Dolphins have NFL’s priciest cornerback duo, but they need more. Exploring options.
The Dolphins don’t necessarily need to emerge from the NFL Draft with a top cornerback, knowing they have the NFL’s highest-paid duo in Xavien Howard and Byron Jones.
But considering they could use some competition at nickel corner (where Nik Needham and Jamal Perry — formerly known as Jomal Wiltz — are the best slot cornerback options under contract), and considering Howard’s durability issues with his thrice-surgically repaired knees, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to augment the position in the first three or four rounds of this month’s NFL Draft.
We would expect the Dolphins to explore nickel cornerback options in the draft, potentially on day three.
Beyond likely top 6 pick Jeffrey Okudah of Ohio State, only one cornerback (UF’s C.J. Henderson) is universally rated as a top 25 corner, and his deficiencies against the run — combined with the investment in Jones — make him an unlikely fit for Miami.
Because Henderson attended Miami’s Columbus High, he would have been permitted to work out for the Dolphins at their facility. Dolphins officials conveyed that they wanted to spend extra time with him as well. But those workouts have been banned because of coronavirus, and if the Dolphins still want to speak with Henderson, it would need to be via a telephone interview or video-conferencing.
Four other corners (Auburn’s Noah Igbinoghene, Alabama’s Trevon Diggs, Utah’s Jaylon Johnson and LSU’s Kristian Fulton), could be first-round picks, or early second-rounders, depending on which evaluators you trust, with wide variations about all four among draft analysts.
And there are several who could be options in round two, including those four, plus Mississippi State’s Cameron Dantzler, Clemson’s A.J. Terrell, Ohio State’s Damon Arnette, TCU’s Jeff Gladney and Virginia’s Bryce Hall.
Some things to know on those corners, beyond Okudah and Henderson:
▪ Auburn’s 5-11 Igbinoghene:
Wide variation here. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has him as a late first-round pick, while NFL Net’s Daniel Jeremiah doesn’t even have him in his top 50.
He has only one career interception and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein describes him as a “stocky but explosive receiver-turned-cornerback whose play generates both intrigue and concern. He’s extremely physical from snap to whistle with the strength to alter route timing from press.”
He’s also good in run support, which Miami values. And he’s well suited for the nickel job.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores spent time with him and other top Auburn defenders on their campus March 5 and 6. My sense is he’s in play for Miami.
▪ Alabama’s 6-2 Diggs:
Kiper doesn’t have him in the first round and Jeremiah slots him just 45th. But NFL Net analyst and former NFL scout Bucky Brooks has Miami taking him at 18 - which would be a shock — and said: “Brian Flores could use another long, rangy athlete to match up with big-bodied No. 1 receivers around the league.”
Jeremiah said: “Diggs has elite size, athleticism and ball skills” but lacks elite recovery speed and needs to improve as a tackler in space. He had three interceptions last season.
▪ Utah’s 6-0 Johnson:
He had a combined six interceptions the past two seasons.Jeremiah rates him higher than other draftniks (28th), noting he “offers an enticing size/speed combination for the position, has plenty of long speed, is very aggressive versus the run… and should be a Day 1 starter outside with the potential to cover in the slot, as well.”
Per Pro Football Focus, Johnson has allowed just a 19.5 passer rating when targeted 10-plus yards downfield over the past seasons, the best mark by a Power 5 cornerback by a significant margin.
▪ LSU’s 6-0 Fulton:
He had just two interceptions in the past 22 games and most consider him a second-round pick.
Jeremiah has him 44th, noting he “has good size for the position and he’s very fluid, smart and competitive” but “lacks elite top speed and he’s had some issues timing his leap on jump balls down the field… Has some flaws, but I’ll bet on his intangibles and toughness.”
▪ Mississippi State’s 6-2 Dantzler:
Most view him as a second- or third-round pick, though Brooks has him 31st. He had two interceptions last season.
NFL.com’s Zierlein said: “He won’t give up many explosive plays through the air, but is a high-risk tackler in run support and needs to do a better job of wrapping and finishing. Future starter as a confident press-man corner with early starting potential.”
But as is the case with UF’s Henderson, Dantzler’s deficiencies in the run game make him a questionable fit for Miami.
▪ Clemson’s 6-1 Terrell:
Jeremiah rates him 35th overall, noting he’s “a tall, slender cornerback prospect with a strong resume in a variety of coverages and techniques. Should emerge as a quality No. 2 cornerback.”
He had five interceptions over the past two seasons and Zierlein calls him “an average future starter.”
Another second-day Clemson cornerback (Cordrea Tankersley) hasn’t worked out for Miami.
▪ Ohio State’s 6-0 Arnette:
The St. Thomas Aquinas grad, who returned his only interception last season for a 96-yard touchdown, didn’t get the attention that teammate Okudah generated.
But he potentially fits into Miami’s second-round range, slotted 36th overall by Jeremiah, who calls him “an aggressive cornerback prospect with a good combination of size, speed and ball skills.” And, as the Dolphins are aware, he is “very anxious to get involved in the run game and has a high batting average as a tackler,” Jeremiah noted.
Arnette would be a natural option for the nickel corner job. Because the coronavirus has resulted in the NFL banning on-site team visits or workouts, Arnette won’t be able to work out for the Dolphins in their canceled local day for top prospects from area high schools and colleges.
▪ TCU’s 6-0 Gladney:
He had one interception and a Big 12-leading 14 pass breakups last season and some view him as a second- or third-round pick, though PFF slots him 32nd overall.
Zierlein calls him a “ball-hawking alpha” with “the talent to help his team on all three downs if needed.”
Pro Football Focus is bullish on him because “Gladney is a physical, tough cornerback prospect with legit 4.3 speed and he’s allowed receptions on fewer than 50 percent of his targets in each of the past two.”
▪ Virginia’s 6-0 Hall:
He has five college interceptions but none in six games last season before undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. Zierlein said “he can be exploited by route-runners and speedsters. He can handle man coverage, but he needs protection over the top. Hall is a future starting cornerback but might garner attention at free safety at some point in his career.”
Besides likely top-two day picks Igbinoghene and Arnette, other potential nickel corners to keep an eye on Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson (14 career interceptions and a potential second or third rounder) and a bunch of third-day options: Michigan’s Lavert Hill, Michigan State’s Josiah Scott, UCLA’s Darnay Holmes, Wake Forest’s Esang Basey, Georgia Southern’s Kindle Vildor, Duquesne’s Reid-Harrison Ducros and FSU’s Lavonta Taylor.
Miami has taken an interest in Vildor.
The expectation is that Bobby McCain will remain at safety. But Miami hasn’t said that definitively. And if the Dolphins find a top safety in the draft, they could always move McCain back to nickel corner and pair a rookie (or Adrian Colbert) with Eric Rowe at safety.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top defensive tackles in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top offensive tackles in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top safeties available in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on some of the second-tier quarterbacks in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top running backs in the draft.
Here’s my Friday piece on what I would do if I ran the Dolphins.
And please check back Monday night for some Dolphins nuggets.
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 4:19 PM.
