NFL Draft 2024 summer scouting report: Kool-Aid McKinstry and the class’ top cornerbacks

Dane Brugler has released his 2024 NFL Draft Big Board.

Want to guess what the most drafted position was in each of the last three years?

Cornerback. In fact, at least four corners have been drafted in the first round in each of the last four years.

Due to both supply and demand, I expect both of those streaks to be extended another year with the potential of the 2024 cornerback group.

Plus, cornerback is a position where players can emerge and put themselves in the first-round conversation with a strong final season. At this time last year, Devon Witherspoon wasn’t considered a lock top-100 pick, but he continued to rise throughout last season and turned himself into the No. 5 selection.

Let’s take a look at the cream of this year’s crop.

(Note: Asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player with a “v” representing verified measurements and “e” for estimated measurements.)

What he does best: Fluid and long

For a player of his size, McKinstry does a great job opening at the line of scrimmage to turn, run and match routes down the field. He stays coordinated in his transitions and does an excellent job reading the eyes of receivers to disrupt the catch point with his back to the ball. McKinstry knows he has the length advantage and ball skills to own the catch point.

In the bowl game against Kansas State, McKinstry (top of the screen) finished with three pass breakups, including this play in the red zone. His coordination, length and ball skills give him a clear advantage on throws like this.

Must improve: Defending comebacks

Once he unfurls his long legs and runs vertically, McKinstry often needs a beat to gear down and react, making him a half-second late at defending curls and comeback routes. He has a high center of gravity and must do a better job using his footwork to sink and drive. His aggressive nature will also get him in trouble at times, as he arrives early to plays.

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft Outlook

The consensus No. 1 cornerback recruit in the 2021 class, McKinstry, whose given name is Ga’Quincy, was a five-star recruit and arrived in Tuscaloosa with plenty of hype — and the best nickname in college football. He was talented enough to become a starter and play well as a true freshman and then took his game to another level as a sophomore. Last season, McKinstry led the SEC in passes defended (16), didn’t allow a reception of 30-plus yards and gave up only two grabs of 20 yards or more.

McKinstry offers many of the characteristics that NFL teams covet at the position. He has size, movement skills and ball awareness and enters the 2023 season as the top draft-eligible defensive back for many around the league. Last season against Texas was probably his worst game in coverage of the six 2022 tapes I studied. All eyes will be on him when Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns offense go to Tuscaloosa this September.

What he does best: Competitive energy

Whether as a run defender or in coverage, King plays with a palpable level of competitive energy. He is a fluid and physical athlete with the explosiveness to drive on plays or match routes. While he might not have ideal height, King plays tougher than most players his size and does so without making excessive contact in coverage (zero penalties in 2022).

This play is teaching tape for the cornerback position. Lined up on the far hash versus the Utah slot receiver, King skillfully cuts off the route and doesn’t allow the receiver to stack him. He returns his eyes to the line of scrimmage and finds the football in flight, making the diving interception.

Must improve: Patience

King is a big-play hunter and is not shy about jumping routes, which makes him susceptible to double-moves, pump-fakes and other misdirection. That competitiveness is what makes him an above-average player, but savvy quarterbacks and play callers will look to use his aggressive nature against him, especially at the next level.

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft Outlook

In recent years, Cass Tech in Detroit has been a feeder program for Michigan, sending talented recruits like Donovan Peoples-Jones, Jourdan Lewis and Michael Onwenu to Ann Arbor. A two-time all-state performer at Cass Tech, Kalen and his twin brother, Kobe, were a package deal during the recruiting process and considered staying in state to play at Michigan. But they ultimately committed to Penn State where Kalen saw the field as a true freshman.

From a scouting perspective, tape and traits typically trump production, but it is always welcome when all three breed the same result. And that is the case with King, who saw a lot of targets last season with teams often throwing away from Joey Porter Jr. He put strong play on his 2022 tape while also leading the Big Ten with 21 passes defended, which ranked third best in the FBS. NFL scouts will keep a close eye on King in 2023, especially on Oct. 21 when the Nittany Lions visit Marvin Harris Jr., Emeka Egbuka and the Ohio State offense.

