The NFL is a copycat league. So when you see the success that some teams have had in recent times like the Seattle defensive backs and the Baltimore defensive backs, other will try to follow suit. Even three weeks removed from Superbowl 49, we all remember the clinching play of the game being an interception by a non-starting defensive back. There are two ways to shut down a passing game, either get pressure on the quarterback or play great, tight, coverage in the secondary. This year has numerous high potential secondary guys, so it’s a good year to find a playmaker.
This year’s class highlights one top Safety in Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey, who is also being look at as a cornerback. As a cornerback, he seems to be better in a zone defense rather than man to man, but as a safety, he would be a supreme ballhawk centerfield. The top cornerback in this draft is also from the state of Florida, Vernon Hargreaves III from the University of Florida. Hargreaves III has shut down corner potential and exhibited his ball skills with 10 INTs in the last 3 years, including 4 last year. He shows unbelievable change of direction skills and maybe a starter from day 1.
Some other defensive backs of note include Kendall Fuller of Virginia Tech, Xavier Howard from Baylor, Eli Apple of Ohio State, and Mackensie Alexander of Clemson. All have proved to be solid corners with good ball skills. Their forty times will likely be what separates them from each other to decide who will be the 3rd corner off the board, possibly at the back end of round 1. One safety I really like is Darian Thompson of Boise State. He is the ultimate centerfielder with 17 career INTs and 11 in the last 2 years. With a good forty time, he could find himself at the back end of round 1 or very early in round 2.
Below is a list of all the heights, weights, arm lengths, and hand lengths of all the defensive backs who will be at the 2016 NFL Combine.
| Player | School | Height | Weight | Arm | Hand |
| Mackensie Alexander | Clemson | 5-10 | 190 | 31 3/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Eli Apple | Ohio State | 6-1 | 199 | 31 3/8 | 9 3/8 |
| Vonn Bell | Ohio State | 5-11 | 199 | 32 3/8 | 9 1/2 |
| Briean Boddy-Calhoun | Minnesota | 5-10 | 193 | 31 | 9 1/8 |
| James Bradberry | Samford | 6-1 | 211 | 33 | 9 1/8 |
| Anthony Brown | Purdue | 5-11 | 192 | 31 3/4 | 8 1/4 |
| Lamarcus Brutus | Florida State | 6-0 | 206 | 31 1/2 | 8 3/4 |
| Artie Burns | Miami | 6-0 | 193 | 33 1/4 | 9 1/2 |
| Juston Burris | N. C. State | 6-0 | 212 | 31 1/2 | 8 7/8 |
| Deon Bush | Miami | 6-0 | 199 | 30 7/8 | 9 1/4 |
| Taveze Calhoun | Mississippi State | 6-0 | 192 | 31 7/8 | 9 |
| Maurice Canady | Virginia | 6-1 | 193 | 31 5/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Tevin Carter | Utah | 6-1 | 218 | 32 | 9 1/4 |
| Jeremy Cash | Duke | 6-0 | 212 | 32 3/8 | 10 |
| Ken Crawley | Colorado | 6-0 | 187 | 30 1/2 | 9 |
| Sean Davis | Maryland | 6-1 | 201 | 31 3/8 | 9 1/2 |
| K.J. Dillon | West Virginia | 6-0 | 210 | 31 5/8 | 9 5/8 |
| Deandre Elliott | Colorado State | 6-1 | 188 | 32 | 9 5/8 |
| Kavon Frazier | Central Michigan | 6-0 | 187 | 31 1/2 | 10 |
| Kendall Fuller | Virginia Tech | 6-0 | 187 | 31 1/2 | 10 |
| T.J. Green | Clemson | 6-3 | 209 | 32 | 9 5/8 |
| Deiondre Hall | Northern Iowa | 6-2 | 199 | 34 3/8 | 9 3/4 |
| Vernon Hargreaves | Florida | 5-11 | 204 | 30 5/8 | 8 3/4 |
| De’Vante Harris | Texas A&M | 5-11 | 176 | 30 5/8 | 8 1/8 |
| Deandre Houston-Carson | William & Mary | 6-1 | 201 | 30 1/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Xavien Howard | Baylor | 6-0 | 201 | 31 1/4 | 9 1/8 |
| William Jackson | Houston | 6-0 | 189 | 31 3/4 | 9 1/4 |
| Cyrus Jones | Alabama | 5-10 | 197 | 31 3/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Jonathan Jones | Auburn | 5-9 | 186 | 30 1/4 | 8 3/4 |
| Karl Joseph | West Virginia | 5-10 | 205 | 32 1/8 | 9 3/4 |
| Jayron Kearse | Clemson | 6-4 | 216 | 34 1/4 | 9 5/8 |
| Miles Killebrew | Southern Utah | 6-2 | 217 | 32 1/8 | 9 1/2 |
| Derrick Kindred | TCU | 5-10 | 207 | 31 1/4 | 9 3/8 |
| Jordan Lomax | Iowa | 5-10 | 202 | 32 | 8 3/4 |
| Jordan Lucas | Penn State | 6-0 | 201 | 30 1/8 | 10 |
| Harlan Miller | Southeastern Louisiana | 6-0 | 182 | 31 3/8 | 9 |
| Jalen Mills | LSU | 6-0 | 191 | 31 1/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Eric Murray | Minnesota | 5-11 | 199 | 31 3/4 | 9 |
| Keanu Neal | Florida | 6-1 | 211 | 32 3/4 | 10 5/8 |
| Kevin Peterson | Oklahoma State | 5-10 | 181 | 31 | 8 5/8 |
| Tyvis Powell | Ohio State | 6-3 | 211 | 32 | 9 1/2 |
| Jimmy Pruitt | San Jose State | 6-0 | 198 | 30 3/8 | 9 3/8 |
| Jalen Ramsey | Florida State | 6-1 | 209 | 33 3/8 | 9 1/2 |
| Will Redmond | Mississippi State | 6-0 | 182 | 30 3/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Rashard Robinson | LSU | 6-2 | 171 | 32 1/4 | 9 |
| Keivarae Russell | Notre Dame | 5-11 | 192 | 31 5/8 | 10 |
| Zack Sanchez | Oklahoma | 5-11 | 185 | 31 3/8 | 9 3/8 |
| Kevon Seymour | USC | 6-0 | 186 | 30 3/4 | 9 |
| Elijah Shumate | Notre Dame | 6-0 | 216 | 31 1/8 | 9 3/4 |
| Justin Simmons | Boston College | 6-2 | 202 | 32 5/8 | 9 5/8 |
| Leshaun Sims | Southern Utah | 6-1 | 203 | 31 5/8 | 8 1/8 |
| Ryan Smith | North Carolina Central | 5-11 | 189 | 30 1/2 | 8 7/8 |
| A.J. Stamps | Kentucky | 5-11 | 193 | 31 3/8 | 9 5/8 |
| Darian Thompson | Boise State | 6-2 | 208 | 30 3/8 | 9 1/8 |
| Cleveland Wallace | San Jose State | 5-11 | 188 | 31 3/4 | 9 1/2 |
| D.J. White | Georgia Tech | 5-11 | 193 | 31 1/2 | 9 1/4 |
| Brandon Williams | Texas A&M | 5-11 | 197 | 32 1/2 | 8 5/8 |
| Daryl Worley | West Virginia | 6-1 | 204 | 33 3/8 | 10 1/4 |
| Tavon Young | Temple | 5-9 | 183 | 30 5/8 | 9 1/8 |