C
Cr122
Guest
Wes Bunting Reviews the 2011 Corner Class
Posted by Rafael at Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Today's chat with the National Football Post's scouting director Wes Bunting takes an initial look at the 2012 senior cornerback class.
Cowboys Nation: I want to change emphasis this week. When we spoke last, interior offensive line factored heavily into the thinking. With the likely retention of Bill Nagy and Kevin Kowalski, the undrafted free agent from Toledo, that may not be the severe need it was before.
Let's talk about the secondary. In our last discussion you covered the senior safety class. This time, I'd like you to review the senior cornerback class. Terence Newman is in his walk year, and Mike Jenkins is up-and-down. This may be the top spot in next year's draft. How does it measure up?
Wes Bunting: Until we see all the juniors who declare, we're not going to put it in the same class as last year's class. There are some players who are intriguing cover men, who can play a lot of roles.
I favorite corner is Chase Minnifield from Virginia. He's 6'0", and he's only 185 lbs., but he's fluid, he's balanced, has great ball skills. He's confortable in off-zone concepts, and I can also see him playing some press as he gets stronger. I like him a lot.
I also like Alfonzo Denard from Nebraska. He's a 5'10" guy, so he's a little shorter, but he's 205 lbs., so he packs a lot of weight into that frame. He's as aggressive as any corner to come along in a while. He's raw. He'll get overextended. He's physical.
Janoris Jenkins is at North Alabama now. He's probably the best off-zone, click-and-close guy. He's got a little Asante Samuel to his game.
Some other guys who I like are Leonard Johnson from Iowa State. He's a guy who can play both inside and out.
I really like Jamell Fleming, from Oklahoma. I think he's one of the talented guys. He's balanced. He's fluid. Most people now see him as a later round pick, but I think he'll be at top-3 round pick when it's all said and done.
CN: Some familiar names there, so I'm going to ask you to review those players in more detail. Let's start with Janoris Jenkins. Where was he rated before he changed schools?
WB: I think he would have been a 1st-round pick. Again, he's not gonna fit every scheme 'cause he's not as physical off the line, and he's not overly comfortable off the line. But you can use him like Asante and keep use him in off-zone or zone concepts, but he can keep an eye in the backfield, drop off and he doesn't waste any motion when he has to close on the ball. There's not that double tap of the back foot. He just plants his foot, drops his hips and gets an explosive first step off the ball. He gets from point A-to-B in a hurry.
He was one of the top three or four corners and would have been a 1st rounder.
CN: He was at Florida, wasn't he? Why did he move?
WB: He was arrested in '09 for his role in a fight. Then he was kicked off the Florida team for two drug-related arrests in three months.
CN: Where is he now?
WB: North Alabama, where Terry Bowden coaches. He gets a lot of guys who get kicked out of the SEC.
CN: Tell us more about Alfonso Dennard. You mentioned last year that one of his teammates said he was tougher to beat off the line than Prince Amukamara.
WB: That was Niles Paul. I wasn't surprised that Paul said Dennard was tougher to beat off the line, but I was surprised that he said Dennard was the better corner.
I'll probably end up grading him a little higher than Amukamara on his final report. Again, this guy will get over-extended. He'll lunge sometimes. He'll lose balance. But this guy can be physical off the line. He's got good short-area quickness. He can turn and run. He's just got to clean up his footing a bit, his footwork and his overall technique, making sure he stays low, balanced and compact when he trying to punch, but overall, this is a physical kid who can play both outside and inside against the slot. I think he's quick enough to handle slot guys.
CN: He sounds like a player who could play very early in his career if he takes to good coaching.
WB: No doubt. I think he's going to play early in his career.
CN: Where does he project today, seniors only?
WB: I'd say he's a mid-to-late 1st round pick.
Posted by Rafael at Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Today's chat with the National Football Post's scouting director Wes Bunting takes an initial look at the 2012 senior cornerback class.
Cowboys Nation: I want to change emphasis this week. When we spoke last, interior offensive line factored heavily into the thinking. With the likely retention of Bill Nagy and Kevin Kowalski, the undrafted free agent from Toledo, that may not be the severe need it was before.
Let's talk about the secondary. In our last discussion you covered the senior safety class. This time, I'd like you to review the senior cornerback class. Terence Newman is in his walk year, and Mike Jenkins is up-and-down. This may be the top spot in next year's draft. How does it measure up?
Wes Bunting: Until we see all the juniors who declare, we're not going to put it in the same class as last year's class. There are some players who are intriguing cover men, who can play a lot of roles.
I favorite corner is Chase Minnifield from Virginia. He's 6'0", and he's only 185 lbs., but he's fluid, he's balanced, has great ball skills. He's confortable in off-zone concepts, and I can also see him playing some press as he gets stronger. I like him a lot.
I also like Alfonzo Denard from Nebraska. He's a 5'10" guy, so he's a little shorter, but he's 205 lbs., so he packs a lot of weight into that frame. He's as aggressive as any corner to come along in a while. He's raw. He'll get overextended. He's physical.
Janoris Jenkins is at North Alabama now. He's probably the best off-zone, click-and-close guy. He's got a little Asante Samuel to his game.
Some other guys who I like are Leonard Johnson from Iowa State. He's a guy who can play both inside and out.
I really like Jamell Fleming, from Oklahoma. I think he's one of the talented guys. He's balanced. He's fluid. Most people now see him as a later round pick, but I think he'll be at top-3 round pick when it's all said and done.
CN: Some familiar names there, so I'm going to ask you to review those players in more detail. Let's start with Janoris Jenkins. Where was he rated before he changed schools?
WB: I think he would have been a 1st-round pick. Again, he's not gonna fit every scheme 'cause he's not as physical off the line, and he's not overly comfortable off the line. But you can use him like Asante and keep use him in off-zone or zone concepts, but he can keep an eye in the backfield, drop off and he doesn't waste any motion when he has to close on the ball. There's not that double tap of the back foot. He just plants his foot, drops his hips and gets an explosive first step off the ball. He gets from point A-to-B in a hurry.
He was one of the top three or four corners and would have been a 1st rounder.
CN: He was at Florida, wasn't he? Why did he move?
WB: He was arrested in '09 for his role in a fight. Then he was kicked off the Florida team for two drug-related arrests in three months.
CN: Where is he now?
WB: North Alabama, where Terry Bowden coaches. He gets a lot of guys who get kicked out of the SEC.
CN: Tell us more about Alfonso Dennard. You mentioned last year that one of his teammates said he was tougher to beat off the line than Prince Amukamara.
WB: That was Niles Paul. I wasn't surprised that Paul said Dennard was tougher to beat off the line, but I was surprised that he said Dennard was the better corner.
I'll probably end up grading him a little higher than Amukamara on his final report. Again, this guy will get over-extended. He'll lunge sometimes. He'll lose balance. But this guy can be physical off the line. He's got good short-area quickness. He can turn and run. He's just got to clean up his footing a bit, his footwork and his overall technique, making sure he stays low, balanced and compact when he trying to punch, but overall, this is a physical kid who can play both outside and inside against the slot. I think he's quick enough to handle slot guys.
CN: He sounds like a player who could play very early in his career if he takes to good coaching.
WB: No doubt. I think he's going to play early in his career.
CN: Where does he project today, seniors only?
WB: I'd say he's a mid-to-late 1st round pick.
