The Cowboys are likely to draft 1 of these 4 players in the first round

One or possibly all of these players will be available when the Cowboys are on the clock with the 17th pick in the 2020 NFL draft. This, in my opinion, is a blessing because all 4 of these guys have massive potential to be very good NFL players. So... who do we take?

K'Lavon Chaisson
Edge/LSU
6'4" 250lbs

First Step Explosiveness - Folks. This dude has rocket shoes, a jet pack or something else strapped on him. Explosiveness is top shelf and on reps where he's pressing for the edge he'll command length and clean feet to challenge him. He's sudden in space, too. Upfield drive step out of his 2 or 3 pt. stance gains a ton of ground.

Hand Technique/Length - His hand fits setting the edge against the run are excellent. Shows ability to lock out and get a firm stab on the numbers. He's coming along nicely in his ability to play with finesse as well. There's plenty of room to grow but the arrow points up for execution — got better here throughout the season.

Pass Rush Counters - Long arm, speed to power, double sweep and rip and dip are where he's most effective off the edge. Needs to develop another counter pre-contact and would love to see some more versatility to work inside. He has successfully flashed inside spin and came on strong with it throughout 2019 season to icepick and seal OTs.

Flexibility - Surreal body control, both in space and around the edge. Surface reduction/lower body tilt can get damn near parallel to ground. He's very loose through the hips and lower half to plant/drive with quickness or open against momentum. Still working on getting inside foot to catch at steep angles on outside.

Run Defending - His awareness is really strong and he pairs it with good gap discipline. Doesn't give up the edge with leverage. Sense to filter through traffic and use his hands to work through bodies to find the football are strong. Good balance to play off of contact and challenge as a tackler. He's super technical challenging pullers or turnout blocks.

Competitive Toughness - This. Motor. Runs. HOT. Love his competitive spirit and effort to work back into plays on the back side. Peels back into the pocket if the QB flushes and has found second effort production. He's stout with angles — not a true boomer in in-line alignments but he's also got some room to grow on his frame too, which is a scary thought.

Tackling - Explosive closing burst and a violent finisher. He'll hunt the football too when he's afforded the opportunity. Shows good length and good consistency as a wrap up tackler. Will make some plays he has no business making with his tackle radius and range thanks to short area agility.

Lateral Mobility - He's got to be a little cleaner when he's put in a bind on the edge, he can be a little ambitious to work upfield in space before flipping to open to the boundary. His inside stunts are elite and offer plenty of fluidity, contact balance and burst to crash through A-gaps. His mirror skills or range to drive inside are A+.

Stand Up Ability - How many guys of this stature do you know that successfully play jam in the slot or man up on TEs in the red zone? He's one of them. Pretty rare athlete with the versatility he brings to the table based on formations and personnel. Explosive burst out of a two-point stance as a rusher off the edge.

Football IQ - Despite less than 30 games played, he's impressive with how much was put on his plate in 2019. He's coming along with his hand counters and rush consistency to set up OTs for successful first challenges at contact. Run defending IQ is through the roof and he's a natural/comfortable mover when flexed out of the POA.

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Best Trait - Explosiveness

Worst Trait - Production

Best Film - Alabama (2019)

Worst Film - Utah State (2019)

Red Flags - 2018 ACL tear

Player Summary - K'Lavon Chaisson is a dynamic threat off the edge — he possesses elite versatility, explosiveness and a prototypical build to play a hybrid EDGE. Chaisson is still developing as a pass rusher but his effectiveness in speed rushes and inside stunts will afford him a pathway to early disruption. Chaisson is a high end run defender with length and heavy hands — a true natural in that regard. The sky is the limit. Chaisson, with more rush versatility, can be a cornerstone defender.


