Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey is the top-rated cornerback and one scout said he could be “all-world” at safety, but another scout didn’t like his scarcity of interceptions, saying, “Apparently he doesn’t have eyes or feel or vision. I think he’s fool’s gold.” Credit: Associated Press

By of the

The Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn assesses the top defensive backs in the draft. Included is each player's height, weight, 40-yard dash time and projected round.

CORNERBACKS

1. JALEN RAMSEY, Florida State (6-1, 207, 4.38, 1): Two scouts said he was every bit the prospect that Patrick Peterson was in 2011. "He's the best DB I've seen since Peterson," said one. "Complete player. Only thing I didn't like is he gets a lot of safety help. You didn't see him isolated much." Third-year junior from Smyrna, Tenn. "As a safety he can be all-world – like right now," a second scout said. "He's not ready-made like that as a corner but he's got potential to be all-world there, too. He's a press-man corner. Using his length. There are some flaws when he's in off (coverage)." Started 41 games at both corner and safety, finishing with 180 tackles (15 ½ for loss), 3 interceptions and 23 passes broken up (PBUs). "Charles (Woodson) was a ball magnet," said a third scout. "Ramsey has had very little contact with the ball. People say, 'Well, they stayed away from him.' To me, you either have that or you don't know. With his length (33 3/8-inch arms) and speed he can definitely play outside. As a slot corner against really quality cat-quick receivers, I don't know. As a safety he's a wrap, drag-down tackler, not a bona fide big-time striker." Led the top CBs in the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test (24), vertical jump (41 ½ inches) and broad jump (11-3). "Look at his career interceptions," a fourth scout said. "I can count 'em on one hand. Apparently he doesn't have eyes or feel or vision. I think he's fool's gold."

2. VERNON HARGREAVES, Florida (5-10 ½, 206, 4.50, 1): Father, Vernon, coaches linebackers at Arkansas. "He's an outstanding technician," one scout said. "His ability to know what's going on allows him to stay a step ahead. That's how he survives, to be honest with you. When it comes to raw physical ability there are better corners in this draft." Third-year junior from Tampa. "Super kid," another scout said. "Great family. Very smart (Wonderlic of 20) and articulate. Looks more like a running back. Thick. That's the only thing I worry about." Three-year starter finished with 121 tackles (three for loss), 10 picks and 27 PBUs. "In the top 10? No way for me," said a third scout. "He's short and I saw him get beat a lot over the last two years. Huge reputation, good player. But, boy, he's not a shutdown corner in my mind." Vertical jump of 39. "He'll be a bust," a fourth scout said. "But based on talent he is the second-best corner."

3. ELI APPLE, Ohio State (6-0 ½, 202, 4.39, 1): Third-year sophomore from Voorhees, N.J. "He got beat probably more than you want but he's got tremendous upside," said one scout. "He is too young (20) to be coming out but he is so you've got to project what he's going to be. I think he's going to be a pretty high-level starter." Started 27 games, finishing with 86 tackles (7 ½ for loss), 4 picks and 18 PBUs. "Some there (OSU) were worried he wouldn't break 4.6 and then popped the (4.39)," said another scout. "They were surprised he ran that well. I worry about him because of off-the-field issues. The kid has no life skills. At all. Can't cook. Just a baby. He's not first round for me. He scares me to death." Wonderlic was 21. "He probably has as much talent as anybody but he, like a lot of those Ohio State guys, is inconsistent," said a third scout. "He squats, and receivers run by him. He's more in catch-up mode than reaction mode. He bothers me a little bit."

