Philadelphia Eagles Draft Keys On Cornerback

Sep 27, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons cornerback

(9) warms up before the

first half against the Louisville Cardinals at Papa John

Kevin Johnson, cornerback, Wake Forest

A 6’0″ 188 pounds, this young cornerback from Wake Forest is certainly tall enough to land on the draft cards of NFL teams in the market.  Johnson is tad lighter than ideal, and it’s in the lower body area.   That can be fixed in the weight room and on the track.  His game footage shows a candidate who can do what the Eagles will likely ask of their cornerbacks – play press man coverage.   He has a well developed sense of balance and can stick with a receiver through double moves.  He reacts well to sudden breaks and can position himself between a receiver and the quarterback to be in prime position to defend or intercept the pass.

He is stronger than he looks, and recovers when he is fooled by an initial move.   If he were in the 200 pound range, he could challenge for the top cornerback of the draft.  But he’s not, so he could fall to the Eagles at 20.   If they need a corner to play out of the shoot, they should look closely at this young man.

Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters catches a pass in a workout drill during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Peters, cornerback, University of  Washington

I’ve seen this 6’0″ 197 pound prospect mocked to the Philadelphia Eagles more than any other name.  Clearly this is a talented young man.  When he was playing for the Huskies, he was a natural at the position.  He stands out against even the best receivers in the NCAA, keying off the receiver to turn and locate the ball.  That comfort level of waiting for the receiver to break on the ball gives Peters the opportunity to remain very close to his target.

Not only does Peters perform well in pass defense, but he displays excellent tackling skills in run support.  He is a phenomenal player on the field.

But, eventually, he comes off the field, and that is where the problems begin.  He was given a one game suspension for arguing with the coaching staff after the second game of the season.  After that, his temper exploded once more in practice with a dispute with an assistant coach.   Following that, he was dismissed from the team.

"“It’s unfortunate, but you know, we have certain standards and operating procedures and we’re trying to do something special here. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. And like we said, we wish him the best. It’s always a hard thing. It really is. Worst part of the job, without question. With all that being said, that’s really it. That’s it in a nutshell. I know everybody wants the details and those things. We don’t go there. We can’t go there. But like I said we wish him the best and it’s hard and painful.” – Head coach Chris Petersen when asked why Peters was suspended."