Post Combine Player Rankings: CB and S

As we wrap up the player rankings for the draft, the defensive back class offers a deep corner pool and a relatively weak safety pool overall. The corner pool doesn't offer too many elite prospects and a number of highly regarded corners posted below average 40 times. Thankfully, 40 times are overrated but it's a solid class.

CBs:

1) Malcolm Jenkins / Ohio State /1st
2) Vontae Davis / Illiniois / 1st
3) Darius Butler / Connecticut / 1st
4) Alphonso Moore / Wake Forest / 1st - 2nd
5) D.J Moore/ Vanderbilt / 1st - 2nd
6) Kevin Barnes / Maryland / 2nd
7) Macho Harris / Virginia Tech / 2nd - 3rd
8) Jarius Byrd / Oregon / 2nd - 3rd
9) Mike Mickens / Cincinnati / 3rd
10) Asher Allen / Georgia / 3rd
11) Coye Francies / San Jose State / 3rd - 4th
12) Captain Munnerlyn / South Carolina / 4th
13) Keenan Lewis / Oregon State / 4th
14) Christopher Owens / San Jose State / 4th - 5th
15) Joe Burnett / UCF / 5th
16) Ladarius Webb / Nicholls State / 5th

Jenkins was head and shoulders above everyone but posted a poor 40 time. Now teams are questioning his ability to play corner at the next level. I don't see it. Jenkins will be fine in a cover 2 role with eventual flexibility to play FS if need be. There are some questions on his top end speed which some evaluators are projected him to FS period. If that's the case,
Jenkins will drop. Regardless, he is a great corner with the stones to get in there in the run game.

Davis is an enigma. His measurables jump out at scouts but like his batshit brother, suffers the same feat. If a team can control the ego, they got a whale of a player. Butler was a 3rd rounder before the combine/senior bow/pro dayl and now is being considered the best overall CB by some. Moore had an incredible 21 ints at WF but is only 5' 8''. If he was only about 2 inches taller he'd be a first rounder for sure.


The safety class is weak even compared to last year. The FS value chart skews to 2nd - 3rd rounders. Smith, some feel, can play corner but seems a bit stiff in coverage in my book and would find a better home at safety. Delmas is a playmaking safety but questions remain due to lack of competition and height concerns. He's a big hitter though and makes plays with the ball in the air. Johnson was a big time performer at Alabama with some glowing praise from Nick Saban referring to him as a coach on the field.


FS:

1) Malcolm Jenkins / Ohio State /1st
2) Sean Smith / Utah / 2nd
3) Louis Delmas /Western Michigan / 2nd
4) Rashard Jennings / Alabama / 2nd - 3rd
5) Sherrod Martin / Troy State / 3rd - 4th
6) Micheal Hamlin / Clemson / 4th
7) Derek Pegues / Mississippi St / 4th
8) Darcel McBath / Texas Tech / 5th


The SS value chart is relatively week. Moore has had a poor offseason and is now fallen out of the 1st round. Moore, though, might project to FS in some team's schemes and he isn't an in-the-box safety. Chung and Vaughn are however and are more like linebackers and poor in coverage. Clemons ran a 4.41 (the fastest for a safety) and might be the wet dream of Al Davis. The rest aren't anything to write home about.


SS:
1) William Moore / Missouri / 2nd
2) Patrick Chung / Oregon / 2nd
3) Chip Vaughn / Wake Forest / 3rd - 4th
4) Chris Clemons / Clemson / 3rd - 4th
5) Jamarca Sanford / Ole Miss / 5th
6) Emanuel Cook / SC / 5th