4. MACKENSIE ALEXANDER, Clemson (5-10 ½, 189, 4.49, 1-2): Third-year sophomore. "Reminds me of Darrelle Revis," one scout said. "He just looks so confident out there. 'I am good, you're not going to beat me.' But he's not real physical and I thought he'd run a lot faster than he did." Another said the voluble Alexander "will talk you to death." Said a third scout: "Loves football. Kind of a selfish guy. More into just him. Probably quicker than fast. I just didn't see great top-end speed." Started 26 games, finishing with 44 tackles (four for loss), no picks and 11 PBUs. Wonderlic of 12. "Other than Kelvin Benjamin a couple years ago, in the ACC he has not faced up with much," a fourth scout said. "He's got to play inside. He's not ready for prime time outside. I see guys separate on him every now and then. I do think he's a good athlete and can become a starter. He's highly confident and ain't afraid to tell everybody. He's third round for me." Son of Haitian migrant workers. Lives in Immokalee, Fla.

5. WILLIAM JACKSON, Houston (6-0 ½, 187, 4.35, 1-2): Former junior-college player from Houston. "He had 22 PBUs this year," said one scout. "He's fast, physical, can play the ball, long arms (31 ¾). He starts for any team in the league. You might have one (on your team) better than him but you don't have two." Two-year starter with 115 tackles (three for loss), 8 picks and 40 PBUs. "Only negative is he's one of those guys that likes to put his hands on receivers downfield," another scout said. "He's got to stop that. He's really a good player." Wonderlic of 16. "I think he's too small," a third scout said. "Of all the corners, he's got really good ball skills. But his lean muscle mass is like 171 pounds, which is not good."

6. KENDALL FULLER, Virginia Tech (5-11 ½, 188, 4.50, 2-3): Tore meniscus before the season, underwent microfracture, never ran a 40 and remains somewhat of a medical risk. "I'm concerned about the fact he hasn't run," said one scout. "He tried to play in four games this year and he had no business doing it. He didn't look good. He just looked so much better in 2014. His brother, Kyle, was more physical and stronger. Kendall's faster and has better ball skills. He'd run in the low 4.4s." The Bears drafted CB Kyle Fuller 14th in '14. Two other brothers also had NFL careers. "Similar to his brother (Kyle) but this kid was more about ball than his brother," another scout said. Started 28 games, finishing with 119 tackles (eight for loss), 8 picks and 35 PBUs. From Baltimore. "He's a nickel," a third scout said. "Very instinctive, very quick."

7. ARTIE BURNS, Miami (6-0, 191, 4.44, 2): Third-year junior. "He's got everything you look for," said one scout. "I wouldn't call him a burner but he runs well. Great ball skills. He wasn't as physical this year. In (2014) he didn't have a problem with that. Kind of an enigma. He did go through a lot this year with his mom passing (died in October at age 44) and being the care provider for his brother and sister. There's a lot of upside." Had six interceptions in 2015, most by a Hurricane since FS Sean Taylor in 2003. Started 23 of 36 games, finishing with 93 tackles (three for loss), 7 picks and 14 PBUs. "He's for the press teams," another scout said. "He's only 20 years old and he's long and fast." Arms measured 33 ¼. "That's totally amazing," another scout said. "A guy like Albert Lewis ran 4.6 but played like a 4.5 because his arms were long. This guy played a lot of press. Very, very smooth." From Miami.

8. XAVIEN HOWARD, Baylor (6-0, 203, 4.47, 2-3): Fourth-year junior from Houston. "He's Chris Gamble," one scout said. "That (mental) is going to be a key for him. At one time this was going to be everybody's sleeper." Had a 10 on the Wonderlic. "It is not ideal, but at corner you cover the receiver," a second scout said. "You play defensive end, you rush the passer. I like him. Doesn't run quite as well as you'd like but makes up for it with length." Started 26 of 39 games, finishing with 98 tackles (5 ½ for loss), 10 picks and 23 PBUs. "Man cover corner," a third scout said. "He is tough to throw on. Not a lot of balls completed on him. He tracks the ball well. He is physical."