What he does best: Cover athleticism

With his sweet feet and fluid movements, Wiggins is a tall, long corner with the athletic skill to attach himself to NFL-level route runners. He is sudden with his start-stop redirections and has the speed to match vertical patterns. Wiggins also does well at the catch point to play through the hands of receivers and be disruptive.

Wiggins got better and better over the second half of last season, including a standout performance in the ACC championship game win over North Carolina. His 98-yard interception return was the highlight, but this play was more impressive because covering Josh Downs in space isn’t an easy task. Not only was this perfect coverage on third down, but Wiggins blocked the field goal attempt on the next play.

Must improve: Play strength

With his lean, slender frame, Wiggins must continue adding bulk and developing his functional strength. Physical wide receivers can give him trouble. Wiggins also needs to become more of a factor in the run game, getting off blocks and showing more want-to as a tackler.

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft Outlook

The state of Georgia is a hotbed for football recruiting, which explains the Bulldogs’ recent dominance. But Kirby Smart can’t keep everyone in the state. Of the top-10 recruits from Georgia in the 2021 class, most found their way to Athens, but Clemson lured two across enemy lines in Barrett Carter and Wiggins. A two-way player in high school, Wiggins followed in the footsteps of former Tigers cornerback A.J. Terrell, going from Westlake High School in Atlanta to Clemson.

After playing sparingly as a true freshman in 2021, Wiggins became a starter as a sophomore and had a few early struggles in September. But the more he played last season, the more comfortable he became in coverage, trusting his natural gifts to make plays. Wiggins posted 12 pass breakups last year, which was the most by a Clemson defender in over a decade. He is an ascending prospect with the athletic traits desired to play at a high level.

4. *Cooper DeJean, Iowa (6-1e, 207e, 4.40e)

What he does best: Versatile skill set

With his athletic profile, FBI (football intelligence) and physical toughness, DeJean was a movable chess piece for the Iowa defense in 2022. Put on the Iowa State tape, and you can see him play most of his snaps in the box as a linebacker. Try the Illinois tape, and you’ll see him primarily in the slot as a nickel. On the Kentucky tape, he worked almost exclusively on the outside.

DeJean’s questionable technique made this rep tougher than it had to be by immediately opening his hips and turning his back to the route break. But this clip also shows his ability to sense the route, react and close on the football.

Must improve: Reaction burst

With his anticipation and acceleration, DeJean can click, drive and close really well. But he is guilty of occasionally taking extra steps at the top of routes, and his first step isn’t as explosive as his full strides. This allows slot receivers to gain initial separation on quick-read routes like slants and outs. DeJean is an outstanding athlete, but he must continue to mask the lack of initial suddenness in his coverage.

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft Outlook

A do-everything athlete in high school, DeJean was an all-state quarterback and led OABCIG to back-to-back Iowa state titles as a junior and senior. He was also a standout on the baseball diamond, basketball court and track, capturing the state championship in the 100 meters (11.16) and long jump (23’ 7.5”) as a senior. Kirk Ferentz didn’t let DeJean leave the state and brought him to Iowa City as a defensive back. After coming off the bench as a true freshman, DeJean blossomed as a sophomore in 2022 and announced himself as one of the Hawkeyes’ most valuable defenders.

Any talk of DeJean potentially playing safety or nickel in the NFL isn’t because he can’t play outside. It is because his versatile talent extends beyond simply calling him a cornerback. He might lack some suddenness, but his movements are controlled and his strides are explosive. He is an instinctive and alert competitor, and of the more than 100 defensive backs I studied this summer, he was the best tackler of the group. While many will get caught up in the cornerback versus safety debate, the fact that he could seamlessly play either position is part of what makes him a potential first-round pick.

