cornerbacks – Page 7 – Syndication Server

2022 Florida Football Season Preview: Cornerbacks

Kaiir Elam is off to the NFL, but the Gators still have plenty of talent at cornerback. Here’s who Florida will be using in the secondary for 2022.

The penultimate group in Gators Wire’s preseason position-by-position breakdown of the 2022 Florida football roster is none other than the cornerbacks.

Gone is [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag], the team’s lockdown and lead corner last season. The man who backed Elam up in 2021, sophomore [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]., will replace him as the team’s No. 1 in the position room after proving himself worthy as a true freshman.

Behind him, things are less clear, but there’s a group of serviceable defensive backs that could use some playing time to reach their full potential. There’s also [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag], who missed all of last year with a torn ACL. He’s out to start the season but should work his way back into the rotation over the course of the year. Before the injury, he was projected to compete for starting time opposite of Elam.

Here is a look at all seven cornerbacks on the 2022 Florida football fall roster.

Bills’ Kaiir Elam, Christian Benford generate buzz in preseason vs. Colts

#Bills’ Kaiir Elam, Christian Benford generate buzz in preseason vs. #Colts:

The cornerback position has been one of the most talked about topics in Buffalo this past offseason, and two of the newest additions to that group made an impact in the team’s victory over Indianapolis on Saturday.

Rookie CBs Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford made their presence felt early, as each corner made a play during the first quarter to end a Colts offensive drive.

And head coach Sean McDermott took notice.

“It looked like both of them battled out there,” McDermott said while speaking to the press. “They didn’t shy away from the competition.”

Those moments weren’t lost on either player either.

“It was something I can cherish for the rest of my life, something that I’ll never take for granted,” Elam said, as the 1st round selection out of Florida addressed the media following the game. “(I’ll) probably remember this game when I’m 90 years old.”

A sixth-round pick out of Villanova, Benford echoed a similar sentiment.

“It’s, obviously, a life-changing experience,” Benford said. “We prayed for stuff like this every day. I prayed for it every day since I was a kid. And I thought about it, and I lined up against their ones, and it’s a joyful feeling. (There was) no fear. … (There was) no scariness. It was straight joy and happiness.”

Newly added QB Matt Ryan lined up under center across from them, taking extended preseason snaps with fellow Indy starters as he adjusts to a new team and system, giving the two young defensemen more gameplay against veteran talent.

“It didn’t really matter who lined up out there, I was just so excited to be out there,” Elam added. “Matt Ryan is, obviously, he’s a good quarterback. He’s had a heck of a career. But I was just so excited to be out there and really just cherish the moment and also make sure I did my part.”

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Rating of Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey in Madden NFL 23 revealed

The rating of Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey in “Madden NFL 23” was revealed

The ratings of players for this year’s edition of EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 23” have been slowly released over the last few days. On Monday, ratings for wide receivers and tight ends were released, and Baltimore Ravens’ tight end Mark Andrews was ranked as the No. 3 tight end with a 93 overall rating.

Baltimore also had kicker Justin Tucker ranked on Wednesday as the No. 1 player at his position at 90 overall. Another player on the team found himself on the video game’s top-10 list at his position in cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

On Thursday, the initial ratings were revealed for cornerbacks, and Humphrey took the No. 9 spot by coming in at 90 overall.

The best cornerbacks in #Madden23 🔒 @EAMaddenNFL

Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/S5q3AxCWeX

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 21, 2022

.@eamaddennfl's 10 highest-rated CBs. #Madden23 pic.twitter.com/DW3zEczndT

— NFL (@NFL) July 21, 2022

Humphrey not being ranked as a top-five cornerback might be surprising to some. While the 2021 season was a down year in terms of what’e expected from the former Alabama star, he was still one of the top players at his position and many would argue he still deserves to be treated like one of the very elite at his position.

Individual ratings that got Humphrey up to a 90 overall included a 92 man coverage rating, 92 press rating, 89 zone coverage rating and a 87 play recognition rating. His speed was also highly-rated coming in with a 92 overall. The best rated cornerback in Madden NFL 23 is Jalen Ramsey, with an 98 overall.

