With all the hubbub surrounding who the Eagles' next receiver will be, Philadelphia draft coverage has seemingly forgotten that the team has glaring holes on the other side of the football. Expected to spend at least one top selection on a receiver, that still leaves at least two selections on day two unaccounted for. The likely candidate warranting a day two selection is cornerback, where the Eagles have struggled to find a solid starter for what seems like a decade.
The picks they have spent on corners make it difficult to place what exactly they are looking for at the position. The team has placed a premium on speed, length, press-coverage, run defence etc. only to change face with the summer wind. So, for the sake of this article, I've narrowed it down to four categories with multiple criteria. They are
Size:
The Eagles have had various shapes and sizes represented in their secondary, but traditionally prefer a corner with some length. However, they are not adverse to smaller corners and size has seemingly become a secondary concern for Philadelphia scouts. Physicality has been important for the Birds and it seems they value heart over sheer size in that regard.
Speed:
If you've watched any Eagles football over the last few years, you're familiar with the sight of an opposing receiver screaming down the field for a touchdown without a defender in sight. Jim Schwartz's scheme gives very little safety help to its cornerbacks and plays a ton of cover three. Therefore, whoever dons the winged helmet on the outside will need some turn-and-run speed. Ball skills also come into play. Eagles corners have failed to break up passes even when in the right position and have also had trouble tracking the football in the air.
Off-Man:
While Schwartz will switch up the coverage, off-man has become a staple of the Philadelphia defense. Being able to stay disciplined on double moves and make quick changes of direction is essential. Playing off coverage also makes a corner more susceptible to biting on play-action, as they still have a responsibility to contain the run despite starting back from the line of scrimmage. Which brings us to . . .
Run Support:
Every Eagles corner needs it. Jim Schwartz requires it. If you're playing corner in Philly, you have to be able to tackle. It doesn't hurt to have some grit and tenacity to fight off blocks and stick your nose into traffic.
With that in mind, let's look at some prospects who fit the mold.
Day 1
Kristian Fulton | Louisiana State
Size: 6'0", 200 lbs.
Long and rangy for a 6 foot CB, Fulton has the prototypical size for an NFL corner. Both in pass coverage and in tackling, his range shows on tape. He's a physical player and has the frame and size to continue to play as such in the NFL.
Speed: 4.46 (40-yard-dash), 4.36 (20-yard-shuttle), 6.94 (3-cone-drill).
Fulton has respectable speed, although he's not a blazing fast runner. His long speed shouldn't be an issue, even if his 40-time wasn't among the top at the combine. He's not a burst-y athlete, but fluidity and fantastic footwork allow him to adjust to the football without any issue. Excellent ball skills and length also lend to his downfield coverage. However, he's more likely to cause incompletions than interceptions.
Off Man: He's superb in man coverage. Although he prefers to play press, where he can use his physicality to disrupt opponents, he shines off-ball as well. He is rarely caught with tied feet, or in a bad position and doesn't give into ball fakes or double moves. He's an incredibly fluid athlete and supplements that with a very strong football IQ.
Run Support: Willing, although not fantastic in this regard. He diagnoses well, but could be quicker to step up to the LOS. He's not a crushing tackler, but he's fairly reliable and not timid. He can struggle to disengage bigger receivers, but the fight is there.
Bottom Line: Fulton would be a very good fit for the Eagles defense. He brings a lot of the same traits that has made Byron Jones such a sought after free agent for the Birds. How likely is the team to spend a first-round pick on a corner? How likely is it that Fulton is still around at 21? The outlook for both questions seems to point to other outcomes.
Continued on the pages below.
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP Photo/AJ Mast
Day 2
Trevon Diggs | Alabama
Size: 6'1", 207 lbs.
Diggs is a big dude, fitting the profile of the longer, physical corners NFL teams covet. He doesn't always play as big as his frame would suggest, however that shows up more against the run than in coverage.
Speed: Did not run at the Combine.
