Advertisement
football Edit

National Signing Day By Position: Top CB classes

Olaijah Griffin
Olaijah Griffin (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

The 2018 class featured a very impressive group of cornerbacks and many of them will develop into household names over the next few years. Take a look at which schools signed the best group of cornerbacks in last year's recruiting class.

MORE NSD BY POSITION: LB | DT | DE | OL | TE classes | WR | RB | QB

CLASS OF '18 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | State | Position | JUCO

1. USC

Advertisement
Isaac Taylor-Stuart
Isaac Taylor-Stuart

Signed: Olaijah Griffin, Isaac Taylor-Stuart

USC is accustomed to signing five-star prospects but, with Griffin and Taylor-Stuart, the Trojans are only the second team ever to sign two five-star cornerbacks in the same class. The first to do it was Alabama in their 2014 class with Marlon Humphrey and Tony Brown. Griffin is an elite athlete that has a good feel for the game and has no problem sticking with receivers. Taylor-Stuart has a similar skillset but is much bigger and uses those extra few inches to his advantage whenever possible.

2. GEORGIA

Tyson Campbell
Tyson Campbell (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Tyson Campbell, Nadab Joseph, Divaad Wilson, Christopher Smith

Georgia's historic recruiting class has been featured in a number of these articles recapping the 2018 recruiting cycle and it's no different here. The cornerbacks the Dawgs signed add to an already impressive secondary. Five-star Campbell and Joseph have excellent size and should have no trouble locking down bigger receivers. Campbell is an exceptional talent whose versatility makes him even more valuable. Wilson and Smith are no joke either and both have unique talents that will help them contribute in a variety of ways.

3. TEXAS

Anthony Cook
Anthony Cook (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Anthony Cook, Jalen Green, D'Shawn Jamison

The defensive backs Texas signed in 2018 have many people calling it one of the best groups in recent memory. Half of that group are cornerbacks and some of them should help the Longhorns immediately. Cook and Green are the best of the three and their physical play will get peoples' attention quickly. Both are high four-stars. Look for both of them to see action this season. Jamison isn't as developed as the other two, but his speed and athleticism will make him an important contributor down the road.

4. ALABAMA

Patrick Surtain
Patrick Surtain (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Patrick Surtain, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Eddie Smith

Alabama pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 recruiting cycle when Surtain signed with the Crimson Tide instead of LSU. The five-star seems like one of the surest things in this recruiting class. He has excellent size, is technically sound, and shows suprior instincts and anticipation. Nick Saban has proven over the years that he knows how to develop special defensive backs and Surtain is his next big time player in the secondary. Armour-Davis and Smith are both gifted as well. Their length, speed, and technique provide a good base for the Alabama coaching staff to build them into key contributors.

5. FLORIDA STATE

Asante Samuel
Asante Samuel (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Asante Samuel, AJ Lytton, Isaiah Bolden

Willie Taggart and the new Florida State coaching staff closed the 2018 recruiting cycle on a high note and their trio of four-star cornerbacks look like their best position group. Samuel and Lytton are true technicians and won't get lost in coverage. Both have excellent instincts and very good ball skills which should help create turnovers once they see the field. Bolden's size will prove very useful for the Noles and it should help him carve out a niche fairly early in his career.

6. OKLAHOMA

Brendan Radley-Hiles
Brendan Radley-Hiles (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Brendan Radley-Hiles, Starrland Baldwin

It was difficult choosing which team should land in this spot, but the Sooners got the edge because of everything five-star Radley-Hiles brings to the table. "Bookie" may not have the look of an elite cornerback, but he plays like one. He is a very good athlete with a very advanced knowledge of the game and just seems to always be in the right place at the right time. Baldwin's speed and aggressiveness is a good fit in Oklahoma's secondary and he should have success against Big 12 offenses.

7. CLEMSON

Kyler McMichael
Kyler McMichael (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Kyler McMichael, Mario Goodrich

The Tigers needed to reload at cornerback and signed two big-time talents at the position. McMichael didn't play cornerback full-time in high school but at the Army All-American Bowl, he showed that his skills are more advanced than people give him credit for. Expect him to fit right into Clemson's defensive scheme. Goodrich's size is one of the things college coaches were gushing over. He has the skills to lock down bigger and smaller receivers.

8. MICHIGAN

Myles Sims
Myles Sims

Signed: Myles Sims, Gemon Green, Sammy Faustin, Vincent Gray

The next couple spots were very difficult to decide, but Michigan got the nod here. The Wolverines clearly wanted to get bigger at the cornerback position. All four of these signees are at least 6-foot-2. Sims has the length and footwork to make it very difficult for any receiver to shake him and quarterbacks will shy away from throwing to his side because he can reach passes other cornerbacks can't. Green, Faustin, and Gray have similar skillsets and the internal competition in Ann Arbor should make all of them better.

9. MICHIGAN STATE

Kalon Gervin
Kalon Gervin (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Kalon Gervin, Xavier Henderson, Christian Jackson, Michael Dowell

The Spartans' impressive depth at cornerback in this class will certainly pay dividends on the field. Gervin is an excellent athlete with instincts that will give quarterbacks headaches. Henderson, Jackson, and Dowell are very versatile and should be able to favorably matchup with nearly every receiver they see. All three could contribute in a variety of ways throughout the Michigan State secondary.

10. MIAMI

Al Blades
Al Blades (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Signed: Al Blades, D.J. Ivey, Nigel Bethel

The resurgent Canes had a very impressive recruiting class and signing Blades was one of the headlines this past year. A legendary name in Coral Gables, Blades could be exactly what Miami needs at the cornerback position. His size, aggressiveness, and playmaking abilities will surely help, and the way he can take a top receiver out of the game will help everybody on the field. Ivey and Bethel are welcome additions for the Canes and they will develop into reliable cornerbacks that should have plenty of success.

Advertisement