Trae Waynes

[Rollingthndr]

TFY Draft Insider's Tony Pauline reports that Michigan State CB Trae Waynes "has been running in the 4.3’s during training and could complete more than 20 reps on the bench press."

The scribe passes along that only two cornerbacks completed 20 or more reps last year: Jaylen Watkins (22) and Keith Reaser (22). "Waynes looks like a physical beast on the field and he’ll have a chance to prove as much come Sunday," Pauline wrote. NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt believes Waynes is better than former Spartans CB Darqueze Dennard, and NFL Media colleague Daniel Jeremiah does him one better. Jeremiah prefers Waynes to any corner in the 2014 class, a group including first-rounders Justin Gilbert, Kyle Fuller, the aforementioned Dennard, Bradley Roby and Jason Verrett.


Source: TFY Draft Insider


This dude is definitely going to be at the top of my wish list this draft. Regardless if Suh re-signs or not. With this guy and Slay on the corners. Ihedigbo and Quin. We could pull Alama-Francis out of retirement and still get a couple sacks.

 

[lionstop1]

Maaaaan, at 23, no way we get this kid. Would be nice though.

 

[Microwahevo]

Maaaaan, at 23, no way we get this kid. Would be nice though.

I agree. No way he'll be there at 23. However, Mayhew does like to attempt to move up in the draft. I think if Suh re-signs, taking a stab at Waynes would cement our secondary imo.

 

[Old Lion]

Tre will be the first CB off the board IMO. Possibly in the top 10. Would cost us an arm and a leg to trade up for him. I liked him better than Dennard last year.

 

[broncosmitty]

Id take Tony Lippett as a 4th- 5th receiver/dime back project.


We were too good for Waynes. Like how we were too bad for Dennard. Only different.

 

[jdwills126]

Peters is more likely to be available at 23 than Waynes. Not sure I would go with Peters.

My guess is the Lions take a DT regardless if they resign Suh or not. With only reid under contract Detroit needs to find 3-4 more DTs.

 

[RobBase]

Dennard was better so maybe we have a chance at 23. I'd pounce on him there.

 

[gandydancer]

Dennard was better so maybe we have a chance at 23. I'd pounce on him there.

I have read or heard that he is better or was better than Dennard a couple times. I guess time will tell this story. Hard to say by not seeing NFL action.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I think Waynes goes top-ten when all is said and done. He'll end up being the top CB in the class...

 

[lionstop1]

I think Waynes goes top-ten when all is said and done. He'll end up being the top CB in the class...

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Waynes looked great in his drills today, loose and extremely fluid in backpedal to turn and run. Kevin Johnson, from WF, looked 2nd best in drills, IMO, maybe a slight chance he's available late 2nd rd for us

 

[broncosmitty]

Id be happy with Kevin Johnson if he slipped to us.

 

[Cleaves2000]

Wheres trustmeimright? Last yr after dennard left msu he said our db's were gonna be bad. I told him last yr waynes was more gifted than dennard. I was hoping to see him on here praising waynes even tho a yr ago he said he wasnt good. Guess hes not always right.

 

[lionstop1]

Its just too bad we wont have a shot at Waynes. Gotta love what he brings to the table.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

there's always a shot at getting a player like Waynes. You probably wouldn't like what it would take to get him though.
CB's like Waynes, Peters, Williams and Shaw won't get away with all the hand checks, illegal contact downfield like they did in college.

 

[Rollingthndr]

there's always a shot at getting a player like Waynes. You probably wouldn't like what it would take to get him though.
CB's like Waynes, Peters, Williams and Shaw won't get away with all the hand checks, illegal contact downfield like they did in college.

Revis seems to.

 

[Rollingthndr]

Yeah, that sucks Waynes ran that damn fast. No way he makes it to us now

 

[Microwahevo]

Revis seems to.

Lots of DBs do. Just gotta learn how far you can take it. Hell, I even saw Slay starting to get away with a bit of it this past season.

Hand check concerns....they don't concern me.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Ranking the top 10 CB prospects
Peters, Johnson top early list of defensive backs with major NFL potential
Originally Published: February 13, 2015
By Kevin Weidl | ESPN Insider

With the NFL game continuing to become more of a passing league, teams are more in need of cornerbacks than ever before. Having one or two good ones isn't enough anymore; most teams need four quality corners in order to be successful.

This year's class doesn't have extraordinary depth, but there is quality talent near the top along with players who can help strengthen teams in the back end of a defense.

This week I've put a strong focus on studying the cornerbacks in an attempt to get a pulse on the group. For comparison purposes, it is always helpful to stack up prospects' tapes back-to-back, which allows each evaluation to stay fresh in your mind as you move through the group. Below is a list of my top 10 cornerbacks at this stage of the process.

