NFL Draft Preview: Eckel picks the top 5 best cornerbacks with the help of an expert, but there are no Deion Sanders to be found

Even the men who study the NFL Draft year after year and get paid to make tough decisions can’t figure it out sometimes.

For instance, this year’s 2020 NFL Draft features as deep a class a cornerback as one personnel executive can ever remember and a dearth at safety like never before.

“In all my years (and he’s been around since the late 90s) I’ve never seen so many good corners in one draft,” the personnel man said. “I counted 14, or 15, who could come in and play right away. That’s a lot.”

“Now, I don’t think you have what you would call a shutdown corner. I’m not too sure they even exist anymore. The days of Deion Sanders are gone. (Darrell) Revis might have been the last.”

But there aren’t any good safeties?

“Not one,” he said. “I don’t like any of them.”

LSU’s Grant Delpit is getting the most attention from draft people who don’t actually make picks. He’s not a favorite of our guy.

“He’s can’t cover, and he can’t tackle,’’ the personnel man said of Delpit. “Other than that, he’s not bad.’’

Here’s his list of the top 5 cornerbacks in the draft:

Jeff Okudah, Ohio State

Class: Jr.

Height/Weight: 6-1, 205

40 Time: 4.48

Stats: 2019: 3 Ints; 9 PBUs

Quote: “He’s good, very good. But he’s not Deion Sanders, like some people are making him out to be. I wouldn’t take him at No. 3.”

C.J. Henderson, Florida

Class: Jr.

Height/Weight: 6-1, 204

40 Time: 4.39

Stats: Career: 6 Ints, 22 PBUs

Quote: “I think he can be just as good as Okudah, maybe even better.”

Kristian Fulton, LSU

Class: Sr.

Height/Weight: 6-0, 197

40 Time: 4.46

Stats: 2019: 1 Int, 14 PBUs

Quote: “Another very good player who should be a starter right away. Good size/speed combination.”

Damon Arnette, Ohio State

Class: Sr.

Height/Weight: 6-0, 195

40 Time: 4.56

Stats: 5 Ints, 22 PBUs

Quote: “What he lacks in speed, he makes up for with his physical play. He’ll be very good in a cover-2 type scheme.”

Bryce Hall, Virginia

Class: Sr.

Height/Weight: 6-1, 202

40 Time: 4.53

Stats: Career: 5 Ints, 39 PBUs

Quote: “I like him more than most. Great instincts and ball skills. Would probably be better with a zone team.”

OVERRATED: Jeff Gladney, TCU

UNDERRATED: Troy Pride, Notre Dame

SMALL SCHOOL STAR: Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern