Big Receivers Means Need For Big Corners

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MOBILE, Ala. •
Bigger receivers are the thing in today’s NFL. So what better way to counter than with bigger cornerbacks? With that in mind, there are a couple of huge corners working at the Senior Bowl this week in Stanley Jean-Baptiste of Nebraska and Keith McGill of Utah.

They look like lean linebackers at first glance, and both have tipped the scales at 230 in the not-so-distant past. But McGill checked in at 6-3, 214 on Monday at the Senior Bowl weigh-in; Jean-Baptiste was 6-2, 215. Both are still learning the cornerback position.

Jean-Baptiste, who has talked with the Rams here this week, switched from wide receiver to cornerback during his sophomore season (2011) with the Cornhuskers.

He has played strictly cornerback this week, but says some NFL teams have told him he might have to switch to safety depending on his 40-yard dash time. There is no 40 timing done at the Senior Bowl, so that will have to wait until next month’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Jean-Baptiste says he has run in the 4.4s in the past, which would be plenty fast for an NFL corner.

“I feel I’m a better fit for corner, but I don’t have no problem with safety,” he said. “I love being aggressive at the line and taking a receiver out. I think I can cover more ground playing corner, shutting down one side of the field.”

When asked about the trend towards bigger corners in the NFL, Jean-Baptiste said, “Hopefully, it will continue to favor me. I guess Richard Sherman’s been a big part of that. I appreciate what he’s doing right now, and he’s showing everybody why he’s the best corner.”

Jean-Baptiste was talking strictly about Sherman’s athletic skills here, not his vocal “talent.” Jean-Batiste has been projected anywhere from the second to fourth round of the draft.

McGill has even less experience at corner — less than a year, in fact. After three years at safety for Utah, he showed up for spring ball prior to his senior year and was told he would be playing cornerback.

“I went to the corner (meeting) room, and they were looking at me like, ‘What are you doing here?’ “ McGill recalled. “I sat down with the coaches for a week, watched film, and it was kind of a rough transition that first week because I didn’t think I could do it.”

Things got better. So much that McGill is on the verge of a career in the NFL.

“I like playing corner,” McGill said. “I was pretty successful at it. I’m still learning the position, still learning recognition with routes.”

HIT MAN

Compared to McGill and Jean-Baptiste, Baylor’s Ahmad Dixon is almost tiny at 5-11, 204. And he plays safety. But he’s not afraid to throw his weight around — such as it is.

“I’m not scared of anybody,” Dixon said. “I’m very aggressive. I won’t turn down anybody, I don’t care if you’re a center, guard, tackle.”

Dixon left his calling card on the very first day of Senior Bowl practices, leveling wide receiver Jeff Janis of Saginaw Valley State. A couple of Atlanta Falcons coaches, who are coaching Dixon and the rest of the North squad this week, told him to dial it down after that play.

“I went up to (Janis) and apologized after practice,” Dixon said.

There will be no apologies, however, during Saturday’s Senior Bowl contest.

“No, not in a game,” Dixon said. “That’s your fault if you get hit.”

Dixon still needs to show scouts and coaches that he can play coverage.

“I’m not very good in one-on-one (drills), but in the game I’ll lock you down,” he said. “That’s what I’m here for. To show everybody I can cover.”