With quarterbacks passing for more yards now than ever before, NFL teams are hoping to find defensive backs who can make an immediate impact on their defense. There are plenty of promising prospects at both safety and cornerback participating in the 2023 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Four cornerbacks are currently slated to be selected in the first round of April’s draft. Alabama’s Brian Branch is expected to be the first safety whose name is called during the draft.
Below is a look at all the official measurements for the corners and safeties in the combine.
Defensive back measurements
|
Cam Smith (South Carolina) |
6-0 |
180 |
9 1/8″ |
31 5/8″ |
76 1/8″ |
|
Julius Brents (Kansas State) |
6-3 |
198 |
9 5/8″ |
34″ |
82 5/8″ |
|
Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State) |
6-0 |
166 |
8 1/2″ |
32 1/4″ |
79″ |
|
Kelee Ringo (Georgia) |
6-1 |
207 |
8 1/2″ |
31 1/4″ |
74 1/8″ |
|
Brian Branch (Alabama) |
5-11 |
190 |
9 1/2″ |
30 3/4″ |
75 1/4″ |
|
Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) |
5-11 |
181 |
8 7/8″ |
31 1/4″ |
73 5/8″ |
|
Christian Gonzalez (Oregon) |
6-1 |
197 |
9 1/2″ |
32″ |
76 7/8″ |
|
Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) |
6-2 |
193 |
10″ |
34″ |
80 7/8″ |
|
DeMarcco Hellams (Alabama) |
6-1 |
203 |
9″ |
31″ |
|
|
Brandon Joseph (Notre Dame) |
6-0 |
202 |
9″ |
30 7/8″ |
|
|
Jason Taylor II (Oklahoma State) |
6-0 |
204 |
10″ |
32″ |
|
|
Brandon Hill (Pittsburgh) |
5-10 |
193 |
9 1/2″ |
30 3/4″ |
|
|
Sydney Brown (Illinois) |
5-10 |
211 |
10 1/4″ |
31 1/2″ |
|
|
Kaevon Merriweather (Iowa) |
6-0 |
205 |
9 1/4″ |
31 7/8″ |
|
|
Jartavious Martin (Illinois) |
5-11 |
194 |
9 5/8″ |
31 1/8″ |
|
|
Anthony Johnson Jr. (Virginia) |
6-0 |
205 |
8 3/4″ |
31 1/4″ |
|
|
Christopher Smith II (Georgia) |
5-11 |
192 |
9 5/8″ |
31 1/8″ |
|
|
Jammie Robinson (Florida State) |
5-11 |
191 |
8 3/4″ |
29 5/8″ |
|
|
Battle of Jordan (Alabama) |
6-1 |
209 |
8 1/2″ |
32″ |
|
|
JL Skinner (Boise State) |
6-4 |
209 |
8 1/4″ |
32″ |
|
|
Ji’Ayir Brown (Penn State) |
5-11 |
203 |
10 1/8″ |
31 1/4″ |
|
|
Antonio Johnson (Texas A&M) |
6-2 |
198 |
9 3/4″ |
32 1/8″ |
|
|
Cameron Mitchell (Northwestern) |
5-11 |
191 |
9 3/4″ |
31 3/8″ |
|
|
Jakorian Bennett (Maryland) |
5-11 |
188 |
9 1/8″ |
31 7/8″ |
|
|
Ronnie Hickman Jr. (Ohio State) |
6-0 |
203 |
9 3/8″ |
33″ |
|
|
Daniel Scott (Cal) |
6-1 |
208 |
10″ |
30 1/4″ |
|
|
Gervarrius Owens (Houston) |
6-0 |
195 |
9 1/2″ |
32″ |
|
|
Trey Dean III (Florida) |
6-2 |
200 |
9 1/4″ |
31 3/4″ |
|
|
Chamarri Conner (Virginia Tech) |
6-0 |
202 |
9″ |
31 3/8″ |
|
|
Rashad Torrence II (Florida) |
6-0 |
193 |
10″ |
32″ |
|
|
Jordan Howden (Minnesota) |
6-0 |
203 |
9 1/2″ |
32 1/4″ |
|
|
Tyreque Jones (Boise State) |
6-2 |
195 |
9 5/8″ |
33 3/4″ |
|
|
Deonte Banks (Maryland) |
6-0 |
197 |
9 3/8″ |
31 3/8″ |
|
|
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU) |
5-8 |
178 |
8 5/8″ |
29″ |
|
|
Tyrique Stevenson (Miami) |
6-0 |
198 |
9 5/8″ |
32 5/8″ |
|
|
Rejzohn Wright (Oregon State) |
6-2 |
193 |
9 5/8″ |
32 1/2″ |
|
|
Terrell Smith (Minnesota) |
6-0 |
204 |
9″ |
32 7/8″ |
|
|
DJ Turner (Michigan) |
5-11 |
178 |
9 5/8″ |
30 3/4″ |
|
|
Clark Phillips (Utah) |
5-9 |
