Todd McShay's Scouting Report on Secondary Players That Could Interest Eagles

Cornerbacks and safeties are featured here, two positions the Eagles could be looking at early in this month's NFL draft

Cornerbacks and safeties are two items presumed on the draft shopping list of the Eagles when the first round arrives on April 28 and the six other rounds that continue through April 30.

ESPN analyst Todd McShay had plenty to say about both positions during a conference call on Thursday.

Here are some of his thoughts on some and some of whom have been linked to the Eagles in various mock drafts.

CORNERBACK

Generally speaking, McShay said the four most important traits at this position are speed, arm length, instincts, and recognition.

With that in mind, here are his thoughts on some corners:

Derek Stingley. McShay has Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner ranked above the heft of prospects at this position, though some teams he has talked to have LSU’s Derek Stingley ranked ahead of Gardner. 

He said some other teams think Stingley may not even go in the first 15.

“Derek Stingley would have been the No. 1 corner if you just graded him off 2019 tape,” said McShay. “The last two years just 10 games played, injuries, shying away from contact; I’m sure you heard it all by now. But I still think he’s a top 15 pick.”

Trent McDuffie. The Washington corner doesn’t seem to have the length the Eagles reportedly prefer at this spot, but he has plenty of other traits that have him ranked third overall at cornerback by McShay.

“(He’s) a really good all-around player, real instinctive and I think the best tackling corner in this class and can make a combination of zone and man and do different things,” he said.

McDuffie is 5-11, 193, but his arm length is 29¾, which is below the average McShay said that is around 31½.

By comparison, Gardner is 6-3, 190 with 33½-inch arms and Stingley is 6-0, 190 with arms that span 30-5/8ths.

Andrew Booth. The Clemson corner is ranked fourth by McShay. Certainly, Booth's history of soft tissue injuries doesn't help his cause. The ESPN analyst believes a team would best be served by Booth’s value if he went in the mid-20s to No. 32 of the first round.

“(He) has good size, not elite, but good size, really athletic,” said McShay, who of Booth, who is 6-9, 194 with 31½-inch arms. “The thing I like about him is he can play press-man, he can play off man, he can play zone, he really is scheme versatile. He allows you to be multiple in terms of what you’re trying to do in the secondary.”

Roger McCreary. So begins the second-round talent. 

If arms are a concern, the way a quarterback’s hands can turn some teams off, then Auburn’s McCreary is in trouble because his arms are the shortest of any corner in the draft at 28-7/8ths.

“When it comes to instinct and understanding the game, he’s exceptional,” said McShay. “Watching tape against SEC wide receivers, the way he could hold up man to man was fun to watch. 

"He doesn’t have those long arms you look for, but he’s got savvy, his press-man technique is awesome, he’s smooth as can be in terms of the fluidity of his hips, the oily hips you look for in corners, guys who can plant and drive coming out of their pedal.

“The problem is when you start to compare McCreary to some of these other corners (measurables)...he doesn’t necessarily stack up as well.”

Other potential second-rounders: Florida’s Kaiir Elam and Washington’s Kyler Gordon.

SAFETY

It’s Kyle Hamilton then everyone else, but there are some good everyone else options on April 29, Day 2 of the draft.

Hamilton, though, is an interesting prospect based on his slow 40 times posted at both the Combine and the Notre Dame pro day.

“I think there’s a really good chance Kyle Hamilton could go No. 2 to the Detroit Lions,” said McShay. “If he doesn’t, and after running the 4.59 at the Combine and not running a whole lot better on some scouts’ watches, in fact, a little worse on some scouts’ watches, at his pro day, then also the fact that it’s a safety position, which has more value than it has in years past, but still it’s not quarterback, edge rusher, tackle, wide receiver, corner, I think there’s a chance that some teams could wind up passing on him.”

He will still be the first safety off the board.

Two who could sneak into the back end of the first round:

Daxton Hill. The Michigan product is 6-0, 191 and ran a 4.3 at the Combine.

“He plays the safety position with a linebacker mentality, but he has a cornerback’s body, and he’s got a cornerback’s cover skills," said McShay. "He can play in the slot, cover you one on one probably better than any safety in this class, and he’s got deep range if you want to play him over the top, he’s got good ball skills. 

"I think he’s a great player that for some reason just keeps getting overlooked.”

Jalen Pitre. Despite being undersized, the 5-9, 198-pounder from Baylor has all the intangibles teams love. Sneaking into the first round would be a longshot, however.

“He’s fast, he plays off the edge and he’ll break up handoffs between the quarterback and running back.," said McShay. "He’s instinctive, flies around. Some guys have a nose for the football, and he does as well, but I think he’s a second-rounder."

Day 2 picks:

Lewis Cine. One of about nine players from the Georgia defense who will probably go in the first two days of the draft.

“(He) doesn’t have the cover skills of the top guys, Hamilton, Hill, and Pitre, but he has enough athletic traits to continue to develop in that area,” said McShay. “He’s really good with the ball in front of him. When he breaks, he’s the type of guy that just explodes.

“You can see when he pedals, hits the top of his pedal, plants, and drives, he’s coming at you in a hurry, whether it’s to separate the ball from the body in coverage or whether he’s filling the alleys as a run defender. He’s one of the best if not the best tackling safeties in this class.”

Jaquan Brisker. Good size at 6-1, 199, the Penn State safety ran a 4.49 at the Combine.

“You can utilize (him) in different ways,” said McShay. “I think he’s at his best when he’s closest to the football, not necessarily over the top, but he’s really good versus the run, great tackler as well.”

Other: Maryland's Nick Cross and Illinois’ Kerby Joseph

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.