On one hand, wide receivers inherently hold an advantage in one-on-one drills at the Senior Bowl. But on the other hand, those one-on-one drills can be a great opportunity for cornerbacks to prove themselves on an island. Do the 2022 Senior Bowl cornerbacks project well in that environment? Let’s take a look at the group and what the top NFL Draft prospects offer ahead of the showcase in Mobile!
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2022 Senior Bowl Cornerbacks
All in all, the 2022 Senior Bowl cornerbacks group is full of intriguing prospects. Some present versatility between cornerback and safety. If you don’t see a player you’re looking for, check the 2022 Senior Bowl safeties article. In the meantime, here’s the list at the cornerback position, broken up by National Team and American Team.
National Team
- Coby Bryant | Cincinnati
- Tariq Castro-Fields | Penn State
- Gregory Junior | Ouachita Baptist
- Damarri Mathis | Pitt
- Jaylen Watson | Washington State
American Team
- Akayleb Evans | Missouri
- Mario Goodrich | Clemson
- Derion Kendrick | Georgia
- Zyon McCollum | Sam Houston State
- Roger McCreary | Auburn
- Alontae Taylor | Tennessee
- Cam Taylor-Britt | Nebraska
- Josh Thompson | Texas
- Tariq Woolen | UTSA
Top Senior Bowl Cornerbacks | National Team
The National Team isn’t quite as voluminous as the American Team. Nevertheless, each cornerback comes with intriguing talent.
Jaylen Watson is a tall, physical cornerback who can sink his hips and explode downhill. Tariq Castro-Fields has fast feet, as well as awareness and starting experience. And then there’s Damarri Mathis, who brings great footwork and proactivity as a playmaker. Those players are fun, but the two most worth watching might be Coby Bryant and Gregory Junior.
Coby Bryant, Cincinnati
Ahmad Gardner gets all the hype, and deservedly so. He’s a bonafide first-round talent. But on the opposite boundary, Bryant held his own for the Bearcats in his time at Cincinnati. With 9 interceptions and 35 deflections over the past four years, Bryant’s ball skills are unquestioned.
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The trait under the microscope in Mobile will be his athleticism and matching ability. Can he stick with receivers unassisted in one-on-ones? If he can, it’ll be a big boost for his stock, and maybe move him into Day 2 range.
Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist
His last name may be “Junior”, but Gregory seeks to be the senior in every wide receiver matchup he comes across. The Division II cornerback is quickly rising across the NFL Draft landscape.
An NFLPA Bowl call-up, he’ll have a great chance to skyrocket his stock in Mobile. He’s a twitchy, explosive defensive back with great hip sink and physicality. Evaluators will be watching to see if he can meet the challenge of going up against FBS receivers.
Top Senior Bowl Cornerbacks | American Team
It’s hard to know where to start with the American Team’s cornerback group. It’s a pretty stacked lineup, with a lot of exciting prospects. Tariq Woolen and Zyon McCollum are plus athletes who can be size mismatches. Josh Thompson is an underrated talent with coverage upside and tenacity in run support, as is Mario Goodrich. Alontae Taylor and Akayleb Evans have opportunities to rise. There’s also Cam Taylor-Britt, a springy athlete with great instincts and energy.
The American Team 2022 Senior Bowl cornerback group is loaded with talent, but there are two names that stand out above the rest in preliminary studies. Those two names are Auburn’s Roger McCreary and Georgia’s Derion Kendrick.
Roger McCreary, Auburn
McCreary’s arm length measurements will generate some discussion, as he will be one of the shorter-armed cornerbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft. But he makes up for it with his technique and toughness as a competitor.
McCreary isn’t afraid to get into the grill of his opponent. And with his twitchy, frantic athleticism, he sticks to receivers in man coverage. McCreary has great ball skills and the closing speed to provide some schematic versatility.
Derion Kendrick, Georgia
No cornerback will have more attention heading into the 2022 Senior Bowl than Georgia’s Kendrick. His dismissal from Clemson will be a hot topic, but the former wide receiver got back on his feet at Georgia and didn’t look back.
Kendrick generated 4 interceptions in an impressive 2021 campaign. He won’t have the boon of an elite surrounding defense in Mobile, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does in one-on-ones. He has the short-area quickness, fluidity, and length to compete and make plays on the ball. But will he be able to recover if receivers get a step on him? That’s what Kendrick needs to show.
