Identifying which cornerbacks the Detroit Lions should be keeping an eye on during the 2025 NFL Combine.
The 2025 NFL Combine is scheduled to be televised from Thursday, February 27 through Sunday, March 2, and we’re previewing every position group leading up to the big event.
So far, we have already previewed which quarterbacks , running backs , wide receivers , tight ends , offensive tackles , interior offensive linemen , interior defensive linemen , edge rushers , and linebackers the Detroit Lions should be scouting. In this article, we shift to the secondary and examine the cornerback prospects that should be on the radar of general manager Brad Holmes.
Of note: Corners will take place in on-field drills on NFL Network on Friday, February 28.
Team need
The Lions were aggressive in upgrading their secondary last season and invested a lot of capital into the cornerback room. Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw will enter the second year of their rookie contracts, and Amik Robertson still has a year left on his deal, but beyond that, they’ll need to add more competition and depth. At the top of the free agent list is Carlton Davis , who could leave a starting role open on the roster if he departs this offseason. After that, veterans Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey, and Emmanuel Moseley are also free agents, potentially leaving multiple depth spots vacant.
The Lions can fill their openings in a variety of ways, including re-signings and free agency, but this is an ideal year to create some depth via the draft, as it would be good business to have a more stable roster of players in the secondary.
What skills to watch for during on-field drills
Of all the on-field drills at the Combine, the ones set up for the cornerbacks tends to reveal the most about a prospect’s future. A few key drills stress the prospect’s ability to move in certain manners, and the results can indicate where that player would fit into most defenses: outside, inside, or would benefit from a switch to the safety position.
In general, a prospect’s hips tell the story. Balance, fluidity, quickness, and acceleration all start with the hips. Also, keep an eye on where they’re looking and if they have natural hands in passing drills. True outside corners tend to have little wasted movement, while safeties tend to have a hitch when asked to flip their hips. Man cover corners tend to perform best in the “backpedal and react” drill , which highlights this skill. While the “W” drill focuses on rapid change of direction in tight windows and corners, those who thrive here tend to be great nickel options.
Terrion Arnold backpedal and 45-degree break pic.twitter.com/MuR8anX6la
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 1, 2024
In the Lions scheme, they look for press-man coverage corners who are reliable tacklers. While they landed two of those ideal players in last year’s draft, it looks like it’s going to be harder to find ideal prospects in this year’s class—most notably because the majority of this year’s corners are poor run defenders.
Ideal fits
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan (6-foot-2, 202 pounds) shouldn’t fall into the range of players that the Lions could reasonably trade up to acquire, but I said the same thing about Terrion Arnold last year. With Travis Hunter (Colorado) garnering most of the attention, and Johnson coming off a season-ending turf toe injury, could the former top-10 consensus projection be in for a fall?
Johnson is an ideal press-man corner who can also shine in off-man coverage, as well as in Cover-3 zones, making him a scheme versatile candidate regardless of what defensive play is called. Fluid and smooth in coverage, Johnson has fantastic body control, elite anticipation/instincts, as well as the athleticism and agility to achieve CB1 status. He’s a ballhawk with nine interceptions—three went to the house—over his career at Michigan. He was a bit sloppy in 2024, especially in run defense, but how much of that can be attributed to his toe? Medical updates at the Combine could help answer that.
Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina (6-foot-3, 200) tore his ACL in the third game of the season, so don’t look for him to work out at the Combine, but his medical updates will help teams better understand when he may be ready to contribute in 2025 and adjust his draft stock accordingly. Revel’s a press-man corner with an impressive combination of size, speed, and athleticism. He stays in phase in man coverage and is physical at the line of scrimmage, showing great balance and vision. He is a willing tackler, but like a lot of the elements in his game, could use some refinement in his technique.
Jacob Parrish, NB/CB, Kansas State (5-foot-10, 196) can play on the outside or in the slot, but like most smaller corners, he’ll need to prove he has the skills to stick outside. He is sticky in coverage, constantly bothering receivers with his feisty and competitive nature. In man, he’s an effortless mover with smooth hip transitions, terrific acceleration, and the ability to turn and locate the ball. He is a willing contributor against the run, but he’s more of a wrap-up tackler than a punisher. He reminds me a bit of Emmanuel Moseley and could hear his name called on Day 2.
Scheme fit… but are run support issues correctable?
Jahdae Barron, CB/NB/SAF, Texas (6-foot-0, 194) is a position and scheme-versatile defensive back, who might fit best as a “big nickel” in the Lions’ defense. His attacking nature, confidence, and intelligence will all appeal to the Lions, but like Arnold last season, he’ll need to make corrections with his hand usage to keep from drawing penalties. While his run support needs some polish, a lot of his issues are correctable and his ability to get off blocks and pursue downhill will be appealing.
Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State (6-foot-1 1⁄2, 191) is an ascending player thanks to a good performance at the Senior Bowl , and his ability to play press-man has many analysts projecting him to the Lions in mock drafts. In coverage, he stays in the receiver’s hip pocket and rarely gets beat deep. He uses his length to his advantage and gets plenty of pop in his hands at the line of scrimmage, but also needs to curb some handsy behaviors to keep penalties down. At 20 years old, he’s still a moldable player, but he’ll need to prove his long speed at the Combine—and his run support also leaves you wanting more.
Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi (6-foot-0, 195) began his career at Louisiana, then transferred to Alabama (where he sat behind Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinistry), before landing at Ole Miss . He’s a natural press corner with the range to play Cover-3. Amos is a disruptor at the line of scrimmage and his quick feet help him in all phases of his game, as he has the acceleration to stay in phase and the burst/recovery speed to cover mistakes. However, he’ll also need to prove his long speed at the Combine. In run support, he’s a wrap-up tackler who has trouble staying consistent, balanced, and square to the ball carrier.
Nohl Williams, CB, California (6-foot-0, 200) is a five-year starter who uses his physicality in all phases of the game. Strength and power at the line of scrimmage, he had a terrific punch to jostle receivers off their routes. His closing speed is legit, but his long speed will be watched carefully at the Combine. His ball skills are very good, with 14 career interceptions, including seven in 2024. If coaches can get his run support production to match his physicality, the sky is the limit for his development.
Legitimate tacklers… but can they play press-man?
Cobee Bryant, CB/NB, Kansas (5-foot-11, 171) is an outside corner with nickel potential but looks better suited to play. zone than man—though that may be due to limited opportunities in that scheme. He has good instincts for the position, is a solid athlete, and shows solid burst as well as read-and-react skills. He’s aggressive in pursuit of the ball and will need to be conscious of his hands in coverage. As a run defender, the aggression and instincts translate, making him tough to block.
Mac McWilliams, NB, UCF (5-foot-10, 181) projects inside in the NFL, as he is arguably best in off-man coverage and shorter zones due to his lack of long speed. He’ll have a chance to prove his speed doubters wrong at the Combine. As a run defender, he is physical and quick, triggering downhill with a balanced attack. He’s so tenacious in his run support and doesn’t simply tackle runners, he tries to run through them.
Robert Longerbeam, NB, Rutgers (5-foot-10 1⁄2, 171) is an outside corner who may need to kick inside at the next level. Longerbeam’s coverage strengths are his burst, ability to pattern match, and physicality at the line, which translates to the slot very well. He’s a very willing run defender who triggers downhill in run support. But his best trait may be his competitive edge and ability to build a positive, winning culture in the locker room and in the community.
“Robert Longerbeam has meant a ton to the program,” head coach Greg Schiano said in November . “Forget just the pure production as a player, he’s made an impact culturally and with leadership. Beam is one of us.”