Javon Kinlaw
DT/South Carolina
6'5" 315lbs

Explosiveness: Dude's a rocket. Regularly times the snap well, especially when aligned over the center, and comes low and hot out of the chute when he's tasked with penetration. Leads with his shoulders over his toes and uncoils his hips to generate immediate displacement; resets the line of scrimmage with excellent bench press power. Wish he was better at carrying his feet with him through contact; frequently pops up after initial push and gives opponent an opportunity to re-anchor. Will get too far over his toes at times which leads to balance issues, but that's an acceptable consequence of his insane get off

Lateral Agility: Has some surprising quicks in him for such a big dude. Does well to work across face as a head-up pass rusher and has decent hip mobility to get into a gap and wrench his way around a half-man. Ankle bend helps him here. Does not have good hip sink, which leads to some laborious changes of direction in space, but at his size, you expect much of that. Has some solid reps working with flow as a run defender, but is generally guilty of turning his shoulders into the line of scrimmage and surrendering his back as he works for penetration.

Pass Rush Technique: All the tools in the toolbox. Generally wins with a bull-rush/push-pull profile: strong hands to grip, great upper body power to lock out, and then has the necessary power and quickness profile to rip opponent down and clear his hips into space. Tries to work a cross-chop and swim but is poorly served by his elite length here -- struggles to win hand fights in a tight area and ends up off-target with his strikes. Understands what to do when he wins a gap off the snap and has the flexibility and rip strength to turn corners against pressure and present in the defensive backfield. Learning how to maximize his length will lead to better one-on-one wins in the NFL.

Leverage: Good up until the third step. Such a long and tall player who simply struggles to stay coiled for a consistent period of time throughout a rep. Pops up as a two-gapper and relies on his upper-body power and length to solve the problem for him, which is a winning strategy in the SEC but may not be so in the NFL. Will often lose his pad level after his initial surge and bull rush and does not have the desired sled drive at this stage, though that's likely something you can teach up into him. Struggles with poor natural leverage are most obvious when he's double-teamed or down-blocked in a gap.

Block Deconstruction: Rare to see a square block on this cat in the first place. Is simply too long, quick, and powerful to be engaged one-on-one in space by guards and centers -- invariably gets to a half-man relationship and compromises pocket integrity, and the very least forcing the QB to move off his spot. When engaged, has the upper body strength and understanding of leverage to break free; regularly makes tackles at the line of scrimmage with a freed shoulder accordingly. With that said, is up-and-down against slide protection and will surrender his back to his opponent, limiting his ability to defeat the block. Same issues pop up against double teams.

Lower-Body Power: Could stonewall a charging bull. Ridiculous posterior chain power who shocks opponents backwards in head-up trench play without fail. Uses explosiveness to win interior gaps as a result of hip power when he uncoils. Shows a formidable anchor as well when he gets his hips low and plays with bent knees and a wide base, though these reps are frustratingly rare given his upright play style. Would like to see a better ability to reset his feet and sustain his leg drive when working his bull-rush, though this is more a leverage issue than anything else.

Upper-Body Strength: Bench presses everyone he faces. Has the ability to rip opponents away from his frame with one arm and can long-arm and sustain leverage against the biggest offensive linemen he faces. Ragdoll ability when he centers his hands on the chest plate. When his hands are located correctly as a pass-rusher, regularly breaks his opponents grip and can yank himself into the backfield with a violent and unstoppable push-pull. Is lacking for nothing here; blue-chip trait.

Mental Processing: Has some tunnel vision to his game which leads to some disappointing results to great process reps. Regularly resets the line of scrimmage as a run defender but will fail to diagnose backfield action concurrent with his penetration and accordingly lets possible TFLs run right by him. Smarter at the line of scrimmage when he's two-gapping, does well to break late into gaps while maintaining control of his opponent. Can feel down blocks coming quickly with spotty frequency -- at times gets too oriented on penetration and will turn his shoulders into gaps. Sees and feels screens mighty quick and will disrupt them. Does not feel double teams coming and loses leverage and balance accordingly -- must ID them quicker.

Motor: Has the juice early but definitely wanes as the game goes on. Willing to make pursuit plays across the line of scrimmage and has some solid clean-up reps against cutback reps, but doesn't have a ton of hustle into boundary plays or when re-tracing screens that he feels are out of his reach. The longer the game gets the more willing he is to sit on blocks, pop up at the line of scrimmage, or jog in pursuit.


