Dallas Cowboys: Addressing the situation at cornerback (Draft and FA)
Slot CBs for the Dallas Cowboys
This draft is a pretty good corner draft, and there are a ton of slot corners to be had throughout the draft for the Dallas Cowboys. The top name on my board is Aaron Robinson. Other names in the first half of the draft are Elijah Molden, Shaun Wade, Tre Brown, and Deommodore Lenoir.
Robinson is the best slot corner and his agility, footwork, and ability to play zone or man coverage. Robinson is not the best in terms of ball skills and will need work with understanding some of the finer points in coverage. His ceiling is probably the highest of all slot corners right now and if he can get his recognition up a little more would be a huge upgrade inside.
Molden has the higher ceiling between him and Robinson and while his size will probably place him just below Robinson he is slightly better in coverage. His run support is willing but not always reliable and against bigger slot receivers could have some issues. His instincts help him a ton and has all the physical tools inside a team will want.
Wade was seen early on as a top corner, however, a meager 2020 campaign has dropped his stock. However, what 2020 showed was that Wade might be much better in the slot and not outside. He has the size to line up against bigger slot receivers and is quick enough to cover smaller ones as well.
He will need safety help over the top as he struggles on deep routes at times which showed up in 2020 causing him to drop. He may also only fit in a zone scheme early on as he is still figuring out his man skills.
Brown will need time to develop into an inside corner. His size is an issue placing him outside at the next level, and he has not really played inside up to now. He can get a little grabby, especially against bigger receivers, and his ability to outjump a receiver could be an issue.
Lenoir is a corner who you want inside but also can play outside if you absolutely need him to. He isn’t the quickest corner but plays with good technique and in zone does really well to diagnose plays. He may struggle in man coverage early on and while he has a good hip turn, his overall speed and agility are lacking.
Throughout the draft, some guys can play both and may need to figure out their spot. Names like Rachad Wildgoose is a true hybrid corner who has some injury concerns with his shoulder but has shown a high football IQ.
Shakur Brown flashed ball skills in 2020, but his 2019 tape showed a lot of lapses that will need more work. Kary Vincent can offer some slot ability as well as safety play if needed with his ability to recognize and react in zone coverage, however, has a lot of little technical issues that will need work.