CB in the 1st Round? Breakdown and Videos

Shop for Houston Texans gear at Fanatics.com

CB in the 1st Round? Breakdown and Videos

February 29th, 2008

Matt Loede

Posted in Features

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Texans are leaning towards drafting more than one cornerback in April’s 2008 NFL Draft. If so, the prospects available to draft could be from a wide range of talent.

At the 18^th pick in the draft there could be several, few or no NFL ready corners worth drafting to start opposite of second-year CB Fred Bennett in Dunta Robinson’s absence. Robinson, who is recovering from a freakish knee and leg injury, should be back into November, but the Texans will need to gather depth at the CB position as the AFC South is shining more and more at the WR position. In the mean while, to start opposite of Bennett, there could be CB talents such as Troy’s Leodis McKelvin, Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Kansas’ Aqib Talib, South Florida’s Mike Jenkins, Indiana’s Tracy Porter, Virginia Tech’s Brandon Flowers, Arizona’s Antoine Cason, and Oklahoma’s CB/S Reggie Smith.

Leodis McKelvin (5-11, 190) ran a 40 in 4.38 seconds and he had a 33 inch vertical jump while impressing scouts and coaches in the drills at the Combine. McKelvin has the ability to knock the ball away and the speed to stay with receivers, but he hasn’t had the interception knack that most great CBs have in the NFL. Here’s a Senior Bowl video on Mike Mayock’s #1 rated CB, McKelvin, and the other CBs in this year’s draft.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (6-1, 184) had an impressive combine, but there have been questions to his NFL playmaking abilities. He ran the 40 in 4.33 seconds while jumping a 38.5 inch vertical with 17 bench reps. Here’s his impressive Senior Bowl highlights.

Aqib Talib’s impressive years at Kansas, 4.47 40, and 38 inch vertical jump has put him in first round status. Talib had 11 picks in his final 23 games at Kansas, and this talent could boost the amount of picks Houston had as they only registered 11 picks in all 16 games last season. Here’s Talib’s exciting KU record breaking 102-yard pick 6, a great NFL CB style tackle, and an amazing five yard (that’s right 5) dive and flip for a TD.

Mike Jenkins had a great college career and impressive combine. He ran the 40 in 4.38 seconds and pushed 18 bench reps. Here’s a great read by Jenkins for a pick, a KR for a TD from the stands, and CSTV bio.

Tracy Porter played well at Indiana while being an excellent man to man cover corner. At the combine he ran a 4.37 40 and benched 18 reps. Here’s a video of his speed on a PR and a wild return for nothing.

Brandon Flowers definitely has NFL CB presence and physicality, but his combine drills weren’t nearly as impressive as scouts thought he would display in Indianapolis. He ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds and only had 14 bench reps. Here’s a Flowers Mixtape with some great hits and picks.