5. Josh Newton, TCU (5-10 7/8v, 189v, 4.45e)

What he does best: Stays in phase

An above-average athlete, Newton has the movement skills and awareness to stay attached to receivers outside in man-to-man. He has composed, agile feet with the body fluidity and explosive acceleration to stay in position and make plays on the ball. According to PFF’s metrics, Newton was No. 3 in the FBS last season with a 35.3 percent reception rate allowed when targeted, one spot ahead of the aforementioned Witherspoon.

Although he leaves some interceptions on the field, Newton does a great job suffocating space at the catch point and making it difficult for the offense to complete passes. Lined up at the top of the screen on this play against Oklahoma State, Newton uses his athletic tools to stay in phase and establish inside body position to contest the go route in the end zone.

Must improve: Reading fakes/combinations

Newton stays balanced in his transitions with high-end athletic traits to match up with receivers. But there are times when he can be a tick late sorting through combinations or reading play fakes (see the touchdown allowed against Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game).

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft Outlook

TCU set a school record in April with eight draft picks, but the cupboard isn’t bare in Fort Worth. Newton was a little-known two-star wide receiver recruit out of high school and was lucky to receive an offer from his hometown school of Louisiana-Monroe. He switched to defense and played three years for the Warhawks before transferring to TCU before the 2022 season. Newton started all 15 games last season and helped the Horned Frogs reach the national title game. He finished the year with 15 passes defended, which was second in the Big 12 behind teammate and Jim Thorpe Award winner Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson.

With Hodges-Tomlinson, Newton was part of one of the best cornerback duos in college football last season. Hodges-Tomlinson was a sixth-round pick this spring, but Newton has the talent and traits to go much higher next April. It won’t be surprising if he is the first senior cornerback drafted, potentially in the first two rounds.

(Note: Heights and weights are verified for senior prospects listed below and estimates for underclassmen, unless otherwise noted.)

Preseason top-25 senior cornerbacks:

1. Newton
2. Decamerion Richardson, Mississippi State (6-2 1/4, 193)
3. Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn (6-0 1/8, 183)
4. Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo (6-0 1/2, 199)
5. Jahdae Barron, Texas (5-11, 193)
6. D.J. James, Auburn (5-11 1/4, 169)
7. Deantre Prince, Ole Miss (6-0 1/8, 180)
8. T.J. Tampa, Iowa State (6-2 1/2, 198)
9. Max Melton, Rutgers (6-0 1/4, 194)
10. Marcellas Dial, South Carolina (5-11 3/4, 195)
11. Decorian Patterson, UCF (5-11 5/8, 193)
12. M.J. Devonshire, Pittsburgh (5-11 1/8, 179)
13. Mike Sainristil, Michigan (5-9 1/8, 182)
14. Cam Hart, Notre Dame (6-2 7/8, 194)
15. Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri (5-11 3/8, 175)
16. Zy Alexander, LSU (6-1, 185)
17. Trey Amos, Alabama (6-0 3/8, 190)
18. Ro Torrence, Arizona State (6-3 1/8, 195)
19. Johnny Dixon, Penn State (5-11 3/8, 195)
20. Tarheeb Still, Maryland (5-11 7/8, 190)
21. Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas (6-1 5/8, 187)
22. Kamal Hadden, Tennessee (6-1 1/8, 196)
23. Aydan White, NC State (5-11 1/2, 180)
24. Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State (6-0, 185)
25. Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Louisville (5-11, 175)

Pre-season top-15 draft-eligible underclassmen:

1. McKinstry
2. King
3. Wiggins
4. DeJean
5. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia (6-0, 180)
6. Caelen Carson, Wake Forest (6-0, 195)
7. Javon Bullard, Georgia (5-11, 195)
8. Jason Marshall Jr., Florida (6-1, 205)
9. Denzel Burke, Ohio State (6-1, 190)
10. Terrion Arnold, Alabama (6-0, 195)
11. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri (6-0, 175)
12. Keionte Scott, Auburn (5-10 3/8v, 186v)
13. Zemaiah Vaughn, Utah (6-2 1/8v, 175v)
14. Andru Phillips, Kentucky (5-10 5/8v, 183v)
15. Cobee Bryant, Kansas (5-11, 179)