A cornerback selected No. 1 overall in the draft?
Yes, LSU's Patrick Peterson is that good. And he showed us why at the Scouting Combine.
His two 40-yard dashes resulted in unofficial times of 4.32 and 4.37. His broad jump was 10'6" and his vertical leap was 38".
And that's nothing compared to what Peterson accomplished as an LSU Tiger. En route to winning the Thorpe and Bednarik awards, he recorded 135 tackles, 22 pass breakups and seven interceptions.
He also averaged 16.1 yards per return and scored two touchdowns as a punt returner. He scored a touchdown off an interception and a blocked field goal as well.
So he's talented enough to be selected No. 1 overall. But would a team with the first pick (this year, it's the Carolina Panthers) really use it on a cornerback?
Well, as the likes of Darrelle Revis and Deion Sanders proved, a shutdown corner who can hold an opponent's top receiver to minimal numbers can be very valuable to a team's defense.
The new head coach of the Panthers, Ron Rivera, is a defensive-minded guy. He will want to establish his team as one that is strong defensively.
Not only is Peterson a potential shutdown corner, but if his punt-return numbers at LSU are any indication, Carolina's offense would get some badly-needed field position.
So, if there is ever a time when a No. 1 pick can be used on a cornerback, this is it.
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