The title has been passed around from Miami to Florida to LSU to Texas in recent years. Right now, there is no competition. OSU is the new clear-cut DBU.
That will become evident when two Ohio State cornerbacks add to the program's recent run by being selected in the first round of this year’s draft. Adding to the status as Defensive Back University will be the selection of safety Malik Hooker.
The Buckeyes’ Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley are almost certain to follow in the footsteps of New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple, who was the 10th overall pick last year, Bradley Roby (first round, 2014) and Doran Grant (fourth round, 2015). That’s five cornerbacks in four drafts for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes, with three first-rounders who still get together and make up a tight-knit family, communicating through an old group text.
Two NFL evaluators recently told ESPN they had Lattimore and Conley among their top three cornerbacks in a draft that could feature as many as six or seven in the first round. Lattimore and Conley are going to hear their names called on the first day of a draft stocked with defensive backs. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said there could be as many as 15-20 cornerbacks selected in the first 2½ rounds.
That Lattimore and Conley are near the top does not surprise Apple, given the breeding ground where they refined their crafts. “I guess Ohio State does a really good job of developing guys,” Apple said. “I think our coach, [cornerbacks/special teams coordinator] Coach [Kerry] Coombs, is one of the better -- if not the best -- DB coach out there. And he listens to us. He does a good job of teaching, but he makes sure everybody does something toward their strengths. He doesn’t force anything, especially this year. The guys say he was a little bit more open to changing technique styles, and you can see it worked to let guys just do what they do. It’s kind of simple, but not every coach will do that.”
Lattimore and Conley are both good. But they have different styles that might fit better with certain teams.
Apple watched as Lattimore struggled with injuries early in his career and Conley came in as an undersized corner. He played alongside them both, then studied them closely -- even from a distance -- this past year. He knows what they bring to the table, and broke it down for ESPN.
Gareon Conley scouting report (via Eli Apple):
“I would say he is a great cover guy. He’s probably one of the better cover guys, just natural cover guys. He does a great job of mirroring the receivers with his feet. He doesn’t even have to use his hands -- that is how great his feet are. But I feel this year he incorporated his hands more and he got bigger and he ended up playing a lot better with that strength. He’s fast, athletic and can play the fade pretty well. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him give up a fade ball or jump ball because he has really good vertical skills and jumping ability. He’s a natural cover guy. He’s going to do whatever he has to do to keep the ball away from a receiver. Really competitive. Just extremely fast and athletic. He’s like a basketball player out there on the field. He’s one of the best basketball players I’ve ever seen in person. Him and Malik Hooker, too. And I’ve seen some crazy ones.”
NFL comp: A young Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
“He’s shorter, but they’re a similar build. He’s that type of athlete.”
Marshon Lattimore scouting report (via Eli Apple):
“He’s very physical. He’s a great tackler. There was a stat this year that he didn’t miss a tackle all year, the whole season [according to Pro Football Focus]. He has great ball skills, just like Gareon. They have superior ball skills. They don’t drop any picks. He’s fast and athletic. He’s physical. To me, he has everything you want in a corner. His thing was to get on the field, get those reps. You can see the talent. He just had to stay on the field health-wise. Once he got that under control, you can tell with the season he had. He got his weight down and did real well.”
NFL comp: Aqib Talib
“I think they have the same type of footwork at the line. They like to get two hands on you.”
Is either Conley or Lattimore the next Apple? Or are they better? An outside party was needed for this breakdown.
“I thought Apple went higher than I thought he was going to, but he was a kid who, like Lattimore, came on,” Kiper said. “Lattimore is a third-year sophomore. You think about Apple -- young player, tested well. I think Apple, Lattimore and Conley are all very similar as to how they were viewed coming out. Lattimore probably a little bit ahead of those two, Conley in line where Apple was.”
Either way, the new DBU is doing just fine pumping out top cornerback prospects.
