Corner Store

With draft week officially underway, the “DiCecco Big Board” series continues at cornerback, a position the Eagles could address within the first two days of the draft.

The team famously drafted Super Bowl starting defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean last April in the first and second rounds, respectively, perhaps fueling a desire to see if lightning can strike again.

Veteran corners Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers left in free agency, setting the stage for a cornerback battle that includes third-year pro Kelee Ringo competing against 29-year-old Adoree’ Jackson.

While it’s far too early to cast aside Ringo, a 2023 fourth-round pick, it’s important to keep facts in mind.

Ringo was unable to stave off Rodgers for the top backup role after seemingly coming on down the stretch of the 2023 slide. He never factored into the rotation during the season, either, accounting for just 11 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. Of his 112 snaps, 53 came in the regular-season finale against the Giants.

Though they’ll surely give Ringo every opportunity to run away with the starting job opposite Mitchell, if the Eagles want to promote competition – even upgrade – they can make it happen.

I’m not sold that the team will put all its eggs in the Ringo basket, or even assume Jackson can capably fill in for a full slate of games, which is why spending an early selection on a cornerback could make sense.

Pouring additional gas onto the fire is that the Eagles hosted on 30 visits several of the top cornerbacks in the class.

Here is my final 2025 NFL Draft cornerback big board, including the range in which each prospect is expected to fall:

GETTY IMAGES: Colorado CB/WR product Travis Hunter is unequivocally the top CB in the class.

1. Travis Hunter, Colorado

Not much needs to be said about Hunter, the dynamic two-way standout for the Buffalos who also qualifies as my favorite prospect to grade over the years. Perhaps the most talented prospect in this entire class, Hunter, at six-foot, 188 pounds, is an explosive, twitched up athlete boasting top tier instincts and competitiveness.

Whether he purely reps at cornerback or also moonlights at receiver, Hunter has the athleticism and ball skills to pull it off. To put his ball production at cornerback into perspective, Hunter over his career collected nine interceptions and 37 passes defended. He’s likely to be the second player to hear his name called Thursday evening.

2. Will Johnson, Michigan

Johnson, a three-year starter for the Wolverines, has the length, refinement and range to become a shutdown cornerback at the NFL level. Razor-sharp footwork and smooth in and out of breaks, Johnson really showed me that he rarely, if ever, fell victim to bailing on technique at the first sign of falling behind on a rep. Instead, Johnson remained patient, entrusting his technique.

He does a nice job using his length to narrow throwing windows. A former wide receiver, Johnson also possesses plus ball skills and a high-level understanding of route concepts. Johnson, who recorded nine interceptions over his career, should come off the board in the early portion of the first round.

3. Jahdae Barron, Texas

Big fan of Barron’s tape, but as a hybrid defensive back, beauty will be in the eye of the beholder. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Barron boasts alignment versatility – he can play corner, nickel or safety – as well as an immensely high-level football IQ. He reminds me of a point guard, showcasing an ability to process quickly and direct traffic.

A Jim Thorpe Award winner, awarded to the nation’s top defensive back, Barron, a three-year starter, is a technically sound defender who plays with exceptional anticipation. Most of his snaps in 2024 were devoted to playing outside corner, where I envision Barron generating early returns. He also has the athleticism, quickness and intelligence to play nickel at the NFL level. I believe he’ll hear his name called somewhere in the middle of the first round.

4. Shavon Revel, East Carolina

Sporting a longer frame (6-2,195) and equipped with a feisty demeanor, Revel is tailor made to be an early impact starter, though evaluators must get past his early season knee injury and age (24). Revel, of course, tore his ACL during practice last season, limiting him to only three games. Appealing traits include 33-inch arms (80-inch wingspan), long speed to stick with receivers downfield and the requisite physicality to bully wideouts on the boundary.

At times, Revel, who excels in press coverage, will even play a tad too aggressive, perhaps something to be mindful of as he prepares for the pro ranks. Revel, a two-year starter for the Pirates, snared three interceptions over his final four games. He’s also used his frame and get-off to negate a handful of field goal opportunities.

The age and abbreviated season could ultimately affect a player with first-round round talent like Revel, but I don’t suspect it’ll hurt him much, as I have him forecasted to come off the board early in the second round.

GETTY IMAGES: Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston Jr. offers top-end speed and could be a first-round pick.

5. Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Hairston may not sport the prototypical build of a lock-down perimeter cornerback. But it’s Hairston’s short-area quickness, ability to flip his hips and run and shrewdly read the eyes of opposing quarterbacks that could potentially vault the Michigan native into the first-round conversation.

A two-year starter for the Wildcats, Hairston also showcased a willingness to throw his body around as a tackler, though it’s fair to wonder if that style will need to be reined in at the next level to promote longevity. While his 2023 tape was even better, Hairston combined for six interceptions over the past two seasons.

He also clocked a blistering 4.28 40-yard dash and leaped 39.5 inches in the vertical. I’m expecting Hairston to come off the board anywhere from the late-first to early-second round.

Others to know:

Trey Amos, Ole Miss

Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.