NFL free agency 2017: The best cornerbacks are waiting in the NFL draft

The best available free-agent cornerbacks got snapped up on the first day of free agency. Jacksonville got A.J. Bouye, Stephon Gilmore went to New England, and Logan Ryan landed in Tennessee. However, the teams in need of a corner that missed out on the top free agents will find good news waiting for them in the 2017 NFL draft.

Defensive backs are a real strength of this draft class. This year’s combine made that clear. As a group, the incoming rookies possess a lot of skills and attributes teams look for in a big-time defensive back: namely, size and speed.

Free-agent corners still on the market are either past their primes, struggled in the past, or don’t have the size many teams want in a defensive back. Because this draft class is filled with long, athletic, game-changing defensive backs, the free-agent defensive backs in the NFL may find it more difficult to land with a team.

Size and speed

You know the old saying: “You can’t teach size and speed.” Well, those are two of the biggest characteristics of most of the defensive backs in this year’s draft class.

More than half of the defensive backs who were at the combine were 6’0 or taller. Marshon Lattimore, Marlon Humphrey, Jalen Tabor, and Obi Melifonwu are all top-notch defensive backs. And all four of them are at least 6’0.

Pay close attention to their speed, also.

Twenty-nine defensive backs ran under a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. Guys like Shaquill Griffin (4.38), Jalen Myrick (4.28), and Chidobe Awuzie (4.43) raised eyebrows with their 40 times.

Still not convinced? Well, check out Melifonwu’s 40-yard dash:

Youth

Ask yourself this question: Do you think teams will scour the free-agent market to sign older players or pursue younger players with high potential in a draft filled with them?

Free agents like Darius Butler, Darrelle Revis, and Brandon Carr are all on the wrong side of age 30, and their best days are clearly behind them. It will be hard for them to persuade defensive back-needy teams to sign them with so many young, capable corners available in the draft.

One can only imagine how good they’ll be in another five years. That’s why teams are excited about the young cornerbacks and safeties entering the draft.

Who needs a defensive back?

Defensive backs are like pass rushers. You can never have enough of them, but some teams desperately need one. The Dallas Cowboys are at the top of the list. Dallas had the 26th-ranked passing defense in the NFL in 2016.

Carr, Morris Claiborne, and Barry Church surrendered too many big plays last season, so look for the Cowboys to bolster their defensive backfield. They could draft Lattimore, who had the speed, quickness, and athleticism to be a lockdown cornerback. Lattimore is projected as a top-five pick, so Dallas will have to trade up from the 28th spot to select him.

The New York Jets desperately need help in the secondary. After releasing Revis, the Jets need a cornerback who can shut down one side of the field like Revis did during the prime of his Hall of Fame career. Last season, though, Revis Island looked like it was open to whomever wanted to visit it. He didn’t look like his old self.

New York’s 17th-ranked defense got carved up in 2016. Marlon Humphrey would be a great addition to this team. He’s an aggressive cornerback who likes to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.

“A team is going to get a great player from the first round to the fourth round,” Lattimore said at the combine. “It’s a deep draft, and I’m honored to be considered one of the top cornerbacks in the draft.”

There’s still depth to be found in free agency, but for teams hoping to land the kind of blue chip players who can anchor a defense, just wait for the draft.