Round Grade: Incomplete

Best Trait: Upper-Body Strength

Worst Trait: Mental Processing

NFL Comparison: Leonard Williams


Summary: Javon Kinlaw is a Day 1 target for any team looking to add a starter on the defensive line, and will be a high priority add for teams looking to increase their disruption up front. A hugely powerful athlete with a wicked first step, Kinlaw demolishes blocking schemes and pocket integrity with regularly. Kinlaw can 1-gap or 2-gap with equal success at the NFL level given his elite toolkit, and his potential as a pass-rusher is sky-high. Inconsistencies regarding Kinlaw's leverage and pass rush moves limit his ceiling as a one-on-one winner as an interior pass rusher, but by moving him around the line and sticking him in gaps, you'll get quality pass rush ability in Year 1. Kinlaw is a candidate for Pro Bowl bids the moment he steps on the field, and has the physical tools of the top defensive tackles in the league if he continues to grow.


Grant Delpit
S/LSU
6'3" 201lbs

PROS: He’s an animal playing forward. Confidently drives on the football in click and close situations and he has a quick trigger when attacking downhill against the run, especially when lined up in the box. Incredibly versatile with upside in man and zone coverage. Has strong pattern mirroring skills from the slot and his length really shows up when closing on the ball against quick game. Definitely checks the box with his ball skills - he’s sound a securing takeaways and disrupting at the catch point. Always punching/raking at the football to try and separate it from the ball carrier. Showcases good range to cover ground and close down distances. Has proven to be an effective blitzer with good timing, physicality and effort. Very intelligent player who processes quickly and always finds himself around the football. Became a much more consistent tackler in 2019, arriving under better control, aiming low and wrapping up. Hitting power and contact balance are excellent. Love his ability to navigate through tight quarters and knife through traffic in pursuit. Quick feet, smooth and athletic for his size. Can lineup virtually anywhere in the back seven.

CONS: While 2019 was better, it’s still difficult to forget about all the whiffs in 2018 that carried over a bit although much improved. Can be a touch loose with zone coverage spacing and he needs to be more consistent trusting his landmarks.

BEST TRAIT - Trigger, Physicality

WORST TRAIT - Tackling

RED FLAGS - None

NFL COMP - Eric Berry

Grant Delpit was one of the SEC’s most dynamic defensive playmakers across his final two seasons in Baton Rouge, earning First-Team All-SEC recognition in consecutive seasons, unanimous All-American honors and claiming the Jim Thorpe Award in 2019 as the nation’s best defensive back. Delpit brings a lot to the table and he projects favorably to becoming a high-impact safety in the NFL. He’s versatile, physical, urgent, smart, athletic and his skill set is perfect for matching up against the pace and space present in today’s NFL offenses. Tackling has been a notable wart in Delpit’s film but he improved considerably in 2019, playing with more control and wrapping up with more consistency. Delpit’s presence will make an NFL scheme more multiple and there just isn’t anything he can’t do on the field. He has the upside to become one of the best players at his position by Year Three with the upside to start right away.


Xavier McKinney
S/Alabama
6'1" 200lbs

PROS: Love the versatility and variety of roles he can fill. Alabama had him playing man from the slot, deep zone as a safety (split and one-high) and down near the line of scrimmage. Has the physical traits to win all of those roles. Has a quick trigger attacking downhill as a run defender or tackling in quick game. Attacks the football in the air with great confidence, particularly when driving forward on it. Generally a good tackler. Love his short area burst both linear and lateral. Plays with great urgency and I love how often he gets through traffic to finish. Contact balance and hitting power are good. He can mirror and match steps in man coverage and make plays on the football. Showcases a natural feel for route anticipation and plays fast. Smooth when reading the backfield and working into throwing lanes to move the quarterback off his read. Takes tight, aggressive angles in pursuit. Rangy with excellent football IQ.

