Getty Pittsburgh CB Dane Jackson has been projected to go in the fourth or fifth round in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Eagles solved one problem at cornerback when they signed Darius Slay. More problems persist.
Philadelphia swapped a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in exchange for Slay, a three-time Pro Bowler at the position. The longtime Lions starter is a true shutdown corner and now tops the team’s depth chart. He has openly campaigned for covering the opposition’s best. On the other side? Well, there is work to be done.
The Eagles will enter the 2020 season with Slay on one side and most likely Avonte Maddox on the other, maybe Sidney Jones. The team has decided to move last year’s starter Jalen Mills to safety and cornerback Rasul Douglas is reportedly on the trading block. The Eagles will host an open competition at training camp between Cre’Von LeBlanc and Nickell Robey-Coleman for the nickel corner spot.
That leaves plenty of room for a rookie to make an impact. GM Howie Roseman should have his eye on a few guys in the upcoming draft, particularly cornerbacks that might fall on Day 2. There is a slew of riveting options on the board.
Top 5 Cornerbacks for Eagles to Consider
Notre Dame CB Troy Pride Jr. may be the biggest draft board riser this week.
Troy Pride, Jr.
The Notre Dame product has been high on the Eagles’ wish list for quite some time. Originally, it was thought he might be there in the third round but after shredding the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds … yes, he’s probably going higher. Sports Illustrated had Pride going at 68th overall to the Jets. The Eagles don’t select until (compensatory) pick No. 103 in the third round. If they want him, they’ll have to grab him in the second at 53rd overall.
How good is Pride? He’s definitely the fastest corner in the draft and possesses good size (5-foot-11, 195 pounds). More importantly, he has the ability to thrive in both man-coverage and zone. His natural instincts and shifty change of direction might be his best attributes. However, his nay-sayers will point out that he can’t get his hands around the football as evidenced by just four interceptions and 18 passes defensed in four years at Notre Dame.
#NotreDame cornerback Troy Pride Jr. following up his official 4.40 40-yard dash time with some position work.
Solid day overall for the Fighting Irish defensive back.
Cameron Dantzler
Dantler’s size is an enigma for scouts who think he is a “very long, stringy cornerback” at 6-foot-2 and 188-pounds. His speed was called into question last month after he posted 4.64 seconds in the 40. Too slow to keep up with NFL-caliber receivers, right? Then he miraculously clocked in at 4.38 seconds at his unofficial pro day. He projects to be a second-round pick next month.
With no Pro Days due to the Coronavirus, prospects have been sending teams their virtual Pro Days and workouts. Here is @HailStateFB CB Cam Dantzler’s 4.38 40-yard dash that went to teams via agents Jovan and Roosevelt Barnes of @ISEWorldwide.
Playing under former NFL Pro-Bowl cornerback Terrell Buckley at Mississippi State, Dantzley exploded onto the scene when he intercepted Lamar Jackson in the Taxslayer Bowl. He spent three seasons in college and racked up five interceptions and 20 passes defensed. NFL.com draft guru Lance Zierlein wrote the following: He won’t give up many explosive plays through the air, but is a high-risk tackler in run support and needs to do a better job of wrapping and finishing.”
Damon Arnette
Otherwise known as the guy who lined up opposite Jeffery Odukah at Ohio State, Arnette has been climbing up draft boards due to his physicality. There may not be a better player at disrupting receivers at the line of scrimmage. He projects as a Day 2 pick, either in the second or third round. However, there are questions about his speed. He ranked 22 out of 28 corners at the NFL Scouting Combine after running the 40 in 4.56 seconds.
If the Eagles want him, they might have to pounce early. Arnette was recently projected to go to the Dallas Cowboys at pick No. 82. USA Today wrote: “Arnette has NFL-ready coverage ability on the outside that the Cowboys need after going edge and receiver with their first two picks. He allowed a 44.6% completion rate last year despite playing with a cast on his wrist.”
Dane Jackson
Another cornerback missing a huge pre-requisite: actual interceptions. Jackson grabbed four total interceptions and 39 passes defensed in four years at Pittsburgh, but he allowed just slightly more than a 42-percent completion rate. His best trait may be “short-term memory,” or the ability to accept getting beat from time to time and moving on to the next play. He’s been called everything from a draft-day steal to a solid NFL backup.
Jackson, a Pennsylvania native (outside Pittsburgh in Coraopolis, PA) certainly has shown enough on tape to warrant a look. His four forced fumbles in 2018 were tied for the lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference. There are some scouts who think Jackson may struggle with pass-interference calls at the next level. Either way, he’s bound to be there when the Eagles pick in the fourth round.
Darnay Holmes
The Eagles already hosted Holmes for a pre-draft workout, a few days before the novel coronavirus shut society down. He seems to check all the boxes, with blazing speed (4.48 in 40) and impressive size (5-foot-10, 199 pounds). He also has the raw statistics after collecting eight interceptions and 17 passes defensed in three seasons at UCLA. A nagging ankle injury slowed him down in 2019 and it could be a blessing in disguise. He’s likely to be on the board in the fourth round.
Holmes was a standout in Senior Bowl practices where he kept gaining a reputation as a stud slot corner. He’s seen as a “project player with huge upside” by many plugged-in scouts. While the Eagles don’t need another slot corner (Cre’Von LeBlanc and Nickell Robey-Coleman are competing there), you don’t pass on uber-athletic talent. Ever.
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Top 5 CBs for Eagles to Target on Day 2 in NFL Draft