This year’s defensive backs worked out yesterday and there weren’t many surprises in the results. Patrick Peterson of LSU is the best cornerback in this draft. He’s an amazing combination of speed, strength and quickness. On top of that Peterson may be the best punt returner in the nation.
Peterson ran a 4.34 in the forty yard dash despite weighing 219 pounds. He’s a shutdown corner in the mold of Deion Sanders and Darrelle Revis
The defensive back posted unofficial times of 4.32 and 4.37, which are amazing timings for a cornerback of his size.
Peterson (6-0, 219) figures to be selected in the top-10, perhaps the top-five selections overall, in the 2011 NFL Draft.
CB Prince Amukamara: Nebraska – There were questions about Amukamara’s speed, but those questions have been put to bed. He’ll likely be the second cornerback taken off the board on draft day.
Cornerback Brandon Harris: Miami – Harris passed his test for speed and quickness and will likely be the third or fourth cornerback 
selected in the upcoming draft. The Hurricanes cornerback has great size and played well on tape, so the speed factor was the only question remaining.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith Colorado is similar to Harris in that he’s got great size. Smith also ran well. His performance in the drills wasn’t as sparkling, so he’s not listed quite as high as Harris. Still he could go late in the first round.
Another Miami cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke ran the best forty-yard dash time of the cornerbacks, but his coverage and change of direction skills are suspect. He wasn’t a standout cornerback during the season, so he probably won’t be drafted in the early rounds, but he’ll be selected by a team which doesn’t have urgent cornerback needs and is willing to take the time to develop his skills.
Virginia’s Ras-I Dowling ran a 4.46 despite straining his hamstring and pulling up about five yards before the end of the sprint. He showed elite speed but the hamstring is another injury problem to add on to what has been a long list of injury problems for Dowling. His injury history will likely hurt him in late April.
1. DeMarcus Van Dyke, Miami: 4.28
2. Patrick Peterson, LSU: 4.34
3t. Chimdi Chekwa, Ohio State: 4.40
3t. Chris Culliver, South Carolina: 4.40
4t. Prince Amukamara, Nebraska: 4.43
4t. Joseph Lefeged, Rutgers: 4.43
5t. Ras-I Dowling, Virginia: 4.46
5t. Curtis Marsh, Utah State: 4.46
5t. Byron Maxwell, Clemson: 4.46
5t. Jimmy Smith, Colorado: 4.46
5t. Shareece Wright, USC: 4.46
Failed to mention G that CB Jimmy SMith had a lot of questions about his
character, self-motivation, coachability and other off the field issues which will send him down into the late 1st and mayve even into the 2nd Rd behind
B Harris who moves up to the #3 CB (behind Peterson & Amukarama)
Also and another big name in Aaron Williams from Texas did not have very good drills and many Combine Observors now project him better as a Safety as oppoded to a CB due to his stiffness in his hips and lack of top Speed and changing directions at full tilt..
This Group as a whole is not very deep and outside the top 2 players in Peterson & Prince, I really don’t see anyone coming in and being a Starter next year or at least early on..
Eagles will need to look for improvements on their Roster (D Patterson & T LIndley) or at some the Free-Agents, (if there ever is one) to upgrade this Position.. I don’t see the Eagles selecting a CB until the mid-rounds who will be a player to groom in 2011/2012 and then maybe be ready to take over 2013..
For the Record..
This Safety Class this year is probably the weakest group I have seen and researched on since I’ve been following the Draft (about 25 years or so)
There is probably 3 Safeties (Moore,McDaniels,Williams) that will go in Rounds #2 or #3 with the remainder being 5th/6th/7th Rounders and long shots to make an impact come the 2011 Season. Just a very weak group…
Paulman…what is the story with Lindley? Do you think he could start over Patterson? I don’t know much about him.
Harris does not have great size. He was measured at only 5′ 9″ and 160 or 170 pounds.
Draft defense they have nine picks 8 of the nine should be defense. 2cb..2ss..1will..1de..1dt…and a rg
Since 1999 the eagles have only sent 3 players to the pro bowl that andy reid has drafted on defense. Lito…mike lewis…trent cole…..just terrible…andy or the scouts have to do better
302 eagles fan – how many have the Redskins sent – how about the Giants, how about the Bucs? Your stat means nothing when it isn’t compared to the rest of the league….. who did the saints DRAFT that went to the Pro Bowl on defense?
Now that I got that out of my systems I am reasonably sure that both Corey Simon and Trent Cole have gone to the Pro Bowl – and not for nothing the Eagles drafted Raheem Brock and Derrick Burgess – Burgess just couldn’t stay healthy here and Brock was a 7th rdr that held out.
Come on man , you gotta do better then that
oops – you did mention trent cole, sorry, my bad –
To 302Eaglefan,
Why no mention of the DC for the Eagles during this time period where so few made the Pro-Bowl too.. Coach JJ keeps getting a free pass
To Walken,
I think Lindley will be the 3rd CB and replace J Hanson as the slot cover CB
on 3rd Downs/3 WR packages.. I think D Patterson will be #1 CB on paper
anyways.. I think Lindley by 2012 will be competing for a Starter’s spot..
but I’ll make up for my oops by pointing out Mikell was an undrafted free agent and I think he went to the pro bowl two or three years back
why is the probowl an important stat? I can make a computer program to vote for chad hall 5 billion times a day and he’d get in. It’s not a measure, it’s a popularity contest
Navyeagles fan mikell wasn’t drafted oops….redskins giants bucs have super bowls….cmon man
It’s funny how these other teams Won SB and their DC’s are not mentioned
as HOF Type of Coaches or put up on a Pedestal that the Eagles Former
D/C JJ is. What did JJ ever Win and Why is that….
(Just another example of Eagles fans and the local media overrating and falling in love with one of their own because he was a good guy instead of looking at the record…)