The cornerbacks can be especially hard to gauge prior to the season. It is one of the most drafted positions and a lot of what each team looks for individually is scheme-based. Because of the abundance of supply and such a versatile approach to scouting them, ranks and stacks can and usually do change a lot throughout the year. At this point, I am looking for players who have the body control to adjust their intentions on the fly with good body control and minimal wasted movement. Next, I look for players who have made their fair share of plays on the ball. This brings me to Jordan Wyatt from SMU.
Wyatt is a fifth-year senior who enters 2018 with 10 career interceptions (four in both 2017 and 2016), seven career forced fumbles, and an amazing five defensive touchdowns. He was named to the honorable mention All-AAC squad in 2017 but it ended with a torn ACL in the final drive of their final regular season game. He underwent surgery soon after and also had a separate procedure done to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Both injuries appear to be behind him, as he is back to his normal self during the team’s preseason camp.
Wyatt stands out against the slightly lower level of college football. While he doesn’t match up against many pro-caliber receivers, his best football has been on display when the opportunities have been put in front of him. He plays the game with his feet and excels at forecasting. It can be a lethal combination. The game can be slowed down mentally, but he plays light-footed with easy hips. This allows him to make plays on the ball with full-blown body control and balance, hence all the plays he can make with the ball in the air. There is a lot of savvy-ness to his game and it will serve him well in the pre-draft showcase games such as the Shrine Game and/or Senior Bowl.