For the second year in a row, we’re breaking down the Combine-invite cornerbacks “true heights.” If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s a way to help balance out the shorter players with great verticals and the taller ones without hops in an attempt to normalize how “big” a player really is. We simply add up a player’s height, arm length, and vertical to arrive out our number, breaking it down into feet and inches.
This, of course, isn’t a flawless study, and I realize it’s not like cornerbacks jump straight into the air all the time, as we’re measuring here. But it’s a more effective way to think about size beyond looking at someone’s height. I have put in the extra work to tweak things a bit this year and was sure to look up Pro Day numbers. If the Pro Day vertical was better than the Combine, I used that number. I don’t believe I did that last year and that was a foolish decision.
I looked at safeties last year too in this group but didn’t realize that until after I put all the CB data together. Maybe I’ll do the safeties separately.
The table below is sortable so feel free to look at it however you please. I’ll note a couple of interesting things below.
| Name | School | Height | Arm Length | Vertical | True Height (IN) | True Height (FT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Ramsey | Florida St | 6’1/2 | 33 3/8 | 41.5 | 148.13 | 12.34 |
| DeAndre Elliott | Colorado St | 6’0/7 | 32 | 41 | 145.88 | 12.16 |
| Maurice Canady | Virginia | 6’1 | 31 5/8 | 38 | 142.63 | 11.89 |
| Sean Davis | Maryland | 6’1 | 31 3/8 | 37.5 | 141.88 | 11.82 |
| James Bradberry | Samford | 6’0/6 | 33 | 36 | 141.75 | 11.81 |
| Eric Murray | Minnesota | 5’10/5 | 31 1/2 | 39.5 | 141.63 | 11.80 |
| Daryl Worley | West Virginia | 6’0/6 | 33 3/8 | 35.5 | 141.63 | 11.80 |
| Rashard Robinson | LSU | 6’1/4 | 32 1/4 | 35.5 | 141.25 | 11.77 |
| LeShaun Sims | Southern Utah | 6’0/4 | 31 5/8 | 37 | 141.13 | 11.76 |
| Justin Burris | NC State | 6’0/2 | 31 1/2 | 36.5 | 140.25 | 11.69 |
| Vernon Hargreaves III | Florida | 5’10/4 | 30 5/8 | 39 | 140.13 | 11.68 |
| Jalen Mills | LSU | 6’0 | 31 1/8 | 37 | 141.13 | 11.68 |
| Taveze Calhoun | Mississippi St | 6’0/3 | 31 7/8 | 35.5 | 139.75 | 11.65 |
| De’Vante Harris | Texas A&M | 5’10/5 | 30 5/8 | 38.5 | 139.75 | 11.65 |
| Cleveland Wallace | San Jose St | 5’10/6 | 31 3/4 | 37 | 139.5 | 11.63 |
| Ken Crawley | Colorado | 6’0/3 | 30 1/2 | 36.5 | 139.38 | 11.62 |
| Anthony Brown | Purdue | 5’11/2 | 31 3/4 | 35 | 138 | 11.5 |
| Harlan Miller | SE Louisiana | 5’10/7 | 31 3/8 | 35.5 | 137.75 | 11.48 |
| Zack Sanchez | Oklahoma | 5’10/7 | 31 3/4 | 35.5 | 137.75 | 11.48 |
| Ryan Smith | NC Central | 5’11 | 30 1/2 | 36 | 137.5 | 11.46 |
| Mackenzie Alexander | Clemson | 5’10/3 | 31 3/8 | 35.5 | 137.25 | 11.44 |
| Kevon Seymour | USC | 5’11/4 | 30 3/4 | 35 | 137.25 | 11.44 |
| Artie Burns | Miami (FL) | 5’10/7 | 33 1/4 | 33 | 137.13 | 11.43 |
| Xavien Howard | Baylor | 6’0/1 | 31 1/4 | 33 | 136.38 | 11.37 |
| Kevin Peterson | Oklahoma St | 5’10/3 | 30 1/2 | 35.5 | 136.38 | 11.37 |
| Briean Boddy-Calhoun | Minnesota | 5’9/4 | 31 | 35 | 135.5 | 11.29 |
| Jonathan Jones | Auburn | 5’9/1 | 30 1/4 | 36 | 135.38 | 11.28 |
| DJ White | Georgia Tech | 5’10/7 | 30 1/2 | 34 | 135.38 | 11.28 |
| Tavon Young | Temple | 5’9/7 | 30 5/8 | 34.5 | 135 | 11.25 |
| Jimmy Pruitt | San Jose St | 5’11/5 | 30 3/8 | 32.5 | 134.5 | 11.21 |
| Brandon Williams | Texas A&M | 5’11/3 | 32 1/2 | 30.5 | 134.38 | 11.20 |
| Cyrus Jones | Alabama | 5’9/7 | 31 3/8 | 33 | 134.25 | 11.19 |
– This year’s “winner” is no surprise. Jalen Ramsey kills it in every box. But he only takes the silver medal of the last two seasons. UConn’s Byron Jones still has the best figure, with a true height of 12.4 feet last season. Ramsey is 12.34.
– Overall, this class looks less springy than last. In 2015, four players graded out with a height of 12+ feet. This year, just two. This year’s third place finisher, Maurice Canady, would’ve finished in 8th last year, and again, I didn’t even look at Pro Day numbers with the inaugural group.
– The Steelers have shown interest in DeAndre Elliott, someone who met our corner criteria and does well here too, coming in second place. I will have a report on him before the draft and I am very excited.
– Eric Murray is the first sub-six foot player on the list, finishing in an impressive 6th place. That 39.5 inch vertical was huge to boost him up while he offers good length for his height.
– On the other end of the spectrum, Baylor’s Xavien Howard is the last six+ footer on my list, passed up by 11 players under the six foot threshold. His below average length and ugly vertical do him in and is just another reason why I’m not a fan. I put a 5th round grade on Howard previously where most have him in the 2nd to 3rd round range.
– Two pre-draft visitors for Pittsburgh finish are near the bottom on this list. Tavon Young and Cyrus Jones, Jones coming in last place. There might be a weird trend gong on. Senquez Golson came in last in 2015’s list (and would’ve stayed there as he didn’t jump at his Pro Day), and over the last two years, is still the lowest ranker and the only one with a sub-11 foot height. Pittsburgh digging those height and vertically challenged players. I’m…not digging it as much.
– My guy Jonathan Jones doesn’t come out sparkling here but he finishes in second for the sub-5’9 corners.
– The tallest corner, Ramsey, finishes 1st in the overall rankings. The second tallest, Rashard Robinson, finishes 8th.
