1.CB Ahmed Plummer, Ohio State, 5-10 3/4, 191 (4.49 time in 40-yard dash): Not as polished as the top cornerback in any of the past five or six drafts and may not have an immediate impact, but a very solid defender and the best of this year's mediocre secondary class. Hardly a burner and his best 40-yard times are not his consistent ones. More a low 4.5s guy than a mid-4.4s player. He does, however, play up to speed and has enough acceleration to be an effective cover player. Good body control and anticipation and he needs it because he doesn't have the sustained speed to run upfield with the deep-threat receivers. Smooth in his backpedal and good hip turn, very nice footwork and economy of motion. Won't take many false steps and has a nice change of direction. Good ball skills, but the further downfield he gets, the more his ball awareness seems to break down. An adequate tackler who has decent form and will wrap people up, but not very strong supporting the run. More lean than muscular, a little thinner than you would like. Superior student of the game, tied for highest score in Wonderlic test (39) at combine. Strong family and a real character guy. Watches plenty of tape and will compensate for some physical shortcomings with his diligent preparation.

2. CB Deltha O'Neal, California, 5-11, 193 (4.46): Going into '99 season, was better prospect as a kick returner than a cornerback. Made great strides last season and has really elevated stock in recent workouts. Terrific ball athlete who will snatch the interception like he's a wide receiver. A natural ballhawk and moves fluidly toward the pass in the air. Had nine interceptions in 1999. Good anticipation helps him a lot but he has also dramatically improved his footwork and overall technique. Has run blistering 40 times the past month but, on tape at least, he doesn't play up to his straight-line speed. Usually looks a step slow in reactions and gets caught looking into the backfield too often. Not the body you're looking for in terms of size, but is very aggressive and will put his nose in the pile. Good enough tackler to get by with. His kickoff return skills will help get him drafted a little earlier than he should be.

3. CB Rashard Anderson, Jackson State, 6-2 3/8, 206 (4.59): Possesses the prototype size scouts covet now at the cornerback position. Played safety early in career and a few teams with whom we spoke still project him as an inside secondary player. Despite being stiff and upright and lacking great deep speed, most teams want him on the corner for his huge stature and developing bump-and-run skills. Good feet and hips and nice recovery to the ball when he gets beat. Has yet to refine his single-coverage techniques, but shows promise there and will get better as he plays more cornerback and gets more repetitions. Body is so big he looks like he has more range than he really does but, over a 20-yard stretch, he can make up ground pretty quickly. A little tight in the hips but, when he turns to run with a receiver, he is decisive with his first step and will fly deep to the ball. There are times when he will get his feet twisted and lose sight of the ball. Has long arms and strong hands. Will get a very strong jam if a receiver is trying to release to his left, but only average when receiver is coming off his right side. Needs more experience but is a willing learner and a hard worker.

4. CB Ike Charlton, Virginia Tech, 5-11 1/8, 205 (4.52): Kind of a stocky build and only average speed, but plays with intensity and savvy. Very physical, if he gets his hands on a receiver he can knock him off stride and out of the route. Will redirect the route with his hands and arms. Does not have good catch-up speed and turn-and-go technique is inconsistent, so he really needs to get a powerful jam on a receiver. Loves to be around the ball and relishes his reputation as a big hitter. A big-play mentality. Although he doesn't close well, still manages to get his hands on a lot of passes. Hard-nosed and intelligent player who could always move inside and play safety if he can't cut it at cornerback.

5. FS Rogers Beckett, Marshall, 6-1½, 207 (4.62): Exceptional size and plays a lot faster than his 40 time would indicate. A long strider who is just learning to chop his steps, but seems to get to the ball and cover a lot of ground with deceptive range. Takes good angles to the ball and really gets a good jump on the outside "fade" routes. Can be physical at times and will make some big hits but, at this point in his development, still a better performer against the pass than the run. Has the short-area quickness to close on routes in front of him. Actually is inconsistent in playing the rush and coming forward to support. Enigmatic in that he seems to have downhill speed to fill against the run but struggles to finish even when he gets to the play ahead of time. Strong hands and will cause fumbles with his big hits. Solid intangibles, good instincts. Needs more experience playing single coverage.

6. CB/FS Mark Roman, LSU, 5-10 7/8, 188 (4.47): Started at free safety for three years before moving to cornerback last season. Limited playing time in '99 because he was suspended for illegal contact with an agent and his attempts at reinstatement were denied. Good athlete with nice instincts. While he didn't look like a natural corner at first, the move probably helped his career and his draft stock in the long run. Has some innate coverage skills and nice change of direction and break on ball. A little too high in his backpedal and his hip turn isn't real smooth, will get duped on the double-move routes. Will close on the ball, though, and loves to come up and physically press the receiver. Simply was not very physical as a safety and best bet in the NFL probably will be to stay at cornerback. Not a big hitter and ran around a lot of plays. Will be able to play as "nickel" defender in rookie year and contribute on special teams.

