Here’s a look at the top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL draft:
1. Dee Milliner, 6-feet, 201 pounds, Alabama (first round): He held off having surgery to repair his shoulder in order to compete at the combine. He was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide and had six career interceptions. He's expected to start early in his pro career because he has great size, athletic ability and ball skills.
2. Xavier Rhodes, 6-1, 210, Florida State (first): He was a three-year starter for the Seminoles and showed great instincts. He had eight career interceptions. He's a big and physical cornerback. He holds up well in press coverage.
3. Desmond Trufant, 6-0, 190, Washington (first): He will become the third Trufant to make it to the NFL. His brothers, Marcus (Seattle 2003-12) and Isaiah (Jets, 2010-12), already are in the league. The youngest Trufant is a big corner and is plenty fast. He ran the 40 in 4.38 seconds at the combine.
4. D.J. Hayden, 5-11, 191, Houston (late first, early second): He started his career at Navarro College and helped them win the 2010 national junior college championship. He signed with Houston and was named Conference USA's defensive newcomer of the year after having 11 pass break-ups, five forced fumbles and two interceptions. He suffered a near fatal injury in practice when he tore the large vein — the inferior vena cava — that carries blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart.
5. Johnthan Banks, 6-2, 185, Mississippi State (late first, early second): He started his career as a safety. He moved to corner in 2010. Last season, he had 63 tackles, 11 pass break-ups and four interceptions. He won the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back. He started 45 of 51 games and had 16 career interceptions.
6. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, 6-1, 195, Connecticut (second): He didn't start playing football until his senior year in high school. He started 39 games over his college career.
7. Jamar Taylor, 5-11, 192, Boise State, (second): A very strong player for his size. He lifted 225 pounds 22 times on the bench press at the combine.
8. B.W. Webb, 5-10, 184, William & Mary (second-third): He had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. He's considered a nickel back, who can play against slot receivers.
9. Tyrann Mathieu, 5-9, 186, LSU (third-fourth): He is trying to revive his career after getting dismissed from the program before his junior season in 2012 for repeatedly violating the school's substance-abuse policy. He's one of the big wild cards of the draft.
10. Sanders Commings, 6-0, 216, Georgia (second-third): He projects into the NFL as a Cover-2 corner because of his size and ability to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. He started 35 of 54 games and played some at safety.
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