My Top Cornerbacks in 2011 NFL Draft

Patrick Peterson, top CB in 2011 NFL Draft

Top 10 corners

1) Patrick Peterson, LSU

2) Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

3) Jimmy Smith, Colorado

4) Brandon Harris, Miami (Fl)

5) Aaron Williams, Texas

6) Davon House, New Mexico State

7) Ras-I Dowling, Virginia

8) Curtis Brown, Texas
9) Brandon Burton, Utah

10) Johnny Patrick, Louisville

11) Marcus Gilchrist

Chykie Brown is tired of hearing about being the "other cornerback"

12) Jalil Brown, Colorado

13) Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech

14) Demarcus Van Dyke, Miami (Fl)

15) Richard Sherman, Stanford

16) Curtis Marsh, Utah State

17) Kendric Burney, North Carolina

18) Chimdi Chekwa, Ohio State

19) Buster Skrine, UT-Chattanooga

20) Justin Rogers, Richmond

21) Chykie Brown, Texas

1-3) are consensus in my mind, and the only corners that should be taken in round 1. Only corners 4) and 5) could sneak into the late 1st round range.

Davon House, CB high on my radar

6) Davon House is a wild card I really like; size/speed combo is hard to come by; some of best ball skills in draft, great closing burst, good instincts, no injury history, and only started playing football as a junior in high school so high ceiling. Solid man 2 man corner> would love for him to go to the Cowboys, because his ball skills, overall speed, and man 2 man stick ability fits our scheme well.

Brandon Harris to the Steelers?

4) Brandon Harris could go round 1 to Pitt, as they struggled to cover Green Bay's slot receivers in the last Super Bowl. Adding Harris gives the Steelers an immediate impact as a starting nickel corner. With a pass happy league, nickel formations are so vital in any defense's success and Dick Lebeau knows this better than anybody. Any team needing a strong nickel back to guard slot would jump at the bits. Deion Sanders raved on him at the combine.

5) Aaron Williams would be solid in the right system, needing to be in a cover 2 scheme that utilizes his size and physicality. 

7) Ras-I Dowling KNOWS the position. One of the more polished corners who hardly gets fooled by a double move. Injury questions are huge concern, he slides but if healthy, could be one of better corners in draft.

Johnny Patrick

8) Curtis Brown looks good, plays bigger than his size indicates, and has excellent foot quickness and hip movements. Has the skill set to be a productive corner in a number of systems. 

10) Love Johnny Patrick, lockdown man coverage corner, who is great with getting his hands on receivers, redirecting routes, and bumping his man downfield. Physical in coverage, but also provides a spark in the return game.

17) Kendric Burney is the draft's most underrated cornerback. Evaluators need to realize what he is; which is a cover 2 corner exclusively. Plays with an aggression and instinctive nature required in that cover 2 scheme, reads the quarterback well, and is very physical at the line of scrimmage.

Other notes:

Justin Rogers, small school CB with impressive skills

Marcus Gilchrist, Rashad Carmichael, Demarcus Van Dyke, Chimdi Chekwa, Buster Skrine, and Justin Rogers are just as physically gifted as anybody in the draft, however they all show inconsistency on tape all too often. All these players have ability to outshine a number of other corners in the draft, and all should warrant late day 2 thru day 3 consideration.

Chykie Brown is a player to watch, as he will enter the NFL with a chip on his shoulder. Flashes ability to be best UT corner on tape, but doesn't have same focus from start to finish in games and is very inexperienced. High ceiling with the motivation factor and skill level.