Top 10 cornerbacks in the final 2024 On300 rankings

On3 has released its final recruiting ranking for the 2024 class. This final update comes after the end of the high school playoffs and postseason All-American games, where top prospects across the country faced off in a week of practices and ended with nationally televised games.

These are the top 10 cornerbacks in the final 2024 On300 rankings.

1. Ellis Robinson IV — Georgia signee

School: Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
On300 Ranking: No. 4
On3 NIL Valuation: $578K

Scouting Summary: “Ellis Robinson IV is a ball-hawking cornerback with plus length, ball skills and refined movement skills. Has shown the ability to make high-level plays on the ball throughout his high school career. Measured close to 6-feet, 175 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length for the position with arms that measure a shade under 33 inches. Dominated competition in New York’s Catholic league as a sophomore, bringing in eight interceptions. Made several impressive, acrobatic picks. Moved to IMG Academy as a junior, where he looked like the top defensive back on the Ascenders’ loaded roster.

“Made strides as a junior relative to his technical skills. Pairs his length and ball skills with refined footwork. Understands routes and generally stays in phase. Embraces matchups against top receivers and is willing to get physical at the line of scrimmage. Also tests as a good athlete in the combine setting. While his speed is good, he does not register as elite for the position. Can continue getting stronger and adding good mass once in a college strength program.”

2. Zay Mincey — Alabama signee

School: Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland
On300 Ranking: No. 17
On3 NIL Valuation: $470K

Scouting Summary: “Zay Mincey is a tall, athletic and versatile defensive back with signs that point to a high developmental upside. Measured at over 6-foot-2.5 and around 180 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length with a wing-span over 6-foot-7. Primarily lines up at corner for his high school team. Shows good coverage instincts. Undercuts routes to make plays on the ball. Runs well in coverage and stays attached on vertical routes. Can flip his hips as a taller defensive back. Uses his length to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and make plays on the ball.

“Can track and locate the football over his shoulder. A three-sport athlete. Backs up his athleticism in track and field with a 6-4 high jump and 43-foot triple jump. Also plays basketball for a team that made a deep playoff run. Needs to continue adding strength and can improve his tackling. While widely viewed as a safety, could feasibly play as a bump and run cornerback in certain schemes.”

3. Demello Jones — Georgia signee

School: Swainsboro (Ga.)
On300 Ranking: No. 21
On3 NIL Valuation: $212K

Scouting Summary: “Demello Jones is a do-it-all athlete who projects as one of the top defensive back prospects in the 2024 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-0.5, 175 pounds with a 31-inch arm. A strong athlete in track and field, improving his sprint times, posting a 10.97 second 100 meter dash as a junior along with an impressive 6-4 foot high jump. Sees snaps all over the field on Friday nights, lining up at quarterback, running back,wide receiver and corner. Helped his team to a state title as a junior. Rushed for 1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging over 10 yards per carry. Also had 7 receiving touchdowns on just 14 catches. A smooth, natural athlete.

“An easy mover who is capable of pulling away once in the open field. Shows encouraging cover skills and functional athleticism when projecting as a defensive back. Plays with good instincts and toughness. Closes quickly and drives through ball carriers as a tackler. Ball skills developed from his time on offense aid as a defensive back. Could feasibly line up at any spot in the secondary. Also a good high school basketball player, averaging 11.8 points per game as a junior. Breadth of skills points to a strong foundation as a prospect and developmental upside.”

4. Jaylen Mbakwe — Alabama signee

School: Pinson (Ala.) Clay-Chalkville
On300 Ranking: No. 31
On3 NIL Valuation: $290K

Scouting Summary: “Jaylen Mbakwe is one of the more dynamic two-way athletes early on in the 2024 cycle. Has starred on both sides of the ball for one of the top high school programs in Alabama. Measured at a shade under 5-foot-11 and around 170 pounds with a 30.5-inch arm and 8.25-inch hand. Has outstanding play speed, which he backs up on the track. Won the Alabama state titles in the 100m (10.70 seconds) and 200m (21.57 seconds) as a junior. Pulls away in the open field, easily out-running defenders. Dynamic with the ball in his hands both as a receiver and return man.

“Also shows the ability to separate on vertical routes. Has several kicks for touchdowns. Spent much of his time on offense as a junior, despite projecting as a cornerback long-term. Was a productive defensive back as a sophomore with high-level ball production, totaling 4 interceptions and 12 pass breakups. Has a smaller, slighter frame and will need to continue honing his technique once he fully focuses on playing cornerback.”

5. Aaron Scott Jr. — Ohio State signee

School: Springfield (Ohio)
On300 Ranking: No. 43
On3 NIL Valuation: $386K

Scouting Summary: “Aaron Scott Jr. is a coordinated corner with some of the best film and ball skills at the position in 2024. Measured in at a shade over 6-feet and around 180 pounds prior to his senior season. Has good length for the position. Tacked on solid weight over the course of his junior year. Tests as a good athlete in the combine setting. Showed good speed in his junior track season, running a personal best of 11.05 seconds in the 100 meters. A standout corner on Friday nights who gives up very little through the air. Does a phenomenal job of playing through receivers’ hands.