Long speed is average. His adherence to press coverage made him particularly vulnerable to the deep ball if he couldn't disrupt the receiver at the line. His tracking with his back to the football will need some work. It's not exactly where he shines. Nevertheless, he saves himself a bit with incredible ball skills. There aren't many corners more tenacious than Diggs at the point of catch.
Off Man: Diggs has the ability to really shine as a physical press corner. He imposes his strength on receivers throughout the route. However, his lateral quickness and change of direction may fail him against better route runners in the NFL. In a perfect world, you wouldn't have him playing a whole lot of off-man. He played a lot more zone in college and is really aggressive attacking the point of the catch coming forwards to the QB. Zone allows him to use his football IQ a little more, which pays massive dividends. Jim Schwartz's scheme is a tricky fit, but he has the athletic profile to be an immediate upgrade regardless of scheme. He's a really heady player and ball fakes and double moves rarely cause false steps -- although he's not immune.
Run Support: Disappointing in a lot of ways. For a big guy with a notable edge, you expect more desire and physicality. He's not a strong tackler and struggles to disengage blocks despite his physical tools. Because of these shortcomings, there is some tendency to cheat on run fakes and step on play action.
Bottom Line: As a rookie, he'll make a fantastic number two for a team with an already entrenched starter. He might end up being one of the better redzone defenders in the league early on in his career. Realistically, he's just not a good fit for the Eagles defense. Diggs is a very similar player to Rasul Douglas, even though he's a better athlete, and we've seen Douglas fail to convince the coaching staff he's ready for starting minutes. He's got the physical attributes and acumen to play corner at a high level for any team, but this just feels like trying to fit a round block into a square hole.
C.J. Henderson | Florida
Size: 6'1", 204 lbs.
Henderson has good size for the position and fantastic length, but has a pretty wiry frame. He plays strong in coverage and has good press technique, but isn't very physical in the run game.
Speed: 4.39 (40-yard-dash).
No issues here. Henderson is a fantastic all-around athlete. He's got a good top speed and very smooth hips which allow him to turn and run with the best of them. Great click-and-close, especially in man coverage. He's also got impressive footwork which lends to lateral quickness and change of direction. Tracking with his back to the football looks natural, and his length and ball skills make him a terror at the catch point.
Off Man: Henderson is a really solid man corner with some noteworthy upside. His ability to mirror routes and his sudden break on the football make him a very good candidate for early slot reps. Overall, he's a very fluid athlete, with dancers hips. Moving to the outside, physically, he's definitely strong enough, but there are some issues with willingness. He'll need to get stronger to physically compete in press with the bigger receivers of the league. No cause for concern on double moves and he has the requisite recovery speed to make up for any mistakes. However, he can sometimes be caught relying too much on his athleticism and will need to show some more consistency with technique.
Run Support: Not good. His tackling is poor and there's a real lack of want-to. That being said, he's got room to grow. His length and functional strength should allow him to at least be a solid contributor, if not an enforcer. It will be up to him.
Bottom Line: Henderson is a very impressive cover corner that has the ability to blanket even the best route runners. He has the long speed that the Eagles desperately need in their secondary. Consistency and desire are the biggest question marks. Henderson will be as good as he wants to be on any given play. I don't know if he's a player the Birds spend a second-round pick on, but if second-round receivers start going early or if he falls to the third round -- unlikely -- he could be an interesting option.
Jeff Gladney | Texas Christian
Size: 5'10", 191 lbs.
On paper, he's one of the smallest corners on the list. He's got some good length for his size, but he won't out-muscle many opponents. However, he's certainly got a brawler's mentality and doesn't back down from contact.
Speed: 4.48 (40-yard-dash), 7.26 (3-cone-drill).
4.48 is nothing to scoff at, but it's a bad time for Gladney. A multi-sport athlete with a track background, he ran 4.34 coming out of high school to earn himself an offer from TCU. On top of that, he's got polished footwork and great suddenness and COD, despite not being the most fluid athlete. He flies all over the field and makes electric breaks on the football. Long-speed-wise, he's someone you can leave on an island with a burner and feel pretty comfortable. Ball skills are adequate, but he's more of a PBU guy than an INT.
