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In an ongoing summer time sequence, Pewter Report appears at and ranks every place group within the NFC South. To this point, we’ve chronicled and ranked the NFC South quarterbacks, operating backs, extensive receivers, tight ends, offensive strains, defensive strains and linebackers. Now, it’s on to the NFC South’s cornerbacks.
The NFC South boasts a younger and gifted group of cornerbacks that results in an attention-grabbing dialog about the place every group ranks. In accordance with PFF the NFC South has 5 of the top-32 cornerbacks within the NFL heading into the 2023 season.
Tampa Bay Bucs
Bucs CB Carlton Davis III – Picture by: USA In the present day
The Bucs lead off the NFC South cornerback rankings as the one group within the aforementioned PFF article to characteristic multiple participant on the checklist. The attention-grabbing factor in regards to the Bucs’ beginning outdoors duo is that their No. 1 nook might not be their greatest nook.
Carlton Davis III has established himself as the highest participant within the Bucs cornerback room since his second yr with the group again in 2018. Davis is a gifted press-man nook who can lock down among the premier extensive receivers within the NFL. Davis’ PFF grades don’t at all times bear this out as a result of method Bucs head coach Todd Bowles sometimes deploys him.
Reverse Davis is Jamel Dean. Dean has ascended to one of many high 10 corners within the NFL and doubtlessly high 5 in man protection. Dean led off 2022 by wrestling away a beginning job from Sean Murphy-Bunting and adopted that up by enhancing his zone protection and his run protection. Dean was solely focused 68 occasions final yr, permitting 34 catches for 412 yards. As a matter of reality, Dean’s run protection grade was top-five amongst corners and his tackling grade was top-two in 2022.
The place the Bucs could discover some hassle is past their high two. Presently. Dee Delaney is penciled in on the nickel nook place. Delaney faces stiff competitors from rookie sixth-round choose Josh Hayes. Delaney has proven himself to be a strong, if unspectacular, choice who can present serviceable manufacturing over 400-plus snaps within the final two years. Hayes was a shock choice by the Bucs, however the group may be very excessive on him after he had some robust video games for Kansas State in 2022.
If Dean or Davis have been to go down the Bucs will depend on Zyon McCollum. McCollum struggled in his rookie yr, however nonetheless options unbelievable bodily traits. If McCollum can get the cerebral half down, the ceiling is near-limitless for him.
The Bucs have the highest duo within the NFC South, and it carries them to the highest spot within the rankings.
Carolina Panthers
Panthers CB Jaycee Horn Picture By: USA In the present day
The Panthers are led by former top-10 choose Jaycee Horn. Horn has been hampered by accidents so far in his profession, logging fewer than 1,000 snaps and 16 video games in his first two seasons. However when he has been wholesome, few corners can match his degree of play. Horn is adept at taking part in in man, press and zone coverages. If he can put collectively a full season, he has a very good probability of changing into one of many high cornerbacks within the NFL.
Donte Jackson is a constant and succesful starter who the Panthers can depend on. Jackson has failed to permit a reception of 40 yards or extra whereas choosing off seven passes prior to now three years. Jackson’s 4.32 velocity assist him sustain with any receiver that strains up reverse of him.
Former first-round choose C.J. Henderson is the first backup to Jackson and Horn. Henderson has by no means lived as much as his draft standing and didn’t overtake Jackson for the beginning function alongside Horn. He nonetheless supplies enviable depth if Horn’s damage issues proceed.
Security Jeremy Chinn is at the moment listed because the group’s major nickel nook in keeping with ourlads.com. Chinn performed 40% of his snaps within the slot final yr. At 6’3 and 220 kilos, Chinn is a bodily intimidating presence, and whereas he struggled to a sure diploma in protection final yr, he has proven he can play at a excessive degree in protection previous to that.
If Chinn can regain his 2021 play in protection and Horn can stay wholesome all yr. this group may problem the Bucs for the highest nook unit within the NFC South.
New Orleans Saints
Some could also be stunned by the Saints’ low rating on this checklist. Nonetheless, that’s much less an indictment on the Saints corners and extra a praise to the general expertise degree of the NFC South. New Orleans has one of the best nook within the division in Marshon Lattimore (though that baton could also be handed to Dean or Horn this yr).