CONS: Had a few reps where he came in a bit high as a tackler and took the worst of some 1v1 situations in space. Has some issues coming to balance and squaring up the ball carrier. Angles can be a touch overly-aggressive at times and shiftier ball handlers make him pay. More effective in run support playing down near the line of scrimmage as opposed to when there is more space for him to cover.

BEST TRAIT - Versatility

WORST TRAIT - Tackling

RED FLAGS - None

NFL COMP - Jimmie Ward

Xavier McKinney is a versatile defensive back that can fill multiple roles at a high level for an NFL defense, just like he showcased at Alabama. Whether it’s deep zones, man coverage from the slot or lining up close to the line of scrimmage, McKinney can execute. He showcases good processing speed, functional athleticism and the size needed to perform. There are times his angles can be too flat which impacts his tackling results. For a defense that likes to be matchup-specific with its defensive backs, McKinney’s presence should lend itself to more scheme multiplicity. His blend of size, range and processing skills are a strong foundation for him to build upon at the next level and he’s already experienced functioning in a variety of roles for a Nick Saban defense.

We have a "Draft Zone" forum for stuff like this for a reason. Post it there.

5th option if for whatever reason Cooper and Cobb both leave via FA.

Henry Ruggs III
WR/Alabama
6'0" 190lbs

PROS: Unbelievable speed. There won’t be many - if any - players on opposing defenses that can keep pace with him. Absolutely destroys pursuit angles with the ball in his hands. Rare ability to accelerate and achieve unprecedented speed. Isn’t just a fast guy - football skills are absolutely present at a high level. Features outstanding body control and ball skills that make him effective in contested situations. Plenty of reps that illustrate his ability to elevate and win through contact when necessary. Generally has no issues establishing his frame at the catch point and hauling in the football outside his frame with extension. Makes excellent adjustments to the football in every direction. Competitive demeanor is evident in everything he does. Works his tail off to block and competes with the ball in his hands post-catch. Became an even better route runner in 2019 compared to 2018. Understands his landmarks and timing. Illustrates the technique required to beat press coverage. Can play the Y or Z.

CONS: Isn’t the most consistent at extending his catch radius and isn’t immune to letting balls get into his frame. Ruggs is a touch lean. Has room to become an even more deceptive route runner despite his ability to simply run away from coverage. Can still develop more variance in his releases to consistently uncover in quick game against press coverage.

BEST TRAIT - Speed

WORST TRAIT - Catch Radius

RED FLAGS - None

NFL COMP - Tyreek Hill

Henry Ruggs brings rare speed to the table. The cliche phrases about being a threat to score on every touch are absolutely applicable. One wrong angle or missed step by the defense can result in six points because his ability to accelerate is from another planet. And Ruggs isn’t just a burner, he’s a fairly polished wide receiver that competes as a blocker. Labeling him as just a fast guy is disrespectful to his overall game. It shouldn’t take long for Ruggs to become a starting Y or Z receiver in the NFL and be considered one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league. He’s a matchup nightmare given the attention he will command and a lack of defensive backs that can keep pace with him, even at the NFL level.

Damn you really took a lot of time to break this all down. Thanks man, good read. Only thing I’d add, and I’m nitpicking, is age. It matters to some mainly to see how developed the player is overall.
But thanks for posting. I’m interested in that DT!

Nice write ups. I think all of the above are options dependent on who stays or leaves of our current free agents. That said, I think Kinlaw will be the pick if he is available. Our middle needs some juice and he would bring it. Plan B would be a all world Safety type.

Add Fulton (if he is there) and Diggs if the others have been taken.

Good info! So many needs it will be interesting to see how this ends up.

BrAinPaiNt said:

Add Fulton (if he is there) and Diggs if the others have been taken.

Click to expand...

I AM A FULTON GUY. I am not sold on drafting a safety at 17. If we go safety, we can get a darn good prospect named Brandon Jones from Texas Longhorns in round 3 ...and he can be a pro bowler. Hes a ball hawk. No one is talking enough about this guy and he's in Dallas' back yard. So at 17, IF we miss out on a stud DT/DE, grab Fulton. He's the closest thing to a shut down corner as there is. Then come back in round 2 and get BPA. Brandon Jones all day in round 3. McCarthy already said, his strategy is BPA..be it Free agency ,draft or UDFA etc. I happen to agree. We got too focused on size and position...instead of looking at CAN THE GUY PRODUCE AND PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL? HE HAS SAID, HE WANTS GOOD BALL PLAYERS. That's a good start.

