Carrington Valentine says he is the best press-man cornerback in 2023 NFL Draft

Carrington Valentine has always been the most confident man in the room — and it could have an effect on how NFL scouts view the former Kentucky star cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft.

We won’t know until draft day whether or not that helps or hurts his draft status, but Valentine didn’t hesitate to shoot his shot toward the rest of his CB cohorts during his NFL Combine press conference on Thursday.

“I think I’m the best press man corner in the NFL Draft,” Valentine said.

That’s a bold claim for Valentine, who is ranked No. 16 in ESPN’s cornerback big board which projects him to be a third or fourth-rounder, or possibly even later.

Valentine’s statement comes after a breakout season for the junior out of Cincinnati, Ohio. His tackles were down by 15 overall (45-61) between his sophomore and junior seasons, but that’s due in part to better one-on-one coverages so he didn’t need to tackle. Instead, he broke up a career-high nine passes and logged his first (and only) career interception during his final season in Lexington.

Follow that up with some pretty impressive NFL Combine numbers from Thursday that include a 39-inch vertical leap, which was tied for sixth among CBs on the day, and an average broad jump of 10-feet and 8-inches. 

Valentine did not elect to participate in the 40-yard-dash and will wait until Kentucky’s Pro Day to show off the rest of his skillset. He did not provide a reason as to why he didn’t run on Thursday. He also officially measured in at 6-feet tall, 193 pounds, with 32 1/4′ arms and 9 1/4′ hands.

Kentucky’s Pro Day is scheduled for March 24 in Lexington. Valentine, and the rest of the Kentucky players preparing to turn pro, will have to wait another month after for the NFL Draft to kick off on April 27.