1. Marcus Peters, Washington
Peters has the most complete package of any cornerback in the class. He has good size and strength and is loaded with athletic ability. He also shows impressive overall awareness and recognizes route concepts, and he quickly locates and plays the ball.

While Peters' tape speaks for itself, he comes with off-the-field baggage, having been kicked out of the Washington football program during the 2014 season. NFL teams will put him through interviews and psychological testing to figure out how he's wired and then make a decision about whether the talent outweighs the risk.

2. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest
Johnson is a tall cornerback (6-foot-1) who is loose in his hips and has excellent flexibility in his lower half. The result is that he has the most natural man coverage skills in this year's class. Johnson also displays strong eyes, anticipation and recognition skills to find and make a play on the ball.

Johnson does have a lean frame and needs to continue to add bulk in order to improve strength both in contested situations against bigger receivers and in run support. However, he plays with an edge and is not afraid to throw his weight around. Johnson is reminiscent of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie both from a build and skill-set standpoint.

3. Trae Waynes, Michigan State
Waynes is a physical press cornerback who has above-average size and plays with good overall balance. He shows quick recognition skills and has strong ball skills, with the size and strength to hold up in contested situations.

While Waynes appears to have better movement skills and is slightly faster than his former teammate and 2014 Cincinnati first-round pick Darqueze Dennard (24th overall), Waynes has some tightness in his lower half, which brings up concerns about his ability to hold up in off-man coverage.

It's evident that Waynes has been coached extremely well by former Spartans defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi. Waynes is advanced in terms of technique, which in turn allows him to mask some of his limitations. Waynes may not have as a high of a ceiling as some of the other names on this list, but he is one of the more NFL-ready cornerbacks in this class.

4. Jalen Collins, LSU
Collins is a tall and long press cornerback who has impressive fluidity for a taller defender. He isn't as quick transitioning out of breaks as some of the other names on the list, but he flashes impressive long speed and an extra gear that gives him a lot of range. He also has the versatility and experience to line up at safety and is physical in run support. Collins doesn't have great ball production for his career (18 pass breakups and three INTs) and will leave some plays on the field. However, he flashes the size, length and leaping ability to hold up at the catch point against bigger receivers.

Collins was never a full-time starter at LSU, and scouts will need to do some investigating into his overall makeup. However, on tape it's easy to see his upside, as Collins possesses the measurables and skill set that tailors favorably to today's NFL, and may have his best football ahead of him with proper coaching and development.

5. P.J. Williams, Florida State

Williams is a better football player than athlete. He comes with some limitations in coverage, but he has outstanding field awareness, strong technique and a great understanding for leverage. Williams shows quick eyes locating the ball and flashes the ability to finish when in position. He is also one of the more effective and aggressive edge-setters defending the run in this group.

Williams isn't as physically gifted as former teammate Ronald Darby, who has the higher ceiling of the two. However, Williams is a more instinctive, competitive and well-rounded player at this point. It will be interesting to see if teams prefer Williams, who has the higher floor and is the much safer prospect of the two when projecting for the long term.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

6. Ronald Darby, Florida State
Darby is the wild card of this year's cornerback class. He is a fluid, flexible and explosive athlete who possesses above-average size and world-class speed on tape. In fact, if this list was based solely on man coverage skills, Darby would be near the top, if not No. 1. In terms of a physical skill set, Darby compares favorably to St. Louis Rams CB Janoris Jenkins.

The problem for Darby is he has just average instincts and lacks discipline at times on tape. Far too often he becomes cavalier with his technique and assignment, which is when he normally gets into trouble and surrenders a big play (against Miami, for example). In addition, scouts have expressed some concerns about his overall makeup. He warrants first-round consideration from a talent standpoint but could end up coming of the board in the Day 2 range, similar to Jenkins in 2012.

7. Byron Jones, UConn
Jones is a press cornerback who needs some seasoning with technique, and he comes with some minor durability concerns. However, he has an excellent combination of size, speed and raw athleticism, giving him a lot of upside to develop into a functional starter with a year or two of development.

8. Quinten Rollins, Miami (OH)
Rollins is a former star for the RedHawks basketball team, and has just one year of experience playing college football. While he is still a bit raw and lacks ideal top-end speed, he is an agile athlete who has playmaking capabilities and holds up extremely well defending the run.

9. Steven Nelson, Oregon State
Nelson is an instinctive player who lacks ideal measurables. He is a balanced mover with a chip on his shoulder that allows him to play bigger than his size indicates.

10. Senquez Golson, Ole Miss
Golson is another undersized cornerback who has the versatility to slide inside to the nickelback position. He has above-average fluidity along with strong playmaking instincts and ball skills. He is also effective in run support for his size.