Kristian Fulton
CB/LSU
6' 200lbs

Man Coverage Skills - Sticky! Love his patience at the line of scrimmage and transitions well and with persistent length to squeeze and filter route releases to stay on the body. He'll overrun hard comeback routes just a tad but his work in trail is really, really nice. He'll eclipse his man in the trail and has range to reach around receivers to attack the ball.

Zone Coverage Skills - He'll work in the deep third zone and can protect deep integrity just fine — but routes that break off stem in front of his face will get plenty of room for well timed throws to zip into throwing windows. Less dynamic when detached from the frame of receivers — he can fulfill these roles but takes him away from strength.

Feet/COD - His footwork at the line of scrimmage is really clean. Appreciate his cadence to stay square while receivers attack their release. He's got little issue with flipping himself and accelerating vertically. Once his stride opens, he does admittedly have a bit of a delay sinking to gear down if he's too high on the upfield shoulder.

Ball Skills - Has been trained (well) to react late to hands flashing. He isn't a true ball hawk because he's attacking the catch point instead of preempting the ball on vertical shots. His length, body control and hand-eye coordination are effective and he's violent to rip through hands and dislodge the ball.

Flexibility - Hips are fluid. Shows very good knee/hip bend and drop in his stance to play stout as he stabs at the line of scrimmage. When he's attacked vertically he's really clean to flip and when routes break quickly he's throw himself open and roll through momentum to accelerate. Body control is a plus for his stature.

Acceleration - He's got very good long speed. His short area agility isn't where he'll hang his hat but to open up while on the body of vertical route stems, he can reliably left on an island and will have little issue going stride for stride. Click and close is a different story, but frequently playing him off also will fail to service his strengths.

Defensive Spacing - His rangy wingspan shows up here. He's conceded have a step at the release of a throw and found himself back into the play. Quick game can nickel and dime him but if you try to hi-lo him or squeeze back shoulder throws against him, he's got the reach to mask any separation he's conceding at catch point.

Competitive Toughness - Physical! He's a persistent press corner who doesn't give real estate easy. He's feisty to stack receivers and discard them with authority and functional strength on the edge. He's not a head hunter and he's not a booming tackler in the alley but he's confident and a persistent finisher none the less.

Run Support - Effort here is satisfactory. He'll press to squeeze down the perimeter and shows ability to reset his hands and work out of disadvantages when receivers run him off the line of scrimmage in man. He's not super quick to step up from off coverage but rather calculated and picks and chooses his spots to attack.

Tackling - He's got a length tackle radius and his flexibility and contortion skills flash here to get enough of himself onto runners on the edge. He's fairly lean framed so don't expect him to drop the hammer — but he's not afraid of contact and doesn't shy away from tackle challenges.

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Best Trait - Man Cover Skills

Worst Trait - Ball Hawking

Best Film - Florida (2019)

Worst Film - Utah State (2019)

Red Flags - 2017 Suspension for Tampering With an NCAA Drug Test

Player Summary - Kristian Fulton is a terrific cornerback prospect, primarily for press man or bump and run heavy coverage defenses. With Fulton's long frame, he's not at his best when leveraged over top of routes but if provided the chance to play in phase and attack targets from the hip, Fulton is a high end cover corner with excellent mirror skills, physicality, length and tackling. Fulton hasn't found much in the way of ball production, but he's also a blanket in man coverage who often won't get tested.

another VERY UNDERRATED safety to watch out for is Ohio State safety Jordan Fuller. This draft is loaded with pro ready safeties.You just haven't heard about all of them.

ultron said:

