Detroit Jock City
Fansided

Detroit Lions top NFC North cornerback power rankings

By Ash Thompson

DETROIT.MI - NOVEMBER 24: Darius Slay #23 of the Detroit Lions runs the ball back after intercepting a pass in front of Adam Thielen (19) of the Minnesota Vikings with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter at Ford Field on November 24, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions kicked a field goal as time ran out to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 16-13. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT.MI - NOVEMBER 24: Darius Slay #23 of the Detroit Lions runs the ball back after intercepting a pass in front of Adam Thielen (19) of the Minnesota Vikings with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter at Ford Field on November 24, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions kicked a field goal as time ran out to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 16-13. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
GREEN BAY, WI – DECEMBER 28: Wide receiver Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions receives a four yard pass, past cornerback Tramon Williams #38 of the Green Bay Packers, for a touchdown in the third quarter of the NFL game at Lambeau Field on December 28, 2014 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WI – DECEMBER 28: Wide receiver Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions receives a four yard pass, past cornerback Tramon Williams #38 of the Green Bay Packers, for a touchdown in the third quarter of the NFL game at Lambeau Field on December 28, 2014 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /

The Green Bay Packers cornerback group

Tramon Williams has returned to Green Bay. He is very likely going to start for them. Williams was one of the NFL’s premier ballhawks five years ago. He is a barely serviceable player on the cusp of retirement now. The other option for the Packers was to start a bunch of rookie and second-year players after they lost out on Fuller.

Kevin King was the Packers second-round pick in 2017. His rookie season was not great. Corners often struggle to transition to the NFL level of competition and King was no exception. The Packers are likely to run a lot more man coverage in 2017, which does play more to King‘s strengths. He is a 6’3″ 200 lb athletic monster on the outside. He was limited by injuries as a rookie, but stats like allowing a 102.9 passer rating are hard to completely ignore.

The Packers drafted a pair of corners in the first two rounds of the draft. Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson are both very good prospects. As King showed last year, however, even the best corner prospects usually take a season or two to develop as legitimate NFL players.

Alexander is a very skilled, blazing fast, dizzyingly athletic player. When he does get his game together, Lions fans are going to curse the day that the Packers drafted him. However, that is not very likely to be in his rookie season.

Jackson is a bigger and more physical player, but far from a slouch athletically.  He was considered one of the more pro ready corners in the draft by analysts, and his fall to round two was a bit surprising.

In as little as two years, the Packers corner group could be sitting atop this list. For the 2017 season, however, it is difficult to imagine them gaining ground on the Vikings and Lions atop the Division. Those two teams are clearly the upper tier of the division.

Home/Detroit Lions