NFL Draft

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 197

HAND: 9 5/8"

ARM: 32 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'4 1/2"

40-YARD DASH: 4.51

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Good length and frame for the position. Could possibly have room to add more.

— Long strider that can cover ground. Good straight-line speed when he is able to open up and run.

— Calm with the ball in the air. Able to play through the catch point, even with his back to the ball.

— Shows good physicality in the run game. Reacts quickly and throws body into tackles.

NEGATIVES

— Strength issues can show up at times. Can have difficulty with blocks, while also occasionally getting knocked off routes downfield.

— Lacks flexibility in his hips and midsection. He struggles to sink his hips or flip his hips, allowing receivers to gain a step on him.

— Below-average ball skills. Can get spun around and be slow locating the ball at times.

2021 STATISTICS

12 Games, 31 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INT, 3 PBU, 4 FR

NOTES

— Senior Bowl invite

— 2020 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention

OVERALL

Jaylen Watson, whose size and length is obvious on film, was listed at 6'3”, 204 pounds on the Washington State website. While coming in at 6'2", 197 pounds during the NFL Combine, he still has very good length for the position.

Throughout this past season, he has shown the play in multiple coverages. When in press man, he looks to clamp on to receivers, not allowing them into their routes and allowing himself time to get in phase. His tightness shows up when changing direction at the line of scrimmage, allowing shiftier receivers free releases—especially on slants and in-breaking routes.

A taller athlete, Watson does have trouble sinking his hips and getting out of breaks. A corner who plays open, he does a good job of staying on top of routes and getting in phase downfield. Poor eyes and below-average change of direction can open him up to double moves.

A very active player in the run game, Watson triggers fast and with intent to make a play. He uses his quickness to beat clocks and length to disengage. Occasionally, he can struggle with bigger blockers because of his lack of strength. A wrap tackler, he shoots the legs and wrestles ball carriers to the ground. There are times where he shoestrings tackles—in which some at the next level may step out of. An opportunistic player, he looks to capitalize on turnovers anyway he can.

Ultimately, Watson needs to clean up the consistency of his play. With his frame and skill set, If cornerback doesn't work out he is a potential candidate to move to safety at the next level. His ability to cover ground and aggressiveness in the run game allow him to have a chance.

GRADE: 5.9 (6th Round: Backup/Draftable)

OVERALL RANK: 235

POSITION RANK: CB28

PRO COMPARISON: Trill Williams

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'5 3/4"

WEIGHT: 328

HAND: 10 1/8"

ARM: 35 1/8"

WINGSPAN: 7'0 5/8"

40-YARD DASH: 5.39

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 22"

BROAD: 8'8"

POSITIVES

— Has good length to establish first meaningful contact on defenders with the grip strength to sustain once latched.

— Efficient puller with solid initial quickness to get on his track, close space on his target and kick out or log block depending on the defender's leverage.

— Solid play strength with the girth and length to cover up defenders in the run game, displace and be functional on drive and down blocks.

— Extensive time spent at several positions on the line, including left tackle, left guard and right tackle.

NEGATIVES

— Plays with a perpetual forward lean that results in overextending, reaching and falling off of blocks against shifty defenders.

— Hands tend to get wide in pass protection with a habit of catching rather than striking rushers, allowing easy access into his frame and a tardy anchor.

— Contact balance is shaky due to not gaining consistent control with hands and playing with either too wide or narrow of a base.

— Below average foot quickness to redirect against counter moves, providing easy access to his edges.

— Needs to stay inside in the NFL, lacking the range, quickness or technique to survive on an island.

2021 STATISTICS

— 12 starts (11 at left guard, one at left tackle).

— First-team All-Big Ten selection.

NOTES

— Former 4-star offensive tackle prospect out of Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio.

— 2019 second-team All-Big Ten selection and 2020 first-team All-Big Ten selection.

— 45 career starts between left tackle and left guard.

— Moved to left guard in 2021 after exclusively playing at tackle during his first three seasons.

OVERALL

Thayer Munford was a four-year starter with the bulk of his time spent at left tackle before switching to left guard in 2021. He had 45 career starts inside Ohio State's zone-heavy run scheme.