Off Man: Gladney has a fantastic toolbox for man coverage. His athleticism alone makes him hard to beat, but he also brings a great understanding of leverage and space to the table. Overall he has no trouble mirroring opponents and has all the recovery speed necessary to make a play if beat. He has pretty good trail technique, but needs to do a better job of turning his head and locating the football. He can tend to take too many steps, rounding his breaks or tangling his feet. Fakes and double moves might be an issue for him simply due to his play style. He loves to bait quarterbacks and use his surprising burst to make plays, but that can also get him into trouble. Zone coverage and press technique are not strengths, but not bad enough to be a liability.
Run Support: No lack of effort. There are some obvious question marks regarding his size. His technique is good and he has good speed and pursuit angles. He might never be a great tackler, but he's good enough -- plus he's laid a few big hits in his time in college. He does a very good job of identifying runs or screens; you can tell he watches film. He will struggle to disengage against bigger receivers.
Bottom Line: A fantastic all-round athlete with some length and great man cover skills, Gladney seems like a perfect fit for Jim Schwartz's defense. He gives the needed effort in run support and has the long speed to avoid getting beat deep. Frankly, he's got a really inciting upside and may see his draft stock rise pretty rapidly as the process goes on. Plus, he was an accomplished gunner for TCU, which raises his rookie floor. Ideally, whatever team drafts him would have a plan in place to ease him into the starting lineup. At this point, he may be an early second-round pick, he may fall near the third. If the Eagles don't go receiver with their second selection, Gladney should garner a long look.
Continued on the pages below.
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP Photo/AJ Mast
Damon Arnette | Ohio State
Size: 6'0", 195 lbs.
Not huge, but a very physical corner. He's got a nice, low center of gravity that makes him difficult to move. Long arms allow him to be disruptive even against bigger receivers.
Speed: 4.56 (40-yard-dash).
Fairly average in this regard, although respectable. He's definitely not slow, but doesn't have the top speed of some of the other corners on this list. Change of direction and lateral speed are good, but not great. That being said, he does have a good burst to the football and surprising closing speed with the football in the air. Fantastic ball skills and great technique at the point of catch allow him to be a problem even when seemingly beat.
Off Man: This section is pretty nit-picky, as Arnette's game has very few flaws. He's definitely more of a press-man corner, but his man coverage, in general, is very good. He's very physical and makes it difficult to maintain timing. Off-man is probably one of his weaknesses, but that's not saying much. A very solid all-around cover corner, Arnette would hold his own in any kind of coverage at the professional level. He's got a really good break on the football, which would translate to off coverage. Nevertheless, he functions best when allowed to simply react and he can sometimes overthink when in off or zone coverage. His footwork is smooth, if not as quick as his counterparts.
Run Support: Easily one of the best corners in the class in this facet of the game. He's a very solid tackler that loves to lay a hit and flex on you after he does it. A very savvy secondary defender in run support, he's also not afraid to stick his nose into the tackle box to make a play. The one knock against him that keeps arising is that he can get caught up in traffic -- a minor concern, but worth mentioning.
Bottom Line: Arnette is strong in all facets and his game doesn't have any glaring holes. He'll enter the league with a solid floor and an exciting ceiling. He could translate his skills to almost any defensive scheme, but Schwartz's defense would be of the more difficult transitions. Teams that are looking for a day one starter may be willing to spend a higher pick on Arnette, which may cause him to leapfrog some of the other guys on this list. His inside-outside versatility would be a boon for a team that loves to move around in the secondary. Arnette is an underrated prospect overall, but I expect he'll get drafted earlier than the media suggests -- maybe even in the late first round.
A.J. Terrell | Clemson
Size: 6'1", 195 lbs.
Terrell has good length for the position, but has a wiry frame. He's susceptible to be overpowered and is more of a finesse player than a strong one. Still, he's more than willing to play the physical game -- just to varying results.
Speed: 4.42 (40-yard-dash).
