5 CB prospects to watch for the Denver Broncos in the 2023 NFL Draft

Draft week is officially here as the NFL draft is just days away and the anticipation seems to build by the hour. A general manager's favorite time of the year as the competition kicks off between 32 different front offices to see who can acquire the best available talent and string together the most complete draft class.

Among other needs, the Denver Broncos find themselves at a tricky spot in their cornerback room. While Patrick Surtain ll has already established himself as the best CB in the league earning a first team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection, the depth is a tad bit concerning.

Damarri Mathis, who was selected in the 4th round of the 2022 NFL Draft, had an impressive rookie season as the team's no. 2 CB and while he is expected to be the starter alongside Surtain ll in 2023, Denver needs to find some reliable depth early in this year's draft that can step in as a starter when needed.

You can also make the argument that the team's CB room is in a slightly worse spot now than at this time last year, due to the loss of Ronald Darby. In a very talented and deep class, you can expect GM George Paton to get his hands on one of these CBs early on. Here are 5 CBs the Denver Broncos should heavily consider in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft:

Prospect No. 1: DJ Turner, Michigan

Despite receiving high grades coming out of Michigan, a few analysts seem to be projecting Turner in the mid-to-late round 2 range meaning there's still a possibility the Broncos can grab him. While Turner is a "prayer" pick, he's still within range of Denver's pick no. 67 and someone Broncos fans absolutely need to keep an eye on if he falls come day 2 of the draft.

The most notable aspect of Turner's game has to be his unreal speed. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash time at the 2023 NFL combine clocking in at a blazing 4.26 seconds. History shows a very accurate correlation between 40-yard dash times and NFL success at the CB position, oddly enough. Broncos Hall of Famer Champ Bailey ran a 4.28 40-yard dash, Darrell Revis ran a 4.38, Deion Sanders ran a 4.27, and coincidentally, Tariq Woolen ran a 4.26 who is now already considered a top 5 CB in the NFL after just one season. Speed is becoming very prominent and amplified in today's WRs therefore, even more speed is required for NFL CBs to be able to keep up with offenses downfield.

Not only is DJ Turner the fastest player in the draft, but he is also one of the best athletes scoring a 9.59 RAS score. The athletic ability displays itself even more on tape with his ability to make plays on the ball and be physical at the catch point. His technique is some of the best at his position in the draft and showed fantastic flashes of being a lockdown corner at the next level.

Turner may not have had the most appealing stats to the naked eye however, only allowed a quarterback rating of 62.2 when targeted in his two seasons at Michigan. He flips his hips very well in reaction to routes, plays with impressive fluidity, effortless start-top ability, and has the best footwork in the draft in my opinion.

Turner did get burned a few times in coverage and lacks the experience and weight you would like to see for a CB entering the draft however, has all the upside and intangibles in the world to become the next elite shutdown corner in the NFL.