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Kane Ala
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2015 NFL Draft Prospects: Cornerbacks
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/MichiganState_logo.gif Trae Waynes, CB*, Michigan State
Height: 6-1. Weight: 182.
Projected 40 Time: 4.43.
Projected Round (2014): 1-2.
2/7/15: Waynes totaled 10 passes broken up, three interceptions, and 50 tackles in 2014. He was reliable in coverage and demonstrated the ability to be a press-man corner. The junior is quick and physical.
Waynes notched four tackles, one interception and one pass broken up against Penn State. Versus Michigan, Waynes had five tackles with a pass broken up. He played well against Wolverines receiver Devin Funchess, although an idiotic official flagged Waynes falsely on one contested pass. He had two interceptions against Nebraska with good coverage. Waynes was called for two pass interference penalties, too, but only one was legitimate.
Waynes had excellent coverage all night against Oregon. On the first drive of the game, Mariota went his direction, but Waynes nailed a receiver to knock a pass away. Waynes had tight coverage throughout the night on receivers running deep downfield. In the second half, Mariota tested Waynes deep, but he was in the hip pocket of the receiver. Waynes got away with some contact, but it was a better non-call.
8/27/14: While Darqueze Dennard received all the headlines in 2013, Waynes also had an excellent season for Michigan State. The sophomore was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by the coaches and media. He totaled 50 tackles with five deflections and three interceptions. Waynes ended the year on a high note with good games against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
Waynes has the size and athletic ability to be a press-man corner. He should add strength as he matures. The question for the NFL will be if Waynes has enough speed, although he reportedly has run the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds.
Personal: Son of Ron and Erin Waynes.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/LSU_logo.gif Jalen Collins*, CB, LSU
Height: 6-2. Weight: 195.
Projected 40 Time: 4.48.
Projected Round (2015): 1-3.
2/7/15: The Combine is going to be huge for Collins. The junior recorded 38 tackles, nine passes broken up and an interception in 2014. He did well in his plays against Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates. Collins also played well versus Ole Miss with three passes broken up and had an interception against Texas A&M.
Collins has good size and is a physical defender. His ability to play off-man coverage could be questioned by NFL teams, but sources say that Collins runs well in the 40. With his size, that could send his stock skyrocketing.
Collins is said to have great speed, but hasn't always played up to it. It flashes at times like when he tracked down Melvin Gordon from behind on a long run in the 2014 season opener.
8/27/14: Collins was a 2012 Freshman All-SEC selection by the conference's coaches. He totaled 30 tackles and two interceptions. As a sophomore, Collins started two games. He had 22 tackles with two passes broken up in 2013. Collins possesses the skill set to become a good starter. LSU has been a factory for elite defensive backs, so Collins will have to earn his playing time.
Personal: Majoring in general studies. Son of Valencia Collins and Jon Wallace.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/WakeForest_logo.gif Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
Height: 6-1. Weight: 175.
Projected 40 Time: 4.47.
Projected Round (2015): 1-3.
2/7/15: Johnson recorded 43 tackles with six passes broken up and one interception in 2014. He is a good cover corner who needs to add weight for the NFL. Johnson has length and athleticism to cover big receivers along the sideline.
Johnson recorded 58 tackles with three interceptions and 12 passes broken up in 2013. He was an honorable mention All-ACC selection. As a sophomore, Johnson had 58 tackles with 15 passes broken up and three interceptions. He was ruled academically ineligible the year before.
Personal: Son of Kevin and Judy Johnson. Majoring in communication.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/FloridaState_logo.gif Ronald Darby*, CB, Florida State
Height: 5-11. Weight: 195.
Projected 40 Time: 4.45.
Projected Round (2015): 1-3.
2/7/15: Darby notched 43 tackles with four passes broken up in 2014 and was a solid contributor on special teams as well. He played well against Oklahoma State in the season opener, but had a mixed outing against Clemson.
Darby was a reliable cover corner for the Seminoles. He has good speed and athleticism to run with receivers to prevent separation. Darby also is put together well, so receivers can't push him around. Receivers rarely ever got open against him.
8/27/14: Darby impressed in 2012 with eight passes broken up, 22 tackles and a forced fumble. He had four passes broken up and two interceptions in 2013, but only 14 tackles. With Lamarcus Joyner in the NFL, Darby could take over nickel corner duties for the Seminoles. He has some natural cover-corner skills.
Darby had a part in the Jameis Winston rape investigation. Winston wasn't charged, but Darby was said to be a witness. Darby could have been punished for underage drinking and recording someone without their consent, but the school decided not to punish any of the three players involved.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/Stanford_logo.gif Alex Carter*, CB, Stanford
Height: 6-0. Weight: 200.
Projected 40 Time: 4.47.
Projected Round (2015): 1-3.
2/7/15: Carter had a solid regular season. He is a physical corner with some coverage skills, but would probably fit best in a zone scheme in the NFL. The junior had 39 tackles, one interception and nine passes broken up in 2014.
Carter had a mixed game against Oregon, but did make his first interception of the year. That is an accomplishment for him as Marcus Mariota has very rarely thrown picks. Carter played well against USC and held his own against wide receiver Nelson Agholar. Carter didn't pitch a shutout, but Stanford didn't have him following Agholar around the field. Carter also was solid against Notre Dame. He did pretty well in coverage of Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong with a pass breakup, but did get caught looking into the backfield and Strong got open for a short touchdown.
5/30/14: The Cardinal has had a tough defense - one of the best in college football - over the past few seasons. The front seven has gotten a lot of attention, but Carter has led the way for a quality secondary. He has good size, physicality and coverage skills.
In 2013, Carter totaled 59 tackles with eight passes broken up and an interception. He started only eight games in 2012, but played in all 14. The freshman totaled 46 tackles with three tackles for a loss, one pass broken up and three forced fumbles. His stock could easily rise.
