This article is based off of the previous 5 years worth of cornerbacks taken in the 1st round. It does not count where they were taken in that round. This does not include factors like what scheme they play in and what they are asked to do as an individual player. For example Dunta Robinson absolutely tore his rookie year up with individual tackles (73). With that in mind these numbers represent the kind of year Vontae should have to be considered an "average" corner if you consider these numbers for previous cornerbacks taken in the first round during their rookie year. What does this mean? Nothing I guess. He could have a stellar year and blow these numbers out of the water. This is what you should be looking for if you want an average corner. Me personally? I'd like to see him far surpass these numbers the best he can... 2009 Round 1. Dolphins Pick Vontae Davis, CB. 5'11'' 203lbs. 5'11''. Avg Height. LBS. 192lbs. heavier by 11lbs. STARTS - 8.3 (8) GAMES APPEARED IN - 14 TOTAL TACKLES - 49.39 (49) SOLO TACKLES - 41.9 (42) ASSISTED TACKLES - 7.49 (7) PASS DEFENSED - 7.90 (8) INTS - 2.3 (2) TD - 0 FUMB - 0 ----- DATA COMPILED HERE: 2008 Bills Pick Leodis McKelvin 5'10'' 184lbs. Stats - 6 games started appeared in 16. 32 total tackles 26 solo 6 assisted. 5 pass defensed for 2 INTs for 64 yards 32 yards avg per INT 64 long. 1 TD, 1 FUM 0 lost. 2008 Cardinals Pick Dominique Rodgers Cromartie 6'2'' 185. Stats - 11 games started appeared in 16. 42 total tackles 38 solo and 4 assisted. 19 pass defensed 4 INTs for 157 yards. 39.2 average 99 long. 1 TD. 1 FUM. 2008 Bucs Pick Aquib Talib 6'1'' 205lbs. Stats - 2 games started appeared in 15. 23 total tackles 17 solo 6 assisted. 9 pass defensed 4 INTs for 32 yards. 8 yards average. 19 long. 2008 Cowboys Pick Mike Jenkins 5'10'' 190lbs. 3 games started appeared in 14. 19 total tackles. all solo. 4 pass defensed 1 INT for 23 yards and a TD. 2008 Chargers Pick Antoine Cason 6'0'' 190lbs. 3 games started appeared in 16. 74 total tackles 59 solo 15 ast. 7 PD and 2 INTs for 69 yards avg 34.5 yards long 59. 1 TD 1 FUM. ----- 2007 Jets Pick Darrelle Revis 5'11'' 198lbs. 16 games started. 87 total tackles 74 solo 13 assists. 17 pass defensed. 3 INTs for 20 yards 6.7 avg. 19 long. 2007 Bengals Pick Leon Hall 5'11 199lbs. 10 starts appeared in 16. 68 total tackles 54 solo 14 assists. 12 pass defensed 5 ints for 16 yards 3.2 yrd avg 12 long. 2007 Giants Pick Aaron Ross 6'0'' 197lbs. 9 games started appeared in 15. 42 total tackles 35 solo 7 assist. 1.5 sack. 9 pass defensed. 3 INTs 51 yards 17 yards avg. 43 long 1 TD. ------ 2006 Rams Pick Tye Hill 5'10'' 185lbs. 10 games started appeared in 16. 50 total tackles 47 solo 3 assists. 3 pass defensed 3 int's for 20 yards 14 long. 2006 Chargers Pick Antonio Cromartie 6'2'' 203lbs. 0 started games appeared in 16. 24 total tackles 20 solo 4 assists. 4 pass defensed. 1 fumble 1 fumble lost. 2006 Bengals Pick Johnathan Joseph 5'11'' 193lbs. 9 games started appeared in 16. 57 total tackles 45 solo tackles 12 assists. 20 pass defensed. 2006 Seahawks Pick Kelly Jennings 5'11'' 180lbs. 2 games started appeared in 16. 40 total tackles 37 solo 3 ast. 5 PD 1 INT. ----- 2005 Titans Pick Adam Jones 5'10'' 186lbs. 13 games started appeared in 15. 53 total tackles 44 solo 9 ast. 10 PD 5 FUM. 2005 Cardinals Pick Antrel Rolle 6'0'' 208lbs. 4 games started appeared in 5. 28 total tackles 26 solo 2 ast. 1 PD 1INT for 29 yards. 2005 Redskins Pick Carlos Rogers 6'0'' 190lbs. 5 games started appeared in 12. 46 total tackles 42 solo 4 ast. 2 PD 2 INT for 14 yards 7 yards avg 14 long. 2005 Raiders Pick Fabian Washington 5'11'' 185lbs. 11 games started appeared in 16. 43 total tackles 40 solo tackles 3 ast. 5 PDs. 2005 Colts Pick Marlin Jackson 6'0'' 196lbs. 1 game started appeared in 15. 58 total tackles 43 solo 14 ast. 3 PD 1 INT for 16 yards. 1 fum 1 fum lost. ----- 2004 Falcons Pick DeAngelo Hall 5'11'' 195lbs. 9 games started appeared in 10. 35 total tackles 28 solo 7 ast. 4 PD 2 INTs 50 yards 24 avg 48 long 1 TD. 2004 Texans Pick Dunta Robinson 5'10'' 184lbs. 16 games started appeared in 16. 87 total tackles 73 solo 14 ast. 3 sack. 13 PD 6 INT 146 yards 24.3 avg 61 long. 2004 Packers Pick Ahmad Carroll 5'10'' 190lbs. 11 games started appeared in 14. 49 total tackles 46 solo 3 ast. 2 sacks 6 PD 1 INT. 2004 Panthers Pick Chris Gamble 6'1'' 200 lbs. 16 games started appeared in 16 games. 74 total tackles 68 solo 6 ast. 8 PD 6 INTs for 15 yards 2.5 yrd avg. 13 long 1 fum.
