After putting a bow on the 2020 NFL Draft with team-by-team recaps it is now time to look to the future. The 2020 college football season “should be” getting underway in a little over two months. When (if?) the season starts, Deep Fried Draft will be right there bringing you all of the things you are accustomed to seeing from me.
Like last year, I am entering the 2021 NFL Draft season with 300 names on my watch list.
Today, we are going to look at the CBs. These players will be listed only by class and not in any sort of official ranking.
2021 Preliminary Cornerbacks List
SENIORS
| Chase Lucas | Arizona State | Sr | 6’0 | 175 |
| Camryn Brown | Cal | Sr | 6’0 | 190 |
| Robert Rochell | Central Arkansas | Sr | 6’1 | 195 |
| Kary Vincent | LSU | Sr | 5’10 | 185 |
| Ambry Thomas | Michigan | Sr | 5’11 | 182 |
| Shaun Wade | Ohio State | Sr | 6’0 | 195 |
| Deommodore Lenoir | Oregon | Sr | 5’10 | 204 |
| Thomas Graham | Oregon | Sr | 5’11 | 197 |
| Tariq Castro-Fields | Penn State | Sr | 6’0 | 196 |
| Zyon McCollum | Sam Houston State | Sr | 6’4 | 190 |
| K.J. Sails | South Florida | Sr | 5’11 | 175 |
| Mike Hampton | South Florida | Sr | 6’0 | 168 |
| Paulson Adebo | Stanford | Sr | 6’1 | 188 |
| Myles Jones | Texas A&M | Sr | 6’3 | 185 |
| Elijah Blades | Texas A&M | Sr | 6’2 | 185 |
| Aaron Robinson | UCF | Sr | 6’0 | 193 |
| Elijah Molden | Washington | Sr | 5’10 | 190 |
| Keith Taylor | Washington | Sr | 6’2 | 198 |
The trend of long and lean corner entering the NFL will continue with this senior class. Stanford’s Paulson Adebo entered 2019 with loads of hype but was a huge disappointment as a junior. He wisely returned to Palo Alto this season to try and right the wrongs. Shaun Wade was a better player last season than his former teammate Damon Arnette who was selected in the first round. Wade is probably the top senior CB heading into the 2021 draft season.
UNDERCLASSMEN
| Patrick Surtain, II | Alabama | Jr | 6’2 | 203 |
| Josh Jobe | Alabama | Jr | 6’0 | 189 |
| Marco Wilson | Florida | Jr | 6’1 | 190 |
| Trey Dean | Florida | Jr | 6’2 | 194 |
| Asante Samuel, Jr. | Florida State | Jr | 5’10 | 180 |
| Eric Stokes | Georgia | Jr | 6’1 | 185 |
| Tyson Campbell | Georgia | Jr | 6’2 | 185 |
| Al Blades, Jr. | Miami (FL) | Jr | 6’1 | 190 |
| Israel Mukuamu | South Carolina | Jr | 6’4 | 205 |
| Jaycee Horn | South Carolina | Jr | 6’1 | 205 |
| Olaijah Griffin | Southern Cal | Jr | 6’0 | 180 |
| Caleb Farley | Virginia Tech | Jr | 6’2 | 207 |
The underclassmen are where the top of the cornerback class resides. It is also dripping in NFL legacy players. Patrick Surtain II and Asante Samuel Jr. have a lot to live up to in regards to their famous fathers. Both of whom were high-level NFL players. Jaycee Horn of South Carolina is the son of former Saints WR, Joe Horn. Al Blades Jr. is a Hurricanes legacy. His father played two seasons in the league and he is also the nephew of former NFL stars Brian and Bennie Blades.
Israel Mukuamu nearly singlehandedly sunk the drat prospects of Jake Fromm last season when he picked off the former Georgia QB three times in the Gamecocks upset win over Georgia. Speaking of the Bulldogs, Georgia has a pair of corners that have a chance to be Top 60 talents. As do their rivals Florida.
Next up, we look ahead to the 2021 safety class.
