Camryn

Bynum

As the Pac-12 returns, so are a number of players who had previously opted out. Bynum, one of the best DBs in the country and certainly among the Pac-12’s elite, has decided to come back to play this season instead of prepare for the draft. Considering Bynum (6'0/200) is already expected by many to be a Day 2 pick, coming back to play this season means he gets his chance to fight for a first-round spot. Bynum earned 26 passes defended and five interceptions in his first three years of play.

Bynum (6'0/200) wasn’t going to be playing this fall, anyway, due to the Pac-12’s decision to postpone the campaign, but he won’t be sticking around waiting for any spring season or the like. Instead, it’s onward to draft preparation. ESPN’s Todd McShay ranks Bynum as his No. 10 cornerback in the prospective spring class. A Day 1 pick figures to be a bridge too far, here, but the Cal standout should very much be in range for a selection on Day 2. This past season, Bynum logged 59 tackles with an interception and nine passes defensed. He picked off five total passes during his time with the Golden Bears.

Bynum (6'0/200) let the cat out of the bag on this one first, with Cal subsequently confirming that he was rehabbing from a lower-body injury. The specific nature of that injury is unknown. This issue would undoubtedly have been problematic for Bynum’s spring practice availability were spring practice actually happening, but with coronavirus wreaking havoc on sports, Bynum has some time to get right out of the spotlight. We should have an idea on his progress this summer.

Bynum forced an incompletion on 17.7 percent of targets thrown his way and allowed a 76.1 passer rating. Pro Football Focus graded Bynum as the second-best returning PAC-12 corner with an 84.1 overall grade. He is expected to have another big season in 2019 as the team’s top cornerback.

Bynum (6'0/180) only trails Stanford’s Paulson Adebo for the Pac-12 lead, but there’s a chance Bynum takes over in 2019. After breaking out as a freshman, Bynum earned an 84.1 PFF grade in 2018 by showing good ball skills while racking up 32 solo tackles. If Bynum matches last year’s level of play, he’s a candidate to head to the draft early.

Bynum is really emerging in just his first season on the field. He’s started every game so far and is the team leading in pass deflections. The Bears did a great job of swarming receivers and forcing Luke Falk to throw into tight coverage.