Personal: Son of Tom and Renee Carter.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/FloridaState_logo.gif P.J. Williams*, CB, Florida State
Height: 6-0. Weight: 196.
Projected 40 Time: 4.46.
Projected Round (2015): 1-3.
2/7/15: In 2014, Williams totaled 10 passes broken up, one interception and 68 tackles. He has some size, speed and athleticism, but he could be better off in primarily a zone or press-man scheme in the NFL. Teams are split on Williams with some seeing him as possible late first-rounder while others say the have him as a solid second-rounder. The Combine will be important for him.
Williams held his own against Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker. Parker had a few receptions, but Williams also had tight coverage on the vast majority of their plays, including a clutch pass breakup on a slant. Williams had a couple of rough plays, but generally played well against Oklahoma State and Clemson. Versus the Cowboys, he allowed separation on a deep ball, but the receiver couldn't control it in the end zone. Williams was fortunate that he wasn't flagged for some pass interference penalties, too. He had a huge forced fumble to help clinch a win in that contest.
8/27/14: Williams had an excellent debut as a starter in 2013. He was the Defensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game as he had seven tackles and a critical fourth-quarter interception that helped spark Florida State's comeback win. The first-year starter totaled 35 tackles with seven passes broken up and three interceptions for the season.
Williams has a good combination of size, speed and athletic ability. He has a lot of upside and could develop into a dominant player in 2014.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/CentralFlorida_logo.gif Jacoby Glenn**, CB, Central Florida
Height: 6-0. Weight: 186.
Projected 40 Time: 4.52.
Projected Round (2015): 1-3.
2/7/15: Glenn - a surprise early entry in the 2015 NFL Draft - has some size to go along with man coverage and ball skills. The redshirt sophomore recorded 48 tackles with seven interceptions, 11 passes broken up and one forced fumble in 2014. Glenn could end up rising during the draft process. As a freshman, he had 52 tackles with two interceptions and 15 passes broken up.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/Oregon_logo.gif Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
Height: 5-10. Weight: 195.
Projected 40 Time: 4.39.
Projected Round (2015): 2-3.
2/7/15: Ekpre-Olomu was in the running to be the first cornerback drafted before tearing an ACL during bowl practice. That will most likely send him to the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft. The senior totaled two interceptions, nine passes broken up and 58 tackles in 2014.
In the Pac-12 Championship, Ekpre-Olomu had five tackles and a forced fumble on special teams against Arizona. He did well in pass coverage. Against Stanford, Ekpre-Olomu recorded nine tackles and helped limit Ty Montgomery from making any big plays. Overall, it was a good tape for Ekpre-Olomu. A few games earlier, Ekpre-Olomu had a good outing against Washington with a couple of passes broken up and some tackles. Versus UCLA, he had an impressive interception that he tricked Brett Hundley into throwing and had a pass broken up on a two-point conversion attempt.
Ekpre-Olomu did a good job of defending Cayleb Jones and Austen Hill while facing Arizona. He ran with the receivers and prevented them from getting separation. However, Ekpre-Olomu did have a pass interference penalty in the end zone and was run over by a running back on a touchdown run.
Ekpre-Olomu recorded nine tackles, a tackle for a loss and a pass batted against Washington State. On the other hand, he also was beaten for a couple of touchdowns. In Week 2, Ekpre-Olomu had good coverage against Michigan State throughout the game. He made a highlight-reel diving interception in the second half. It was a huge play for Oregon.
8/27/14: There is no doubt that Ekpre-Olomu has good instincts. He is quick and athletic, but needs to improve his strength, physicality and run defense. Still, Ekpre-Olomu is fast and athletic. He does an impressive job of running the route with receivers and not allowing separation.
Ekpre-Olomu had a strong 2013. Late in the regular season, the junior was phenomenal against Oregon State and wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Ekpre-Olomu showed the movement skills, speed and agility to prevent a small, speedy receiver like Cooks from gaining separation. Ekpre-Olomu had three passes broken up, one interception and 12 tackles against the Beavers.
Ekpre-Olomu had some rough moments in coverage against Colorado (Paul Richardson), but he had a big performance versus California with 11 tackles and his first interception of the season. Ekpre-Olomu maintained good coverage versus Tennessee and played well against UCLA. He totaled 78 tackles, three interceptions, six passes broken up and one forced fumble in 2013.
Ekpre-Olomu worked his way into a starting role in 2012 and had an impressive season. He totaled 63 tackles, four interceptions, six forced fumbles and 16 passes defensed. As a sophomore, Ekpre-Olomu had some good and bad moments against USC and its star receivers Marqise Lee and Robert Woods in 2012. Ekpre-Olomu played a lot of press man and held his own with an interception and a few passes broken up in the end zone, but he also was beaten for a score and was called for a few pass-interference penalties.
One issue for Ekpre-Olomu is height. If he measures in any shorter than listed, some teams may consider him only as a slot cornerback.
Personal: Son of Joshua and Queen Ekpre-Olomu.
- http://BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1/college/FloridaAtlantic_logo.gif D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic
Height: 5-10. Weight: 189.
Projected 40 Time: 4.50.
Projected Round (2015): 2-3.
2/7/15: Smith had a respectable week at the Senior Bowl, and sources have said that Smith impressed them. He totaled 53 tackles with eight passes broken up and one forced fumble this season. Smith has the speed and athleticism to be a cover corner. Opponents didn't throw his direction much in 2014.
Smith totaled 13 passes broken up, seven interceptions and 35 tackles in 2013. As a sophomore, he notched 25 tackles with eight passes broken up. Smith also served as a kick returner and averaged 26 yards per kick return as a senior.
Personal: Son of Jason and Tosha Smith.