Three under-the-radar cornerbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the three-day event set to begin on April 25 in Detroit.

Considering we're in the golden age of wide receivers, the need for quality cornerbacks has never been greater. The 2024 draft class has some intriguing high-end talent at the cornerback position with names like Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell and Alabama's Terrion Arnold. But, as we've seen year after year, teams can still find future starters later in the draft.

With that in mind, here are three cornerbacks projected to be selected outside of the first two rounds who could prove to be steals in the draft.

Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia 

Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 184 pounds

A total of 321 players were invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, none of whom were Bishop, who transferred to West Virginia last offseason following a lackluster season at Minnesota and four productive years at Western Kentucky. During his lone season with the Mountaineers, Bishop made waves, leading the nation in passes defended (24) and pass breakups (20) en route to being named a consensus All-American.

Despite not earning an invitation to the combine, Bishop was a top performer at the Big 12 pro day in Frisco, Texas, this past Thursday. Bishop ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time of any player participating in the Big 12 pro day. Additionally, Bishop clocked a 1.82-second “flying 20," which would've ranked fourth among all players competing in the combine, according to Shrine Bowl director Eric Galko.

While he's a bit undersized, Bishop has all the tools to succeed in a slot role at the NFL level. It's possible that a team could sign him as an undrafted free agent, but given his on-field production and strong testing results, Bishop is worth considering as a Day 3 selection.

Khyree Jackson, Oregon

Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 194 pounds

The lengthy cornerback's lack of experience adversely affects his draft stock, but he displayed enough promise with the Ducks this past season to still warrant some late Day 2 buzz.

A former JUCO standout, Jackson played two seasons at Alabama, during which he'd start just one game, before transferring to Oregon, where he became a first-team All-Pac-12 selection. In 12 games, Jackson collected a team-leading three interceptions, along with 34 tackles, five for loss and two sacks for the Ducks. 

Jackson's 4.50-second 40-yard dash time at the combine was somewhat underwhelming, as it ranked 22nd among 29 cornerbacks, but he did rank sixth at the position in the 10-yard split (1.50 seconds). Not to mention that, as per Kent Lee Platte's Relative Athletic Score, Jackson scored a 9.42 out of a possible 10, ranking as the 129th-best score out of 2,222 cornerback prospects since 1987. 

Given his large frame and impressive intangibles, Jackson would make for a fascinating developmental project for any team drafting in the third or fourth round, especially if they successfully fine-tune his technique. 

Max Melton, Rutgers 

Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 187 pounds 

Melton, whose older brother Bo is a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, is a late riser in the draft process. The 21-year-old enjoyed a solid four-year career at Rutgers, racking up 114 tackles, nine for loss, 30 pass breakups and eight interceptions. However, he really started turning heads at the Reese's Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. 

Of all cornerbacks at the combine, Melton ranked ninth in the 10-yard split (1.51 seconds), eighth in the 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds), fifth in the vertical jump (40.5 inches) and first in the broad jump (11-foot-4). For his efforts, Melton was named the "best athlete" among draft-eligible cornerbacks in a recently published prospect superlatives article written by Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema. 

With his athleticism, physicality and versatility, Melton is well-equipped to thrive as a slot cornerback or on the boundary if necessary. In Matt Miller of ESPN's latest seven-round mock draft, Melton went off the board 71st overall to the Arizona Cardinals. Should he fall that far, Melton would be a perfect fit for Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon's stingy defense.