Listed at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, Hairston may not have ideal size, but his 4.28 time in the 40-yard dash topped all cornerbacks at the NFL Scouting Combine, and his 39.5-inch vertical jump ranked second at the position.
CB Jahdae Barron | Texas
CBS Sports’ Kyle Stackpole has similar ideas for the Rams in the draft but sees Barron as a better option than Hairston. Barron spent five seasons with the Longhorns, improving each year. He had a career-high 67 tackles and five interceptions last season on the way to winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football.
Unlike Hairston, who relies on elite athleticism, Barron uses his size (5-foot-11,195 pounds) and instincts to keep the ball away from wide receivers. NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein noted Barron always seemed to be in the right place at the right time last year and thinks he can be an early contributor as a slot defender with the potential to cross-train as a safety.
WR Isaiah Bond | Texas
Chad Reuter, Zierlein’s colleague at NFL.com, has the Rams taking Bond, Barron’s teammate, in his mock draft, but at pick No. 32 after trading down with the Philadelphia Eagles for an extra third-round pick.
According to Reuter, “(Bond’s) suddenness after the catch and willingness to take (and make) hits despite his slight build give him an outside shot of joining Texas teammate Matthew Golden in Round 1.”
At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Bond may be the smallest of these three prospects, but with 4.39 speed, the former high school state sprint champion was often used to draw attention and clear out coverage for teammates like Golden.
Last year, the New York Giants drafted LSU receiver Malik Nabers sixth overall, while teammate Brian Thomas Jr. went to the Jaguars with the 23rd pick and finished as the NFL’s third-leading receiver with 1,282 yards.
Could Bond be this year’s Thomas? Sharing the field with pass-catchers like Davante Adams and Puka Nacua certainly won’t hurt his chances.
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