Stephon Gilmore, NFL Draft 2012: Cornerback Has First Round Potential

Stephon Gilmore, NFL Draft 2012: Viewed As Good, Not Elite Corner

South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore is expected to potentially be a late first round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He has everything you look for in a first round pick cornerback. He has the size, the speed, he tackles well, and he's physical. He does have a tendency to give up plays and might only excel in a specific defensive scheme, however. National Football Post's Wes Bunting explains a little bit:

He was a 5-star prospect who made a lot of plays but also gave up a lot of plays as a sophomore. He's raw with his footwork, but he's one of the few big corners in the draft who can turn and run, who will tackle, and he's got the skills to be a really good cover man. He played mostly zone and press-bail.

Physically, he can play press, but he was rarely asked to do it. Mostly you're looking at him as a zone corner right now.

Teams who play a lot of zone coverage, like the New England Patriots, could really be drawn towards Gilmore especially in the back end of the first round. Currently, Gilmore is rated as the sixth best corner in the draft by Mocking The Draft.

For more on Gilmore, be sure to check out South Carolina blog Garnet and Black Attack. Be sure to check out the latest at SB Nation's NFL Draft hub and SB Nation's Mocking The Draft.

Stephon Gilmore, NFL Draft 2012: Broncos Could Have Eye On South Carolina CB

Gamecocks' cornerback Stephon Gilmore has the size to compete in the NFL, but will a team be willing to pick him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft?