Rating the top cornerbacks in the 2016 NFL Draft

Measurables for each player includes height, weight, age they turn this year and 40-yard-dash time.

1. JALEN RAMSEY

6-1, 209, 22, 4.41, Florida State

Bio: Three-year starter who had 52 tackles, zero interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 10 pass deflections in 13 games in 2015. First true freshman to start at cornerback for Florida State since Deion Sanders in 1985. Declared after his true junior season.

Consensus: Outstanding athlete; former track guy who tested well in multiple drills including vertical (41.5) and broad jump (135 inches). Has excellent arm length (33  3/8 inches). Can play cornerback or safety, but has the ability to play multiple positions as a Swiss-army knife, of sorts. Potential Pro Bowler at either position. Has excellent instincts, football IQ and leadership ability. Great tackler who can blitz, too. Surprisingly low ball production (only three career interceptions) is a small concern.

Grade: 7.4

2. VERNON HARGREAVES III

5-10, 204, 21, 4.50, Florida

Bio: Three-year starter who had 33 tackles, four interceptions and four pass breakups in 13 games in 2015. Finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2015. Was first-team all-SEC as a true freshman. Declared after his true junior season.

Consensus: Is young for a prospect but is very experienced. Has a thickness to his frame, particularly in the lower body, but posted good marks in the vertical (39 inches) and broad jump (130 inches) and is very athletic. Smooth corner with very good feet and transitional quickness. Has 10 career interceptions. Good tackler. Quick, fast with good ball skills. Plays press and off-man coverage. Lacks eye discipline in off man; is susceptible to double moves. Has some return skills and also served as a gunner at times. Plug-and-play type.

Grade: 7.1

3. ELI APPLE

6-1, 199, 21, 4.40, Ohio State

Bio: Two-year starter who had 33 tackles, one interception and eight pass breakups in 13 games in 2015. Declared after redshirt sophomore season.

Consensus: Is young for a prospect. Alleviated concerns about his speed with a good Combine 40 and strong field workout. Is long for the position; fits the physical prototype. Combination of size and athleticism will be attractive to NFL teams. Has the hips, feet and length to be a good corner. Has four career interceptions but needs to refine his ball skills. Technique is inconsistent; needs to be coached up. Willing tackler with the size to hold up in run support.

Grade: 6.9

4. WILLIAM JACKSON III

6-0, 189, 23, 4.37, Houston

Bio: Two-year starter who had 43 tackles, five interceptions and 23 passes defensed in 13 games in 2015. Junior-college transfer.

Consensus: Satisfied questions about his speed with a blazing time at the Combine. Adequate arm length (31  3/4 inches). Tremendous ball production; led the nation in passes defensed and has ball skills. He can track it. Good football instincts. Showed good footwork in the combine drills. Is a little tight through the hips in space but looked adequate in movement drills. Willing tackler but must refine his technique there. Looks the part as press-man or off-coverage Cover 1 or Cover 3 corner — did plenty of both. “Kid can play any discipline with equal effectiveness — just needs to get stronger and tackle better,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said.

Grade: 6.9

5. MACKENSIE ALEXANDER

5-10, 190, 23, 4.41, Clemson

Bio: Two-year starter who had 23 tackles, zero interceptions, five pass breakups and five pass deflections in 14 games in 2015. Declared after redshirt sophomore season.

Consensus: Superior athleticism. Is field-fast with very good quickness and anticipation. Forty-time comes from his Pro Day, did not run at the Combine. Willing tackler but is small and needs to get stronger. Would be the first defensive back to go in the first round of the draft with zero career interceptions since 1969. Has also reportedly struggled on the blackboard, showing a lack of understanding when it comes to recognizing defensive concepts. Dealt with hamstring issues in his career.

Grade: 6.8

6. KENDALL FULLER

5-11, 187, 21, DNR*, Virginia Tech

Bio: Three-year starter who 54 seven tackles, two interceptions, 15 pass breakups and 17 pass deflections in 13 games in 2014. Only played in three games in 2015 due to a season-ending knee injury. Comes from a long-line of football players; has three older brothers who either are currently in the NFL or have played in the NFL. Declared after true junior season.

Consensus: Is young for a prospect. Has shown ball production in the past with eight career interceptions, so his ball skills are up to snuff. Has a natural feel for the position and has very good instincts for the position but is a little tight in the hips and will occasionally bite on double moves. Lean body who might get outmuscled by bigger receivers in the NFL. Willing tackler who occasionally whiffs in space. Competitive and tough.

Grade: 6.8

7. ARTIE BURNS

6-0, 193, 21, 4.46, Miami (Fla.)

Bio: Two-year starter who had 36 tackles, six interceptions and five pass breakups in 12 games in 2015. Declared after true junior season.

Consensus: Is young for a prospect. Very good arm length (33  1/4 inches). Great combination of size and speed — looks the part. Wasn’t smooth in the turn-and-run drill at the Combine. Has good ball production; can get the ball in the air. Super-physical; can be overly grabby. Is solid in zone coverage. Understands progressions and is scheme versatile. Good character; mother died and is father is in prison, so he’s helping to raise his two younger siblings, in addition to his own young son.

Grade: 6.8

8. ZACK SANCHEZ

5-11, 185, 21, 4.48*, Oklahoma

Bio: Three-year starter who had 45 tackles, seven interceptions and seven pass breakups in 11 games in 2015. Semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. Declared after his redshirt junior season.

Consensus: Is young for a prospect. Lacks bulk and his overall field speed is a concern, though his Pro Day 40 time will help his cause. Outstanding ball production with 15 career interceptions in only three years. Has legit ball skills, which is crucial in today’s NFL. Will get beat — is susceptible to double moves and surrendered his fair share of touchdowns — but makes plays. Bigger receivers gave him problems. Needs to improve in run support.

Grade: 6.7

9. XAVIER HOWARD

6-0, 201, 23, 4.58, Baylor

Bio: Two-year starter who had 42 tackles, five interceptions and 10 pass deflections in 13 games in 2015. Declared after redshirt junior season.

Consensus: Big, press-man corner with good-enough athleticism and solid production. Has good feet and good bulk. Long speed is a bit of a concern (Oklahoma game in ’15). Technique is inconsistent; is very up and down. Struggles to find the ball in the air at times (North Carolina bowl game). Struggled to catch the ball at the Combine. The tools are here to be a starting-caliber NFL outside corner but he would be best served by going to a press-heavy team with good coaches.

Grade: 6.5

10. WILL REDMOND

5-11, 182, 23, DNR*, Mississippi State

Bio: One-year starter who had 25 tackles, two interceptions, one pass breakup and three pass deflections in seven games in 2015. Suffered a torn ACL in October.

Consensus: Arms are probably a little shorter than you’d prefer (30  3/8 inches). Good athleticism and quickness. Combines natural cover skills — he possesses quick feet — with solid instincts. Flashes ball skills but lacks strength and can get outmuscled by bigger receivers. Lack of size is a concern in run support, where he generally tries but can be overpowered.

Grade: 6.4

OTHERS TO WATCH: Maurice Canady, Virginia; Deiondre’ Hall, Northern Iowa; Cyrus Jones, Alabama; Eric Murray, Minnesota; D.J. White, Georgia Tech.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 12:31 PM with the headline "Rating the top cornerbacks in the 2016 NFL Draft."