Newman tops the CB crop

Sporting News, The, Jan 20, 2003 by Dan Pompei

Aside from Terence Newman, the cornerback class doesn't have many top-of-the-first-round prospects, but quite a few corners deserve to go in the second, third and fourth rounds.

1. Terence Newman, 5-10, 181, Kansas State. Has speed, man cover skills, hands and the willingness to hit. Also is a top punt returner and can play receiver. Doesn't have ideal size but is a sure first-rounder.

2. Marcus Trufant, 5-11, 187, Washington State. Solid, steady, consistent player. Has good quickness, Can play in a man or zone scheme. Does everything pretty well but is not outstanding in any one area.

3. Eugene Wilson, 5-10, 187, Illinois. Covers well down after down. Is better in a zone scheme than in a man-to-man. Knows how to play the ball. Also has return ability. Can improve his stock in his workout.

4. Andre Woolfolk, 6-1, 191, Oklahoma. Very athletic player with good size and speed. Has tremendous potential but still is learning how to play the position, Isn't a natural at corner and needs to play with more discipline. Has played wide receiver and has ball skills.

5. Shane Walton, 5-10, 185, Notre Dame. Instinctive, smart player with a feel for the position. Lacks top speed but knows how to position himself to overcome it. Does not get in a lot of situations where he must recover. Similar to the Jets' Aaron Beasley.

6. Sammy Davis, 8-0, 188, Texas A&M. Physically gifted. Knows how to get himself in position. Has good size and will hit. Has excellent intangibles. Needs to make more plays.

7. Dennis Weathersby, 6-0, 211, Oregon State. Big, strong corner who can throw a receiver off his route. Changes directions well. Doesn't have top speed. Has been an underachiever.

8. Rashean Mathis, 6-1, 185, Bethune-Cookman. Highly productive small-school prospect. Athletic, big and fluid. Has very good ball skills. Can run. Also is considered a safety prospect.

9. Charles Tillman, 6-1, 195, Louisiana-Lafayette. Dominated at the lower Division I-A level. Has experience at safety and corner and could play either position. Has burst to go with excellent size.

10. Ricky Manning, 5-8, 180, UCLA, Undersized prospect who plays aggressively. If he were a few inches taller, he would be near the top of the list. Gambles at times. Solid tackler with ball skills.

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By THE WAR ROOM

Observations from practices before last weekend's East-West Shrine Game: A player who caught our eye on the first day was Harvard WR gaff Morris. A 6-3, 200-pounder, Morris showed good quickness, soft hands and the ability to catch the ball in traffic. What's encouraging about Morris as a developmental prospect is the fact most of his problem spots--sloppy routes, trouble breaking the press and wasted motion after the catch--can be improved through coaching.... Ohio State's Mike Boss is a hard-hitting, playmaking safety, but he struggled in press coverage drills we saw and frequently got beat in one-on-one matchups against slot receivers.... Arizona QB Jason Johnson opened the eyes of a lot of scouts, Johnson (6-2, 210) has adequate size and a smooth delivery and was extremely accurate in drills He showed confidence in his reads and patience in the pocket. The knock on Johnson is that he doesn't have a great arm.... Florida State OT Todd Williams looked out of shape, top-heavy and sloppy at times. Because Williams (6-5, 325) probably doesn't have the feet to play outside in the NFL, he may have to be moved to guard.... Another player who likely will have to switch positions is North Carolina State DE Shawn Price. Price has good speed and initial quickness, but he's vastly undersized (6-2, 230) and was overmatched at the point of attack in drills a week.... A lot of scouts are down on Nebraska RB Dahrran Diedrick, and for good reason. For such a big, powerful guy, he runs too high and always looking to get outside. He shows almost no patience for holes to develop and does a poor job of reading and cutting off of his blocks.... Mississippi LB Eddie Strong had an excellent week of practice.

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