Chicago Bears Daily 2017 NFL Draft Prospect: Miami (FL) CB Corn Elder

With holes in multiple areas, the Chicago Bears need players who can add flexibility. Corn Elder can do that by adding corner depth and returning kicks on special teams as well.

When you go 3-13, your team has many holes. Such is the case with the Chicago Bears. While they have some good pieces to build around, they still have more holes in them than a slice of swiss cheese.

In order to plug up those holes, the Bears need players who can give them flexibility. In today’s NFL, having people play in multiple positions greatly helps teams. Miami Hurricanes cornerback Corn Elder provides that flexibility.

Elder is a pure athlete. He has the speed of a running back. In fact, he was one of the top running backs in the nation coming out of high school. At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, however, he wasn’t blessed with a lot of size. When the Hurricanes took him, they quickly converted him to a cornerback.

Elder is one of those players whose heart is so much bigger than his body. He doesn’t play small. He is a physical corner who plays press, and his speed and good footwork allow him to stay hip-to-hip with receivers and is effective in a variety of coverages.

Elder’s physicality helps him when providing run support. He runs through the ball carrier and uses great technique in finishing the tackle. With a bigger body, he’d be known as one of the best and hardest hitters in this draft class.

Elder utilizes his speed to help his team on special teams. Combined with his running back skills, he avoids would-be tacklers well. His speed isn’t blazing elite speed, but when combined with his elusive ability he breaks away and gets big chunks of yards.

When analyzing a draft, a team doesn’t look to choose a Pro Bowl starter on every pick. That just isn’t realistic. Sometimes it’s a matter of having someone to provide depth. Elder is one of those players. I don’t see him as starter material in the pros, but he provides depth. You can insert him in certain packages and feel comfortable. Elder’s size will hamper his draft status.

Next: Chicago Bears draft profile: LSU safety Jamal Adams

Many scouts automatically dismiss him solely because of his size. That is a mistake when it comes to Corn Elder. With his abilities, he can help any team. Additionally, if he drops in the draft (some scouts see him going in the fifth round), he’ll have a chip on his shoulder. The Chicago Bears could be the grateful recipients of his inspired play.