Munford has a large frame with good thickness in his lower half and above-average arm length. He excels in pass protection against tightly aligned defensive tackles that he can get his hands on quickly using his girth, length and grip strength to cover them up and keep them at his fingertips. Using the same traits in the run game, Munford generates solid displacement on angle-drive, down and combo blocks with enough quickness to obstruct linebackers at the second level when he releases off of combo blocks.

Munford does a nice job as a puller working inside out or 'logging' and pinning targets based on their leverage. While he has functional elements of his game, he plays with an inconsistent base and perpetual forward lean with his head in too many blocks, resulting in marginal contact balance. His hand carriage and placement are often low and wide, giving easy access to his frame and catching rather than striking at the point of attack.

Munford's adequate foot quickness will give him the best chance to succeed as a pro inside, but his experience makes him an option for a team to get out of a pinch at tackle if need be.

Overall, Munford's size, length, grip strength and experience at multiple positions make him a worthwhile developmental piece for an offensive line. Several bad habits in his game will need to be ironed out for him to have a chance at carving out a long-term role, though.

GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect - 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 193

POSITION RANK: IOL21

PRO COMPARISON: Colton McKivitz

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 5'11 7/8"

WEIGHT: 194

HAND: 9 1/8"

ARM: 31"

WINGSPAN: 6'2 3/8"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Performs well when playing in both man and zone coverage.

— Patient defender who plays with good leverage at the line of scrimmage, in press and downfield. Puts himself in the best positions to make plays.

— Plays fast and shows quick reactions when given a clear read. Has very good aggression and physicality in the run game.

— Has smooth hips when asked to turn and run. Does a good job shadowing the receiver downfield. Excels at sinking his hips to get out of breaks.

— Always has vision of the ball in the air and looks to locate it when running downfield. Does a very good job of playing the ball through the reception point.

NEGATIVES

— Can have tunnel vision at times, causing him to be slow to react when he has multiple threats in his zone.

— Has trouble when pressed with vertical speed. Can often get beat off the line of scrimmage, causing him to panic and lose body control when trailing.

— Lacks the top-end speed to carry twitchier players downfield.

2021 STATISTICS

15 G, 41 TOT, 2 TFL, 4 INT, 3 PBU

NOTES

— Transferred to Georgia in 2021 after three seasons at Clemson.

— Started out as a receiver his freshman year at Clemson (2018).

OVERALL

Derion Kendrick was a three-year starter for Clemson before transferring to Georgia, where he earned a starting role at cornerback. He plays with very good pad level and has top athletic movement. 

Kendrick is a versatile cornerback who can make plays in both zone and man coverage. In man, he plays with great leverage and positioning. He's able to quickly and fluidly get in and out of breaks. 

Kendrick struggles with receivers who immediately threaten him with speed, causing him to panic and play outside of his skill set. Though his leverage helps his play, there are times where receivers easily run right past him. In zone coverage, he plays with good vision and anticipation, but he can get overwhelmed with multiple threats at times. 

When playing the run, Kenrick is able to react best when he's given a clear lane to see things develop. He’s a willing tackler who does a good job staying in his run lane, as well as attacking the ball-carrier, but there are times where he can melt off tackles. 

Kenrick had amazing production throughout his college career at two top programs. However, NFL receivers will test his lack of speed. 

Unfortunately, Kendrick didn't answer the question about his lack of speed at his pro day. He will most likely slide on draft day as a result, but if he can continue to make plays while handling the speed difference, he will have the opportunity to make plenty of plays in the NFL.

GRADE: 7.1 (High-level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 101

POSITION RANK: CB12

PRO COMPARISON: Stephon Gilmore

  

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'4 3/4"

WEIGHT: 311

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34 1/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'10 1/4"

40-YARD DASH: 5.24

3-CONE: 7.57

SHUTTLE: 4.71

VERTICAL: 26"

BROAD: 8'6"

POSITIVES

— Crafty hand fighter who does a nice job working his hands inside the frame of defenders to get them leaning, pinned and uprooted out of rushing lanes.

