Scouts considered the climb of Illinois' Devon Witherspoon unexpected, as the No. 5 overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks came out of nowhere as an unrated recruit to the top of the CB class in the 2023 draft.
Which cornerbacks could emerge from the pool of talent as surefire first-rounders is open to debate with the 2024 draft class.
Here are five prospects to keep an eye on for next year's group, where Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry appears to be the only potential blue-chipper with top-15 tools.
1. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama -- A junior this coming season, McKinstry has been in the starting lineup since he was a freshman and was an All-American last season.