NFL Draft News & Analysis

2023 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Cornerback

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Devon Witherspoon (31) celebrates a win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

NFL draft season is nearly upon us. And with that comes the PFF NFL Draft Guide, which comes loaded with scouting reports and advanced data on the class' top draft prospects.

Here are the top 10 cornerbacks in this year's draft class, per PFF's NFL Draft Guide.

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1. Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

BIG BOARD RANK: 6

Witherspoon may not have an elite physical skill set for the position, but his senior-year tape was as good as we've seen in our nine years of college grading.

2. Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

BIG BOARD RANK: 10

Gonzalez is the total package physically. He's got all-pro tools but just needs a little refinement to get there.

3. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

BIG BOARD RANK: 21

Porter is a high football IQ cornerback with the kind of size and physicality everyone is looking for. If he was a slightly better athlete, he'd be a top-10 pick.

4. Deonte Banks, Maryland

BIG BOARD RANK: 23

Banks has all the physical traits of an All-Pro cornerback. He just needs to be more consistent with his technique.

5. Tyrique Stevenson, Miami (FL)

BIG BOARD RANK: 39

Stevenson is a high-floor corner who has the kind of man coverage traits that should translate sooner rather than later.

6. Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

BIG BOARD RANK: 42

Forbes has some boom-or-bust aspects to his game but has the kind of athletic traits that can make up for misreads.

7. Garrett Williams, Syracuse

BIG BOARD RANK: 49

What Williams has is uncoachable. He's a top-five corner in the class on mirroring ability alone. The rest is a work in progress.

8. Tre'Vius Hodges Tomlinson, TCU

BIG BOARD RANK: 60

Defenses that specialize in soft zone coverage have to be intrigued by Hodges-Tomlinson's ability to make plays working downhill.

9. Eli Ricks, Alabama

BIG BOARD RANK: 63

Ricks comes with injury concerns that will see him slip. Someone is going to get a corner with technical skills well beyond what you normally see from a true junior.

10. Cam Smith, South Carolina

BIG BOARD RANK: 69

Smith plays the game in a way that every defensive coordinator would love to have in their defense. He's just a limited athlete at an athlete-dominated position.

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