7. FS Deon Grant, Tennessee, 6-1 3/4, 209 (4.56): The personification of the old "looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane" scouting adage. Tremendous physical stature and overall physical abilities should project him into first round, but most teams have dropped him on their boards in recent weeks. A few teams now rate him as a third-rounder, but we believe he will go higher because some team is going to be too tempted not to grab him sooner. Great size and range, had nine interceptions last season. Great hands, catches the ball as well as most wide receivers in this year's draft. A real ball athlete who has burst and acceleration and fluid techniques. Some scouts felt he might even be able to play outside, given the trend toward bigger corners. So what's the problem? The guy won't hit anybody. On tape, there are some running plays where he is lined up close to the scrimmage line and then somehow isn't even in the frame when the tackle is made. In the secondary, people run through him like he's not even there. Has to get a lot tougher and more motivated, or else he's going to waste some incredible athletic talent.

8. CB Lewis Sanders, Maryland, 6-0 1/4, 202 (4.49): Nobody questions his physical tools and his potential, but the jury is still out on how good he will really be at the next level. Former safety who probably could line up anywhere in the secondary. Has the kind of size everyone covets now but looks a little too upright. Doesn't bend his knees well in his backpedal and will get his feet caught when he breaks upfield. For most of season, it looked like he lacked true corner speed, but then he burned up the track in postseason workouts, posting some times in the mid- to high-4.3s. Plays the ball pretty well. A physical defender who can muscle and redirect receivers but has to learn to use his hands better. When he doesn't get his hands on a receiver, will allow the wideout to get too easy a release. Not real quick or sudden. A hot-and-cold guy, but one with admirable study habits and the desire to get better.

9. SS/FS Mike Brown, Nebraska, 5-9 7/8, 204 (4.56): Three-year starter and, despite lack of size, the kind of guy you want directing your secondary. Very, very smart and superb awareness for the game. Those qualities and his top-notch character have really moved him up draft boards in the league. A team leader who will get everyone lined up before the play and is very decisive once the ball is snapped. Always around the football, has superior, almost tailback-type vision. Better range than overall speed but nice change of direction movement. A little heavy through the legs and butt and that slows him down, but he still plays with economy of motion and rarely has a false step. Loves contact and plays bigger than his size. Attacks the run, takes great pursuit angles and hits big. Decent recovery speed but vulnerable if he gets matched in man coverage with a speedy receiver. Probably not fast enough to play head-up on the man in the slot. Won't mind playing on special teams and will probably excel at it.

10. CB David Barrett, Arkansas, 5-9 7/8, 199 (4.49): Tough competitor with explosive speed who might suffer early in career from lack of exposure playing off-man coverages and backpedaling to make break on ball. Handles "press" coverages well and relishes opportunity to get right up in the wide receiver's face. Despite lack of size and strength, doesn't allow receivers an easy release off the line. On the squat side and doesn't look the part, but can really move and has a big closing gear. Seems to be getting faster and more athletic as he matures. Tough guy attitude but is a better hitter than he is a tackler. Will deliver a pop and jolt people's heads back, but slides off some tackles and doesn't wrap on others.

11. SS Ashley Cooper, Mississippi State, 5-10 1/4, 208 (4.61): Shorter than you want, but good weight, bulk and playing strength. In some schemes at college, played almost like a linebacker, he was so close to the line of scrimmage. Heavy hitter and very sure tackler, will make lots of plays vs. the running game. Very raw against the pass. Beginning to show some flashes in that area, but needs a lot of work on technique. A player whose best football is in front of him and who will continue to improve.

12. FS Kenoy Kennedy, Arkansas, 6-0 5/8, 221 (4.68): Starting free safety since midway through his freshman season and has developed great instincts, a nose for the ball and a nasty streak. Will fill the lane and stuff the run, loves to step forward and level the ball carrier in short secondary. A smashmouth hitter who has broken his own facemask and those of opponents. Has good natural explosiveness and is always in a hitting stance, it seems, and able to square up on his target. Still whiffs on some tackles and worries more about how hard he's tackling than how sure he is. Is a center-field type player in the passing game and must develop his recognition skills there. Will bite on play-action fakes and leave wide open areas in deep secondary. Lacks pure speed and quickness and cannot walk up and cover the slot receiver. Starting to show some playmaking flashes against the pass, but a long way to go in that area.

Hank Poteat started his career at Pittsburgh as a tailback.(Allsport)

13. CB Hank Poteat, Pittsburgh, 5-9 7/8, 197 (4.51): Former college tailback who moved to the secondary only toward end of '97 season. Excellent athlete with versatility, despite his limited exposure at cornerback is more technically polished than he should be at this point of career. Nimble feet, takes nice chopped steps and can mirror the receiver across the field and deep. Very smooth in transition, when he turns his hips to run deep he accelerates in only a step or two. Has nice recovery speed and quickness to the ball. Plays at least a step faster than his stopwatch time. Good vision and balance, probably from his background as a tailback. Won't be fooled very often. Good hands and knows how to body up on the receivers, will play guys very tight and not allow much room for cuts. Not very big but surprising strength and can redirect all but the biggest receivers. Inconsistent in off-man coverages and not a great player vs. the run. Can return kickoffs in a pinch.

