Along with receiver, cornerback is traditionally the most loaded position in South Florida. Local corners are known for their mental toughness and instincts, which come from competing against future D1 athletes year-round since the age of 6. This year's crop is one of the best in a long-time, with at least a half dozen national recruits and many more under-the-radar gems.
Stanford Samuels III- 6’2, 171 pounds (Flanagan)- The best prospect on one of the best defenses in recent memory. Samuels makes the game look easy on offense and defense. Smooth with good instincts and excellent feet. Good length at 6’2. FSU legacy.
[HUDL]athlete/3235484/highlights/294935433[/HUDL]
CJ Henderson- 6’, 175 pounds (Columbus)- The fastest player I’ve seen live since Dalvin Cook. Combines rare speed with good height. Played RB almost exclusively due to Columbus’s depth at corner, but projects on defense. Chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Georgia and USC.
[HUDL]athlete/2704635/highlights/301853375[/HUDL]
Latavious Brini- 6’2, 184 pounds (Mater Academy)- Massive corner who wins with length. Similar body type to current Canes CB coach Mike Rumph. Solid quickness for his size- his laser-timed 4.33 shuttle matches Richard Sherman’s time at the combine. Holds offers from Florida State, Florida, LSU and Miami.
Junior Season Highlights - Latavious Brini highlights - Hudl
Shawn Davis- 6’0, 190 pounds (Southridge)- Strong, big-bodied corner with excellent physical tools. Good feet and shows the ability to high-point the ball. Holds early offers from LSU, Alabama, Miami and Florida. Standout for Florida Fire 7on7 team, which features Miami commits CJ Henderson, Billy Gibson and Gilbert Frierson.
Highlights - Shawn Davis highlights - Hudl
Marco Wilson- 5’10, 175 pounds (American Heritage)- Smooth coverman who comes from a football family. Father is Miami alum Chad Wilson and brother is UF starting corner Quincy Wilson. Smaller but more athletic than his brother. Coming off a torn ACL as a junior.
Sophomore Highlight - Marco Wilson highlights - Hudl
Trajan Bandy- 5'9, 175 pounds (Columbus)- Highly competitive nickel corner. Very good toughness, quickness and ball skills. Pretty good long speed—he hawked down several runners including Jawon Hamilton. May lack the length to play outside but still a high-quality player. Committed to Oklahoma.
THE DAMAGE IS DONE - Trajan Bandy highlights - Hudl
Jarques McClellion- 6’1, 180 pounds (American Heritage-Delray)- One of the more underrated players in South Florida. McClellion has ideal size and projects as a strong, physical presence at the boundary. Very good athlete who plays both ways. Excellent ball skills. Michigan State leads and he is a perfect fit in their system.
Category 5 - Jarques McClellion highlights - Hudl
Antwan Collier- 6’2, 185 pounds (Southridge via Killian)- Another ascending player who will hold over a dozen offers by the end of spring. Collier is a long, leggy athlete who played all over the field for Killian, including QB. He has since transferred to Southridge and will pair with Shawn Davis to form an imposing corner duo. Explosive athlete who can accelerate very well for his height.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4107850/highlights/325185531
Traivon Leonard- 5’11, 175 pounds (Oxbridge Academy)- Gifted corner who is very well-regarded by opposing coaches. Elite change-of-direction skills and quickness. Currently committed to FAU but is a Power 5 talent all the way. Sleeper potential.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3346872/highlights/308780393
Randall Haynie- 5’11, 175 pounds (Cardinal Gibbons)- Pure cover corner with a polished game. Haynie has very good feet and fluid hips. Good instincts for locating the ball. Not as explosive or physical on some of the other corners on this list, but very advanced from a coverage standpoint. Wisconsin leads.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3891959/highlights/289305377
Stanford Samuels III- 6’2, 171 pounds (Flanagan)- The best prospect on one of the best defenses in recent memory. Samuels makes the game look easy on offense and defense. Smooth with good instincts and excellent feet. Good length at 6’2. FSU legacy.
[HUDL]athlete/3235484/highlights/294935433[/HUDL]
CJ Henderson- 6’, 175 pounds (Columbus)- The fastest player I’ve seen live since Dalvin Cook. Combines rare speed with good height. Played RB almost exclusively due to Columbus’s depth at corner, but projects on defense. Chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Georgia and USC.
[HUDL]athlete/2704635/highlights/301853375[/HUDL]
Latavious Brini- 6’2, 184 pounds (Mater Academy)- Massive corner who wins with length. Similar body type to current Canes CB coach Mike Rumph. Solid quickness for his size- his laser-timed 4.33 shuttle matches Richard Sherman’s time at the combine. Holds offers from Florida State, Florida, LSU and Miami.
Junior Season Highlights - Latavious Brini highlights - Hudl
Shawn Davis- 6’0, 190 pounds (Southridge)- Strong, big-bodied corner with excellent physical tools. Good feet and shows the ability to high-point the ball. Holds early offers from LSU, Alabama, Miami and Florida. Standout for Florida Fire 7on7 team, which features Miami commits CJ Henderson, Billy Gibson and Gilbert Frierson.
Highlights - Shawn Davis highlights - Hudl
Marco Wilson- 5’10, 175 pounds (American Heritage)- Smooth coverman who comes from a football family. Father is Miami alum Chad Wilson and brother is UF starting corner Quincy Wilson. Smaller but more athletic than his brother. Coming off a torn ACL as a junior.
Sophomore Highlight - Marco Wilson highlights - Hudl
Trajan Bandy- 5'9, 175 pounds (Columbus)- Highly competitive nickel corner. Very good toughness, quickness and ball skills. Pretty good long speed—he hawked down several runners including Jawon Hamilton. May lack the length to play outside but still a high-quality player. Committed to Oklahoma.
THE DAMAGE IS DONE - Trajan Bandy highlights - Hudl
Jarques McClellion- 6’1, 180 pounds (American Heritage-Delray)- One of the more underrated players in South Florida. McClellion has ideal size and projects as a strong, physical presence at the boundary. Very good athlete who plays both ways. Excellent ball skills. Michigan State leads and he is a perfect fit in their system.
Category 5 - Jarques McClellion highlights - Hudl
Antwan Collier- 6’2, 185 pounds (Southridge via Killian)- Another ascending player who will hold over a dozen offers by the end of spring. Collier is a long, leggy athlete who played all over the field for Killian, including QB. He has since transferred to Southridge and will pair with Shawn Davis to form an imposing corner duo. Explosive athlete who can accelerate very well for his height.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4107850/highlights/325185531
Traivon Leonard- 5’11, 175 pounds (Oxbridge Academy)- Gifted corner who is very well-regarded by opposing coaches. Elite change-of-direction skills and quickness. Currently committed to FAU but is a Power 5 talent all the way. Sleeper potential.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3346872/highlights/308780393
Randall Haynie- 5’11, 175 pounds (Cardinal Gibbons)- Pure cover corner with a polished game. Haynie has very good feet and fluid hips. Good instincts for locating the ball. Not as explosive or physical on some of the other corners on this list, but very advanced from a coverage standpoint. Wisconsin leads.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3891959/highlights/289305377