Top CB draft options the Atlanta Falcons should consider

Now that longtime starting cornerback Desmond Trufant has officially been cut, the Atlanta Falcons are in need of a new starting cornerback. Thankfully, this year NFL Draft class is stacked with talent at that position, with three guys, in particular, the organization should take a look at.

The Atlanta Falcons will more than likely miss out on having the chance to draft Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah. It is clear that he will be the first corner taken in the draft. The guy is a freak of nature and will more than likely be a top-ten pick. After Okudah, it is a toss-up, however.

There are a handful of guys that have the potential to be studs in the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons need to seriously consider drafting one of them to become Trufant’s heir apparent.

C.J Henderson – Florida Gators

C.J Henderson is a prospect from the Florida Gators that, according to various draft projections, could be available by the time the Atlanta Falcons time comes to pick in the first round. In college, he proved that he is great in pass coverage and has the strength and speed to be an elite corner in the NFL.

He posted an impressive 4.39 40-yard dash time and accumulated 20 bench press reps. He had great stats at Florida and proved that he could be a great addition to any team’s defensive backfield.

A guy with the skillset and athletic ability of Henderson is a great combination that the Atlanta Falcons could most certainly use in a backfield that struggled at times last year.

Reggie Robinson – Tulsa Golden Hurricane

A lot of people probably don’t recognize the name, but he certainly has the skill set to be a great player in the NFL. Robinson is projected to be a third to fourth-round pick, which would be great for the Atlanta Falcons. The ideal scenario would be he falls to the fourth round and the Atlanta Falcons could grab him.

At Tulsa, he was a very successful pass deflector, accumulating 34 pass break-ups in his four seasons, with 13 of those coming in his senior season. He is tall and has great length. In possibly the most important aspect, Robinson led all cornerback prospects with a draft score of 89, proving that he is one of, if not the best cornerback prospects in this year’s field.

Damon Arnette – Ohio State University

Arnette could be the second-best corner in the draft after his former college teammate, Okudah. He is a physical corner and has the skill set to be able to compete with NFL caliber receivers. He is strong in the run game and has plenty of experience in big game matchups.

Ohio State cornerbacks have a strong history of success over the last several years and it would be difficult for the team to pass upon such a talented corner like Arnette, especially for a team that is need of a starting corner like the Atlanta Falcons are.

Now that the Atlanta Falcons have signed Dante Fowler Jr. to a three-year deal, it seems as though the team will almost certainly target a cornerback with their first-round pick. Any three of these guys would be a great fit for the team and would be a great replacement for Trufant.

Kendall Sheffield proved last season that he has the versatility and ability to be a star for the Atlanta Falcons and, while Isaiah Oliver has struggled at times, he has also shown signs of improvement, specifically towards the end of last season.

The Atlanta Falcons will have a very young set of cornerbacks, but with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’s background in coaching defensive backs, it is very possible that these young guys can mold into a force, maybe even the Atlanta Falcons’s version of the legion of boom, alongside safeties Keanu Neal, Damontae Kazee, and Ricardo Allen.