The cornerback class of 2024 is deep, with multiple players considered top-100 talent. Two of them, Ellis Robinson IV and Jaylen Mbakwe, are top 10 talents in the country. With the depth of the class, college football will be seeing some of the best play out of the secondary in some time.
Class of 2024 CB Rankings
For these rankings, it will showcase several other outlets’ rankings, including ESPN, 247Sports, On3, and Rivals. Let’s look at who is considered the top 10 cornerback recruits in the country entering the 2024 season.
1) Ellis Robinson IV, IMG Academy
College: Georgia
Hometown: Bradenton, FL
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 185
247 Position Rank: 1
On3 Position Rank: 1
ESPN Position Rank: 1
Rivals Position Rank: 1
Consensus Rank: 1
ESPN has Ellis Robinson IV as the best player in high school for the 2024 class. Speed and length are what Robinson has to make life miserable for receivers. He won’t get burned on many times, and when he is in man or zone coverage, don’t expect pass catchers to get open at all.
Fans saw him last season with IMG Academy make plays, but it wasn’t often as quarterbacks stayed away from throwing his way. He committed to Georgia with offers from Alabama, Miami, Arizona, and Auburn.
2) Jaylen Mbakwe, Clay-Chalkville
College: Alabama
Hometown: Pinson, AL
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 170
247 Position Rank: 2 (Athlete)
On3 Position Rank: 2
ESPN Position Rank: 2
Rivals Position Rank: 3
Consensus Rank: 2
Jaylen Mbakwe was ESPN’s second-best overall prospect in the country as he proved to be an elite athlete. Mbakwe can play both offense and defense, with him being a bit stronger as a cornerback. He’s quick with his feet and can win the contested jump balls when presented his way.
In high school, he proved to be a good offensive weapon, an elite cornerback, and a threat in the return game. He was also a track star, so speed was no problem. Mbakwe signed with Alabama while also getting offers from Auburn, Arkansas, Cincinnati, and Clemson.
3) Kobe Black, Connally
College: Texas
Hometown: Waco, TX
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 190
247 Position Rank: 5 (Safety)
On3 Position Rank: 5
ESPN Position Rank: 3
Rivals Position Rank: 2
Consensus Rank: 3
Based on Kobe Black’s length, he could be considered a safety or cornerback thanks to his wide receiver build. Black can use that length to have strong coverage and make contested pass plays tough on receivers.
One reason for his strength is that he played both cornerback and receiver in high school, making him a viable athlete in the college game as he was All-District as a receiver and defensive back. He will stay put in Texas, going to school for the Longhorns with offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arizona State.
4) Aaron Scott, Springfield
College: Ohio State
Hometown: Springfield, OH
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 174
247 Position Rank: 2
On3 Position Rank: 3
ESPN Position Rank: 6
Rivals Position Rank: 7
Consensus Rank: 4
Aaron Scott showed himself to be a ball hawk in high school. Even if Scott doesn’t get the interception, he disrupts passing games by getting his hands on the ball. He’s aggressive as he has good instincts for tracking the football.
Scott recorded five interceptions in his junior year, not allowing many pass plays to be positive on his side of the ball. He’ll attend Ohio State with offers from Michigan, Oregon, Arkansas, and Boston College.
5) Charles Lester III, Venice
College: Florida State
Hometown: Venice, FL
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 180
247 Position Rank: 4
On3 Position Rank: 4
ESPN Position Rank: 5
Rivals Position Rank: 5
Consensus Rank: 5
When faced with a six-foot, two-inch cornerback like Charles Lester III, throwing the football at him will be extremely tough. Lester’s length is an advantage as he will be able to cover up the receiver with ease. While improvement is needed in run support, his pass coverage skills make him a threat on defense.
The Florida hometown kid will stay put and attend school at Florida State for the 2024 season. He also got offers from Alabama, Colorado, Arkansas State, and Clemson.
6) Bryce West, Glenville
College: Ohio State
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 185
247 Position Rank: 13
On3 Position Rank: 8
ESPN Position Rank: 4
Rivals Position Rank: 6
Consensus Rank: 6
Bryce West has gotten mixed reviews regarding his play. West played both sides of the football, showing off his speed as a running back and cornerback. He has solid coverage skills, with the concern that nothing is elite about him outside of his speed.
West finished his junior season not allowing a touchdown and recorded four interceptions. He’s heading to Ohio State after also getting offers from Michigan, Akron, Alabama, and Boston College.
7) Zabien Brown, Mater Dei
College: Alabama
Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 180
247 Position Rank: 3
On3 Position Rank: 7
ESPN Position Rank: 14
Rivals Position Rank: 4
Consensus Rank: 7
Zabien Brown proved to be one of the country’s best cornerbacks in man coverage, easily blanketing receivers. Brown has quick feet and can change direction in a dime. One concern was that last season, he could not stay as healthy as he could be but fought at the end of the season with great play in the playoffs.
Brown will mostly go across the country from California to Alabama to play college football with the Crismon Tide. He also got offers from Ohio State, USC, Auburn, and Boston College.
8) Dakoda Fields, Junipero Serra
College: Oregon
Hometown: Gardena, CA
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 175
247 Position Rank: 6
On3 Position Rank: 11
ESPN Position Rank: 8
Rivals Position Rank: 14
Consensus Rank: 8
Dakoda Fields is a physical, tough corner who has no problems challenging receivers. Fields have great athleticism and a long wingspan to deflect passes. Durability will be a concern going into college, as he missed time in high school with injuries.
Fields was also a track star in high school, showing off the speed needed in his game. He signed with Oregon with offers from USC, Alabama, Arizona, and Boston College.
9) Zay Mincey, Mainland
College: Undecided
Hometown: Daytona Beach, FL
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 175
247 Position Rank: 6 (Safety)
On3 Position Rank: 6
ESPN Position Rank: 4 (Safety)
Rivals Position Rank: 17
Consensus Rank: 9
Zay Mincey’s length leads some to believe he could be a safety in college, but his weight makes him more of a cornerback. He has great athleticism and can be strong in off-man coverage when needed. One big strength of his game is he is a good open-field tackler, as he might be considered one of the better cornerback tacklers.
Mincey appeared in the All-American Bowl game. He hasn’t decided on a college as the top picks appear to be Alabama, Florida, Florida State, and Miami.
10) Marcelles Williams, St. John Bosco
College: USC
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 165
247 Position Rank: 5
On3 Position Rank: 15
ESPN Position Rank: 9
Rivals Position Rank: 12
Consensus Rank: 10
Marcelles Williams was a four-year starter in high school who showed great ability and consistency. Wiliams showed good ball skills and is quick with his feet. He got better last year on a physical level, with that needing to be a focus heading into college.
Williams also appeared in the All-American Bowl game and the Polynesian Bowl. He’s staying put in California to play for the USC Trojans with offers from Oklahoma, UCLA, Alabama, and Arizona.
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