2018 class · 28 prospects

Cornerback CB

INTs/PBUs per game + speed + agility. The bust model is weakest at cornerback — treat predictions as directional.

Likeliest career, by the outcome model.

How many cornerbacks land in each career bucket as the model's single most likely finish. This is a different question from the board grades below — a prospect can be a Day 3 grade and still have “starter” as his likeliest outcome. The tails (elite, bust) are where the model separates; the middle two buckets sit close to a coin flip.

Elite
4
Pro-Bowl-caliber career
Starter
6
Multi-year NFL starter
Role
11
Rotational / depth
Bust
7
Likeliest outcome is a bust
Likeliest career across the CB class
Elite
4
Starter
6
Role
11
Bust
7

The board.

All 28 cornerbacks with a draftable grade on Draftanomics's 2018 board, tier by tier.

Blue Chip0 players

No blue-chip cornerback this cycle — Denzel Ward is the class's best, and he carries the next grade down.

1st Round2 players

The first-round tier is a pair: Denzel Ward out of Ohio St. at No. 23, with Jaire Alexander at No. 27 behind him. After Alexander the board breathes — Josh Jackson projects 11 picks later. Denzel Ward is the tier's dissent — the room ranks him No. 8, our board waits until No. 23.

23
Denzel Ward
Ohio St.· 5'10" · 183 lb· consensus #8
A first-round grade, though the room is higher on him — consensus No. 8.
1st Round
bust risk 10%
27
Jaire Alexander
Louisville· 5'11" · 192 lb· consensus #14
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 14.
1st Round
bust risk 7%
Day 26 players

The Day 2 tier runs 6 deep, opening with Josh Jackson out of Iowa at No. 38 and closing with D.J. Reed at No. 76. Mind the gap after Reed: Donte Jackson is next, and he is 36 picks away. The model is planting a flag on D.J. Reed, 76 spots ahead of where the room ranks him (No. 152).

38
Josh Jackson
Iowa· 6'1" · 192 lb· consensus #18
A Day 2 grade, though the room is higher on him — consensus No. 18.
Day 2
bust risk 9%
45
Carlton Davis
Auburn· 6'1" · 203 lb· consensus #48
A Day 2 grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 48.
Day 2
bust risk 7%
50
Mike Hughes
Central Florida· 5'11" · 191 lb· consensus #35
A Day 2 grade, though the room is higher on him — consensus No. 35.
Day 2
bust risk 9%
63
M.J. Stewart
North Carolina· 5'11" · 200 lb· consensus #71
A Day 2 grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 71.
Day 2
bust risk 18%
72
Isaiah Oliver
Colorado· 6'1" · 190 lb· consensus #39
A Day 2 grade, though the room is higher on him — consensus No. 39.
Day 2
bust risk 18%
76
D.J. Reed
Kansas St.· 5'9" · 188 lb· consensus #152
A Day 2 grade the room hasn't caught up to — consensus No. 152.
Day 2
bust risk 18%
Day 320 players

This is where the class lives: 20 cornerbacks carry a Day 3 grade, with Donte Jackson out of LSU at the front of the line at No. 112 overall. The room is higher on Jermaine Kelly than we are: consensus No. 160 to our No. 231.