If it wasn’t for an ACL injury that he suffered during the week of the Senior Bowl, Colvin would most likely be selected on the second day of this year’s NFL Draft. Although he is undersized, many believe Colvin has the potential to turn into a nice cover-corner in the NFL. Because of his injury, many teams have had trouble grading the player. Let’s take a look at eDraft’s official scouting report for the prospect.
College: Oklahoma
Ht: 5’10”
Wt: 180
Strengths
Man coverage: Colvin is a fast cornerback who can go at it with the best of them on a side of the field. He shows good route recognition, and it is clear that he will have an easy transition to the NFL in this part of his game.
Read-and-react: The combination of speed and balls is lethal for a cornerback. These are two things that Colvin has going for him. Obviously the ACL injury will scare some teams, but Colvin did some workouts at Oklahoma’s pro day this past week.
Fluidity: Often a small cornerback is good at turning his hips. I have scouted a few cornerbacks in the past, and I have noticed a trend of fluidity amongst the smaller cornerbacks. Jason Verrett is another example of this. Turning your hips is important in the next level for a variety of reasons. Colvin is a natural at this, and this part of the game shouldn’t be a problem for him going forward.
Weaknesses
Recent ACL injury: You knew this one was coming. While Colvin has a lot of raw potential, it is still important that he tore his ACL very recently. Since, his draft stock has plummeted and some have said that he could be day three pick because of his leg injury.
Run defense: It is rare to find a smaller cornerback that can make plays against the run. Colvin’s frame is a detriment in this part of his game because most running backs are just simply stronger than him.
Tackling: Colvin missed many tackles during his days at Oklahoma. Regardless of it was in the backfield or down the field, he missed tackles all over the place. This is something he must improve if he wants have a big role in his rookie season.
NFL Comparison:
Corey Webster, Cornerback, New York Giants: As an undersized cornerback that has similar fluidity, it is easy to see why I have Webster as a comparison for Colvin. Webster also is pretty good in man coverage like Colvin.
Draft Outlook
This will be a tough thing to predict. Colvin has NFL-ready talent, but the injury he suffered in January will make him a hard prospect to project going forward. Each year, there are always players like this that fall to the later rounds because of injuries. Colvin is another one of those guys.
Best Fits
A team can never have enough cornerbacks in today’s NFL. Their versatility and the value of their position keep them at a premium in the NFL. I look at a team like the San Diego Chargers could very well select a player like Colvin on the second team of the draft.
Other possible fits include the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Washington Redskins.