NFL Draft 2013: Mike Mayock ranks D.J. Hayden as top corner

If NFL teams are thinking like Mayock, then that is a big change from Hayden’s original status. He did not appear in SB Nation’s latest first-round NFL mock draft, which instead had Alabama’s Dee Milliner as the top cornerback heading to San Diego at No. 11. Dan Kadar pegged Hayden as the 75th-best prospect in his Top 200 Big Board, and No. 12 among corners.

Kadar evaluated Hayden as a corner who plays best off the ball, where he can utilize his speed and quickness:

In pass coverage, Hayden often played off man coverage with safety help over the top. That allowed him to break on the ball to make a play. It’s a system that perfectly suited Hayden. He’s a quick-movement cornerback who can bait a quarterback before breaking on the ball to break up the pass. Hayden’s instincts and anticipation skills are very good.

NFL.com gives Hayden a grade of 66.6, the 26th-highest grade at his position. Apparently Hayden’s 4.33 40-yard dash time from Houston’s pro day made a big impression, because he had initially been evaluated as a late-round prospect.

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