The SEC East already boasts two of the best returning cornerbacks in the country in Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves and Tennessee’s Cam Sutton, but as the old saying goes, The rich got richer this offseason.
All seven members of the division held opponents to 220 yards or fewer through the air per game in 2014, and all seven programs added even more depth to their secondaries with the last recruiting cycle.
Take this opportunity to acquaint yourself with the new defensive back signees in the SEC East this winter:
Editor’s note: Recruiting ranking references are to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
FLORIDA GATORS
CB Chris Williamson (3-star): Williamson was recruited as an athlete, and his versatility should allow him to succeed as a cornerback at the next level. The former wideout understands what others at the position are thinking, which could make it easier to slow them down as a full-time defender at Florida. He’s fast but not the fastest man in the class, and he’s strong for his size but far from the strongest defensive back in the SEC. Nevertheless, he has great instincts and great hands, and should work his way onto field in the coming years.
S Kylan Johnson (3-star): At 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds, Johnson has the ideal frame to play safety in the SEC. He moves well for his size and is strong for a safety, although his game is not predicated on strength and power. His length allows him to knock balls out of the air and blanket opposing tailbacks and tight ends, and he reads opposing quarterbacks’ eyes well, allowing him to excel in zone coverage.
GEORGIA BULLDOGS
S Rashad Roundtree (4-star): One of the SEC East’s best defensive back signees, Roundtree has the potential to make an early impact for the Bulldogs. He could stand to improve how he reads opposing quarterbacks, but he’s a quick decision-maker and even quicker to get moving once he locates the ball. He can play in coverage over the top and closes on underneath routes quickly, and his length as a 6-foot-1 prospect gives him an advantage in coverage as well.
CB Rico McGraw (4-star): McGraw is a powerful 200-pound safety who plays downhill and has a nose for the football. He’s great in zone coverage but lacks the speed to be dominant in man to man when matched up with a top wide receiver. McGraw is balanced yet physical, and although he’s great in the open field he could stand to improve his open field tackling. Nevertheless, he has great range in coverage once the ball is in the air, which should enhance his play from the back-end of the defense.
CB Juwuan Briscoe (3-star): Briscoe is an explosive athlete with incredible speed who was recruited as an athlete and will need to learn the subtleties of playing cornerback at the SEC level. He runs extremely well and has great hands (he played tailback and safety in high school), but he’ll have to rely on his 6-foot length and remarkable closing speed to carry him as he learns the ins and outs of the cornerback position.
S Johnathan Abram (3-star): Abram is a natural athlete, and at 205 pounds he’s one of the sturdier defensive backs entering the SEC this fall. He breaks on the football well and explodes downhill in an impressive manner, allowing him to excel in underneath coverage from the safety position. He has decent range in coverage but he’s vulnerable at times in coverage down the field. Abram is more than capable of playing in the box, similar to Ole Miss safety Tony Conner, but appears to be a candidate to redshirt as he rounds out his game as a safety.
S Jarvis Wilson (3-star): Wilson is another player who was recruited as an athlete but will play in the defensive backfield at Georgia. He has above-average speed and plays with more strength and physicality than his 190-pound frame leads on. He has great hands and attacks balls in the air, which should benefit his coverage down the field and in the red zone. He’ll need time to adjust to playing defense full-time, but has the physical tools and proper attitude to tackle the challenge.
CB Deandre Baker (3-star): Baker is a fast, quick, explosive cornerback with great range in coverage and great ball skills. His biggest weakness is, well, his weakness, as his 167-pound frame is not likely to cut it at the SEC level. However, provided he bulks up and becomes more sturdy on the outside, he has all the coverage skills to be a great corner in the SEC. Baker can play man or zone, but again, must bulk up or risk being vulnerable in press coverage and run-stopping duties on the perimeter.
S Kirby Choates (3-star): Choates is both fast and quick, which should benefit him at the safety position. He has incredible straight line speed, and he closes on balls faster than most at his position. He also has great quickness and an ability to change directions in a hurry, which should also benefit him in coverage. However, even with his athleticism he is still learning how to play in coverage, which might lead to a redshirt year this fall.
KENTUCKY WILDCATS
S Marcus Walker (3-star): Walker is an instinctive safety who excels in coverage and as a run-stopper. He reads quarterbacks well, especially in zone coverage, and makes aggressive plays on the ball. He’s not afraid of contact, and he fills running lanes will when playing closer to the line of scrimmage. Is as intelligent as he is physically gifted, but at less than 180 pounds he’ll need to bulk up and get stronger to become a better tackler and a sturdier all-around football player.
CB Kei Beckham (3-star): Beckham is a capable cornerback with great speed, great instincts and great ball skills. He excels in taking propers angles to close on a ball in the air or a nearby ball-carrier as quickly as possible, and has great vision when reading a quarterback or following the ball on a given play. However, at just 155 pounds Beckham is tough but easily pushed around, and he’ll need to address that to reach his full potential at UK.
