HARRISONBURG — Jimmy Morleand isn’t concerned about when he’ll be picked or what team will draft him.
The former James Madison cornerback said he’s just ready for the NFL Draft to begin and to find out where he’s headed next.
“I don’t care at all, man,” Moreland said. “At the end of the day, I would’ve cared about going FBS or left James Madison, gone to JUCO and tried to go to a bigger school. I stayed at James Madison because I know the type of player I am and I know my ability, so I don’t really look at what round you go in. I’m just trying to get my foot in the door and let them know I’m a great player.”
The seven-round event began Thursday in Nashville, Tenn., and runs through Saturday.
Moreland said he’s spoken with nearly all 32 franchises and has had one-on-one time with some teams.
Keeping in mind who he’s met with and who needs a cornerback, here’s a look at a few possible fits for the consensus FCS All-American:
Arizona Cardinals
Picks: 1-1, 2-33, 3-65, 4-103, 5-139, 6-174, 7-248, 7-249, 7-254
In the days following Moreland’s pro day, Arizona stuck around in Harrisonburg to work Moreland out privately at JMU, the cornerback said.
The Cardinals’ two projected starting corners Patrick Peterson, 28, and Robert Alford, 30, for 2019 are closer to the back half of their careers than their primes, which means the club could use some youth at the position. Moreland, who played slot cornerback in his sophomore year at Madison, could play there for Arizona in defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s system while learning from the veterans.
Arizona was also the last team to draft a player from James Madison when it selected former offensive lineman Earl Watford with a fourth-round pick in 2013.
Baltimore Ravens
Picks: 1-22, 3-85, 3-102, 4-113, 4-123, 5-160, 6-191, 6-193
The Ravens have taken at least one cornerback in each of the last four drafts, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they keep their streak of selecting corners alive.
Moreland said he visited Baltimore last week. And during his pro day last month a scout from the Ravens even challenged Moreland, who succeeded, to catch punts with one hand as balls flew out of the Jugs machine.
Moreland could help Baltimore on special teams and bolster depth at cornerback alongside Brandon Carr, Marlon Humphrey and Jimmy Smith.
Chicago Bears
Picks: 3-87, 4-126, 5-162, 7-122, 7-238
Another visit Moreland took was to the Chicago Bears, who haven’t drafted a cornerback since selecting Deiondre’ Hall out of Northern Iowa in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Hall is no longer on the roster, and cornerback Kyle Fuller, the Bears’ 2014 first-round pick, is the last player at the position they drafted who is still on the team. Beyond probable starters Fuller, Prince Amukamara and Buster Skrine, Chicago needs to add depth to the position.
Indianapolis Colts
Picks: 1-26, 2-34, 2-59, 3-89, 4-129, 4-135, 5-164, 6-199, 7-240
Moreland said he worked out privately for Indianapolis in Harrisonburg following his pro day last month.
And in recent drafts, the Colts have proven they aren’t afraid to take prospects from the FCS or smaller-school ranks. Since 2015, Indianapolis selected players from South Carolina State, Northern Iowa, Albany State, North Dakota State, Maine and Mars Hill College, so if there’s a negative stigma about JMU’s streak of not having any players from its program picked since 2013, the Colts won’t care.
Indianapolis is fairly deep at corner, but Moreland could fit the Colts’ nickel position while also contributing on special teams. The Colts were 29th in the NFL last year for kick returns (19.8 yards per return) and didn’t have kick or punt return touchdowns last season.
New York Giants
Picks: 1-6, 1-17, 2-37, 3-95, 4-108, 4-132, 5-142, 5-143, 5-171, 6-180, 7-232, 7-245
There are a few reasons why the New York Giants make sense for Moreland. The first is that they’ve stockpiled 12 picks for this year’s draft and need a lot of help on defense.
Cornerback Sam Beal, who New York got in last year’s supplemental draft, is a projected starter on the opposite side of Janoris Jenkins. Moreland could compete for a starting role immediately if the Giants take the JMU product. He probably would have a shot to return kicks or punts as well, considering wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who recently signed a new contract, is slated to do so.
The other part of the equation is former Dukes coach Everett Withers, who started Moreland as a freshman at Madison in 2014, but also booted Moreland from the team the following year, is New York’s new defensive backs coach under defensive coordinator James Bettcher. Withers maintains first-hand knowledge about the type of talent Moreland has.
San Francisco 49ers
Picks: 1-2, 2-36, 3-67, 4-104, 6-176, 6-212
No staff has gotten to know Moreland better than San Francisco’s staff throughout the pre-draft process.
Moreland played for 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and his assistants at the Senior Bowl and then San Francisco held a private workout for Moreland at JMU after his pro day at the school.
For San Francisco, Moreland could fit in a cornerback group that features Richard Sherman, Jimmie Ward and Ahkello Witherspoon.
Tennessee Titans
Picks: 1-19, 2-51, 3-82, 4-121, 5-157, 6-188
There’s a JMU-Tennessee Titans connection as John Streicher, Withers’ director of football operations and player personnel during his two-year stint at JMU, now works as the assistant to the head coach for the Titans.
Though these former Dukes weren’t drafted by Tennessee, offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Titans last year while ex-safety Jordan Brown and former wide receiver Ishmael Hyman earned rookie minicamp tryouts with the club. So, it probably helps Moreland that Streicher knows him.
Tennessee’s projected starting corners — Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler and Adoree Jackson — are all good players, but Moreland would add value as a viable backup.