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Jon Machota / Special contributor
If you were to poll all of the NFL Draft experts on who they believe the Dallas Cowboys will select with their first round pick, the overwhelming favorite would be Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara.
The shutdown corner is an elite talent, plays a position the Cowboys desperately need and he is projected to still be on the board when they pick at No. 9.
There is a lot for the Cowboys to like about Amukamara. The 6-0, 205-pounder earned first team All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2010.
According to The Associated Press, he helped the Huskers rank in the top 10 nationally in pass efficiency defense, passing yards allowed, scoring defense and total defense. He limited opponents to just 18 pass completions in 52 attempts against him and ranked among the national leaders with 13 pass breakups. He had no interceptions, but he controlled his side of the field.
And the aspect of his game that Cowboy fans would enjoy most -- he isn't afraid to tackle.
Amukamara had 59 tackles, including 36 solo stops, in 2010.
“Some corners don't like to stick their nose in and get dirty a little bit," he told the AP. “I'm one of those corners who do."
As much as there is for the Cowboys to like about Amukamara, there is just as much for him to like about the possibility of playing in Dallas. The Cowboys struggled defending the pass last season, allowing 3,894 yards through the air, meaning he could receive plenty of chances to showcase his skills early on. Also, the Cowboys have some valuable pieces on the defensive side of the ball to go along with the excitement of brining in a new defensive coordinator.
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock recently said. “If Amukamara gets (to No. 9), you take him. He can play press. He can play off. He can tackle. He is a starting cornerback in the NFL, and the Cowboys need that."
However, just like any prospect, there are some questions that still need to be answered. Some believe Amukamara doesn't stand out athletically enough to become one of the elite cornerbacks in the NFL. His top end speed has been questioned and many teams are eager to see the 40-yard dash time he turns in this week in Indianapolis.
“If I am using a top-ten pick on a prospect, especially at the cornerback position, he better have some elite athletic qualities to his game and have the kind of ability to mature into a potential shutdown guy on the outside in the NFL," National Football Post writer Wes Bunting recently wrote. “And in all honesty I can't say I see any real exceptionally dynamic qualities to Amukamara's game. He can be technically sound, but he isn't overly physical off the line of scrimmage when asked to re-route in press. And the biggest concern is that he really has only average straight-line speed. He struggles to make up for a false step and too often will allow receivers to get behind him vertically down the field, failing to quickly get back up to speed and close out of his transition."
Bunting later wrote that his assessment doesn't equate to Amukamara becoming a bust in the NFL, he just thinks he could perform better at the safety position.
“Miami's Antrel Rolle and Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins, for example — who both had slight straight-line speed concerns coming out, which kept them from ever developing into shutdown corners in the NFL," he noted. “However, much like Amukamara, they were both natural, fluid football players with good ball skills, tackled well in all areas of the game and made the move to free safety, carving out very successful careers there."
The 21-year-old was asked on Sunday about the possibility of moving to safety, and he seemed open to the idea.
"If safety is what the team wants me to play, I would be more than happy to play it," Amukamara said. "However, I do think I'm a better corner."
As far as which current NFL cornerback he tries to emulate, Amukamara didn't provide a name. What he did provide was another example of how confident he is in his abilities.
“I respect all the DBs at the next level, but there's not a particular guy I try to model my craft after," he said. “I think every player who considers themselves great should have their own identity."
If Amukamara is available at No. 9 and the Cowboys pull the trigger, the former Cornhusker better be ready for some of the best competition the NFL has to offer. After all, we are talking about lining up against DeSean Jackson , Hakeem Nicks and possibly Santana Moss on a couple of occasions.
If you were to poll all of the NFL Draft experts on who they believe the Dallas Cowboys will select with their first round pick, the overwhelming favorite would be Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara.
The shutdown corner is an elite talent, plays a position the Cowboys desperately need and he is projected to still be on the board when they pick at No. 9.
There is a lot for the Cowboys to like about Amukamara. The 6-0, 205-pounder earned first team All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2010.
According to The Associated Press, he helped the Huskers rank in the top 10 nationally in pass efficiency defense, passing yards allowed, scoring defense and total defense. He limited opponents to just 18 pass completions in 52 attempts against him and ranked among the national leaders with 13 pass breakups. He had no interceptions, but he controlled his side of the field.
And the aspect of his game that Cowboy fans would enjoy most -- he isn't afraid to tackle.
Amukamara had 59 tackles, including 36 solo stops, in 2010.
“Some corners don't like to stick their nose in and get dirty a little bit," he told the AP. “I'm one of those corners who do."
As much as there is for the Cowboys to like about Amukamara, there is just as much for him to like about the possibility of playing in Dallas. The Cowboys struggled defending the pass last season, allowing 3,894 yards through the air, meaning he could receive plenty of chances to showcase his skills early on. Also, the Cowboys have some valuable pieces on the defensive side of the ball to go along with the excitement of brining in a new defensive coordinator.
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock recently said. “If Amukamara gets (to No. 9), you take him. He can play press. He can play off. He can tackle. He is a starting cornerback in the NFL, and the Cowboys need that."
However, just like any prospect, there are some questions that still need to be answered. Some believe Amukamara doesn't stand out athletically enough to become one of the elite cornerbacks in the NFL. His top end speed has been questioned and many teams are eager to see the 40-yard dash time he turns in this week in Indianapolis.
“If I am using a top-ten pick on a prospect, especially at the cornerback position, he better have some elite athletic qualities to his game and have the kind of ability to mature into a potential shutdown guy on the outside in the NFL," National Football Post writer Wes Bunting recently wrote. “And in all honesty I can't say I see any real exceptionally dynamic qualities to Amukamara's game. He can be technically sound, but he isn't overly physical off the line of scrimmage when asked to re-route in press. And the biggest concern is that he really has only average straight-line speed. He struggles to make up for a false step and too often will allow receivers to get behind him vertically down the field, failing to quickly get back up to speed and close out of his transition."
Bunting later wrote that his assessment doesn't equate to Amukamara becoming a bust in the NFL, he just thinks he could perform better at the safety position.
“Miami's Antrel Rolle and Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins, for example — who both had slight straight-line speed concerns coming out, which kept them from ever developing into shutdown corners in the NFL," he noted. “However, much like Amukamara, they were both natural, fluid football players with good ball skills, tackled well in all areas of the game and made the move to free safety, carving out very successful careers there."
The 21-year-old was asked on Sunday about the possibility of moving to safety, and he seemed open to the idea.
"If safety is what the team wants me to play, I would be more than happy to play it," Amukamara said. "However, I do think I'm a better corner."
As far as which current NFL cornerback he tries to emulate, Amukamara didn't provide a name. What he did provide was another example of how confident he is in his abilities.
“I respect all the DBs at the next level, but there's not a particular guy I try to model my craft after," he said. “I think every player who considers themselves great should have their own identity."
If Amukamara is available at No. 9 and the Cowboys pull the trigger, the former Cornhusker better be ready for some of the best competition the NFL has to offer. After all, we are talking about lining up against DeSean Jackson , Hakeem Nicks and possibly Santana Moss on a couple of occasions.
