Show off your backpedal.
Few positions are under heavier scrutiny at the NFL Scouting Combine than the defensive backs. As the league has shifted more toward the aerial attack in the last 15 years, those charged with defending the pass have become more important than ever.
The corners and safeties are the final position group to work out at the combine. They'll be asked to run drills that showcase their backpedal -- a vital technique for a cornerback -- as well as their ability to change direction. Prospects will start off the workout by heading backward for 5-10 yards. They will then have to pivot and run in whatever direction the coach sends them. A player's ability to quickly respond to a new direction is considered a good test for how he will react in a real game situation.
This year, there are far more quality cornerbacks than safeties. That represents a significant departure from a year earlier, when four safeties came off the board in the first round alone. That number could be slashed by half or more in 2015. As for the cornerbacks, the group features several talented options but no standout.
Players to watch
Landon Collins: If only one safety is selected on Day 1 of the draft, it'll be Alabama's Collins. What he has to prove between now and the draft is whether he's a box safety, à la Kam Chancellor, or someone who can spend some time playing deep in single-high looks. Collins' ball skills will also be a focus during the combine.
Marcus Peters: The former Washington Husky might be the draft's best corner, but his involuntary departure from his college team has raised concern. In addition to explaining his off-the-field issues, Peters can silence doubters with a strong showing in the position drills and in the 40-yard dash.
Trae Waynes: Expected to measure in above 6' tall, Michigan State's Waynes could be the next in a recent pipeline of big cornerbacks. He doesn't have the frame or ball skills of Richard Sherman, but Waynes plays physically and can handle being left on an island. If he can show during position drills that he isn't as stiff as he looked at times in college, he'll be the first corner off the board.
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