College football is almost upon us, which means the 2017 NFL draft will be here before you know it. Those of us at Scouts Inc. -- myself, Kevin Weidl and Steve Muench -- spent the summer scouring tape and ranking the top players at each position from a draft perspective.
Below is our preseason evaluation of the best cornerbacks and safeties in the 2017 draft.
Note: Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.
CORNERBACK
1. Jordan Thomas, Oklahoma*
Grade: 91
Thomas tracks the ball well and routinely comes down with 50-50 balls. He finished last season with five interceptions -- one of which was returned for a touchdown. He projects as an early-round pick because of his combination of size (6-foot, 192 pounds), athletic ability and instincts. But Thomas' off-field decision making -- two suspensions in 2015 and an arrest -- deserves attention from teams.