2023 NFL Scouting Combine Takeaways: Battle for Top Spots in DB Draft Class Rages On | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Oregon CB Christian GonzalezStacy Revere/Getty Images

Friday marked the second day of workouts, drills and measurements at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Defensive backs and specialists were up, and there was plenty of on-field activity to absorb.

Specialists undoubtedly earned some attention—some teams are searching for a reliable punter or kicker—but defensive backs were clearly front and center. Cornerbacks, especially, were stars of the show.

Cornerback has become a premium position in today’s NFL. As reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner proved this past season, rookies can make an immediate impact.

One thing that became immediately clear on Friday is that this year’s class features a lot of length and speed in the secondary. And for the second straight day, we had a historical 40-yard-dash run in Indianapolis.

Let’s dive into the latest buzz and our biggest takeaways from Friday’s combine action.

Michigan CB DJ Turner IIZach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Great cornerbacks don’t win with speed alone, but there are obvious advantages to being fast. A speedy corner can have an easier time closing on an open receiver, recover after falling behind in coverage and, in some cases, provide immense special teams value.

In terms of pure speed, Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II was Friday’s headliner. The 5’11”, 178-pound prospect ran a ridiculous 4.26-second 40-yard dash. That makes him not only the fastest player at this year’s combine, but one of the fastest players to ever run the 40 in Indy.

Now, measurables alone won’t make Turner a high draft choice. Barnes was a seventh-round selection last year, and Turner wasn’t listed among the top 150 prospects on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s post-Senior Bowl draft board.

However, this type of speed cannot be coached, and Turner’s 40 time should be enough to earn him a selection on draft weekend.

Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Could Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. be the first cornerback off the board in late April? It’s entirely possible, as he’s the top-ranked defensive back and eighth-ranked overall prospect on the Scouting Department’s draft board.

“Porter is the best cornerback in this draft class. He may not be as polished as some of the other top cornerbacks in previous classes, but with his length and physicality, he’s comparable,” Cory Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

Porter’s length is legitimate, as he measured in at 6’2″ and 193 pounds with a 34-inch arm length.

In the Scouting Department’s post-Super Bowl mock draft, Porter landed with the Las Vegas Raiders at seventh overall. An early run on quarterbacks could push defenders like Porter down the draft, but Porter does have top-10 potential.

It will be interesting to see if Porter runs faster (and by how much) at his pro day.

Oregon CB Christian GonzalezStacy Revere/Getty Images

Porter isn’t the consensus top cornerback in the 2023 class. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had Porter behind both Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez and Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon in his latest mock draft.

Kiper had Gonzalez mocked to the Detroit Lions at sixth overall.

“People I talk to in the NFL believe Gonzalez is going to test off the charts at the combine, and Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) and Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) have a chance to be the No. 1 corner as well.”

Witherspoon didn’t participate in Friday’s drills because of a hamstring injury, though it isn’t considered serious, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero:

Illinois’ pro day is scheduled for March 10, and Witherspoon could gain ground in the battle to be CB1 if he’s able to participate.

Gonzalez did participate and, like Porter, had a solid all-around performance. The former Ducks star logged a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at 6’1″ and 197 pounds. He also produced a 41.5-inch vertical and a 133-inch broad jump.

Unlike Porter, Gonzalez also participated in positional drills, where his athleticism and movement skills were on full display.

Gonzalez was ranked as the No. 9 cornerback on the B/R board, with the caveat that he could go much higher depending on the team that drafts him:

“Scouts see his fluidly to get in and out of breaks at his size and come away impressed. The first-team All-Pac-12 performer has the physical tools to be picked much higher in the draft than B/R has him rated, as long as he’s placed in the right system with a good position coach to help him refine his technical skill set.”

After Friday’s outing, it’s not hard to imagine Gonzalez going in the first round, and yes, he could conceivably be the first defensive back to hear his name called.

Georgia CB Kelee RingoZach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Georgia’s Kelee Ringo might not vie with the likes of Porter, Gonzalez and Witherspoon to be the first cornerback off the board. He’s the eighth-ranked cornerback on the B/R board and its 58th overall prospect.

According to Giddings, Ringo may need a very specific scheme to succeed in the pros:

“Ringo will need the help of a Cover 3 scheme with a safety to stay on top of routes. He is a bigger cornerback (6’2″, 210 lbs) who often needs an extra step or two to reach top speed. He could struggle playing press against some of the elite receivers in the NFL who know how to beat the jam and create separation.”

On Friday, however, Ringo showed that he is big (6’2″, 207 lbs), physical, explosive and fast. He logged a 33.5-inch vertical, a 122-inch broad jump and a 4.36-second 40-yard dash.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department also labeled Ringo as the draft’s best zone-coverage cornerback, and for zone-heavy defenses—like that of the Philadelphia Eagles—Ringo could enter the first-round conversation.

This past season, Ringo logged 42 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions while starring in one of college football’s best defenses. He might not be a fit for every NFL defense, but he’ll likely draw interest from a few more team decision-makers after Friday’s showing.