Very nice work bro. Enjoyed looking at it. The projected numbers for Vontae Davis are realistic in my opinion. The study also made me realize how many disappointments there were in the first round over the last five years. It also made me realize how light some players play at; i.e. aforementioned Dunta Robinson. EDIT: I'd love to see this expanded over about ten years and possibly another round, such as the second round that Sean Smith was taken in.
Yeah I was talking to VO and he said he'd like to see the second round, too. I might do it but not right now There was one guy, I forget who right now, but he started 5 games and appeared in 6 I said "damn".
On the list of draft picks he is listed as a Safety (on Wikipedia) and DB (not CB) on NFL.com. So no, he was not.
As a CB he would lower the average quite a bit! I wouldn't be too unhappy with a year like that out of Vontae Davis, though. Better would be great of course, but those aren't bad numbers, especially if he isn't getting beat deep for big plays.
I want better for him too. I think some of those stats you'll see higher and some lower. I hope he appears in every game at very least and if deemed the starting RCB I hope he starts all 16. I'd like to see his INTs a little higher. I'd be fine with his tackles staying where they are; a CB in quarters coverage is supposed to stay with the receiver down field so depending on how much gets thrown his way (I'd guess they'll test a rookie before they'll test a vet in Allen) that could affect his tackles.
Well, it is impossible to assume how either Davis or Smith will play this season as the numbers are not nuanced enough to differentiate between actual skills and the competition's abilities. For example, if one looked at Jason Allen v Kelly Jennings, based on their rookie seasons Jennings would be the clearly better player, but time hasn't born that out. But Jenning's career line: 48 games 138 tackles 1 interception and 30 passes defensed is not that much better then JA's: 47 games 118 tackles 5 int's 9 pd's 1ff Jennings (the 30th pick) makes more plays on the ball, JA makes more big impact plays like Int's. To be honest though what those numbers tell me is JA is more of a Safety then a Cb, 9 CAREER passes defensed is a terrible number for a guy who started for a season and a half. You may be unto something anlgp.
Awesome write up Anlgp. I think those are very achievable numbers. But it def. gives me a realistic expectations to help guage his rookie year contributions and growth. If he starts opposite of W.Allen he should have plenty of opp. to surpass those numbers.
Yeah the stats do not tell you much in this case except, to me, that if we are basing "success" via his rookie year as a first round CB those are the numbers he should at least strive to get. Of course scheme and various other factors come into play. If he doesn't start it will affect those stats in which case there's a larger issue there in the first place. How many games those two have started affects that a small bit as well. re: jason allen, S. at 6'1'' 200 lbs based upon size alone i would stick him at CB. the avg CB taken in the last 5 years is 5'11'' 192. I like to see big corners. why? i don't know. it's just a personal preference. i just can't stand QBs getting down in the red zone and throwing fade routes over the top of smaller CBs. now 5'11'' 192 doesn't seem that small to me. i'm 5'8'' 145 and that's three inches and 47 pounds on me; most of which is probably muscle. especially in this division, when you consider you've got guys like TO (6'3'', 244) Moss (6'4'' 210) Clowney (6'1'' 188) it makes sense to have taller corners because if the WR can just jump over the small guy we've got no shot. I may be placing a lot of emphasis on size and not physical abilities of both players. If we've got a "smaller" corner at 5'11'' and he's going up against Moss or TO and he can jam them at the line so the timing for the fade route is off, that is just as well. my theory is this. if we've got a 6'3'' corner going up against a 6'3'' or 6'4'' WR not only can he jam him to the best of his ability at the line but at least he can go up and fight for the jump ball with less effort than it would take a 5'11'' CB just due to his advantage on height.
