Breaking down the Redskins cornerback depth chart for 2019
By Ian Cummings
Redskins roster hopefuls
Deion Harris, Adonis Alexander, Ashton Lampkin
These three cornerbacks round out the position group, each possessing a low chance of making the 2019 roster. All three have traits that could propel them into the roster conversation, but for now, they have some ground to make up.
For both Deion Harris and Adonis Alexander, the trait that sets them apart is their height and length. Both cornerbacks are 6-foot-3, with good length to disrupt the ball inside their catch radius. Harris is a better athlete; an injury history prevented him from maximizing his stock in college, but when fully healthy at Redskins rookie minicamp, he showed enough for the team to cut Joshua Holsey and take him on. For now, he’s the roster hopeful with the best chance to surprise.
Adonis Alexander also has some redeeming qualities, and as a Virginia Tech product, he’s a fan favorite in the local area. A sixth-round selection in last year’s supplemental draft, Alexander has a lanky 6-foot-3 frame, but also lackluster long speed for a defensive back. As a pure project, he has some versatile upside, but that upside is contingent on his mental development, because his athletic traits aren’t outstanding. Without Torrian Gray, a coach he was familiar with, his development could be stunted. But if he clicks with Ray Horton, perhaps he could take hold of this opportunity.
Redskins 53-man roster projection 3.0. dark. Next
Ashton Lampkin serves as the last, and the least, of the group, but to be the least in an NFL secondary is nothing to be disappointed about. Lampkin has a chance to come out of nowhere. At 5-foot-11, he has average size for a cornerback, and in college, he amassed five interceptions and 12 pass deflections over a five-year span. He’s faced an uphill battle since 2017, when he entered the league as a UDFA and tore his ACL with the Chiefs in training camp. He had a stint with the Browns practice squad in 2018, but he was released in May, and subsequently picked up by the Redskins. He faces another uphill battle in Washington, as the tenth of ten. But he’s gotten this far. He could get farther.