The 2020 NFL Draft kicks off next week. Leading up to the start of the first round on April 23, Giants.com will be taking a look at the top five prospects at each position in this year's draft class. Each list is based off of NFL.com's prospect rankings.
First up are the defensive backs.
Giants current depth at CB: James Bradberry, DeAndre Baker, Corey Ballentine, Sam Beal, Grant Haley, Julian Love, Derrick Baity
Giants current depth at S: Jabrill Peppers, Sean Chandler, Nate Ebner, Rashaan Gaulden
CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
Height / Weight: 6'1" / 205 lbs
2019 stats: 13 games, 34 tackles (28 solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, one forced fumble, three interceptions, nine passes defended
Accolades: Unanimous first-team All-American (2019), First Team All-Big Ten (2019)
2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 - #5
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: Okudah has ideal size, length, twitch and competitiveness for the position. He is very comfortable and effective in both press and off coverage. He is patient in press and very fluid/smooth when he opens up. He does a nice job of staying on top versus vertical routes and he can locate the football down the field. He has the agility to mirror underneath. In off coverage, he explodes out of his plant and he is a dependable open-field tackler. This is a very clean player with a very high floor and ceiling.
View photos from the college career of Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah.
CB C.J. Henderson, Florida
Height / Weight: 6'1" / 204 lbs
2019 stats: 9 games, 33 tackles (26 solo), 1.0 sack, 3.0 tackles for loss,11 passes defended
Accolades: 2x Second-Team All-SEC (2017, 2018), First-Team All-SEC (2019)
2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 - #21
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: Henderson is an extremely explosive and athletic cornerback prospect out of Florida. He played outside and inside on the games I studied. He is very physical in press coverage, landing a two-hand jam consistently. He is extremely loose and fluid to open up and mirror all over the field. He is rarely out of position and possesses rare makeup speed when he is caught in a bind. You see that same burst when he's in off coverage and the ball is thrown in front. He does need to improve on finding the ball down the field, as he's often a little late to look back. The major concern with this player is tackling. He has way too many misses and that must be improved. Overall, Henderson has some elite traits and could emerge as the top cornerback in this class, but his tackling must be addressed.
View photos of Florida CB CJ Henderson.
S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Height / Weight: 6'0" / 201 lbs
2019 stats: 13 games, 95 tackles (59 solo), 3.0 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three interceptions, one touchdown, five passes defended
Accolades: First-Team All-SEC (2019)
2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 - #22
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: McKinney was an instinctive safety for the Tide and he also spent some time playing nickel linebacker. When aligned deep, he is fluid in his movement and he's quick to key/read and drive on the football. His range is excellent. While he can effectively locate the ball, he will occasionally lose a 50/50 battle down the field. He is a dependable wrap/drag tackler. He has a very good feel as a blitzer, displaying timing and burst. Overall, McKinney is an intelligent, versatile defender and he should be very effective in multiple roles.
View photos of former Alabama S Xavier McKinney.
CB Jaylon Johnson, Utah
Height / Weight: 6'0" / 193 lbs
2019 stats: 13 games, 36 tackles (34 solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, two interceptions, one touchdown, 11 passes defended
Accolades: 2x First-Team All-Pac-12 (2018, 2019)
2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 - #29
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: Johnson offers an enticing size/speed combination for the position. He plays a lot of press-bail technique, but also flashes a firm two-hand jam. He is very fluid to open up and has plenty of long speed to carry vertical routes. He also excels when he slides inside to cover the slot. He was rarely challenged down the field in the games I studied. His ball production was outstanding in 2018 and opposing teams chose to avoid him last fall. He is very aggressive versus the run. He closes quickly before coming to balance and delivering firm tackles. Overall, Johnson is very talented and should be a Day 1 starter outside with the potential to cover in the slot as well.
View photos of Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
CB A.J. Terrell, Clemson
Height / Weight: 6'1" / 195 lbs
2019 stats: 14 games, 34 tackles (24 solo), 0.5 sacks, 0.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, three passes defended
Accolades: CFP National Champion (2018), First-Team All-ACC (2019)
2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 - #31
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: Terrell is a tall, slender cornerback prospect with a strong resume in a variety of coverages and techniques. In press coverage, he uses an effective one-hand jam before turning and opening up. He can carry vertical routes with his speed, but he is a little bit sticky when he's forced to gear down and come back downhill. In off coverage, he has a quick pedal, but there is a brief pause in his plant/drive. He has very good ball awareness down the field. He is a reliable tackler and an outstanding blitzer from the boundary corner spot. He had a rough outing against LSU in the national title game, but was otherwise very steady last season. Overall, Terrell has some tightness, but he's a very solid player who should emerge as a quality No. 2 cornerback for his drafting team.
View photos of Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell.