Between now and the scheduled April 23rd opening of the 2020 NFL Draft, WEEI.com will take a position-by-position look at the prospects in this year's class, both in terms of a general overview as well as from a Patriots perspective.
Cornerback
Supply-and-Demand Overview: In the pass-happy world of pro football you can never have enough talent at the cornerback position, even a seemingly well-stocked team like the Patriots. Sure Stephon Gilmore is the defensive player of the year, Jason McCourty and Jonathan Jones remain to provide veteran depth, J.C. Jackson is a rising talent and Joejuan Williams is an untapped resource. But that probably won't keep Bill Belichick from at least considering a cornerback draft pick – more likely in the mid-to-later rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft – from a pretty solid, deep crop of prospects. Beginning with Ohio State star Jeffrey Okudah as early as No. 3 overall, there are a handful of first-round cornerback talents and then a boatload of lesser prospects for the second and third day of picks who offer their own upside in a league that's always starved for talent at the position.
Top Prospect: Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State.
Okudah was a unanimous All American last fall with the size, speed and technique to be an elite NFL cover man. While there is a lot to like about Okudah, if he goes as high as many are predicting the expectations he faces are almost unreal.
Overrated Prospect: Kristian Fulton, LSU.
Just because a guy comes from DBU, doesn't mean he's next in line for NFL stardom. Fulton has the size and speed but his compete level and fire seem less than ideal. Some have Fulton – who missed a year-plus of his career to an NCAA suspension related to using someone else's urine for a drug test – as a first-round pick. He has too many questions for my liking that high in the process.
Underrated Prospect: Jeff Gladney, TCU.
Gladney is a four-year starter with scrappy skills who finds a way to be around the football and make plays. The fact that he's 5-10 hurts him in terms of being an "elite" prospect, but Gladney can run hip-to-hip with receivers and get his hands on the ball. He's a little grabby at times, but he reminds me of Ty Law in his playing style. I'm not saying he's a future Hall of Famer, but Gladney will be a better NFL corner than people expect.
Wild Card: Trevon Diggs, Alabama. Stefon Diggs' brother very much looks the part of an elite NFL cornerback and elite athlete. He's long, fast and a reactive athlete. He's returned kicks and punts. He makes plays on the ball. Diggs could end up a better pro than what he showed for the talent-rich Tide.
Possible Patriots: Jeff Gladney, TCU; Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech; Bryce Hall, Virginia; Troy Pride Jr., Notre Dame.
If New England were to dip into the cornerback pool early on draft weekend, Gladney has the look of the kind of productive, well-rounded cover man the team covets. More likely, though, any cornerback would come later. The Patriots have never seemed to care much about height at the cornerback position, so the 5-8 Robertson might be an intriguing mid-round option. He's a three-year starter with high-end production and a lot to like other than his stature. Hall, on the other hand, has size but isn't nearly as smooth in terms of coverage ability. He may end up more of a special teams type and backup defensive back. Pride has 4.3-4.4 speed, but never really played to his physical potential for the Irish. He's developmental man coverage option with clear upside.
Estimated chances the Patriots take a CB at No. 23: 8
Estimated chances the Patriots take a CB at some point in the 2020 NFL Draft: 68