184 |
9 1/8″ |
29 1/8″ |
|
|
Garrett Williams (Syracuse) |
5-10 |
192 |
9 1/4″ |
31″ |
|
|
Eli Ricks (Alabama) |
6-2 |
188 |
8 7/8″ |
32 3/8″ |
|
|
Jay Ward (LSU) |
6-1 |
188 |
8 1/4″ |
32 1/2″ |
|
|
Cory Trice Jr. (Purdue) |
6-3 |
206 |
9 3/4″ |
32 3/8″ |
|
|
Riley Moss (Iowa) |
6-1 |
193 |
9 1/2″ |
30″ |
|
|
Arquon Bush (Cincinnati) |
6-0 |
187 |
9 1/4″ |
29 7/8″ |
|
|
Anthony Johnson (Iowa State) |
6-2 |
205 |
8 5/8″ |
32 5/8″ |
|
|
Darius Rush (South Carolina) |
6-2 |
198 |
9 1/2″ |
33 3/8″ |
|
|
Darrell Luther Jr. (South Alabama) |
6-0 |
189 |
10 3/8″ |
32 3/8″ |
|
|
Cam Brown (Ohio State) |
6-0 |
199 |
9″ |
31″ |
|
|
Jaylon Jones (Texas A&M) |
6-2 |
200 |
9″ |
30 3/4″ |
|
|
Kyu Blu Kelly (Stanford) |
6-0 |
191 |
9 3/4″ |
32″ |
|
|
Nic Jones (Ball State) |
6-0 |
189 |
10″ |
32 3/8″ |
|
|
Myles Brooks (Louisiana Tech) |
6-1 |
201 |
9 1/2″ |
30 3/4″ |
|
|
Mekhi Blackmon (USC) |
5-11 |
178 |
9 1/4″ |
31″ |
|
|
Alex Austin (Oregon State) |
6-1 |
195 |
8 1/2″ |
31 7/8″ |
|
|
Mekhi Garner (LSU) |
6-2 |
212 |
10 1/8″ |
32 1/4″ |
|
|
Kei’Trel Clark (Louisville) |
5-10 |
181 |
8 1/4″ |
29 5/8″ |
|
|
Carrington Valentine (Kentucky) |
6-0 |
193 |
9 1/4″ |
32 1/4″ |
|
|
Lance Boykin (Coastal Carolina) |
6-2 |
200 |
9 3/4″ |
32 3/8″ |
Combines defensive back results
|
Cam Smith |
4.43 |
1.49 |
38″ |
11’2″ |
|
Julius Brents |
4.53 |
1.57 |
41.5″ |
11’6″ |
|
Emmanuel Forbes |
4.35 |
1.48 |
37.5″ |
10’4″ |
|
Kelee Ringo |
4.36 |
1.54 |
33.5″ |
10’2″ |
|
Brian Branch |
4.58 |
1.56 |
34.5″ |
10’5″ |
|
Devon Witherspoon* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Christian Gonzalez |
4.38 |
1.54 |
41.5″ |
11’1″ |
|
Joey Porter Jr. |
4.46 |
1.50 |
35″ |
10’9″ |
|
DeMarco Hellams |
4.57 |
1.57 |
31″ |
10’1″ |
|
Brandon Joseph |
4.62 |
1.56 |
30.5″ |
9’10” |
|
Jason Taylor II |
4.50 |
1.52 |
43″ |
10’9″ |
|
Brandon Hill |
4.43 |
1.50 |
35.5″ |
10’3″ |
|
Sydney Brown |
4.47 |
1.51 |
40.5″ |
10’10” |
|
Kaevon Merriweather |
4.62 |
1.58 |
35.5″ |
9’10” |
|
Jartavius Martin |
4.46 |
1.47 |
44″ |
11’1″ |
|
Anthony Johnson Jr. |
4.63 |
1.59 |
30.50″ |
9’8″ |
|
Christopher Smith II |
4.62 |
1.56 |
33″ |
9’8″ |
|
Jamie Robinson |
4.59 |
1.58 |
33.5″ |
9’8″ |
|
Battle of Jordan |
4.55 |
1.56 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
JL Skinner* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Ji’Ayir Brown |
4.65 |
1.56 |
32.5″ |
9’11” |
|
Antonio Johnson |
4.52 |
1.57 |
32.5″ |
9’10” |
|
Cameron Mitchell |
4.47 |
1.48 |
35.00″ |
N/A |
|
Jacorian Bennett |
4.30 |
1.48 |
40.50″ |
11’1″ |
|
Ronnie Hickman Jr.* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Daniel Scott |
4.45 |
1.55 |
39.5″ |
10’8″ |
|
Gervarrius Owens |
N/A |
N/A |
37.5″ |
10’5″ |
|
Trey Dean III |
4.75 |
1.60 |
36.5″ |
10’4″ |
|
Chamarri Conner |
4.51 |
1.56 |
40.5″ |
10’5″ |
|
Rashad Torrence II |
4.72 |
1.59 |
33.5″ |
9’11” |
|
Jordan Howden |
4.49 |
1.55 |
33.5″ |
9’11” |
|
Tyreque Jones |
4.52 |
1.61 |
32″ |
9’11” |
|
Deonte Banks |
4.35 |
1.49 |
42″ |
11’4″ |
|
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson |
4.41 |
1.50 |
39″ |
11’0″ |
|
Tyreek Stevenson |
4.45 |
1.51 |
38.5″ |
10’5″ |
|
raison wright* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Terrell Smith |