— Good lower-body strength and jolt in his hands to create knockback and movement on angle-drive blocks.

— Physical and nasty play demeanor with the strength to back it up and finish at a high level.

— Solid athletic ability on the move to line up targets at the second level on pulls and climbs.

— Uses strong hands to end the fight quickly when he can get latched on rushers using a jump set.

— Shows the patience, balance and independent hands to punch, redirect and stay in front of inside counters.

NEGATIVES

— Tends to dip his head into contact, leaving him susceptible to inaccurate fits and whiffs versus gap exchanges across his face.

— Needs to clean up his aiming points and body positioning on double-teams to stay square when feeding defensive tackles so he can better key, release and pick up fast-flowing linebackers scraping over the top.

— Can be late with his outside hand in pass protection, which creates a soft edge for quick, easy wins around the corner.

— Struggles to break contact or regain control against the long-arm, resulting in getting stacked and pressed off blocks if he doesn't initiate first contact.

2021 STATISTICS

- Started 10 games at right tackle.

- Second-team All-SEC selection.

NOTES

— Originally committed and played at Georgia as a 5-star prospect and top recruit in the state of Tennessee before transferring in 2020 to Tennessee.

— 35 career starts with 19 at right guard, 12 at right tackle, two at left guard and two at left tackle.

OVERALL

Mays is a four-year starter and former top overall recruit in the state of Tennessee with 35 career starts across four positions on the offensive line. He started the last two seasons at Tennessee after transferring from Georgia, with the bulk of his starts coming at right tackle.

Mays has a thick, well-rounded build with good arm length and a rugged, physical playing style. He is a skilled hand fighter with the necessary blend of play strength and power to explode into contact with pop before gaining control of defenders, working them off-balance and using his big body to create creases and rushing lanes on angle-drive, down and double-team blocks.

Mays is an effective lead blocker in the screen game with the quickness to track smaller targets and work inside-out on them to create alleys on the move. He does need to refine his aiming points when banging down on double-teams to feed defensive tackles without turning his shoulders too far inside and sacrificing his release timing up to the second level. He also tends to get pressed off blocks too often due to being wide with his hands or high on contact.

Mays shows above-average snap timing and explosiveness out of his stance in protection to get on rushers quickly using his jump set, with the girth and grip strength to wall off, latch and end the fight quickly. Rushers with an effective long-arm technique can press him off and control him too easily due to his feet tending to die on contact. He also needs to shore up his timing with his outside hand to prevent soft corners that rushers can capture quickly.

Overall, Mays' size, play strength, power and demeanor are a better fit inside at guard, but he has enough athletic ability and size to play tackle in a pinch. He will need some refinement in his technique as a run-blocker to improve his pad level and hand placement, but he has the grip strength and torque to create movement with the quickness to execute zone concepts effectively.

Mays should be a high-level backup at multiple positions right away with the potential to earn a starting job in year one. He has the tools to stick long-term in a multiple-run scheme.

GRADE: 6.9 (Potential role player - 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 121

POSITION RANK: IOL15

PRO COMPARISON: Matt Slauson

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

The Punt God has found a new home.

The Buffalo Bills selected San Diego State punter Matt Araiza with the first pick of the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft on Saturday. Araiza earned the affectionate nickname for his booming punts during his college career and became a fan favorite on social media.

It is no surprise Twitter liked the pick:

𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐃‼️

Welcome to Buffalo, @Matt_Araiza! #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/ifbf6FjLa0

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 30, 2022

Josh Allen and Matt Araiza having a competition to see if Allen can throw the ball further than Araiza can punt it.

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) April 30, 2022

LETS GOOOO PUNT GOD!!! Congrats @matt_araiza

— Rachel Bonnetta (@rachelbonnetta) April 30, 2022

Punt God with that Buffalo wind at his back… pic.twitter.com/TDzChBfQtN

— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) April 30, 2022

Wow Bills mafia is going to LOVE Punt God

What a landing spot for him

— Jeremy (@JeromeyR0me) April 30, 2022

Here’s new Bills P Matt Araiza with an 86-yard 💣 💣 💣 pic.twitter.com/v9rLgw3Grw

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 30, 2022

The Buffalo Bills are going to win the Super Bowl. https://t.co/xPPJvFRt0z

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) April 30, 2022

PUNT GOD. BILLS MAFIA. EVERYTHING IS NOW FINE

— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) April 30, 2022

He seemed fairly pumped about the match as well:

SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! https://t.co/mIr2tYt8LT

— Matt (@matt_araiza) April 30, 2022

No punter received as much attention as the San Diego State product leading into the draft, but he was actually the third player taken at his position. The Baltimore Ravens selected Penn State's Jordan Stout with the No. 25 pick of the fourth round, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose Georgia's Jake Camarda three picks later.

Yet it was Araiza who was a consensus All-American and the Ray Guy Award winner as the nation's top punter in 2021.

He averaged an FBS single-season record 51.2 yards per punt and was also San Diego State's kicker while making all 45 of his extra points and 18 of 28 field-goals attempts. Throw in four tackles as someone who wasn't afraid to mix it up after kicking it, and there was little the 6'2", 200-pounder didn't do when the Aztecs' special teams were on the field.

If things go according to plan for Buffalo, it won't use Araiza much.

After all, his presence on the field will mean the high-powered offense with Josh Allen at the controls didn't score. The Bills led the AFC in points per game (28.4) last season and improved that unit by selecting running back James Cook and wide receiver Khalil Shakir in the draft.

They can now take solace knowing that Araiza should be able to boom a punt downfield on the rare occasions when the offense doesn't come through with a score.          

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/4"

WEIGHT: 237

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 32 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 80 5/8"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: 6.91

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 10'5"

POSITIVES

— Lightning-fast mental trigger. Able to identify and adjust to all kinds of running concepts, as well as gain proper depth and spacing when he sees pass.

— Plays with all 252 pounds behind his pads. Shows great strength both when he can get a full head of steam as well as when he needs to play slower and take on blocks without momentum.

— Long arms and a head-on-fire mentality often give him the first punch when engaging with offensive linemen. Consistently shed blocks both at the second level and at the line of scrimmage.

— Can play on the edge. Sets the edge against the run with great anchor. Not a bendy pass-rusher on the edge, but has enough strength and motor to disrupt at times.

— Consistent, forceful tackler between the numbers. Often stops runners in their tracks and does not allow them to fall forward for extra yardage. Physical presence at the point of contact.

— Physicality shows up in coverage when asked to press tight ends at the line of scrimmage or reroute players in the seams. Consistently does a good job slowing people down.

— Sound zone-coverage skills. Understands how to stay on top of routes with good leverage and not allow himself to get beat for explosive plays. Plenty of examples of him staying high over wheel routes out of the backfield despite his speed.

— Energy and motor are infectious. Constantly looking to muck it up at the line of scrimmage or help rally to finish off tackles.

NEGATIVES

— Heavy, clunky strider in space. Does not have standout sideline-to-sideline speed.

— Tackling in space can get dicey at times. Much better tackler between the numbers and in more confined areas.

— Man coverage, particularly against vertical routes, could cause issues. Does not have the speed to keep up step for step, has to win in coverage with eyes and leverage.

2021 STATISTICS

14 G, 98 TOT, 11 TFL 4 SK, 2 FF, 2 FR, 1 PBU

NOTES

— Began his career with two seasons at UConn. Started six games in his sophomore season with UConn before deciding to transfer to Cincinnati.

— Three-year starter for Cincinnati upon transferring in 2019.

— Beavers was a senior in 2020, but the added year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed him to play in 2021.

— Beavers played safety and wide receiver coming out of high school, but he moved to linebacker when he got to college.

OVERALL

For teams wanting a long, physical presence at linebacker, look no further than Darrian Beavers.

At 6'4" and 255 pounds, Beavers is one of the biggest off-ball linebackers in this class, and he plays exactly as his frame would suggest. He packs a ton of force behind his pads, both when tacking on blocks and when making tackles. Beavers' strength and feistiness are only exacerbated by his quick trigger against the run game.

