6’0” – 197 lbs. – 4.41
Redshirted in 2014, then spent the past two seasons as a starter before foregoing his final two seasons of eligibility in order to declare for the draft. Also has a background as a sprinter and hurdler. Played on the left side of the defense. Tall, long-limbed defensive back with good physical development; looks the part of a pro corner. Often lines up in press-man; will get physical at the line of scrimmage when playing bump-and-run. Can also shuffle, bail, or play zone, including from press looks. Physical player who is more advanced than a typical redshirt sophomore, both physically and in terms of his technique. Has fluid hips with the ability to plant and drive on the ball. Twitchy enough to stick with receivers out of their breaks; doesn’t give up too much separation at the route stem. Able to place his hands and stick with receivers on routes over the middle of the field. Has a good feel for route developments, with the ability to anticipate throws and break on the spot. Has some occasional issues in zone coverage against bunches on the outside; will get sucked in and lose track of the outside man at times. Fast enough to carry receivers downfield, with good but not elite speed; timed speed was more than fast enough to play on the outside. Might be more likely to commit penalties downfield than a typical cornerback, with too much contact downfield; tends to get grabby or arrive early on the spot. Also got away with a lot of grabbing at the line of scrimmage, letting his hands find their way outside a little bit too often. Attacks blocks in the screen game, anchoring effectively and working to funnel opposing runners back inside. Has a good feel for sniffing out screens, with the ability to play downhill and slip past blockers to make quick tackles. A pretty reliable tackler who does a good job of limiting yards after catch on the completions he does allow. Also served as a gunner on the team’s punt coverage units. A player with the type of size, toughness, and athleticism to develop into a number-one cornerback, but who might need to develop his instincts a little bit more before he’s a quality starter; that said, it’s rare to find a cornerback with his traits, and he should have plenty of appeal to teams that run both man and zone defenses, especially those who like their cornerbacks to get physical with opposing receivers and ballcarriers. Looks almost certain to go in the first round.
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