Through five NFL seasons, Humphrey has 276 combined tackles, 12 forced fumbles and nine interceptions in 73 games played. He has also been selected to two Pro Bowls and was a First-Team AP All-Pro in 2019.

Is the Chiefs’ cornerback group being slept on heading into 2022?

The #Chiefs were snubbed from @TheNFLWire’s lists of top cornerbacks and it has @goldmctNFL wondering if the team’s corner group is being slept on.

Touchdown Wire kicked off their annual top positional lists, but the Kansas City Chiefs have yet to have a player make the cut.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar has named the top safeties, slot defenders and outside cornerbacks in the league thus far. Kansas City has been noticeably absent from the list, save for former Chiefs DB Tyrann Mathieu. It’s not all that surprising to see a largely revamped safety group left off that particular list, but it feels like there are some corners on the roster that are worthy of recognition among the top in the league. At the very least the team has two players worthy of an honorable mention, which they didn’t receive.

Let’s start with the team’s longest-tenured veteran, former sixth-round draft pick Rashad Fenton. Among cornerbacks with at least 500 defensive snaps last season, Fenton had the sixth-best overall grade in the league from Pro Football Focus. He was the only Chiefs cornerback to not allow a touchdown in coverage during the regular season last year, also allowing less than 70% of passes to be completed in his coverage. He was also the Chiefs’ top-ranked corner in ANYA/CS (Adjusted Net Yards Allowed per Coverage Snap) last season, which is a statistic developed to better quantify cornerback play. He came in No. 25 overall among 78 qualifying cornerbacks.

Then there is L’Jarius Sneed, who has emerged as the top cornerback from the 2020 NFL draft class as a fourth-round pick. He burst onto the scene as a rookie playing outside corner, recording interceptions in his first two career games. Injury stifled his rookie campaign, but when he came back he’d begin playing both nickel and outside cornerback. Last season, which was a tough one for Sneed personally due to the loss of his older brother, Sneed recorded the second-most defensive stops of any cornerback in the NFL. That’s all while missing a few games too.

Rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie hasn’t played a snap in the NFL, so he wouldn’t have qualified for Touchdown Wire’s list. Regardless, he was statistically one of the best cornerbacks in college football last season. He allowed just 16 catches on 36 targets for 111 yards and no touchdowns surrendered on the year. He actually hasn’t surrendered a touchdown since 2019 and has only allowed two receptions of more than 20 yards in his entire college career. People will try to discredit McDuffie for his size, but that didn’t seem to make any difference over three seasons with the Washington Huskies.

Maybe the Chiefs don’t have any outside or slot cornerbacks worthy of being recognized on a list of the top-12 players heading into the 2022 season. While Fenton and Sneed might have some statistics that make them worthy, they don’t have the longevity, name recognition or accolades to match.

That said, this group is hardly one to be slept on. These three players, along with others on the roster, are fully capable of putting up performances that could establish each as a top cornerback in the league. It’s just a matter of putting it together once the new season begins.

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Sean McDermott on Bills CB Dane Jackson: ‘Dane’s a winner’

Sean McDermott on #Bills CB Dane Jackson: ‘Dane’s a winner’

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There has been some buzz around the cornerback group for the Buffalo Bills this offseason.

From the addition of CB Kair Elam from Florida in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft to the play of Dane Jackson in the absence of injured pro-bowler Tre White, the corner position has been one of interest.

While the team and fans await White’s return, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott threw his support behind the player filling in for him at OTA workouts this week.

That being Dane Jackson, of course.

“Dane’s a winner”, McDermott said while addressing the press.

“He is committed. He’s one of the first ones here every morning, one of the last to leave. Comes in on his own, even on the weekends at times, and he’s a true pro.”

Questions had surrounded the cornerback position since last season, from who would fill in during White’s recovery to who would replace former starter and departed free agent Levi Wallace.

The Bills have answered them, whether it’s been Jackson’s play on the field or the addition of Elam.

And while he’s expressed his confidence in him before, McDermott isn’t the only one commending Jackson for his play and work ethic.

DC Leslie Frazier sang his praises during OTA’s as well, calling the CB’s gameplay experience last season “tremendously valuable” during his latest press conference.