Maryland CB Deonte Banks AP Photo/Nick Wass

Teams looking to add speed in the secondary likely took notice of two Maryland Terrapins who shined during the first group of 40-yard dash runs.

Deonte Banks and Jakorian Bennett were blazing with respective 40 times of 4.35 and 4.30 seconds, officially.

Banks, a rangy 6’0″, 197-pound defender, is a likely Day 2 selection. He is the 48th-ranked prospect on the B/R draft board and may have improved his stock with his 40 time, 42-inch vertical and 136-inch broad jump. Bennett is a tad smaller at 5’11” and 188 pounds and is more of an under-the-radar prospect.

Bennett did not crack the top 150 of the B/R rankings, but his proven production and measurables—he also had a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 133-inch broad jump—should place him firmly on teams’ radars between now and draft weekend.

There’s a strong chance that Maryland sees two cornerbacks drafted this year, a year after only two total Terrapins—safety Nick Cross and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo—heard their names called over draft weekend.

Georgia S Christopher SmithStacy Revere/Getty Images

The 2023 draft class is shaping up to be both talented and deep at the cornerback position. Things might not be as strong at safety, however.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah noted during the broadcast that Penn State’s Ji’Ayir Brown was the only safety inside his top 50 prospects. The Bleacher Report Scouting department is a little higher on the top end of the position, with Georgia’s Christopher Smith coming in as the 17th-ranked prospect on the draft board—though he, Alabama’s Brian Branch and Texas A&M’s Antonio Johnson are the only safeties ranked inside the top 75.

This meshes with a lot of predraft buzz and predictions. Kiper’s mock draft doesn’t have a safety going in the first round. Neither does the B/R Scouting Department’s mock or Jeremiah’s mock draft.

One of the draft’s top safeties, Boise State’s JL Skinner, did not participate on Friday after suffering a torn pectoral during his combine preparation. According to Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski, who is on-site in Indianapolis, Skinner’s draft stock might not take a massive hit, though:

“The injury may not have as big of an effect as originally expected. Skinner told Bleacher Report that the initial prognosis should be six to eight weeks of recovery and he may even put together a pro day before the NFL draft.”

Because the draft class is loaded with talented defensive linemen and cornerbacks—and we will undoubtedly see a few quarterbacks, tight ends and receivers go on opening night—safety may become more of a draft focus on Day 2.

Illinois S Sydney BrownStacy Revere/Getty Images

Though he may not be able to vault himself into the first-round conversation, Illinois product Sydney Brown may have helped himself more than any other safety on Friday.

The 5’10”, 211-pound defender tested extremely well, logging a 40.5-inch vertical and a 130-inch broad jump. He also logged a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, and, as The Athletic’s Dane Brugler pointed out, Brown’s speed does show up on game film:

This past season, Brown notched 60 tackles, seven passes defended, six interceptions and a defensive touchdown. Though only the 123rd-ranked prospect on the B/R board, he may be bucking the perception that he’s best-suited to be a run-defending box safety.

“His best role would be that of a safety who is consistently rolled up to the line of scrimmage and will have help deep over the top,” Giddings wrote.

Brown’s performance on Friday suggests that he could hold up in deep coverage much better than initially thought, and his stock has been rising ever since he impressed at the Senior Bowl.

According to NFL Media’s Gennaro Filice, Brown “arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine as one of the buzziest prospects at the safety position.”

After a strong all-around performance, Brown’s buzz should continue to build, and it shouldn’t be a shock to see him land with an NFL team early on Day 2.

Georgia S Christopher SmithZach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

While much of the media focus in Indianapolis is rightfully placed on the prospects and their performances, it’s always worth noting team-related buzz when it becomes available.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported last month that Cleveland is expected to release safety John Johnson III if he isn’t traded by March 15. Sobleski has reported that Cleveland is expected to target a safety in free agency:

“Buzz heard around Indianapolis indicates the franchise may go all-in with yet another top-tier free agent.”

Cabot mentioned Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III as a logical target. Financially, though, that could take some finagling. The Browns are projected to be $14.4 million over the salary cap. Even if Cleveland releases Johnson with a post-June 1 designation, it will only save $9.8 million off the cap—and won’t get that savings until June 2.

The savings will be only $900,000 if Cleveland can find a trade partner, but the Browns might be able to get something in return. Johnson started all 17 games in 2022 and allowed an opposing passer rating of 82.8 in coverage, according to Pro Football Reference.

Bates, meanwhile, has a projected market value of $14 million annually.

If the Browns cannot land a high-end starter in free agency, it would make sense for them to target a safety like Smith, Branch or Brown early in the draft.

The Browns don’t have a first-round selection due to the Deshaun Watson trade, but they do hold the 11th pick in Round 2. General manager Andrew Berry hasn’t been shy about moving around during the draft either, so if the top safeties do fall to Round 2, Cleveland could be a team looking to move up between opening night and Day 2.

*Cap information via Spotrac. College statistics via Sports Reference