9. T.J. GREEN, Clemson (6-2 ½, 212, 4.34, 2-3): Moved from WR to safety in 2014 after catching two passes as a true freshman. Backed up in '14 and started at FS in'15, but now some teams are prepared to draft him as a tall press CB. "He's got the skill set for it," said one scout. "It might be easier for him because there's less thinking involved." Third-year junior from Sylacauga, Ala. "I thought he had some cover ability," another scout said. "He was in the slot at times. I had no idea he would run that fast." Finished with 118 tackles (5 ½ for loss), 1 pick and 3 PBUs. "There's a rush to judgment on this kid right now," a third scout said. "It happens on juniors. He was a wide receiver out of high school but he couldn't catch the ball so they move him. He kind of came on the scene this year. I was surprised he came out. I think he needs more coaching. He's got some stiffness but he is fast in a straight line." Wonderlic of 18.

10. JAMES BRADBERRY, Samford (6-0 ½, 209, 4.53, 3): Redshirted at Arkansas State in 2011 but transferred when the school wanted him to play safety. Four-year starting CB at Samford, which has had three DBs drafted in the last four years. "Good kid, extremely smart (Wonderlic of 21)," said one scout. "His biggest issue was lateral quickness and change of direction. As a result, he's still a developmental guy. He's got to get better at that before he becomes a guy you can consistently trust in man coverage. Otherwise, he'll have to be a zone corner." Finished with 128 tackles (8 ½ for loss), 8 picks and 27 PBUs. "He's just big and strong," another scout said. "He's got a ways to go." From Pleasant Grove, Ala.

OTHERS: Cyrus Jones, Alabama; Juston Burris, North Carolina State; Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma; Brandon Williams, Texas A&M; Eric Murray, Minnesota; Deiondre Hall, Northern Iowa; Keivarae Russell, Notre Dame; DeAndre Elliott, Colorado State; Anthony Brown, Purdue; Ryan Smith, North Carolina Central; Kalan Reed, Southern Mississippi; Kevon Seymour, Southern California; D.J. White, Georgia Tech.

SAFETIES

1. KARL JOSEPH, West Virginia (5-9 ½, 206, 4.55, 2): Possibly the hardest hitter in the draft. "He will separate you from your helmet," said one scout. "He hits you, the play is over. He's knocked out I think eight people in his career. For a guy that is an absolute meteorite as a tackler, he's a pretty good tackler, too. Before he got hurt this year he had five interceptions in (four) games. His biggest questions are height and prolonged durability." Suffered a torn ACL in practice but is on schedule to play this season. "Love this kid," said another scout. "Bright, humble. He's built well, he will hold up physically and he can cover." Started 42 games, finishing with 194 tackles (16 ½ for loss), 9 picks and 8 PBUs. "Oh, man, he's tough as hell," said a third scout. "He's something else." From Orlando, Fla. Wonderlic of 18.

2. VONN BELL, Ohio State (5-11, 201, 4.52, 2-3): Third-year junior. "There's your free safety," one scout said. "He's got corner traits. Drops down, plays the spot. Does a lot of things good, nothing great. He's not a banger but he's a solid tackler. You think of him as a cover safety. Plays the post. Very good ball skills. Good speed, not great." Started 28 of 42 games, finishing with 176 tackles (four for loss), 9 picks and 15 PBUs. "He's a starter in the league," a second scout said. "He's more your intangible guy. I don't think there's anything special about him. Average size, average speed. He'd be third round at best." From Rossville, Ga. Wonderlic of 16. "A lot of hype because the program he went to and their success," said a third scout. "I feel he is way overrated. He doesn't play very strong. He falls off tackles."

3. KEANU NEAL, Florida (6-0 ½, 211, 4.60, 2-3): Third-year junior from Bushnell, Fla. "From the standpoint of being a hammer against the run and a tone-setting guy, he'll be a starting strong safety," one scout said. "You'll worry a little bit if he gets matched up in man coverage. For the most part, he protects himself from being in bad position. He may get caught every blue moon. He's not Kenny Vaccaro in coverage." Started 19 of 34 games, finishing with 146 tackles (4 ½ for loss), 4 picks and 9 PBUs. "He's got a really nice body and a great kid," another scout said. "He's a big-time hitter but he left a lot of plays on the field. He missed a lot of tackles. He has to clean up his open-field tackling. He's got a lot of potential." Extremely large hands (10 5/8). Wonderlic of 18. Added a third scout: "Good player, just not fast. He's more (Deone) Bucannon."