“He played a lot of snaps for us”, Frazier added. “Really held his own, the moments never seemed too big for him. One of the best tackling young corners that’s in the league”.

That is high praise from Jackson’s coaches, and affirmation of the young CB himself as well as to the fans who’ve wondered if the team would look to add talent to White’s position until he returns.

With Jackson performing well as the next-man-up, there is reason for optimism that he’ll be able to hold down the fort at the corner while White returns and continue to contribute in rotations with the position group.

That type of youth and depth is valuable, especially in providing the team with competition and performance on the field against opponents, and also in helping to not only fill in for White but to help share the workload as he eventually transitions back to gameplay.

Jackson held his own last season and is continuing to earn the praises of the Bills coaching staff, which is both a testament to the team’s scouting and player development as well as to his work ethic.

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Packers are only team with 3 players in PFF’s top 32 cornerbacks rankings

Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas all cracked the top 32 of PFF’s cornerback rankings entering the 2022 season.

The Green Bay Packers are the NFL’s only team with three players in Pro Football Focus’ rankings of the top 32 cornerbacks entering the 2022 season.

Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas all made the top 32 for PFF.

Alexander ranked No. 2 overall (behind only Jalen Ramsey) and was placed in the “elite” category. Stokes (No. 29) and Douglas (No. 32) were in the “up-and-comers” tier.

No other team had more than two players make the top-32 list.

Alexander was PFF’s top-graded cornerback during the 2020 season but missed all but four games due to a shoulder injury in 2021. He’ll return in 2022 as the highest-paid defensive back in football, and the Packers could have him follow around No. 1 receivers.

Key stat from PFF: Alexander has the NFL’s highest single-coverage grade since 2018.

Stokes was incredible as a rookie, especially after the Packers lost Alexander during the first month of the season. The 2021 first-round pick handled No. 1 cornerback duties for most of his first year and proved to be sticky in coverage. He brings elite speed and length to the table on the perimeter. His ascension will continue in 2022 if he can make more plays on the football in the air.

Key stat from PFF: Stokes allowed the lowest rate of separation among cornerbacks in 2021.

Douglas was a revelation after arriving in Green Bay in October, intercepting a team-high five passes and returning a pair for touchdowns. He signed a three-year deal with the Packers this offseason. His ability to read and react helped turn him into a big-play corner in Green Bay.

Key stat from PFF: Douglas set a new career-high in overall grade in 2021.

Cornerback play can be a foundational piece of any elite defense. The Packers were tough to throw on during the 2021 season even without Alexander in the lineup. With Alexander healed, Stokes entering Year 2 and Douglas re-signed, the Packers have a very strong case for possessing the best trio of cornerbacks in the NFL. Combine the talent at corner with the players rushing the passer up front and the experience at safety, and the Packers should have all the pieces necessary for being a top defense against the pass in 2022.

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What GM Brandon Beane said about Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam

What GM Brandon Beane said about #Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam:

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Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane and his front office team have become known for doing their pre-draft homework on NFL prospects.

Beane has also become known for his maneuvering on NFL Draft days.

Both elements came into play on the first day of the draft, with a move to leapfrog multiple corner-needy teams to get his man

As the Bills sat waiting at number 25 overall, a player whom he deemed as a not only a good fit for the team but also the last one for whom he had a first-round grade was still on the board. That player was Florida CB Kaiir Elam.

The GM decided they would wait no longer.

He swapped the first-round spot at 25th overall and the 130th overall pick the Bills had in the fourth round with the Baltimore Ravens for the 23rd pick to take the corner.

Why the move up?

“We had a good grade on Kaiir and we were down to one player in the first round on our board,” Beane said while addressing the media after the pick. “At that point it just made sense.”

Moving up to take players that fit has become somewhat of a regular part of Beane’s repertoire as Buffalo’s general manager.

“It just felt like it was within striking distance,” the GM added. “And obviously, I’ve been hearing it loud and clear ‘we don’t have corners’ from every single one of you, neighbors, kids, everyone. So we’ll all sleep good tonight that we added a corner.”

Elam’s experience at the collegiate level was also a factor in the GM’s evaluation of him.