Xavier McKinney
S/Alabama
6'1" 200lbs

PROS: Love the versatility and variety of roles he can fill. Alabama had him playing man from the slot, deep zone as a safety (split and one-high) and down near the line of scrimmage. Has the physical traits to win all of those roles. Has a quick trigger attacking downhill as a run defender or tackling in quick game. Attacks the football in the air with great confidence, particularly when driving forward on it. Generally a good tackler. Love his short area burst both linear and lateral. Plays with great urgency and I love how often he gets through traffic to finish. Contact balance and hitting power are good. He can mirror and match steps in man coverage and make plays on the football. Showcases a natural feel for route anticipation and plays fast. Smooth when reading the backfield and working into throwing lanes to move the quarterback off his read. Takes tight, aggressive angles in pursuit. Rangy with excellent football IQ.

CONS: Had a few reps where he came in a bit high as a tackler and took the worst of some 1v1 situations in space. Has some issues coming to balance and squaring up the ball carrier. Angles can be a touch overly-aggressive at times and shiftier ball handlers make him pay. More effective in run support playing down near the line of scrimmage as opposed to when there is more space for him to cover.

BEST TRAIT - Versatility

WORST TRAIT - Tackling

RED FLAGS - None

NFL COMP - Jimmie Ward

Xavier McKinney is a versatile defensive back that can fill multiple roles at a high level for an NFL defense, just like he showcased at Alabama. Whether it’s deep zones, man coverage from the slot or lining up close to the line of scrimmage, McKinney can execute. He showcases good processing speed, functional athleticism and the size needed to perform. There are times his angles can be too flat which impacts his tackling results. For a defense that likes to be matchup-specific with its defensive backs, McKinney’s presence should lend itself to more scheme multiplicity. His blend of size, range and processing skills are a strong foundation for him to build upon at the next level and he’s already experienced functioning in a variety of roles for a Nick Saban defense.

Click to expand...

I guess it falls under processing skills but I would add football intelligence as one of his best traits. The kind of player the Patriots would draft.

***It was too late for me to edit my Fulton info so I'm adding to it, if a mod wants to delete that post please feel free***

I didn't think Fulton would be there, but after running some mocks - there's a 50/50 chance he is there. If Byron Jones leaves, the CB position is without a doubt [in my mind] our immediate #1 overwhelming biggest need. People may hate the idea of moving up to get Fulton; especially the Cowboys front office, who were burned by moving up to draft a certain LSU corner (Mo Claiborne) roughly 8 years ago? However, if Jones leaves - making a move to get Fulton is a must in my mind. If we don't get Fulton, perhaps we reach a little and get Diggs - or trade back & snag him.

Kristian Fulton
CB/LSU
6' 200lbs

Man Coverage Skills - Sticky! Love his patience at the line of scrimmage and transitions well and with persistent length to squeeze and filter route releases to stay on the body. He'll overrun hard comeback routes just a tad but his work in trail is really, really nice. He'll eclipse his man in the trail and has range to reach around receivers to attack the ball.

Zone Coverage Skills - He'll work in the deep third zone and can protect deep integrity just fine — but routes that break off stem in front of his face will get plenty of room for well timed throws to zip into throwing windows. Less dynamic when detached from the frame of receivers — he can fulfill these roles but takes him away from strength.

Feet/COD - His footwork at the line of scrimmage is really clean. Appreciate his cadence to stay square while receivers attack their release. He's got little issue with flipping himself and accelerating vertically. Once his stride opens, he does admittedly have a bit of a delay sinking to gear down if he's too high on the upfield shoulder.

Ball Skills - Has been trained (well) to react late to hands flashing. He isn't a true ball hawk because he's attacking the catch point instead of preempting the ball on vertical shots. His length, body control and hand-eye coordination are effective and he's violent to rip through hands and dislodge the ball.

Flexibility - Hips are fluid. Shows very good knee/hip bend and drop in his stance to play stout as he stabs at the line of scrimmage. When he's attacked vertically he's really clean to flip and when routes break quickly he's throw himself open and roll through momentum to accelerate. Body control is a plus for his stature.