While Beavers may not be a man-to-man cover linebacker, his work in zone coverage and as a blitzer should still give him a role in any defense. He can also flex down to the edge in certain packages, similar to what the New England Patriots do with some of their linebackers.

Beavers projects best as a middle linebacker or strong-side linebacker who can be moved down to the line of scrimmage as a changeup/situational answer. His length, physicality and instant mental processing make him a dangerous run defender with just enough coverage chops to help keep a pass defense unit glued together.

Though Beavers might not have the dynamic speed and explosiveness needed to become a true game-changer at the position, it's hard to find other linebackers in this class as pro-ready and complete as him.

GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 58

POSITION RANK: LB7

PRO COMPARISON: K.J. Wright

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

New Seattle Seahawks cornerback Coby Bryant says being named after late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant does not put any added pressure on him as he embarks on his NFL career.

"Not really pressure, more of a privilege, honestly," Bryant told reporters after being drafted in the fourth round Saturday. "It just means I have to work twice as hard to live up to that name and set a name for myself as well too and, most importantly, represent him as well as I can."

Bryant was part of the nation's best lockdown tandem at cornerback with Sauce Gardner the past two seasons. A first-team All-AAC selection each of the last two seasons, Bryant also brought home the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 2021.

Bryant wore No. 8 last season at Cincinnati to honor his namesake, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

"My parents loved Kobe Bryant and everything he brought to the table, not only as an athlete but as a human being himself and how he carried himself," Bryant said. "So that's somebody that they ultimately knew right away that that was somebody they wanted to name me after."

While Bryant went three rounds after his Bearcats teammate, he's going into a situation that could be perfect for his skill set. Seattle has made a habit of plucking cornerbacks out of the middle of the draft and turning them into stars.

HEIGHT: 6'5 1/4"

WEIGHT: 310

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 35 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'11 1/2"

40-YARD DASH: 4.97

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: 4.84

VERTICAL: 25.5"

BROAD: 9'0"

POSITIVES

— Excellent arm length to establish first meaningful contact on defenders.

— Solid run-blocker who runs his feet through contact with tight hand placement and strong hands to control and steer defenders.

— Plays with an aggressive demeanor and flashes some impressive rotational power and torque to create lift and tip defenders over in the running game.

— Processes line games quickly to sort out the most dangerous threat, pass and pick-up stunts.

NEGATIVES

— High cut frame and straight-legged, upright playing style that leaves him vulnerable to getting overextended and pulled off balance.

— Minimal range in pass protection. Consistently opens up his hips early against wide rush angles and creates soft edges.

— Lets too much air under his feet when he kicks in his pass sets, limiting his stopping power and ability to anchor on command.

— Tends to catch rather than strike in pass protection, giving easy access to his frame.

2021 STATISTICS

— 11 starts at left tackle.

— First-team All-Big Sky and All-FCS selection.

NOTES

— 2-star offensive tackle prospect with three letters in football and two in basketball at Murray High School in Salt Lake City.

— 29 career starts.

OVERALL

Jones is a three-year starter in Southern Utah's zone-based run scheme and has a high-cut, upright playing style and prototypical arm length. Jones excels as a run-blocker, running his feet through contact with tight, strong hands to clench up defenders, steer and control them through the whistle. He flashes some impressive torque to create lift and tilt defenders off balance, with an aggressive, physical demeanor to finish.

Jones struggles to stay square, centered and rooted in the ground in pass protection due to his marginal range to get to his landmarks against wide rush angles, forcing him to open his hips early and create soft edges. This also limits his ability to anchor when rushers convert speed to power, and he has a tendency to catch rather than strike, giving easy access to his frame and inside shoulder.

Overall, Jones has the length, grip strength and competitive toughness to warrant a look as a draftable backup quality prospect. His technique from the ground up needs to be revamped in pass protection for him to have a chance to stick long-term.

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable - 6th-7th round)

OVERALL RANK: 234

POSITION RANK: OT14

PRO COMPARISON: Isaiah Prince

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/4"

WEIGHT: 324

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'11 5'8"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Flashes of good upper-body strength.

— Above-average explosiveness. Has moments where he comes off the ball very well.