“He plays in the SEC, which you know is the closest thing to our level,” Beane added. “He’s gone against some top-tier talent in his career, guys that have already been drafted a year ago. We think he’s got a high ceiling. He’s a younger player. So, we just feel like he’s got a lot of things that he does well. He’s a bigger, longer guy. He’s got speed to carry the vertical. Some guys that are running high 4-5s struggle – they’re good in the shorter area, but they struggle the more the receivers get downfield. We think he can do that.”

“His tackling at times was a little bit shaky. We talked to him about it, and part of it, he felt was the way they were asking him to do. So he’ll have to – there are some things technique-wise that we’ll have him work on and clean up. But he’s a great young man. I think he’ll fit our DNA, fit our culture.”

Beane also noted the impression that was made during Elam’s pre-draft visit to One Bills Drive as a top-30 draft prospect as an influential factor in the decision.

“He was impressive,” Beane said. “That really kind of sealed the fate of ‘this guy would fit us if it worked out.”

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Kaiir Elam asked Bills about Tre’Davious White during pre-draft visit

Kaiir Elam asked #Bills about Tre’Davious White during pre-draft visit:

Pre-draft scouting has been a big part of the Bills roster-building process since Sean McDermott became head coach and Brandon Beane became GM.

The front office and coaching staff have built a team with talent that they’ve worked to develop, perhaps nowhere more so than those players who joined the team by way of the draft or post-draft periods.

Sometimes that might be third-round selections like WR Gabriel Davis or RB Devin Singletary, a fifth-round pick like LB Matt Milano. Other times that can be first-round talents like QB Josh Allen or CB Tre’Davious White.

As having experienced players and veterans involved in coaching up those players developing that came after them is part of the team’s culture, it may be of no surprise to learn that White has already had an impact on 2022 first-round pick CB Kaiir Elam.

As the corner was nearing the end of his pre-draft visit with the Bills, GM Brandon Beane asked if there was anything Elam wanted to ask about playing in the NFL.

The young CB asked about the current Bills star corner.

“He said, ‘What does Tre White do, what has he done to be so good? What do you guys see?’ Beane said during his media session. “And then ‘what do you see in my game that you like, and what do you think I need to get better at?’ And just some really good questions, a guy that’s serious and focused and driven to be really good at his craft is what I took from it.”

What’s more, White happened to be there during the visit as he is rehabbing his injury at the Bills facilities. Giving Elam the opportunity to meet him.

“Honestly, he just told me how much he watched my game and how he liked the way I played,” Elam said to WKBW of his conversation with White. “I just tried to pick his brain and tried to learn as much as I could from him in the short amount of time we had. I’m super happy I got to meet him because he seemed like a super laid-back guy, super knowledgeable, and a guy who I feel like I could just go and try to learn from.”

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How do Josh Jobe, Jalyn Armour-Davis rank among 2022 NFL CB draft prospects?

See where the pair of former Alabama CBs ranking in the 2022 NFL draft class!

Former Alabama players are currently preparing for the 2022 NFL draft, which will begin in just a few days. Players from various different positions that wore Crimson last season await to see where they will start their professional careers.

[autotag]Josh Jobe[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalyn Armour-Davis[/autotag] are two former Crimson Tide cornerbacks that are looking to enter the league through the draft.

Though they may not be projected to be drafted in the first round, Job and Amour-Davis are talented defensive backs that will certainly be selected and get their shot at the NFL level.

Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire put together rankings for the 2022 NFL draft cornerback class and included them both.

They are not ranked highly, but both are top-20. Teams will likely take them. in the later rounds, which is great value for the team and an opportunity for the players.

First … Jalyn Armour-Davis

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Cornerbacks squarely on Raiders draft radar

Some cornerbacks in next week’s draft who could be just what the Raiders need.

The 5You can never have enough good cornerbacks. Especially in today’s NFL. The Raiders potentially have three starters in Trayvon Mullen, Rock Ya-Sin, and Nate Hobbs. Ya-Sin being the new addition acquired in trade with the Colts for DE Yannick Ngakoue. After that, there are question marks.

There could be a few solid cornerback products available in the latter parts of the draft who would be fine additions to the depth chart for the Raiders.