Ravens: 4 intriguing corner prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Kristen Wong
3. Roger McCreary
Auburn’s Roger McCreary also is projected to be a Round 2 pick and could compete for a starting job in his first NFL season.
McCreary is widely mocked outside of the first round due to his physical measurables: he’s 5-foot-11 with short arms (28.75 inches) and slightly below-average speed (4.5 40-yard dash).
What McCreary lacks in length, he makes up for in technique, ball skills, and tackling ability, and he offers excellent scheme versatility, especially in the defense left behind by Don Martindale.
In his senior year at Auburn, McCreary recorded 53 total tackles, two quarterback hits, two interceptions, one sack, and 13 pass break-ups. He played the majority of his snaps as an outside boundary corner and exhibited some of the most impressive man coverage of any corner in the draft.
Auburn CB Roger McCreary is one of the best man coverage CBs in the draft
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) April 14, 2022
However, he will have the shortest arms for a CB (28 7/8")
His fluidity, skills at the LOS, feistiness through the catch point, and body control are impressive
McCreary fits in Wink's man-scheme pic.twitter.com/v6qlzaiOCP
Nearly every draft site lists his size as an area of concern, but McCreary could still buck the trend and develop into a lockdown starter with his natural instincts and long speed.
If Baltimore go with Jordan Davis or Tyler Linderbaum in the first round, McCreary checks a lot of the boxes as a quality corner prospect and should be readily available in the second round.