— Knows how to get skinny and minimize contact. Good for fighting across the line of scrimmage.

— Does a good job prying himself through combos and double teams.

NEGATIVES

— Heavy feet when trying to redirect or navigate open space.

— Below-average leg drive, particularly as a pass-rusher. Struggles to win through OL.

— Often late to feel blocks developing correctly. Allows OL to strike first consistently.

— Pad level can be an issue. Has a tendency to get upright out of his stance.

— Below-average base and anchor. Lets his base get too narrow and struggles to find his footing again.

2021 STATISTICS

11 G, 27 TOT, 5 TFL, 2 SK, 1 FF

NOTES

— Four-year contributor at UCLA. Started multiple games every season.

— 3-star recruit out of high school. Also excelled at shot put in high school.

OVERALL

Otito Ogbonnia is built like a traditional nose guard and played as one at UCLA, but his strengths and weaknesses align more closely to a penetrating 3-technique.

As a run defender, Ogbonnia's effectiveness goes as his eyes and instincts go. Ogbonnia shows moments of great upper-body strength and punch in his hands, which makes sense for a former shot put star. That same strength shows up when Obgonnia wiggles between double teams and puts his arms out to open up the gap and power through it—a skill also aided by his ability to come off the ball well. He shows the ability to absorb and minimize contact when he sees blocks correctly. However, at this point in his career, Ogbonnia is too inconsistent at feeling out blocking patterns, particularly when he gets down blocks his way. As a result, Ogbonnia too often lets blockers get the jump on him, which is then made worse by his heavy feet and inability to resettle his base to anchor.

Ogbonnia does not offer much as a pass-rusher right now. His leg drive too often stalled out, partly as a result of playing too high out of his stance and letting offensive linemen have the leverage advantage. While Ogbonnia does flash active, heavy hands at times, that trait did not show up enough to make up for his heavy feet and poor pad level.

Ogbonnia will need time and proper coaching to unlock his potential. The flashes of strength and explosiveness are there, but he needs to get better at identifying blocking schemes, as well as improve how consistently he can settle into his anchor. Ogbonnia is a backup or rotational nose guard until he can find more consistency.

GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect - 5th round)

OVERALL RANK: 199

POSITION RANK: DL20

PRO COMPARISON: Carl Davis

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 196

HAND: 8 1/4"

ARM: 31 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'5 1/2"

40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Physical player who looks to disrupt the receiver's route and timing.

— Strong, secure tackler. He delivers a blow that gets the ball carrier down.

— Performs best in short-to-medium range in pass game.

— Shows good vision in zone with eyes on the quarterback.

NEGATIVES

— One-speed runner who lacks true burst and recovery speed.

— Can be slow to sink his hips at the top of routes. Struggles getting out of breaks at times.

— Panics and gets handsy downfield. Not comfortable playing the ball and man downfield.

2021 STATISTICS

12 Games, 43 Tackles, 2 INT, 5 PBU

NOTES

— Two-year starter

— Did not play during 2020 season (COVID-19 year)

— 3-Star Cornerback, per 247Sports

OVERALL

Damarri Mathis is a physical cornerback who doesn't shy away from contact. As a cornerback who likes to get his hands on receivers, he does his best when playing in off coverage with his eyes on the quarterback. He shows good vision and reaction to the routes that develop in front of him. When playing in man, Mathis routinely gets bumped off at the top of routes and is slow to sink his hips and react. When running downfield, he is limited in his top-end speed, causing him to get overextended and off balance. Mathis tends to panic when playing the ball downfield, mostly choosing to play the man and not locate the ball—often leading to a penalty or giving up a catch.

Playing into Mathis’ physicality, he performs well in the run game. He has willingness to tackle with quick reads and reaction to the play. He is a secure tackler who limits extra yards when able to front the ball carrier up. Mathis will need a specific scheme to help highlight his skills, and if given that, he still needs to improve his coverage skills.

GRADE: 5.6 (7th Round: ​​Backup/Draftable)

OVERALL RANK: 274

POSITION RANK: CB33

PRO COMPARISON: Kevin Peterson

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings