I think you'd see a wide disparity play to play, which isn't ideal at his position. He can be in perfect position late in the route but lose track of the ball and have his back turned at the crucial moment. Apple would make me nervous in 2016 field projection but since he's always been a highly touted player, I loved him in 2014, and he tested as a great athlete I certainly wouldn't mind the pick.
He certainly isn't Mike Rumph, that's for sure. Rumph was a stiff rather mediocre cornerback who somehow got pulled into the late first round in 2002 largely due to all the supreme talent around him on the Canes.
In a rather dull draft crop I'd say defensive back and specifically cornerback is one of the best positions, particularly in the later rounds. I was scanning the available players and came across many guys I didn't know were in this draft. The two little Auburn kids, for example, can be pests but I never hear much about them. Both of them -- Countess and Jones -- have had 6 interception seasons, albeit with Countess it was when he was with Michigan. I remember when he almost singlehandedly won a bet for me against Notre Dame several years ago. He was first team All- Big 10 early in his career. Then somehow it turned into obscurity. That's the type of thing I like, major college sleepers, guys who were once rated very highly and then nobody cares. It wasn't all a mirage when Auburn completely shut down Paxton Lynch in the bowl game. Auburn has been near the very top of the recruiting rankings year after year, but they can have some wild swings in performance from year to year, partially due to the offense but also via changing defensive coordinator so often. I would absolutely make sure to carefully check their roster for hidden gems. It simply makes sense.
Those two guys aren't necessarily the ones I would target. It's merely an observation that many talented defensive backs seem to be out there without much attention. I mentioned D.J. White of Georgia Tech a couple of nights ago. He's from the same mold, an aggressive little pest who has plenty of athletic ability and certainly should be looked at as a slot cover guy, if nothing else.
Also, Jeremy Cash of Duke went from overrated 6 months ago to underrated now. I never hear his name. He's a smart aggressive type who takes great attacking angles and wipes out plays in the backfield, with many similarities near the line of scrimmage to Reshad Jones. Cash might not have an ideal position but for a late round pick he would be hellish to cut, probably the type who would become a fan favorite in preseason.
