Arizona Cardinals will find draft rich in cornerbacks

With a strong need to find a number-two cornerback the Arizona Cardinals will find the upcoming NFL Draft deep at the position

Searching for a cornerback seems to be an annual tradition for the Arizona Cardinals’ front office. This offseason is no different, and the club should be gearing up to fill the need in the upcoming NFL Draft. Fortunately for Steve Keim and company, the 2017 crop of college corners is the best it’s been in years.

In fact, the group is so deep that the Cards could conceivably wait until the second round and still get a quality cover guy. Or they could expand their odds of finally finding that elusive starter they seek, and use both of their first two picks on the position. It’s an idea that certainly isn’t out of the question.

It appears that Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore is the top cornerback choice of most draftniks. He has good size (6’0″, 192), and tallied four interceptions and 41 tackles in 2016. Lattimore may or may not be available for the Cardinals with the 13th overall pick, but if he is would probably start from day one.

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Marlon Humphrey of Alabama is slightly bigger than Lattimore (6’1″, 198). And like Lattimore, he may also be gone by the time Arizona picks in the first round. Over the last two seasons, Humphrey collected 81 tackles and five picks.

Tre’Davious White continues the long-standing tradition of LSU defensive backs. He has similar size (6’0″, 197) to the previously-mentioned prospects, but lacks their speed. He amassed 167 tackles over the past four years, and also came down with six interceptions.

Iowa’s Desmond King has average size (5’11”, 203) and speed, but is an excellent tackler. He accumulated an impressive 263 tackles during his four college campaigns. King also showed ball-hawking skills with 14 picks during that time.

Gareon Conley is the lesser-known of the Ohio State corners, but is rapidly moving up draft boards. He is similar in size (6’0″, 195) to his teammate Lattimore, but isn’t as fast. He had 75 tackles and six interceptions during 2015-16.

Cordrea Tankersley isn’t garnering the same kind of publicity as some of his peers, but his production has been excellent the last two seasons. He tallied 100 tackles and nine picks during that time. Tankersley may fall out of the first round, but be of great value to whichever team takes him thereafter.

Sidney Jones IV of Washington looked like a sure first-round pick before rupturing his Achilles’ tendon at his pro day. He totalled 145 tackles and eight picks since 2014. He may now drop to the third or fourth round because of the injury that will most likely sideline him in ’17.

Other later-round possibilities include Fabian Moreau, Adoree’ Jackson, Quincy Wilson, Teez Tabor, Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Rasul Douglas. It’s time that Arizona fixes the cornerback problem once and for all. The 2017 NFL Draft may be the tool.

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