Leading into the NFL draft, my "favorite five" prospects for the New England Patriots at their five primary positions of need -- running back, cornerback, offensive tackle, defensive tackle and wide receiver -- will be highlighted. Part II is on cornerbacks:
Sean Davis (Maryland) – At 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, he has notable physical traits that when paired with his athletic testing, potential position versatility and special-teams contributions put him on the radar with one of the team’s early-round picks. Bill Belichick has spent one-on-one time with him.
T.J. Green (Clemson) – His combination of size (6-foot-2¼, 209 pounds), speed (4.34 in the 40), potential positional versatility (corner/safety) and special-teams contributions could be deemed worthy of harnessing as he’s a prospect who switched from receiver to defensive back in 2014.
Xavien Howard (Baylor) – The 6-foot, ⅛-inch, 201-pound Howard falls into this category because he is one of the better projected press-man corners in the draft, with notable physical traits and a history of durability. He’s an early-to-mid-round option.
Cyrus Jones (Alabama) – A smaller option at 5-foot-9⅞ and 197 pounds, he provides potential double value as a slot corner and punt returner. He comes out of a big-time program that is well respected in New England and is considered a high-intangibles prospect in the early-round range.
Tavon Young (Temple) – The 5-foot-9⅛, 183-pound Young moves well laterally and fits into the slot corner mix, where his toughness is also an asset. He would also fit into the special-teams mix as he runs well (4.41 in the 40). He's a mid-to-late-round projection.
PREVIOUS POSTS
Part I: Running backs