on Thursday evening.

Mitchell (6-0, 195 pounds) turned heads at the NFL combine when he ran a 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 20 times. He had a breakout season in 2022 with 20 pass breakups and five interceptions, earning third-team All-American recognition and first-team All-MAC honors.

Last fall, Mitchell broke up 18 passes and grabbed another interception to bring his college totals to 46 career breakups and six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Mitchell to Steven Nelson, who was a third-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon ranked Michell as the seventh-best player in this year’s class, above fellow cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (No. 11), Cooper DeJean (No. 15), Mike Sainristil (No. 22), Kool-Aid McKinstry (No. 26) and Nate Wiggins (No. 28).

Mitchell will turn 23 this summer ahead of his first NFL training camp.

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Broncos are ‘always looking’ for cornerbacks and pass rushers

“You’re always looking at those type of positions. They’re hard to find. If someone falls in your lap, you’re going to take them.”

There’s been much speculation that the Denver Broncos could trade up for a quarterback during the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

If trading up proves to be too costly, Denver could attempt to trade down and acquire more picks. It takes two parties for a trade, though, and there’s no guarantee the Broncos will be able to generate interest in pick No. 12.

If the team ends up staying put, there will be talented options on the board at pick No. 12, including a few notable pass rushers and cornerbacks.

“You’re always looking for corners and edge, value-type positions,” general manager George Paton said during his pre-draft press conference last week. “We like our corner group. We have one of the best corners in the league. We like our nickel in ‘J-Mac’ [Ja’Quan McMillian]. We have two young outside guys, Riley [Moss] and Damarri [Mathis] and Tremon [Smith]. We have a good, young group. They’re younger, so we like the group, [but] you’re always looking to add at those type of positions.

“The outside ’backer group, we have three that are really talented: [Nik] Bonitto, [Baron] Browning and [Jonathon] Cooper. We have a young Drew Sanders, if he stays outside. So we like the group, but you’re always looking at those type of positions. They’re hard to find. If someone falls in your lap, you’re going to take them.”

Paton was careful to note that the team “likes” their current corners and pass rushers, but he admitted the team won’t pass on a top CB or OLB if one of the elite prospects in this year’s draft falls to them at the right spot.

The top cornerbacks in this year’s class are Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold. The top pass rushers are Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu and Jared Verse. The first round of the NFL draft will begin tonight in Detroit.

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Former Alabama WR wants his NFL team to draft CB Terrion Arnold

DeVonta Smith advocating to the Eagles to add more ‘Bama players in 2024 NFL draft

At this point, the Philadelphia Eagles are just a combination of the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide with Jalen Hurts, Landon Dickerson and DeVonta Smith already on their 53-man roster, as well as a bunch of former Bulldogs. All three of those guys have each signed massive long-term deals with the organization within the last year and are highly respected inside the building.

Former Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]DeVonta Smith[/autotag] wants to keep the Alabama bloodline this year as he is advocating for the Eagles to use their first-round pick on cornerback [autotag]Terrion Arnold[/autotag].

When asked about the idea of the Eagles potentially moving up to draft him, Arnold said Smitty was advocating for him saying, “If you want the best cornerback, you need to go get Terrion.” As of right now, the Eagles hold the No. 22 overall pick in the draft, so if they want to be in the Arnold sweepstakes they will probably need to make a move up.

Going into the 2023 college football season, most of the eyes were on Kool-Aid McKinstry as the No. 1 corner in the country. However, it was Arnold who had the massive statistical year with 63 total tackles, 12 passes defended, five interceptions and a forced fumble that likely jumped McKinstry to be the first corner taken off tonight’s board. It will be fun to see if the Eagles continue to tap into that Alabama tap line this evening.

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Broncos exercise Pat Surtain’s 5th-year option for 2025 season

The Broncos have picked up Pat Surtain’s fifth-year option. He’ll now earn about $19.8 million in 2025.

The Denver Broncos have picked up cornerback Pat Surtain’s fifth-year option for the 2025 NFL season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Next week (May 2) was the deadline to exercise the option.

Surtain, 24, had one year remaining on his rookie contract before Denver exercised the option for next year. Surtain is set to earn about $3.5 million in 2024. He’ll get a big raise in 2025 as the fifth-year option is projected to be worth about $19.8 million.

Every player picked in the first round has a team option for a fifth season. The cost of that option depends on the player’s position, playing time and Pro Bowl selections.

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Surtain’s basic salary would have been around $12.4 million if he did not meet any of the following incentives: playing time ($13.3 million), one Pro Bowl ($17.2 million) or two Pro Bowls ($19.8 million), according to NFL Network.

Surtain maxed out his potential earnings by playing 95% of the team’s defensive snaps and earning two Pro Bowl nods in his first three seasons. The star cornerback is now under contract for at least two more years, and the Broncos will likely work on a long-term extension next.

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Former Alabama DB Levi Wallace signs with Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos announce they have signed former Alabama cornerback Levi Wallace.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide football defensive back Levi Wallace has agreed to terms with the Denver Broncos and has signed on with the franchise to a one-year deal.

Wallace was a former walk-on at Alabama and has an inspiring story. Though he was not drafted, he found his way onto the Buffalo Bills roster in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. After four seasons in Buffalo, Wallace signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, he stays in the AFC and moves out west to play for the Broncos.

