ESPN College Football Recruiting

Because football has become more pass- and speed-oriented, today's corners often can get a free pass on tackling if they simply shut down the opposing team's most-dominant receiver. Deion Sanders made a Pro Bowl career out of it in the NFL, but Prime Time would have been the odd man out in this 2009 cornerback class.

As a whole, this '09 class is a feisty, physical group of corners who take pride in stepping up hard to defend the perimeter run or the pass. Our top seven prospects, Dre Kirkpatrick (Gadsden, Ala.), Darius Winston (Helena, Ark./West Helena), Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.), Darrell Givens (Indian Head, Md./Lackey), C.J. Barnett (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont), Janzen Jackson (Lake Charles, La./Barbe) and Marcus Davis (League City, Texas/Clear Creek), claim average measurables of approximately 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. Collectively, they have the physical demeanor needed to play aggressively at the next level and, more importantly, the natural size to back it up.

The main goal of most college defensive coordinators is to force teams into passing situations -- which means stopping the run on first down. To do so, they often roll down strong safeties into the box or rely on "hard," underneath corners in today's prevalent Cover 2 schemes to set the edge (maintain outside force). The latter type of corners is usually more difficult to find. The members of the Class of '09's collective abilities make it a unique cornerback class in our eyes.

This physical class is even rarer; most of these guys have the hip fluidity and speed to match up against a team's No. 1 outside receiver man-to-man and shut him down. When you add in their great collective height needed to defend today's taller college receivers, you can see why we are excited about this '09 group.

Here is a look at some of the better corners of this class, including the well-rounded nine who landed spots on our ESPNU 150 list.

Kirkpatrick may be the best cornerback we have seen in the past few classes. This year's No. 1 prospect has amazing natural gifts and fundamental polish. He does more than meet the scout's phrase of "safety size with corner speed" referring to an exceptional defensive back. Kirkpatrick also blends rare safety physicality with cover-corner skills.

We knew Kirkpatrick could stick to the hips of faster receivers vertically and mirror quicker ones out of their breaks. But it was the pressing skills we saw at the Florida Gators' Friday Night Lights camp this summer that moved him into elite status and a subsequent No. 5 overall ranking on our ESPNU 150. Kirkpatrick jammed, rerouted and simply got in the grill of receivers all night in press-man coverage and impeded their release. The Alabama native should continue to be one of the most-coveted prospects on the recruiting trail until he makes a decision.

Winston's status is close to Kirkpatrick's, but his frame is not quite as big, and his hips lack some fluidity. Aside from that, he has similar size and speed at the position to earn the No. 2 corner spot and a top-25 overall ranking on our ESPNU 150. The former Arkansas pledge has great vertical speed but may be an even better underneath corner with his excellent burst closing on the football. A fierce competitor, Winston can effectively play press and support the perimeter run. Winston originally committed to Arkansas, and it might be tough for the Razorbacks to regain an in-state pledge because his stock has soared since his original commitment.

Kent, a Miami commit, said head coach Randy Shannon was really impressed with his smooth hips for such a tall corner. We agree. At 6-foot-2, he is very fluid in all of his movement skills and just an exceptional athlete for his long, high-cut body. Also an accomplished receiver, Kent has great ball skills, and it's very difficult to complete the jump ball because of his equally impressive height and leaping ability. Kent could grow into a safety at the next level if he continues to develop physically development, and Shannon is getting a top-three defensive back with great scheme versatility.

In terms of a total football player at the position, it's hard to find a more savvy, more instinctive and more athletic corner than Givens, ESPN's No. 4-rated prospect. The Penn State pledge needs some technique refinement but flashes the skills and ability to be effective in a variety of different schemes and defenses. Givens can press, mirror in off-man or break with great burst undercutting routes. The Maryland native's ability to also get over the trash quickly and find the football on run support make him one of the more well-rounded corners of this class.

Though not in the elite class with the aforementioned prospects, the state of Maryland does claim another highly ranked corner in Travis Hawkins (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard). Our No. 12-ranked corner, the instinctive Hawkins lacks the measurables that some of the highly noted corners in this class have, but he plays bigger and is a very physical underneath guy.

Barnett rounds out our top five and embodies most of the attributes that represent this great corner class. He has impressive size (6-foot-1), physicality and very good fluidity for a taller corner. The in-state Buckeyes commit uses his long wingspan and strong upper body very effectively as a press corner and is equally impressive anticipating the underneath throw in zone. He's a great run defender and, like a few of the prospects before him, also could play safety because of his size, range and ball skills.

Jackson could be one of the more-underrated defensive prospects in this entire class. LSU landed the in-state talent early, and if they hadn't, we feel his recruiting stock would have continued to soar. A prototypical hard, Cover 2 guy, Jackson is the best form tackler in this impressive class of physical corners. He generates great power in the short area and packs the punch of a much bigger defender on contact. Don't let his physicality fool you; he has great speed and athleticism.

The large frames continue with Texas commit Davis. The in-state pledge brings great size, range and recovery speed to the corner position. Aside from being a great jump-ball defender, ESPN's No. 7 corner takes great angles as a run supporter and is very strong tackler. Another versatile corner with his size and speed ratio, this instinctive DB should be a future asset on special teams.

This class also has its share of finesse guys who can mirror receivers tightly off the line and vertically while creating coverage sacks for the front four. Steve Williams (Dallas/Skyline), Cliff Harris (Fresno, Calif./Edison), Ricardo Dixon (Hallandale, Fla.) and Michael Carter (Pompano Beach, Fla./Ely) are four of the slightest but most fluid cover corners in this class. With average measurables of just about 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, each of the trio is not the best at jamming, rerouting and supporting the run but excels when it comes to foot quickness and limiting receiver separation.

We felt Williams was a major sleeper before Oklahoma plucked him out of Texas in April. The Under Armour All-American has smooth hips and turns, plays bigger than his listed size and sells out his body for the big hit.

Dixon will join Williams -- as well as Kent, Givens and Jackson -- at the Under Armour All-American Game on Jan. 4 on ESPN. The South Florida pledge may be slight in stature but has excellent hip fluidity, foot quickness and surprising toughness closing on the football.

Although Dixon is the No. 11 overall corner, Harris holds down the final ESPNU 150 spot and is an equally impressive return man. He might be the quickest in terms of recovery and stop-and-start skills, but we question his true top-end speed and the strength that's needed to step up and press today's bigger college receivers.

Carter stood in the shadows of ESPN's No. 1-rated corner Patrick Johnson last year but is a great prospect in his own right. His marginal size (5-foot-11, 154 pounds) is a concern, but he transitions very quickly out of his pedal closing the cushion, is very smooth in all of his movement skills and plays with good flexibility sticking with receivers out of their breaks.

Rutgers did a good job retaining in-state corner Logan Ryan (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern). The top-rated defensive back in the Garden State is very versatile and has a good blend of size, speed and athleticism at the position.

David Gordon (Tulsa, Okla./East Central) holds the final spot in the top 10 and may be one of the fastest pure corners in this class. Right now, the Arkansas pledge is a bit raw in terms of technique but has tremendous upside with his long, rangy frame and impressive athleticism.

Eryon Barnett (Euless, Texas/Trinity) holds down a top-15 spot and is a great land for Texas with everything he brings to the table. He has the size to jam and the smooth footwork to play off-man coverage. Most importantly, he has coveted height, leaping and ball skills on the perimeter to match up with today's taller Big 12 receivers on the outside.