4. DARIAN THOMPSON, Boise State (6-2, 211, 4.61, 2-3): Intercepted 19 passes in a four-year career, breaking Eric Weddle's record in the Mountain West Conference. "Probably the smartest safety in the draft," said one scout. "I wish he ran just a step faster. I would envision him developing into a starter, probably in Year 2." Wonderlic of 29. "Really good ball skills and natural cover skills," said another scout. "Can match up with tight ends. Doesn't have the explosive long burst but can cover the hash and be a single-high safety. He finds the ball. ... His tackling is above average, at best. He doesn't have knock-back power as a tackler. Kind of gets his guy down. More of a wrap-grab tackler." Finished with 242 tackles (15 for loss), the 19 picks and 9 PBUs. "On tape I didn't see the speed deficiency," a third scout said. "He played a lot of man coverage. Like him." From Lancaster, Calif.

5. SU'A CRAVENS, Southern California (6-0 ½, 223, 4.70, 3): Third-year junior from Los Angeles. "Probably the hardest guy to evaluate," said one scout. "They played him at linebacker at USC. Is he a safety? I don't think so. Is he a linebacker? I don't think so. Is he a solid football player? Yeah. Arizona took Deone Bucannon two years, he started out at safety and now he's an inside linebacker. I think that's what this kid is. For a 4-3 team he's probably not much different than Shaq Thompson that went first round last year." Started all 40 games, finishing with 207 tackles (34 ½ for loss), nine picks, 16 PBUs and 10 ½ sacks. "Space player," another scout said. "I don't know how physical he is inside the box. He is athletic." Wonderlic of 24. "He's a pretend player in a lot of ways," said a third scout. "Bucannon is where he fits. I read where he wants to be a safety. He better say I want to be wherever they want me to be. I don't think he makes enough plays. He's one of those guys that gets up late so you call his name. That's a bit of an exaggeration but there was some pretending tough guy to him."

6. MILES KILLEBREW, Southern Utah (6-2, 218, 4.55, 3): After not lifting weights as a high school player in Henderson, Nev., he redshirted in 2011 and then started all four seasons at SS. "When he hits you he knocks you back," said one scout. "Really good tackler. More of a box player than a guy you want playing the deep half. Kind of rigid athletically but has really good straight-line speed." Led safeties in the Wonderlic (38) and on the bench press (22 reps). Finished with 356 tackles (9 ½ for loss), 3 picks and 21 PBUs. On some boards as a WLB. "He's really put together but he can't cover," said a second scout. "He's tight. He has no change of direction."

7. JUSTIN SIMMONS, Boston College (6-2 ½, 202, 4.54, 3-4): Made 29 starts at FS and eight at CB over four seasons. "He'll be a good pro because he can cover," said one scout. "Best tester at the combine. Very good ball skills and awareness. He's not a killer and he's a little long, but he'll start at free safety. Someone will get a great pick at the top of the third." Had phenomenal times in the 3-cone and 20-yard shuttle at the combine. Also had a vertical jump of 40 and Wonderlic of 18. "He's an interesting guy for today's NFL game," said another scout. "He'll be on the field every down. Has played nickel on the slot. High character. He can be the nail and not the hammer but he'll get guys down." Finished with 229 tackles (four for loss), 8 picks and 22 PBUs. From Stuart, Fla.

8. TYVIS POWELL, Ohio State (6-3, 210, 4.48, 3-4): Fourth-year junior, three-year starter. "Exceptional kid," one scout said. "You want him in your locker room. High energy. But I wanted more physicality out of him for such a tall, long guy. Not physical. Can't break down in space and cover deep to short. Going to have some missed tackles." Wonderlic of 24. "He lacks feel and I didn't see physical," another scout said. "He ran fast, though. He's a little more polished than T.J. Green but Green had a little more physical upside." Finished with 195 tackles (3 ½ for loss), 8 picks and 9 PBUs. From Bedford, Ohio.