His acceleration is really impressive. A burst-y athlete with springy breaks, he can quickly make a move to the football even when caught out of position. He's got above-average long speed, but isn't the fastest on the list. He's a converted receiver and has ball skills to match. He's long and disruptive. He could learn to get his head around quicker and can get grabby when he can't locate the football. He does a really good job covering the deep thirds, which would come in handy when the Eagles go to cover 3.
Off Man: Terrell has the necessary athleticism to run with any receiver. He's quick out of his breaks, although his change of direction can be tight sometimes. He can get antsy in off-man and make unnecessary breaks on the ball. This may show up on double moves. He could show more physicality throughout the route and do a better job of maintaining leverage. Overall, he's very sticky and has a very good feel for space.
Run Support: Willing, and savvy, but could be more assertive. He likes to lower his shoulder as opposed to wrapping, which results in some big hits, but some misses as well. Physically limited in his ability to take on blockers, but usually has the quickness to slice through. He's not afraid of the moment, but has some room for growth.
Bottom Line: Terrell is a very solid all-round cornerback prospect. He projects well in an off-man heavy scheme and has a knack for getting involved in the deep thirds. Both of these traits translate well to Jim Schwartz's defense. I'm not really sure how he'll be valued by other teams. Some may see him as an early starter, which would make him an expensive get for the Eagles. Not to disparage the young man, he's a great prospect, I just don't feel all that special about him in an Eagles' uniform.
Noah Igbinoghene | Auburn
Size: 5'11", 200 lbs.
Long-limbed with a thick build, Igbinoghene will come into the league with an NFL ready body. He's a competitive athlete with an incredible motor and that shows up all over the field. He does not back down from a challenge and is not afraid to put his body on the line.
Speed: 4.48 (40-yard-dash).
Looks faster on film. He's a former receiver, a highly touted one at that, and he looks as such. Acceleration, change of direction and lateral quickness are all high tier. He also has very impressive body control. He's a very good mover, but the nuances of the position -- footwork, hip fluidity, false steps -- are still a work in progress. Ball skills are a work in progress, but the physical traits are all there. He can find the football like a wide receiver when attacking upfield, but he's still uncomfortable with his back to the LOS. That is an area that should develop quickly.
Off Man: Shows a lot of stuff to like, but he's clearly new to the position. The athletic traits are all there, but it will take some practice to develop the technique. He's a very fluid athlete with good burst, which translates well to off-man. He will bite on fakes and play action, but more due to inexperience than glaring concerns in tendency.
Run Support: He's a very willing participant and will make plays simply off effort. Tackling technique still needs some work, but he's physical and will lower his shoulder -- although he has the tendency to throw himself at the ball carrier. He also has jarring hands that help him work off of blocks.
Bottom Line: For only playing two years at the position, Igbinoghene is a tantalizing prospect. He has a very high ceiling if developed well. The Eagles do not have a great track record with bringing along young corners, but that could change with new faces in the coaching staff. If the team is able to secure one or two starting corners in free agency, Igbinoghene could be a project to develop for the future. In the meantime, he has great value as a gunner on special teams. His draft projection is all over the map, but will likely be a day two guy.
Continued on the pages below.
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP Photo/AJ Mast
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Darnay Holmes | University of California, Los Angeles
Size: 5'10", 192 lbs.
Holmes is an undersized corner that likely projects best in the slot at the next level. He uses his body well to force receivers towards the sideline and can crowd and misdirect receivers at the top of their routes, but does not have the size to outmuscle opponents. He's not very long either. Despite his size limitations, he's a fairly physical player and can be disruptive at the catch point. Press coverage is a massive hole in his game, which why I see many teams putting him in the slot.
Speed: 4.48 (40-yard-dash).
He runs way faster on field than a 4.48. There's plenty of tape of him keeping up with NFL prospects, including last year's top blazer Marquise Brown. Feet, lateral quickness and change of direction are also lightning quick. He's an electric return man as well. His feel for space and overhead tracking are both pluses to his skill set. His length limits his ability to break up passes, but he was very involved at UCLA and can hopefully turn that into production.
