2014 NFL Draft: Justin Gilbert Scouting Report

By Matt Johnson on Tuesday, February 25th 2014
2014 NFL Draft: Justin Gilbert Scouting Report

College: Oklahoma State

Class: Senior

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 202 pounds

 

College Stats
Year Tackles PD's INT's
2010 18 1 0
2011 59 15 5
2012 63 9 0
2013 42 7 7

 

Positives

Athleticism: One thing you always have to determine when scouting prospects is not only what they will do in their first year but projecting how good they can be in the future.

In the case of Gilbert while the present is cloudier, his future is extremely bright thanks to his athleticism and length. Speed is key for cornerbacks; it enables them to match up with the speed of the NFL but also helps cover ground when they get beat by a step in coverage.

Gilbert has outstanding speed to match with anyone who lines up with him, and the length and leaping ability to fight with anyone for the jump ball.

Playmaker: While this might be an overused term, Gilbert’s picture is what you see when you look up “playmaker” in the dictionary.

You see it on both special teams and on defense where in an instant he can flip the momentum. Could be the opening kickoff to begin the second half when he returns the kickoff for a touchdown, or it could be fourth quarter on a leaping interception to seal the win.

He uses his instincts and athleticism to make these big plays, and it’s what will make him even more desired by NFL teams.

 

Negatives:

Technique: Gilbert was excellent this season taking advantage of college quarterbacks who stare down their read, and wide receivers who rarely could attack his weak points. But Gilbert will be exposed very quickly in the NFL.

He lacks the physicality at the line to press his man and when they get their hands on him they can get past him. Gilbert’s footwork can also be slow, and is exposed more when the wide receiver uses a double move to slant inside. When beat, he likes to first try and grab in coverage, and really just doesn’t have the technical aspects of the game down.

He will not be a good corner in the NFL using just his athleticism; he will need to spend time in the film room as well. He also will need to spend a lot of time learning how to tackle and be more willing to tackle.

Over-Aggressiveness: You have to love aggressiveness in a young player, but Gilbert really needs to learn discipline and patience. While you saw it less this season, one area where Gilbert gets in trouble is getting his eyes caught in the backfield and falling for the play action.

Multiple he would get his eyes locked in and hesitate on the pump fake or on a play action, allowing the wide receiver to get some separation. It didn’t show up in the box score though because Gilbert had the speed to make up lost ground. NFL quarterbacks will make him look foolish even more and make him move with their eyes, allowing their wide receiver to get open.

He likes to take some risks by jumping routes which can pay off but NFL quarterbacks can throw passes faster and in tighter windows, which will make things more difficult for Gilbert. Overall, you have to like his aggressiveness but he needs to spend time with coaches being a more disciplined and smarter player.

 

NFL Player Comparison

Desmond Trufant, Atlanta Falcons

While there are plenty of veteran cornerbacks who you could compare Gilbert to, he really compares more to Desmond Trufant from last year’s draft. Trufant had the size, athleticism and instincts. But like Gilbert, Trufant also struggled playing physical and smart. His potential made him a first-round selection by the Atlanta Falcons and he was very good this season.

Gilbert offers the same length, speed and playmaking ability that will make defensive coaches drool. They want him on their team so they can work with him in the film room and turn him into a great cornerback. He won’t have as big of an impact on defense as Trufant did but he will contribute more on special teams and is worth a first-round pick.

 

Draft Outlook

Entering his senior season, nobody would even consider Gilbert even worth a third-round grade. He was coming off an ugly 2012 season where he was exposed in coverage and just didn’t look close to what he showed in 2011. But we saw the 2011 version of Gilbert this past season and it shot his draft stock soaring up the boards.

Gilbert has the size, speed and instincts you look for in a great cornerback, and we saw it this season. He turned into more of a lockdown corner but was helped by his superior athleticism to other opponents. But now as he enters the NFL, he will need to spend a lot of time in the film room and with the coaching staff. Gilbert’s technique, footwork and tackling all need work before he can be a great corner. All the tools are there to be a great corner; Gilbert just needs to be willing to put in all of the work it takes. He may not have a big impact on defense immediately but his potential and return ability makes him worth a first-round pick.

 

Best Fits

Gilbert needs to land in a situation where there isn’t a lot of pressure on him to contribute right away. While he projects long-term as an outstanding No.1 cornerback, he isn’t ready for that type of pressure and action yet. The athleticism, instincts and size are all there to be great but Gilbert needs to spend a lot of time in the film room and in meeting rooms learning the position and improving from a technical aspect. He needs to land on a team where he can learn from a great cornerback and coaching staff to help make him great.

This is why a perfect landing spot for Gilbert, would be at 20th Overall to the Arizona Cardinals. While cornerback may not be the Cardinals’ most pressing need, he would help turn a very good defense into a great one. He could serve as the primary kick returner while getting limited snaps on defense as he works his way up. It would be an ideal place, where Gilbert could learn from Patrick Peterson and work with the Cardinals’ outstanding coaching staff on improving his film study and technique. If he capitalizes on his potential, we could be talking about one of the best secondaries in the league with the trio of Peterson, Gilbert and Tyrann Mathieu

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