CB Chris Westry (3-star): Westry is a long cornerback standing 6-foot-3, and he uses his length to his advantage when competing for balls in the air. Takes a bit of time to reach full speed but when at full speed is among the fastest straight line players entering the SEC this fall. He could stand to be more fluid in his motions, but he has the ability to use his long arms to shed blocks and make plays in the open field and in the run game near the line of scrimmage.
CB Derrick Baity (3-star): Baity is a 6-foot-1 prospect but has long arms that aid him in coverage and long legs that help him cover large areas in a short amount of time. He reacts quickly as a play is developing and closes ground even quicker. He excels in underneath coverage and can get moving downhill in a hurry to make a play in front of him. He could stand to bulk up and become more fluid in his motions, but he’s capable of excelling at either cornerback or safety.
MISSOURI TIGERS
S Cameron Hilton (3-star): Hilton is a fine athlete with great speed who played on both sides of the ball in high school. He’ll move to the secondary at Mizzou, where his natural athleticism will benefit him in coverage (he’s also known to be a hard hitter, which will benefit his play from the safety position). Hilton has a nose for the football, and although he’s still learning the nuances of playing on defense full-time, he has all the tools to make the move a success.
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
S Toure Boyd (3-star): Boyd is not just an athletic safety prospect, but he’s an intelligent prospect who uses his athleticism to his advantage. He reads plays well and reacts quickly, always taking the proper angles to close ground in a hurry. He’s fast and fluid in his movements, and excels in zone coverage. He’s improving his abilities in man to man coverage, and can play in the box as well as an extra linebacker when called upon.
S Antoine Wilder (3-star): Wilder is an aggressive safety who could stand to bulk up during his career at South Carolina. He can line up anywhere on the field, and he reacts quickly to plays as they develop in front of him. Wilder never shies away from contact, and he closes ground fast and aggressively to bat down a pass or take down a ball-carrier in the area. He’s best used as a centerfielder at the back of the defense, but he can also serve as a perimeter run-stopper with great tackling skills despite weighing only 170 pounds.
CB Rashad Fenton (3-star): Fenton runs well but is not explosive in short bursts, which could hold him back at the cornerback position. Like many other defensive back recruits, he’ll need to bulk up upon arriving in Columbia, but his nose for the football should allow him to transition his game quickly to the next level. Anticipates routes and moves by an opposing receiver, which allows him to excel in coverage. He’s also a good run-stopper who can set the edge and keep plays in front of him.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
CB Micah Abernathy (4-star): One of the best cornerback signees in the SEC, Abernathy has the potential to add depth to a Tennessee team lacking it at the cornerback position behind Cam Sutton. He’s an explosive athlete with an ideal 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame for a cornerback prospect. He accelerates in a hurry and closes on the ball quickly when it’s in the air, and his fluid movements allow him to stick with opposing wideouts step for step down the field. Abernathy is instinctive, which aids his coverage abilities, and he’s a lethal return man as well.
CB Justin Martin (4-star): Martin is long and rangy, but smooth in his motions at the cornerback position. Is better when giving cushion at the line of scrimmage and keeping a play in front of him, and still struggles when asked to play press coverage. He reads plays well in front of him and reacts quickly, and he’s an above-average run-stopper from the cornerback position. Many feel Martin is a contender to be moved to safety before his career at Tennessee comes to an end.
CB Darrell Miller (3-star): At just below 6-feet, Miller doesn’t provide the length many are looking for out of cornerback prospects, but he’s as complete a player as any other in Tennessee’s class. He has great field awareness and rarely gets too locked into his own matchup to watch plays develop around him. He’s aggressive, has great range in coverage and great ball skills when playing balls in the air, but is still sharpening his skills in zone coverage as he transitions to the SEC.
S Stephen Griffin (3-star): Griffin is a long 6-foot-3 safety prospect who plays with more strength than his 185-pound frame leads on. He has great instincts as a safety and gets moving quicker than most players with his length. He excels in zone coverage and can get downhill in a hurry to break up a play underneath. Known to be a hard hitter, he can control the middle of the field from his safety position, and if he bulks up enough during his college years he could eventually be moved to linebacker.
VANDERBILT COMMODORES
CB Donovan Sheffield (4-star): Sheffield is among the top recruits to sign with Vanderbilt during the last five years, and he has a chance to anchor the Vandy defense during his career in Nashville. The converted former running back has great instincts in coverage for someone who has never been exclusive to the position, and his quickness and ability to change directions in a hurry should allow him to stay with athletic wideouts, especially in the open field. He may need to bulk up a bit, but not as much as other prospects. The more he learns about the nuances of the position, the better he’ll get in the coming years.
S Andrew Rector (3-star): Rector is not naturally fast, but he’s the type of prospect capable of keeping up with the speed of the game at the SEC level due to great footwork and even better instincts. He plays with great balance and can excel as a ballhawk when able to keep plays in front of him. Can play zone coverage but is not capable of playing man to man in the SEC against backs and tight ends. He has a great motor and work ethic, but may be a candidate to redshirt in 2015.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
