2016 NFL draft positional breakdown: Cornerback

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We continue our positional breakdowns leading up to the 2016 NFL draft with a look at the corners. Instead of a traditional top 5, we'll highlight players at these positions who fit the Eagles and have a chance to be available when the team picks.

At No. 8
Vernon Hargreaves, Florida, (5-10/204)
If Hargreaves is the pick for the Eagles at No. 8, it'd be tough to argue with. He's athletic, has great ball skills and has the potential to be a shutdown corner. His size is just OK and he doesn't have elite speed (4.5 combine, 4.46 pro day). If he was a little taller and a little faster, he'd be a top-5 pick.

Eli Apple, Ohio State, (6-1/199)
Physically and athletically, this guy looks like he was built in a factory. When I watched him, I was more enamored with how dominant Ohio State's front seven looked. The game speed didn't always match the workout speed, but that also means there could be some untapped potential with Apple.

Outlook: Again, if Hargreaves is the guy at No. 8, I'd be on board. This would be a little bit of a reach for Apple. He helped himself out an awful lot during his workouts but I'm curious how he fares against NFL receivers and without the help of such a strong front seven.

In the middle
Xavien Howard, Baylor, (6-0/201)
Eagles fans get turned off right away when they see Howard compared to Byron Maxwell. Really that's just a physical and athletic comparison, not necessarily one having to do with skill (or how he'll do if you give him a ton of money). Howard was left on an island quite often with Baylor. That's kind of a rarity in college football. He had a tendency to be a little grabby, perhaps a product of him being in man coverage with little safety help over top.

Sean Davis, Maryland, (6-1/201)
Davis parallels Eric Rowe in a lot of ways. I'm not still 100 percent sure what position he'll play at the NFL level, but he has the skillset to play safety or corner. I had the Eagles taking him in the third round in my latest seven-round mock.

Outlook: Both of these guys have intriguing qualities and serious warts, which is why we're talking about them in the third or fourth round. With Rowe already in place and veterans Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin on the roster, they'd have time to develop. I like Davis more because of his versatility and physicality.

Late-round sleeper
Tavon Young, Temple, (5-9/183)
Whenever I watched Tavon Young, he made plays for the Owls. He's physical, aggressive and plays with a little bit of an edge. His size will definitely be a concern for teams. He ran OK at the combine (4.46) but ran extremely well at his pro day (4.38).

Outlook: I'm convinced Young will find a job in the NFL. He might find it difficult to cover the bigger outside receivers, but he could find himself on someone's roster and eventually work his way on the field as a slot corner.

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