Acceleration - He's got very good long speed. His short area agility isn't where he'll hang his hat but to open up while on the body of vertical route stems, he can reliably left on an island and will have little issue going stride for stride. Click and close is a different story, but frequently playing him off also will fail to service his strengths.

Defensive Spacing - His rangy wingspan shows up here. He's conceded have a step at the release of a throw and found himself back into the play. Quick game can nickel and dime him but if you try to hi-lo him or squeeze back shoulder throws against him, he's got the reach to mask any separation he's conceding at catch point.

Competitive Toughness - Physical! He's a persistent press corner who doesn't give real estate easy. He's feisty to stack receivers and discard them with authority and functional strength on the edge. He's not a head hunter and he's not a booming tackler in the alley but he's confident and a persistent finisher none the less.

Run Support - Effort here is satisfactory. He'll press to squeeze down the perimeter and shows ability to reset his hands and work out of disadvantages when receivers run him off the line of scrimmage in man. He's not super quick to step up from off coverage but rather calculated and picks and chooses his spots to attack.

Tackling - He's got a length tackle radius and his flexibility and contortion skills flash here to get enough of himself onto runners on the edge. He's fairly lean framed so don't expect him to drop the hammer — but he's not afraid of contact and doesn't shy away from tackle challenges.

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Best Trait - Man Cover Skills

Worst Trait - Ball Hawking

Best Film - Florida (2019)

Worst Film - Utah State (2019)

Red Flags - 2017 Suspension for Tampering With an NCAA Drug Test

Player Summary - Kristian Fulton is a terrific cornerback prospect, primarily for press man or bump and run heavy coverage defenses. With Fulton's long frame, he's not at his best when leveraged over top of routes but if provided the chance to play in phase and attack targets from the hip, Fulton is a high end cover corner with excellent mirror skills, physicality, length and tackling. Fulton hasn't found much in the way of ball production, but he's also a blanket in man coverage who often won't get tested.


Trevon Diggs
CB/Alabama
6'2" 207lbs

Man Cover Skills - He's really, really physical. Trusts his transitions to flip and carry momentum in press to carry receivers vertically and find his way back to their hip. Ability to play from the trail is amplified by superb length and an aggressive swipe at the ball as it arrives to the target.

Zone Cover Skills - There are times you get the impression he's guessing where to jump instead of understanding thought process of the QB. Plays in the flats are promising, really good to sink from underneath to undercut throws in intermediates. Like leveraging in deep thirds to stay tight and attack.

Feet/COD - Transitional quickness isn't one of his best traits, he's given up some separation if he's overambitious with his jam at the LOS or if he's tasked with mirroring quick footed receivers. Click and close downhill isn't anything to write about vs. quick game, either.

Ball Skills - There are times (LSU 2019) where he can be late to get his head around, well placed back shoulder throws can get the best of him. When he's got a bead on the ball, his length is problematic and he's aggressive/physical to break the hands at the catch point.

Flexibility - Impressive mobility throughout his frame to maximize his length. High point ability and elevation compliment his dynamic range of motion to grant him an influence at the catch point most corners can't touch. He's a touch stiff in the hips in space when pressed with hard angles.

Acceleration - He's got a second gear to him and should have the ability to carry receivers vertically if he's tasked with doing so, assuming he's able to get hands on early and not left on an island in off coverage. He's not super bursty in short spaces on account of his length.

Defensive Spacing - His length allows him to sag and bait passers before taking away throwing windows. He's got vertical speed to play turn and run and extend to ensure he's first to the ball and in zone from over top he's got really nice shading to drop off and find his way to the ball.

Competitive Toughness - Would like to see a little more gusto to discard of blocks or play with an attacking mindset in all situations. He loves to hunt the ball but he's less enthusiastic about stacking and shedding blocks. Super physical in his press — sometimes more aggressive than he needs to be.

Run Support - Can be pretty lackluster here, seems disinterested at times in really walling off the edge or using leg drive to collapse blocks. Prefers to hand fight and stay over top of the play while hoping someone else will scrape and flow to make tackles.

