College: Texas

Ht: 6’0

Wt: 180

Video, per You Tube

Positives:

Size/Speed: Byndom certainly passes the eye test and will impress plenty of scouts during workouts and at the NFL Scouting Combine. He offers ideal size at 6’0’ and has the frame to add on another 10-15 lbs, improving his chances against the stronger competition at the next level. The biggest asset Byndom offers is his speed, he can match up vertically with some of the best wide receivers in college football. Even when his man gets behind him, Byndom has the recovery speed to get back into the play and play coverage. His speed also becomes important when he has the wide receiver in front of him. The ability to make a quick burst to jump the route or get to the ball in time to knock it away from the wide receiver is key. Byndom offers both the length and athleticism that scouts look for in a prospect and the raw talent that coaches are convinced they can mold into a quality NFL player.

High Motor: One thing that popped out on film while watching Byndom was the intensity and energy he plays with. Even when a play wasn’t going to his side, he stayed active and ran towards the ball. On several occasions against Oklahoma last year when several Longhorns’ defensive backs would miss tackle on the opposite side of the field, Byndom would go sprinting across to chase down the ball carrier to prevent a big play from turning into a touchdown. Often times when they aren’t involved in the play, you will see a player take it easy and just engage in the wide receiver’s block and watch as their teammate is getting burnt. That isn’t who Byndom is, his motor is always running and he has no problem going all out to prevent even more added damage and potentially a score. It’s this same high motor that coaches will love because it translates to work ethic and being a team player. Byndom will want to put the work in to become the best player possible and no matter what role he is given, he will give it 100 percent.

Negatives:

Technique: While the size and speed are there to offer the framework of a potential NFL cornerback, Byndom’s technique is still going to need a lot of work with coaches and learning from veterans on an NFL roster. Byndom will need to spend a lot of time working on his stance and his feet, which will keep him from serving in an important role for an NFL team immediately as a rookie next year. Often times you will see him start with flat feet out of his stance, which makes it extremely difficult for him to get into his backpedal and stay with the wide receiver. Even with his impressive speed it isn’t enough to make up for the flaws in his technique. But his issues go beyond just how he lines up; he also will need to improve with his tackling, a problem that stood out in 2012. While there has been some improvement this season, he still needs to do a better job wrapping up the ball carrier and not diving for his ankles.

Consistency:  Byndom certainly shows flashes of brilliance at times but there are plenty of blown coverages and times he just completely disappears on film.  Part of that has to do with his technique but also part of the problem is his confidence and just committing to what works. At times he puts himself in perfect position right off the snap to stay with the wide receiver, and when everything is smooth he can do a very nice job silencing his opponent. But there are plenty of instances when he is slow to react, his feet don’t react as quickly off the snap and he loses the battle off the snap with the wide receiver. When things are going well you see more confidence in his play and you see improvement in his technique, but it will disappear again and he can’t get back to where he was at before. With improved technique he will start to gain more confidence, but coaches will need to work with him before he can play significant snaps on defense.

NFL Player Comparison:

Aaron Ross, New York Giants

Byndom has drawn several comparisons to another Longhorn and while Ross’ career has been a bit of a roller coaster as he now sits on the Giants’ injured reserve, there have been plenty of good moments. Both players are talented athletes with nearly identical size, but have struggled with technique and positioning. Ross made strides as a tackler and really started to cut down on the missed tackles in his career, which is something Byndom will improve on over time.

Draft Outlook:

Technique and consistency are really going to stand in the way from helping Byndom be anything more than a fifth-round pick. While the size, speed and motor are there that fit the mold of NFL cornerbacks, Byndom’s technique is still a major work in progress and will be a focus for his coaches throughout training camp and the season. He will likely have to serve as a special teams player to start out, but as he continues to improve and begins to shine on special teams more opportunities will come his way.

Best Fits:

Byndom will be a late-round project player but there will be plenty of teams willing to draft him later and won’t rush him into a big role. I would like to see him land with a team like the Green Bay Packers. The team already has talented young corners with Sam Shields and Casey Hayward to go along with veteran Tramon Williams, although Williams could become a cap casualty in the offseason with a $7.5 million owed to him in 2014.

Byndom could spend time training to add on more muscle, while he continues to work in the film room and learn from guys like Shields. He could also help a Packers’ special teams unit that has struggled at times this year in coverage giving up plenty of big plays and changing field position.