In a video shared to social media, found below, Wallace describes his excitement in playing for Denver, stating that it’s “a dream come true” to play for his dad’s favorite team.

In 2023, Wallace recorded 36 total tackles and 11 defended passes. He looks to increase his production and serve in a larger role for the broncos in 2024.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Wallace and other former Alabama football players in the NFL as the 2024 offseason progresses.

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Broncos sign CB Levi Wallace to 1-year contract

The Broncos are signing Levi Wallace to a one-year contract, giving the team veteran depth at cornerback.

Story update: The Broncos have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Levi Wallace, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. See our original post below. 

The Denver Broncos are expected to sign cornerback Levi Wallace to a one-year contract, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Wallace (6-0, 179 pounds) won two national championships at Alabama before entering the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Buffalo Bills in 2018. He spent four years in Buffalo, starting 52 games, before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022.

Wallace, 28, started 18 games for the Steelers over the last two years, breaking up 24 passes and recording six interceptions. He has totaled 54 pass breakups and 12 interceptions in 83 career games (70 starts).

Wallace gives the Broncos veteran insurance at cornerback in case Riley Moss doesn’t step up as a reliable starter across from Pat Surtain in 2024.

The Wallace signing also makes cornerback a less pressing need for Denver ahead of the draft this week. While it’s still possible, the Broncos now seem less likely to draft a cornerback at No. 12 overall.

Quinyon Mitchell, Terrion Arnold, Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Nate Wiggins are among the top cornerbacks in this year’s class. The Broncos hold eight picks going into Thursday’s draft. We are tracking all of Denver’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

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Alabama Football offers Florida State transfer cornerback Greedy Vance Jr.

The Alabama coaching staff has extended an offer to Florida State transfer cornerback Greedy Vance Jr. Alabama is one of many programs to offer the Louisiana native.

The Alabama Crimson Tide football coaching staff has been busy on the recruiting trail since arriving on campus several months ago. Recently, Alabama extended an offer to Florida State transfer cornerback Greedy Vance Jr.

Vance Jr., a Louisiana native, spent the first two years of his college career at Louisville. In two seasons with the Cardinals, Vance Jr. recorded 37 tackles, seven pass deflections, and one fumble recovery.

Following his second season in the Bluegrass state, Vance Jr. entered the transfer portal. Ultimately, he wound up with the Florida State Seminoles. During his time in Tallahassee, Vance Jr. played in 27 games while making five starts. Vance Jr. recorded 34 tackles, four interceptions, and five pass deflections for the Seminoles over the past two seasons.

Thus far, Vance Jr. has scheduled official visits to the USC Trojans (April 18-21) and Kentucky (April 26-28). An Alabama visit can be scheduled on a later date. As of today, Vance Jr. has an Alabama offer and is an option at the cornerback position for the Crimson Tide.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its involvement in the transfer portal.

Report: Free agent CB Levi Wallace to visit Broncos

The Broncos are bringing in CB Levi Wallace for a free agent visit, per B/R. He has 70 career starts on his resume.

The Denver Broncos are bringing in cornerback Levi Wallace for a free agent visit on Friday, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

Wallace (6-0, 179 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018 after winning two national championships at Alabama. He began his pro career with the Buffalo Bills, earning seven starts in his rookie season.

Wallace, 28, started the next three seasons in Buffalo before hitting free agency in 2022 and signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in 31 games for the Steelers over the last two years with 18 starts.

Wallace has 305 tackles, 54 pass breakups, 12 interceptions and one fumble recovery in 83 career games (70 starts). If signed, he would instantly improve the Broncos’ cornerback depth chart.

Pat Surtain is one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks and Ja’Quan McMillian is a promising slot defensive back, but unless Riley Moss takes a big step forward in Year 2, Denver will need another starting-caliber CB in 2024.

If the Broncos sign Wallace, it would also give the team more flexibility in the NFL draft. After quarterback, CB is one of the team’s biggest needs. Wallace could change that.

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Mel Kiper mock draft: Broncos select CB Quinyon Mitchell

In his latest NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Broncos selecting cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at pick No. 12.

In his latest 2024 NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Denver Broncos selecting Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell with pick No. 12 in the first round.

Caleb Williams (No. 1), Jayden Daniels (No. 2), Drake Maye (No. 3) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 5) all go off the board early, so instead of reaching for a quarterback at No. 12, the Broncos land Kiper’s top cornerback prospect.

“Mitchell, my top-ranked cornerback, had 46 pass breakups in four seasons at Toledo, and he ripped off an elite 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine,” Kiper wrote on ESPN.com. “He’s ready to play early and often as a rookie.”

This is a change from Kiper’s last mock draft which had Denver selecting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. Before that, Kiper had the Broncos picking UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu in a previous mock.

Kiper seems to be in agreement with our assessment that quarterback, cornerback and pass rusher are Denver’s three biggest draft needs.

After the top five picks, no other QBs go off the board in the first round of Kiper’s latest mock. He has Nix (No. 33) and Michael Penix (No. 37) going early in the second round (where the Broncos do not currently have a pick).

The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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