Several surprising picks in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft left plenty of good talent on the board for Friday's second round, but the cornerback position could be leading the draft boards, according to Ian Rapoport. At the top is Mississippi State All-American, Johnthan Banks, a "coveted" player, as Rapoport described him.
So coveted is Banks that many believe he'll be the first pick of the second round when the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock with the No. 33-overall selection. Gil Brandt of NFL Network reported on Friday morning that the Jaguars were leaning toward selecting Banks rather than one of the many top-rated quarterbacks that slipped out of the first round, most notably, West Virginia's Geno Smith.
Instead, the Jaguars are now expected by many to select Banks, a long cornerback who would fit into the scheme of head coach Gus Bradley, the former-defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, who has an affinity for taller cornerbacks with press capabilities.
In four seasons at Mississippi State, Banks recorded 15 interceptions with at least three in each year. He finished his senior season as the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award, recognizing the nation's top defensive back.
Also expected to go early in the second round, according to Rapoport, are Mississippi State's Darius Slay, the starter opposite Banks for the Bulldogs, and Boise State's Jamar Taylor. Among the other teams that are still needy at cornerback are the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans.
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