Off Man: Probably the best coverage in his tool chest. Off man allows him to use his burst and speed to make breaks on the football and keeps him away from contact at the LOS. His football IQ really shines when allowed to read and react. The combination of a sharp mind and twitchy reflexes make him a very fun corner to watch; a very promising prospect as well. He does like to jump routes, which can make him susceptible to double moves, but he does a good job to keep his eyes out of the backfield.
Run Support: A mixed bag. As a tackler, he shows good form and can bring a real lick for a guy his size. However, he doesn't exactly love to stick his nose into traffic and can get lost in the shuffle. He doesn't yet trust his instincts or technique enough to make fast breaks into the backfield. Still, a solid tackler with some room for growth. Obviously, if he does spend most of his time in the slot, he will need to improve this aspect of his game.
Bottom Line: Holmes would be a fantastic third round option for the Eagles. In his rookie year, he'll bring special teams talent as a returner as well as offer some value as a nickel or dime corner. I really like the upside of his game. He's a very cerebral player, which will only get better with time in an NFL film room. His weaknesses are well masked by the Eagles' defensive scheme (apart from some issues in run support). For that reason, he's probably more valuable to the Birds than some other teams, which may create an opportunity for some great second-day value. A gem in the rough for now, a better 40-time at his Pro Day may cause him to start rising.
Amik Robertson | Louisiana Tech
Size: 5'8", 183 lbs.
Robertson is small, but he plays like nobody's told him that yet. Not afraid to go mono e mono with bigger receivers or cut the legs out from underneath a bruising back, Robertson plays more physical than most corners twice his size. Obvious size and length limitations do show up in coverage however. He'll continue to play in the slot in the NFL.
Speed: Did not participate at the Combine due to injury.
Overall speed is difficult to quantify without a 40-time and film against lesser competition. Clearly he had no issue running stride for stride with receivers he did face. Simply due to his size, he may be taken advantage of by taller receivers. Big slots may not be his best matchup. Smooth hips and steady footwork allow him to turn and run seamlessly. His ball skills are helped out somewhat by long limbs for a guy his size. He had pretty fantastic production in college, registering 14 interceptions in three years and was tied for the lead in PBUs in the NCAA in 2019 with 16.
Off Man: Really good mirror-match skills mix with his quickness and footwork. I think he's a bit more comfortable when he can get his hands on a receiver, but there are no glaring weaknesses when he plays off. His time as a nickel corner has given him a good feel for space. Regardless, he is physical all throughout the route and constantly battles his opponents for leverage. There will be some discipline and technique to improve upon and he still relies a bit too heavily on his athleticism. Still, Robertson is a very technically sound corner for a day-three prospect.
Run Support: Impressive. He has very good instincts and reacts quickly and with intent. When he does arrive, he's coming with heat -- never afraid to lower the shoulder. He can be an incredibly forceful tackler.
Bottom Line: Robertson's ceiling is more tangible for scouts due to his size, which has made him fly under the radar during the draft process. There will also be knocks due to his competition. However, whoever does take a chance on the young man could be getting a real steal. There's a real upside and I love his mentality. He's got some dog in him and it doesn't take much tape to figure that out. His showing at his Pro Day will really help to solidify his draft projection. As it stands, he would be a stellar late second to third day (3rd or 4th round) selection for the Eagles.
Final Thoughts
When and where the Eagles target a corner will depend on how many receivers are gone by the time they pick in the second round. Free agency will obviously play a factor if they are unable to coax any good options into a contract. Regardless, I don't foresee them using their first-round selection on a corner. If pass-catching prospects like K.J. Hamler and Brandon Aiyuk are gone by the time the Eagles are on the clock for the second time, there should be ample cornerback options to choose from.
My favorite second-day option is Jeff Gladney. I really like what he brings to the table and think he's got an exciting upside. There's really no wrong answers: a ton of prospects specialise in man coverage and are plus athletes.
If there are still receivers to be had, then the Eagles will probably defer to the third or fourth round to look at corners. In that case, I really like both Darnay Holmes and Amik Robertson. It seems like Robertson will be the quicker riser of the two, but both could reasonably still be available in the third round or on day three.
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP Photo/AJ Mast
