Packers: An early look at the 2018 NFL Draft class
By Dan Dahlke
Cornerback
1. Tarvarus McFadden, Florida State (6-2, 205)
2. Denzel Ward, Ohio State (5-10, 191)
3. Jaire Alexander, Louisville (5-11, 192)
4. Isaiah Oliver, Colorado (6-1, 195)
5. Anthony Averett, Alabama (6-0, 185)
Other Notable CBs: Iman Marshall (USC), MJ Stewart (North Carolina), Duke Dawson (Florida), Quenton Meeks (Stanford), Alijah Holder (Stanford), Kevin Toliver (LSU), DJ Reed (Kansas State), Holton Hill (Texas), Brandon Facyson (Virginia Tech), Jordan Thomas (Oklahoma)
Position outlook: Despite not being as deep as last year’s group, the upcoming cornerback class still has plenty of talent to get excited about.
McFadden is a big, physical defensive back with press-man ability. He’s been one of the few bright spots in the Seminoles underwhelming season.
Ward has really emerged on the scene and is having a standout season, filling the huge void left by Marcus Lattimore and Gary Conley in the Buckeyes’ secondary.
Alexander, on the other hand, began the season as one of the top cornerbacks in college football, but he’s been sidelined with a broken hand since mid-September.
Oliver has arguably been the most impressive corner in college football this year. In his first year starting, he’s recorded two interceptions and 10 pass breakups, demonstrating physical press ability as well as excellent ball skills.
At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Holton Hill, Texas, is another big cornerback on which to keep an eye. He’s been a pleasant surprise for the Longhorns’ defense, locking up some of the top receivers in college football like James Washington and Allen Lazard.
Packers need: Kevin King shows a lot of promise and seems to be an early-round pick that will pay off in the long run.
However, the rest of the team’s cornerbacks have been inconsistent.
Davon House has been solid when healthy, but the Packers must question if they can rely on him going forward.
Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins, and Josh Hawkins have all been disastrous in coverage over the past two seasons.
Randall’s only redeemable quality is that he’ll occasionally make a play on the ball. The Packers could really use another talented cornerback on their defense. This should be a priority in the early rounds.