Claiborne the 2nd highest CB prospect since Deon?

[perrykemp]

I keep seeing in various threads that "the scouts" had Claiborne the 2nd highest CB prospect since Deon.

Does anyone have a source for this? In all the lead up to draft and everything I can find out there on Claiborne NOBODY has put him in this category -- ie the Deon, Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, Revis category.

Deon, Woodson, and Bailey were all 6 foot + CBs with good size. Claiborne doesn't seem to have that kind of size.

Most seem to have him grouped in the Peterson (2011) and Haden (2010) level -- which is obviously pretty darn good.

 

[Risen Star]

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4692165/how-the-claiborne-trade-went-down

It's mentioned in that article.

Now you can disagree with that evaluation but they did apparently have that high a grade on him.

I don't find it all that outlandish. People can point to Revis, but if you remember, Revis didn't have a top 5 type grade when he came out.

 

[starsfreak31]

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4692165/how-the-claiborne-trade-went-down

It's mentioned in that article.

Now you can disagree with that evaluation but they did apparently have that high a grade on him.

I don't find it all that outlandish. People can point to Revis, but if you remember, Revis didn't have a top 5 type grade when he came out.

You're absolutely right. With that being said, I think people look at Revis' skill-set, measurables, and look for corners who fit that bill. Revis is very smooth and instinctive which allows him to be in position every time. Claiborne jumps out to you on tape with the same skillset, especially his ability to be a ball hawk (revis-like). As long as he has a strong work ethic (which by all accounts he does) and focuses on technique, we got a good one.

 

[perrykemp]

You're absolutely right. With that being said, I think people look at Revis' skill-set, measurables, and look for corners who fit that bill. Revis is very smooth and instinctive which allows him to be in position every time. Claiborne jumps out to you on tape with the same skillset, especially his ability to be a ball hawk (revis-like). As long as he has a strong work ethic (which by all accounts he does) and focuses on technique, we got a good one.

I'd be more than happy with Claiborne ending up being a Revis like player in the league. Who wouldn't?

That being said, I'm still trying to figure out what the Cowboys scouts saw in him that made them (somewhat uniquely from what I can tell) think he is the best CB prospect since Deon.

IMHO, the top CBs in that have been drafted in the last 25 years or so in the NFL are (in order of them being drafted NOT skill):

1. Rod Woodson
2. Deon Sanders
3. Charles Woodson
4. Champ Bailey
5. Darrell Revis

Am I missing anyone? Top 4 are all in the HoF or HoF bound. Revis is on that path.


One interesting thing about those 4 guys is that they were all on the large/tall side for CBs -- all over 6 foot.

 

[theogt]

Classic case of 20/20 hindsight. The question is how they were rated coming out of college. Not how they were rating coming out of college, after taking into account an entire NFL career's worth of production. The Cowboys have used the same grading scale system since Jerry bought the team. So they can cross compare grades on current players against players from 20 years ago. You simply rank all your highest rated corners and they'd given Claiborne the highest grade since Deion.

You might disagree with their grade on Claiborne, but it is what it is.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'd be more than happy with Claiborne ending up being a Revis like player in the league. Who wouldn't?

That being said, I'm still trying to figure out what the Cowboys scouts saw in him that made them (somewhat uniquely from what I can tell) think he is the best CB prospect since Deon.

IMHO, the top CBs in that have been drafted in the last 25 years or so in the NFL are (in order of them being drafted NOT skill):

1. Rod Woodson
2. Deon Sanders
3. Charles Woodson
4. Champ Bailey
5. Darrell Revis

Am I missing anyone? Top 4 are all in the HoF or HoF bound. Revis is on that path.


One interesting thing about those 4 guys is that they were all on the large/tall side for CBs -- all over 6 foot.

I think Peterson was also ranked pretty high.

 

[the_h0wey]

I keep seeing in various threads that "the scouts" had Claiborne the 2nd highest CB prospect since Deon.

Does anyone have a source for this? In all the lead up to draft and everything I can find out there on Claiborne NOBODY has put him in this category -- ie the Deon, Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey, Revis category.

Deon, Woodson, and Bailey were all 6 foot + CBs with good size. Claiborne doesn't seem to have that kind of size.

Most seem to have him grouped in the Peterson (2011) and Haden (2010) level -- which is obviously pretty darn good.

Who is this Deon fellow you speak of? Whoever he is I know he's nowhere near as good as Deion.