The Detroit Lions may be interested in selecting a cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Five cornerbacks who could upgrade Lions’ secondary.
The Detroit Lions began the process of revamping their secondary this past offseason by signing three free agents. However, after ten weeks, only one of those three has remained active. Cam Sutton has been the primary anchor of the secondary, but he has not been as effective as Detroit had hoped when they signed him to a one-year, three-way contract. In light of this, the Lions may be looking to bolster their secondary at the NFL Draft in April.
One area in which he has not excelled is in the running game, which will require further development. According to Pro Football Focus, he has a mediocre 43.6 quarterback rating. However, his coverage skills are still noteworthy, and the pre-draft evaluation process should provide more insight into his physical capabilities. McKinstry has been a top cornerback prospect for some time, and his background playing at Alabama has been well-documented, and he has largely fulfilled his pre-draft expectations.
McKinstry has allowed only 15 completions on 35 targets, which is equivalent to an NFL passer rating of 65.9, according to Pro Football Focus. He has not allowed a single touchdown, excluding the game against Texas. Additionally, McKinstry doubles as Alabama’s punter, further demonstrating his overall athletic ability. He has had his moments of inconsistency, such as the Texas game, but his overall performance has been solid. It is expected that McKinstry will be selected in the first round of the draft and is a player worth considering in the mid-to-late first round.
This season, Kamari Lassiter has been a key contributor to Georgia’s historically successful defense. As the Bulldogs strive to repeat their success, Lassiter is expected to play a major role in the upcoming season. The junior cornerback has not allowed a single touchdown and has been targeted 36 times. However, he must continue to develop his physical capabilities in order to maintain his slender build.
Lassiter is a versatile cover corner who could potentially slide into the slot at the next level; however, this could be contingent upon his NFL Combine testing results. On the other hand, McGlothern is the top-rated cover corner according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), with a coverage grade of 91.8 heading into Saturday. The Arkansas native has three interceptions on the season and eight in his career.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has consistently graded McGlothern as one of the top cornerbacks in the country. The long, athletic athlete has excellent closing speed and is adept at finding the ball. Consider this interception, which McGlothern made against Auburn last week, when he nearly drove the ball into the end zone following an undercutting curl route. While McGlothern’s physicality needs to be improved, he fits the profile of a takeaway artist in the Aaron Glenn defense.
Quincyon Mitchell, DB, Toledo
Mitchell does not face the same level of competition as other players on this list, but his production and skill set are too impressive to be disregarded. According to Pro Football Focus, he has allowed an NFL-average 47.8 rating on passes thrown his direction, despite playing primarily man coverage with limited coverage help. He is also a solid tackler, missing only three tackles this year. Mitchell has a strong closing speed and an athletic build that is strong enough to withstand physical contact.
Toledo has been one of the most dominant teams in the MAC West Division this season, largely due to Mitchell’s anchoring of a dominant secondary. In the game against Bowling Green on Tuesday, Mitchell allowed only three completions for 10 yards and two pass breaks.
