1. Sean Parker, Safety, Washington
Solely a strong safety prospect, Parker has been flying under the radar a great deal throughout draft season. With the added importance of being able to cover outside of the box from this position, Parker's value should increase the closer the draft gets.
He has the ability to cover tight ends in the slot and tends to possess plus technique in coverage over the top. Despite recording 67 tackles and four interceptions last season while showing a tremendously strong build (5'10", 190 pounds), Parker is considered a Day 3 pick by most scouting outlets.
With that said, there is no reason to believe he can't be a starting safety within his first two years in the league.
2. Yawin Smallwood, Linebacker, Uconn
Smallwood is one of those linebacker prospects that come along and pretty much does everything to impress you on tape. One of the major things I have noticed is that he has superior read-and-react skills, which means that the young player will not take himself out of the play.
He has great tackling technique and shows a decent bend when asked to cover tight ends. While a weakness of his is coverage, Smallwood's reactionary skills enables him to make up for some bad angles. He's starting to remind me of one of my biggest draft crushes of the past few years, Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks. That's mighty high praise.
3. Pierre Desir, Cornerback, Lindenwood
Small-school product or not, there isn't much not to like about Desir's game. As our very own Matt Johnson pointed out back in January, Desir was targeted a total of 14 times last season, coming away with four interceptions.
He has some ridiculous ball skills that is combined with a 6'1" and 198-pound frame. What separates Desir from other second-tier corners is that he does a tremendous job reacting to the ball, not the receiver. Pass catchers have a hard time getting separation at the second level as well.
Despite a lack of straight-line speed, Desir is much faster on the field than he's given credit for. His ceiling is as an early Day-2 pick.
4. Lamarcus Joyner, Defensive Back, Florida State
Either a slot corner or free safety at the next level, Joyner reminds me a great deal of Arizona Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, who played both roles in a stellar rookie campaign last year.
Despite a lack of size (5'8"), Joyner more than makes up for it with great play-making ability. He is a great pass-rush threat on blitzes, will stick his nose in there against the run and can play multiple positions in the defensive backfield. His light feet and plus-technique enables him to go one-on-one against wide receivers.
In addition, Joyner has a great initial burst and will not be burnt off the line. He's a mid first-round prospect in my book.
5. Bradley Roby, Cornerback, Ohio State
If Roby had declared following a standout 2012 campaign, he would have likely been a top-15 pick. That is pretty much out of the cards after what most what considered an unsuccessful 2013 season. Roby was burned a few times here and there, which raised red flags about his technique on the outside.
While justified, you have to look at Roby's entire body of work. He has tremendous recovery speed when pushed off his coverage at the line, something that should help the Ohio State product as he fixes those aforementioned technique issues.
It's plus athleticism and solid anticipation that leads me to believe that Roby will be a No. 1 corner in the NFL within two years.