14. SS Travares Tillman, Georgia Tech, 6-1 1/4, 194 (4.53): Has played every position in the secondary, but miscast as cornerback, and best spot is strong safety. Has improved his overall speed and quickness and, combined with prototype size, an intriguing guy who will surprise some people and should go higher than many scouts have him rated. Has gotten a lot better over the past year playing in space, before that rarely lived up to his straight-line speed. Developing his ball skills and has some burst and closing speed. Stiff hips really a concern in man coverage but will play physical style and might be able to line up vs. some slot receivers. Good tackler who will overrun some plays and get faked out a bit too often in the open field. Is not a gifted ball athlete but is getting better and seems like a guy who will pay the price.

15. CB Lloyd Harrison, North Carolina State, 5-10, 190 (4.47): Standout track athlete who has explosive straight-line speed but is still learning how to apply it to the football field. Nice size and, while not as tall as scouts like, the kind of tough build they covet. Doesn't always play up to his running speed and seems tentative at times. Didn't challenge receivers as often in '99 as he did in previous seasons. Good awareness to jump the crossing routes in zone looks but still developing his man coverage skills. Superior burst but only adequate ball skills and hands. Needs to go after the ball more aggressively. Not only declines to support the running game but hangs back at times and simply ignores that end of the game. Does not play with strength or leverage.

Others: SS Aric Morris (Michigan State), FS Gary Berry (Ohio State), CB David Macklin (Penn State), CB Jason Webster (Texas A&M), CB Robert Bean (Mississippi State), CB Antwan Harris (Virginia), FS Todd Franz (Tulsa), CB Ralph Brown (Nebraska), CB Reggie Austin (Wake Forest), FS Arturo Freeman (South Carolina), FS Pedro Cirino (Boston College), CB Sedrick Curry (Texas A&M), CB Rodregis Brooks (Alabama-Birmingham), CB David Byrd (Syracuse), CB Reginald Howard (Memphis), FS Sean Key (Florida State).

Rising: Two defensive backs from the Sooner State, William Bartee of Oklahoma and Jacoby Shepherd of Oklahoma State, have been steadily moving up the charts the past several weeks. Both are former junior college players and late bloomers. Shepherd is the more natural cornerback but Bartee may be the better player at the position in time. Bartee has lined up more as a safety, but his explosive, sub-4.5 speed gives him a chance to move outside. In a draft with very few bigger corners, his size (6-1½, 192) probably means most teams are going to start him out as a corner and see if he can handle it. That rare size and speed might move him up as high as the second round.

Declining: In the spring, the top corners as rated by both combine services were Mario Edwards of Florida State and Tennessee's Dwayne Goodrich. Both have slid considerably since then and are coming off mediocre '99 seasons. Edwards was demoted from the starting lineup for a couple games and, while possessing size and speed, played last season like he just wanted to get through it and move on to the draft. He got beaten regularly and his concentration clearly lapsed. Some of those same shortcomings applied to Goodrich, who never had great speed or makeup ability anyway. Like Edwards, he lacks discipline on the field and doesn't work hard enough. Added to those concerns is a potential heart problem that has dropped him completely off the draft boards of several teams.

Intriguing: There are two big cornerbacks who should merit more consideration than they seem to be getting. Brian Gray of Brigham Young was a top prospect going into the season, but ran a 4.94 time at the combine and dropped off the radar screen. He may not run well, but Gray has size (6-1½, 215), experience and savvy and is around the ball a lot. He plays faster than his time and possesses better cover techniques than more highly regarded prospects. Another big corner is Michael Hawthorne of Purdue. He has experienced back problems in the past and isn't durable, but Hawthorne is athletic and tough and worth a gamble. Kareem Larrimore of West Texas A&M is a solid athlete with mid-4.4 speed, but some off-field problems that need scrutiny. If he checks out OK, Larrimore will go high, possibly in the second round, because he can flat-out play.

Sleepers: The cornerback tandem from Division I-AA champion Georgia Southern not only has the best names in the draft but also merit serious consideration. Teammates Earthwind Moreland (whose mother, honest, was a huge Earth, Wind and Fire fan) and Kiwanee Thomas can play. Moreland has been timed at 4.34-4.37 on grass and has vertical of 34 inches. Thomas runs in the 4.47 range and might be the more refined coverage player right now. A player from a bigger school who should not be overlooked is Minnesota safety Tyrone Carter. The Thorpe Award winner as the nation's outstanding defensive back is under 5-8 and that, of course, is a concern. But he hits bigger than his size and has a huge heart. Cornerback Pat Dennis, a ballhawk from Louisiana-Monroe has great size (6-1, 210) and suspect speed, but sure had a lot of interceptions the past two seasons.

Specialist: Colorado cornerback Ben Kelly is one of the nation's top kickoff return specialists and an excellent coverage corner as well. He's shorter than scouts like, at only a shade over 5-8, but has a nice, compact build and knows how to play the position. He could be a top-flight return man and "nickel" corner as a rookie and will be drafted higher than most projections.