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Best Trait - Length

Worst Trait - Tackling

Best Film - Duke (2019)

Worst Film - LSU (2019)

Red Flags - 2018 broken foot

Player Summary - Trevon Diggs fits the profile of a Cover 3/press man cornerback at the next level. Diggs' length makes him an ideal player to play press at the line of scrimmage and put him in positions to physically challenge receivers to stack the edge in run support. Diggs' lack of consistency in run support is frustrating and he can be hit or miss locating the football; so the perfect system is one that requires him to play bail technique and operate primarily in a deep third as a perimeter CB.

ultron said:

5th option if for whatever reason Cooper and Cobb both leave via FA.

Henry Ruggs III
WR/Alabama
6'0" 190lbs

PROS: Unbelievable speed. There won’t be many - if any - players on opposing defenses that can keep pace with him. Absolutely destroys pursuit angles with the ball in his hands. Rare ability to accelerate and achieve unprecedented speed. Isn’t just a fast guy - football skills are absolutely present at a high level. Features outstanding body control and ball skills that make him effective in contested situations. Plenty of reps that illustrate his ability to elevate and win through contact when necessary. Generally has no issues establishing his frame at the catch point and hauling in the football outside his frame with extension. Makes excellent adjustments to the football in every direction. Competitive demeanor is evident in everything he does. Works his tail off to block and competes with the ball in his hands post-catch. Became an even better route runner in 2019 compared to 2018. Understands his landmarks and timing. Illustrates the technique required to beat press coverage. Can play the Y or Z.

CONS: Isn’t the most consistent at extending his catch radius and isn’t immune to letting balls get into his frame. Ruggs is a touch lean. Has room to become an even more deceptive route runner despite his ability to simply run away from coverage. Can still develop more variance in his releases to consistently uncover in quick game against press coverage.

BEST TRAIT - Speed

WORST TRAIT - Catch Radius

RED FLAGS - None

NFL COMP - Tyreek Hill

Henry Ruggs brings rare speed to the table. The cliche phrases about being a threat to score on every touch are absolutely applicable. One wrong angle or missed step by the defense can result in six points because his ability to accelerate is from another planet. And Ruggs isn’t just a burner, he’s a fairly polished wide receiver that competes as a blocker. Labeling him as just a fast guy is disrespectful to his overall game. It shouldn’t take long for Ruggs to become a starting Y or Z receiver in the NFL and be considered one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league. He’s a matchup nightmare given the attention he will command and a lack of defensive backs that can keep pace with him, even at the NFL level.

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This is such a deep draft for WRs I'm intrigued by the idea of taking a WR somewhere in the first three rounds so that when Cooper is either hurt or not playing hard or both we have someone besides Gallup to fall back on. The knock on Cooper in Oakland was injuries and that he disappeared for multiple games in a row. Deebo Samuel looks like the real deal for San Francisco.

I have been on the band wagon for a DT in the first round, like Kinlaw. But I am warming quickly to Ruggs. I have a felling he is going to knock everyone's socks off at the combine and shoot up the board. The Chiefs are proving what speed can do for an offense. As much as I want a DT in the draft, if they take Ruggs, I won't complain.

Great thread, guy...

imo Chaisson and kinlaw will go before 17,not a fan of Delpit or Mckinney that early.

I'll take Kinlaw and then Delpit. Trade down if you can if they are not there.

incredible work.
thanks for posting.

I would be happy with any of those players you named...they are all solid players.
Kinlaw,Delpit or Fulton are my 3.
Yetour Gross-Matos,DE-Penn St would be my #4...then Chaisson,McKinney,Ruggs.

Delpit NO how can u have a SS that cant tackle lol
Kinlaw- has 2 bad knees arthritis on both???
McKinney-Great box SS
Ruggs has speed. .BUT u can sign B Perriman WR
Has 4 4 speed 6'3...was a BEAST in Tampa after Godwin & Evans got hurt

Pass on Delpit any of the others I wont be mad...I like Elliott from Missouri in the 2nd or 3rd very raw But huge upside..
Espanaza DE could be a steal at #17 if we lose Quinn

So you want to add two safties that cant tackle to a team not notorious for tackling?