“Has high level ball production, with 5 interceptions and 7 pass breakups as a junior. Uses his length and coordination to make plays on the football at a high rate. Shows good coverage instincts overall, particularly when defending vertical routes. Can improve his trigger and break on the ball. One of the younger prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle, turning 18 years-old in the summer prior to his freshman year of college.”

6. Zabien Brown — Alabama signee

School: Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
On300 Ranking: No. 46
On3 NIL Valuation: $455K

Scouting Summary: “Zabien Brown is a polished, battled tested cornerback who stars for one of the nation’s top high school programs. Listed at around 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with unverified length. Primarily lines up on the outside for Mater Deil. Shows good ball skills, picking off 3 passes and breaking up 5 more as a junior. Comfortable reading the quarterback’s eyes and jumping short routes. Plays both press and off coverage. Comfortable lining up in man against top receivers.

“Plays with good technique, getting his hands on receivers to disrupt routes. A solid tackler in open space. Play speed and trigger are adequate, but wins more with technique and instincts. Speed registers as solid to average, as he typically runs in the 11.2-11.3 second range in the 100 meters. Can continue getting stronger. Older for the cycle, turning 18 years old during his junior season. Will be a 20 year-old as a true freshman.”

7. Corian Gipson — Clemson signee

School: Lancaster (Texas)
On300 Ranking: No. 54
On3 NIL Valuation: $131K

Scouting Summary: “Corian Gipson is a smooth defensive back with the speed and skills to play multiple spots in the secondary. Has a thin build, checking in at around 6-feet, 165 pounds. Turns in strong marks as a sprinter in track and field. Consistently runs sub 11 seconds in the 100 meters, with a personal best of 10.62 seconds as a junior. Has lined up at both corner and safety for Lancaster, but is starting to look more and more like a cornerback prospect as his career progresses. At ease covering outside or in the slot. Has relatively refined footwork in coverage. Transitions easily. Shows the top end speed to run with receivers on vertical routes. Triggers quickly in defending underneath routes. Will need to tack on considerable mass to his thin frame. Did not have a ton of ball production as a junior.”

8. Jamari Howard — Florida State signee

School: Miami Norland
On300 Ranking: No. 60
On3 NIL Valuation: $135K

Scouting Summary: “Jamari Howard is a long and rangy two-way player who turns whatever side of the field he is on into an island when playing corner. Measures in at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds with a freakish 6-foot-8 wingspan. Ran a 22.80 200m as well as a blistering 49.71 400m during his sophomore track and field season. Uses his length to manhandle receivers off the line of scrimmage. Has the recovery speed to get back in phase with receivers to make a play on the ball. Will naturally fill out his frame as he physically develops.”

9. Jon Mitchell — Penn State signee

School: Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin
On300 Ranking: No. 62
On3 NIL Valuation: $166K

Scouting Summary: “Jon Mitchell is a smooth, instinctive corner who shows advanced coverage skills. Measured at over 5-foot-11 and around 175 pounds prior to his senior season. Registers as a good athlete in the combine setting. Also runs track, posting bests in the sub-11.2 second range in the 100 meters. Smooth and technically refined. Has quick feet and a developed backpedal. Flips his hips with ease. A coordinated mover overall. Carries that relatively advanced technique over to the field, where he is smooth and instinctive in coverage. Reads receivers and effectively mirrors.

“Plays fast and sees things quickly. Understands route concepts. Makes high effort plays in pursuit that saved multiple touchdowns as a junior. Recorded 1 interception and 4 pass breakups as junior. Physical and doesn’t hesitate to lower his shoulder. Lacks length for the position, which can play a role in his effectiveness and ball production in coverage along with tackling.”

10. Kobe Black — Texas signee

School: Waco (Texas) Connally
On300 Ranking: No. 69
On3 NIL Valuation: $323K

Scouting Summary: “Kobe Black is a big-bodied defensive back with coverage instincts and ball skills. More filled out than most of his highly-rated peers at the position. Checked in at 6-foot-1 and around 185 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length for the position with a wing-span over 6-foot-7. Works as an outside corner on Friday nights. Instinctive in coverage. Reads and jumps routes. Technically sound in coverage relative to this stage. Smooth in his movements. Has the length, size and strength to reroute receivers at the line. Projects as a plus run defender. Shows ball skills and made plays on the ball as a junior with 9 pass breakups and 2 interceptions.

“Also lined up at wide receiver for Waco Connally where he showed playmaking skills and overall coordination. Tracks the football over his shoulder and comes down with high-point grabs in traffic. Not an overly twitchy athlete relative to most high-end cornerback prospects. Quicker than fast. Could also project at safety long-term given his strengths and physical skill set. Also plays basketball and runs track. Very young for the cycle with a late June birthday.”