Lattimore has lengthy been thought-about a top-three nook within the NFL, however has by no means fairly lived as much as his rookie season. Nonetheless, Lattimore can lock down among the greatest receivers within the recreation, together with the Bucs’ Mike Evans. As a lot as Bucs followers prefer to say Evans outplays Lattimore, the very fact is over their previous 5 matchups, Lattimore has held Evans to 5 catches on ten targets for 69 yards and a landing.
Paulson Adebo struggled final yr in his sophomore marketing campaign. At 6’1 and 192 kilos, he has the dimensions to achieve success, however he was focused 69 occasions whereas permitting 652 yards and 5 touchdowns final yr. Former Bronco and Texan Bradley Roby is engaged on his third season with the Saints and is slotted to be the group’s nickel nook. Roby’s degree of play has fallen off every of his previous two seasons, and at 31 years outdated, it’s affordable to fret whether or not he can regain the robust degree of play he confirmed from 2015-2020.
Saints CB Alontae Taylor Picture By: USA In the present day
There’s a probability that 2022 second-round choose Alontae Taylor usurps Adebo for the beginning job reverse Lattimore. Taylor got here out of the gate robust final yr with a 91.1 PFF grade in his debut efficiency throughout Week 2 in opposition to the Bucs. However he succumbed to inevitable rookie struggles, ending the yr with a 54.5 grade. Taylor might want to enhance his tackling, as he had a 23.6% missed sort out charge final yr. However he confirmed a number of promise, permitting a catch charge of simply 45.3%, 283 yards and no touchdowns.
Isaac Yiadom rounds out the group with a veteran presence who will be counted on to know his project. Yiadom is a good distance from his days beginning for the Giants in 2020 and having fun with a strong season as an honest No. 2, having logged solely two snaps final yr on protection for the Houston Texans.
Any group that has the opportunity of having fun with a Lattimore high-end season goes to have an opportunity at having the most effective cornerback rooms within the NFL, not to mention the NFC South. And head coach Dennis Allen, very like Bowles, has a method of constructing the sum of the components larger than the components themselves. However there are professional query marks previous Lattimore. Personally, I imagine Taylor is poised for an enormous step ahead in 2023 that would assist get this unit again to battling the Bucs for the highest spot within the NFC South for years to come back.
Atlanta Falcons
Former Lions and present Falcons CB Jeff Okudah Picture By: USA In the present day
A.J. Terrell was the most effective corners within the league in 2021, permitting solely 29 catches for 200 yards and incomes an 82.6 PFF grade. He took a step again in 2022, however completed robust during the last 4 weeks. Terrell is large and quick and may match up with anybody.
The Falcons made a sizeable splash previous to the draft by buying and selling for former top-five choose Jeff Okudah. It represented a low-risk, high-reward play. Okudah began final yr off lastly exhibiting the promise that earned him his draft standing, however didn’t maintain that efficiency over all the yr. The e-book isn’t closed on him and as a No. 2, he may very well be very serviceable. Giving up a fifth-round choose for somebody they will plug into the beginning lineup with upside is a improbable transfer that bolsters all the secondary.
Former UCF Knight Mike Hughes was signed to supply depth. Hughes has at all times had immense expertise, as evidenced by his 95-yard kickoff return for a landing to save lots of UCF’s undefeated season in 2017. Issues by no means labored out for Hughes with the Vikings, who drafted him within the first spherical of the 2018 draft, and so they traded him to the Chiefs previous to the 2021 season. That led to one of the best season of his profession. He parlayed that right into a one-year cope with the Lions, the place he continued his robust run protection, although his protection manufacturing fell off a bit. In Atlanta, he’ll attempt to recapture that 2021 magic.
Clark Phillips III may debut in Week 1 because the group’s beginning slot nook. Phillips had among the most enjoyable tape of any nook in a really robust 2023 NFL draft class. His lack of bodily measurables and his 5’9 stature brought on him to fall to the fourth spherical, however he could find yourself being one of many steals of the draft. Phillips’ greatest tape at Utah got here as an outdoor nook, however there isn’t any purpose to imagine he can’t transition to the slot nicely.
Tre Flowers has over 3,000 profession snaps of barely below-average play. You are able to do so much worse for a fifth nook.
The NFC South Cornerback Room Is Proficient
There are 24 completely different mixtures of how the NFC South cornerback rankings may wind up on the finish of the yr. There’s a path for all 4 groups to take the highest spot. There’s a path for all 4 groups to finish up in final. Finally, all 4 groups have a fantastic mix of expertise and query marks to make the upcoming season a captivating one to observe.
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