9. JEREMY CASH, Duke (6-0 ½, 208, 4.56, 4-5): Played at Ohio State in 2011 under coach Jim Tressel, transferred after Tressel departed and started 38 of 44 games from 2013-'15 for Duke. "He's not as good as Troy Polamalu but reminds me a little bit of him," said one scout. "The amount of plays he made behind the line is just awesome. But he's more than just a box safety. Against Miami (Oct. 31) and in the Senior Bowl practices, they asked him to cover like a safety and he was good. You've got to have conviction with this guy because you're projecting a lot." Hamstring injury will prevent him from running a 40 before the draft. Regarded as a moderate medical risk by one team. Finished with 336 tackles (38 for loss), 6 picks and 15 PBUs. Wonderlic of 27. "Probably a nickel linebacker and a potential 'will,'" another scout said. "Had a good year. Just a guy." From Miami.

10. SEAN DAVIS, Maryland (6-1, 202, 4.45, 4-5): Started 26 of 28 games at FS from 2012-'14 before moving to CB and starting all 12 as a senior. "As a corner, he's a press Cover 2 guy only," said one scout. "He doesn't have corner feet. His feet are good for a safety. He had a nice Senior Bowl game and impressed at the combine. He's not a (killer) but he is a good space tackler. He needs to get a little bit stronger but he'll start at free safety. I doubt anyone has him at corner." Finished with 319 tackles (11 for loss), 5 picks and 14 PBUs. "He could be a starter if you went on his workout," a second scout said. "If you went on the tape, no. His tape was bad but he worked out like a top-20 pick. He has some black cloud to him. When he gets targeted bad things happen." From Washington, D.C.

OTHERS: DeAndre Houston-Carson, William & Mary; Kevin Byard, Middle Tennessee State; Deon Bush, Miami; K.J. Dillon, West Virginia; Jayron Kearse, Clemson; Jalen Mills, Louisiana State; Kavon Frazier, Central Michigan; Clayton Fejedelem, Illinois; Jordan Lucas, Penn State; Elijah Shumate, Notre Dame.

***

UNSUNG HERO

Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota: Three-year starter from Milwaukee Riverside. Answered the only remaining question at the combine by scoring 26 on the Wonderlic, 17 points higher than he did a year ago. The personnel man who theorized Murray just blew the first test off probably was right. In a crowded class of cornerbacks with almost no standout, Murray is carrying a second-round grade from one NFC team. "He's a starter," said one scout. "Tough, competitive ... he's fast enough."

SCOUTS' NIGHTMARE

Anthony Brown, CB-S, Purdue: Failed to distinguish himself as a 10-game starter at safety in 2013 and as a 24-game starter at CB the past two seasons. Then he made the most of a somewhat surprising combine invitation by blazing the 40 in 4.34. He's more of a straight-line athlete, but as the draft wears on teams draft speed at cornerback.

PACKERS' PICK TO REMEMBER

Gary Richard, CB, Pittsburgh: Seventh-round choice in 1988 with a $22,500 signing bonus. Undersized (5-9 ½, 177) player made the team but was inactive for five of 15 games before going on injured reserve late with an ankle injury. Made nine tackles on special teams, none from scrimmage. When the Packers left him unprotected in March 1989 during the first year of Plan B free agency, he got a $10,000 bonus to sign with the Steelers. His career ended with his release that year in Pittsburgh.

QUOTE TO NOTE

NFL assistant coach: "I've gotten away from 40 times because they're so well-coached now. It's all in your start. Guys that have good starts can get under 4.5 but they don't play that fast. In the old days, if you ran 4.5, you could run. I look at vertical jump and broad jump because you can't skew those."