If the Green Bay Packers move on from Jaire Alexander, they must address their cornerback room.
Alexander and Eric Stokes’ departures will leave glaring holes on defense. Although there are some veterans they could sign, the draft seems to be a likely place for the Packers to fill this hole.
Kansas’ Cobee Bryant is a mid-round pick who could satisfy this need.
Bryant has been one of the Big 12’s best corners over the last four years. He posted 13 interceptions, three forced fumbles, and 128 career tackles in his career.
He was the first player in Kansas history to be elected to the first team All-Big-12 team in three separate years.
Measuring 6’0”, 180 lbs., Bryant is a tad undersized for a corner. But don’t let that fool you. Despite his size, Bryant is one of the most physical corners in this draft.
If he were a bit bigger, people would talk more about his physicality. It’s the result of his relentless aggressiveness. He’s a stout run-stopper and consistently makes highlight-reel hits.
His aggressiveness is evident in his hits and when he closes in on a pass.
Bryant can make insanely fast breaks on the ball. He’s twitchy in the way you want your cornerbacks to be, having the instincts to react to an NFL-caliber receiver.
For many players, this can be a detriment. However, Bryant has an intuitive feel for the game, allowing him to be in control while still showcasing his athleticism.
His quick movements and fast-break ability would endear him to Green Bay’s coaching staff, especially considering the quality of wide receivers in the NFC North.
Despite his size, Bryant excels at press coverage and exhibits a near-perfect jamming technique against high-level competition.
Bryant is clutch. He has the “it” factor, something that you can’t teach, even making one-handed grabs.
Bryant often put up his best highlights when Kansas needed him most. Check out this play during overtime in a game against West Virginia, highlighting his ability to break on the ball.
Bryant has the playmaking ability that is impossible to teach.
He excelled at the Shrine Bowl. Typically, when draft prospects perform well at these practices, it’s a good sign that they will be successful at the NFL level.
Bryan’s lack of speed is among the few knocks against his game. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, much slower than what scouts expected.
However, we should judge Bryant on his game speed, not his ability to run in a straight line. It is rare to find examples of Bryant losing a rep because of his speed.
Ultimately, Bryant having a slightly slower 40-yard dash could be something that helps the Packers, given that this puts them in a more prime opportunity to draft him.
He also can compete for a starting position right when he enters the building. In his first year at Kanas, Bryant was a part-time starter but then took the reins and never let go. His ability to adapt fast to the college game could be a sign of his ability to adapt to his environment while playing one of the hardest positions in the NFL.
Bryant should be on Green Bay’s radar if they want to improve their cornerback room. His aggressiveness and “it” factor aren’t coachable and are rare traits in a cornerback so fundamentally disciplined.