4.41 |
1.50 |
34″ |
10’0″ |
|
DJ Turner |
4.26 |
1.47 |
38.5″ |
10’11” |
|
Clark Phillips |
4.51 |
1.51 |
33″ |
N/A |
|
Garrett Williams” |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Eli Ricks* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Jay Ward |
4.55 |
1.53 |
34.5″ |
11’0″ |
|
Corey Trish Jr. |
4.47 |
1.56 |
35.5″ |
11’0″ |
|
Riley Moss |
4.45 |
1.48 |
39″ |
10’7″ |
|
Arquon Bush |
4.54 |
1.55 |
33.5″ |
9’7″ |
|
Anthony Johnson |
4.54 |
1.55 |
37.5″ |
10’5″ |
|
Darius Rush |
4.36 |
1.51 |
35″ |
10’1″ |
|
Darrell Luther Jr. |
4.46 |
1.57 |
40.5″ |
10’3″ |
|
Cameron Brown* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Jaylon Jones |
4.57 |
1.48 |
38″ |
10’2″ |
|
Kyu Blu Kelly |
4.52 |
1.49 |
36″ |
10’11” |
|
Nick Jones |
4.51 |
1.57 |
34″ |
10’2″ |
|
Miles Brooks” |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Mekhi Blackmon |
4.47 |
1.54 |
36″ |
10’5″ |
|
Alex Austin |
4.55 |
1.54 |
33″ |
10’2″ |
|
Mekhi Garner |
4.55 |
1.54 |
38″ |
10’8″ |
|
Kei’Trel Clark |
4.42 |
1.49 |
34.5″ |
10’2″ |
|
Carrington Valentine ** |
N/A |
N/A |
39″ |
10’8″ |
|
Lance Boykin** |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
10’4″ |
*Did not participate in exercises
**Didn’t run 40 yards
Defensive back winners
- Maryland CB Deonte Banks: Banks has been bullish throughout the draft process and his stock will only continue to improve after having arguably the best testing numbers of any defensive back. He clinched the position with a 42-inch vertical jump and finished second with a 11-foot, 4-inch broad jump — the latter of which ranks third all-time among cornerbacks, per Underdog Fantasy. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, he ran an astounding 4.35-second 40-yard dash, tied for third among cornerbacks. CBS Sports’ No. 33 prospect has a good chance to hear his name called in the first round on draft night.
- Maryland CB Jakorian Bennett: Bennett isn’t as heralded a prospect as Banks, but he’ll certainly get early-round attention after ranking fourth among corners in the vertical jump (40.5″) and broad jump (11’1″) and second in the 40. And while Banks had the highest athleticism rating, per NFL Next Gen Stats, with Bennett right behind him.
- Michigan CB DJ Turner: Banks and Bennett were fast, but not Turner fast. Turner set pace in the turns by running a 4.26 40 — tied for the fourth-fastest time on the stretch since 2003. He will move up a few draft picks after his incredible performances.
- Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez: Gonzalez is currently CBS Sports’ No. 4 prospect, but he could end up moving up to No. 1 and be the first player taken at his position on draft night. His measurements and combination results were impressive as expected, and he has a relative sports rating 9.95 out of 10. Combine that with his ballhawking skills last season at Oregon and he could be a top 10 pick.
- Julius Brents CB Kansas State: Brents measured in as the tallest cornerback at 6-3, and also distinguished himself in the jumps, ranking first among all defensive prospects in the broad (11’6″) and fourth in the vertical (41.5″). Ranked 137th by CBS Sports, don’t be surprised if Brents sneaks into Day 2.