2025 Senior Bowl Defensive Backs To Watch: Press man cornerbacks take center stage with potential to go first round

The Reese's Senior Bowl is finally upon us and draft season feels like it's truly started. It's arguably the most important event on the National Football League calendar. You get to see players, sometimes for the first time, against the best level of competition in college football. You also to see stories like Canada quarterback […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 21, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Maxwell Hairston (1) runs onto the field before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Kroger Field.
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Reese's Senior Bowl is finally upon us and draft season feels like it's truly started.

It's arguably the most important event on the National Football League calendar. You get to see players, sometimes for the first time, against the best level of competition in college football. You also to see stories like Canada quarterback Taylor Elgersma coming down to Mobile, Alabama trying to show what he can do to thrive in the NFL.

Cornerback is one of the toughest positions to play in Mobile. The one-on-ones are designed to make the wide receivers look good, not the cornerbacks if you end up looking good in those drills, that speaks volumes about you as a player.

There are many prospects to keep tabs on, but these are potential rising stars out of this group.

Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston

One of the things that teams really look at in terms of the cornerback position is the combination of size and athleticism. Hairston is somewhat slender at an estimated 6'-1, 181 lbs, but he's got skills as a ball hawk.

Hairston only played in seven games this year, but still ended up with an interception and four passes defended. In 2023, he emerged hugely with six passes defended and five interceptions, including two being returned for touchdowns. Hairston could propel himself into mainstream first-round discussion.

Louisville CB Quincy Riley

Last year, I fell in love with Riley's teammate Jarvis Brownlee Jr. He made the All-Forno team along with a second-round grade from me because of his feisty, aggressive play in man coverage and the ability to trigger downhill when necessary. When watching Brownlee, it was evident that Riley was better.

When playing at the Senior Bowl, man coverage skills dominate. If you can stay sticky in trying to slow down the receivers, you can and will stand out. Over the past two seasons, Riley has five interceptions and 25 passes defended. He has a chance to stand out in a major way.

Nebraska CB Tommi Hill

There hasn't been a lot for the Cornhuskers to be excited about over the last decade. They have struggled mightily for the last decade-plus to have any form of consistency. However, they still have a prospect or two that emerge from Lincoln.

This year, Hill is that player. He's slightly over 6' tall but has 33" arms and attacks the ball in the air with full force. His length is an excellent weapon for him to utilize and his 2023 season exemplified that with four interceptions and nine passes defended. Hill's production did decline in 2024, but he was injured and appeared in just seven games.

Florida State CB Azareye'h Thomas

The Seminoles had a season to forget. From their season opener loss in Ireland against Georgia Tech, they were in dire straits. It snowballed from there, as they finished 2-10 and warranted massive changes. Despite their failures as a collective unit, there were some talented players that thrived.

If you want a press-man cornerback, Thomas is going to be your guy. He is physical and aggressive in nearly every way along with the ball skills to attack it in the air. Thomas hasn't gotten consistent first round love, but he soon will.

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