Jalen Tolbert is the premier draft prospect for the South Alabama Jaguars, but is he the only one? South Alabama CB Devin Rockette may have something to say about that in his 2022 NFL Draft scouting report. Rockette turned heads with his pro day performance, but does he have what it takes to play at the next level?
Devin Rockette NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Cornerback
- School: South Alabama
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior
- Height: 5’9 1/2″
- Weight: 180 pounds
- Wingspan: 72 5/8″
- Length: 31″
- Hand: 8″
Devin Rockette Scouting Report
There are 262 draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. That may seem like a lot, but in truth, it isn’t. Well over a thousand prospects are competing for those picks — maybe even several thousand eligible players. But in the end, less than 10% get selected within the seven-round slate.
Why am I telling you this? Because being undrafted isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You have to be very good at football to even be considered a draft prospect. And if you aren’t drafted, it isn’t the end. Teams have 90-man rosters for a reason — to allow undrafted players to beat the odds and find a place in the league.
With that said, let’s dive into Rockette’s tape. Does he have a chance to be drafted? And if not, how can he stick around in the league?
Rockette’s athletic profile
At 5’9 1/2″, 180 pounds, Rockette is on the smaller side. But he compensates with decent length for his frame (31″ arms) and very good explosiveness. Rockette tested with a 38.5″ vertical and a 130″ broad jump, and that explosiveness no doubt shows up on tape. The South Alabama CB has great burst upfield, and he covers a lot of ground in press bail. That closing burst also translates at the catch point, where Rockette accelerates into engagements.
Rockette is a fairly springy athlete who moves effortlessly in short ranges. But he also has some athletic appeal beyond his explosiveness. Although he can more consistently play to his maximum capacity, Rockette has some twitch at the line. He moves with suddenness to match releases and flips his hips to explode in pursuit. In a similar vein, Rockette has good hip fluidity. He can snap his hips and stack direction changes to stick to breaks.
Rockette’s burst and fluidity grant him a solid physical foundation. He surges downhill and engages blocks with physicality on screen plays. He also brings an intense closing burst at the tackle point when he’s playing at full speed. The South Alabama CB can leverage explosiveness into decent force at the catch point. And he’s also fluid enough to pivot out of his backpedal and launch forward.
Execution beyond the physical traits
Rockette is still a work in progress, but there are flashes on his tape. Technically, Rockette has his moments, in zone, man, and press bail. In press bail, Rockette can reach a half-turn and actively match his receiver’s tempo. He does a good job following the QB with his eyes in zone coverage, and he’s shown to process routes and position himself accordingly.
In press man, Rockette has flashed the physicality to jam receivers, but he more often uses his feet alone. He shows good patience at the line and mirrors the receiver’s movements while aligning his hips. He can gain inside leverage on slants with his explosiveness and is proactive in using his proportional length to obstruct the passing lane. Going further, the South Alabama CB has shown to track the ball in the air and has a solid sense of timing.
While Rockette isn’t an overly imposing player, he’s at least willing to occupy blocks with his frame in run support, freeing up teammates. He can also shed blocks with targeted physicality. He’s shown he can wrap up receivers as a tackler, using his length and coordination effectively in the open field. Additionally, Rockette is a willing special teamer with experience as a gunner and as a blocker. That experience could be very valuable for the South Alabama CB at the next level.
Areas for improvement
Rockette ran a 4.53 at his South Alabama Pro Day, but he doesn’t always play up to that speed on tape. The South Alabama CB doesn’t have elite deep speed, and he can lose a step on WRs in the open field. Rockette also lacks the recovery speed to close gaps after falling a step behind. He’s more explosive than fast, and at his size, that may hurt him in the NFL.
It doesn’t help that Rockette can’t always compensate with processing. He’s frequently late to react and respond to breaks. He can also be late at flipping his hips and trailing receivers downfield. He’ll stutter and hesitate at times in zone, freezing up and allowing the WR more separation. Rockette’s late reaction shows up quite a bit, and he should be more consistent at anticipating in zone coverage. Rockette can also be more disciplined; he sometimes gives too much cushion and can bite on underneath routes, opening WRs up top.
Going further, while Rockette has good fluidity, he can be a bit stiff and upright breaking back to the ball. He also isn’t great at keeping his speed through direction changes. He needs to do a better job sinking his hips, as well as planting and driving on transitions. With this lack of smoothness in his transitions, Rockette sometimes struggles to clamp down on routes.
Most glaringly, Rockette’s overall tempo and play pace is a bit inconsistent. His feet aren’t always fast in press. Additionally, his frame is lighter, and he can get tied up in run defense. He sometimes takes suspect angles to the ball. Meanwhile, in pass defense, his lack of play strength shows up at the catch point, where he can’t always pry the ball away.
Rockette’s 2022 NFL Draft scouting report overview
There’s some potential with Rockette. His explosiveness numbers check out on tape. He gears up quickly and springs out of his stance. That acceleration allows him to close on plays and contest passes. He also flashes the fluidity to quickly transition in phase. And although he doesn’t have a ton of press-coverage experience, Rockette’s proven he can use his feet first and match receivers off the line.
Even so, I have Rockette graded as a priority free agent. That’s not a bad thing and doesn’t mean he won’t be drafted. But there are potential issues that could be exacerbated at the NFL level. Rockette was one of the faster players on the field in the Sun Belt, but his deep speed won’t translate as well against NFL receivers. He’s not a liability there, but combine the lack of elite speed with his undersized frame, and Rockette can be outmatched on the boundary.
Furthermore, Rockette’s game is still rough around the edges. The South Alabama CB is an inconsistent processor. He doesn’t always maintain discipline in zone, nor does he react quick enough to breaks or anticipate in space. Rockette might translate better in the slot, where he’d be able to play closer in man and stay in a reactive role. But his experience in college primarily came on the boundary.
Whatever the case, Rockette will have work to do in the months to come. He’ll likely be a PFA and sign to a 90-man roster. At that point, however, his special-teams experience may give him a leg up. Rockette can use his explosiveness and tackling ability to provide value as a gunner. From there, he could stick around for a period of time and eventually earn rotational opportunities on defense.
Rockette’s Player Profile
Rockette’s athletic talent shouldn’t come as a surprise. The South Alabama CB was a three-star recruit in the 2017 class and had an offer from Ole Miss. He also took a visit to Alabama. He originally committed to Ole Miss but eventually de-committed and joined the South Alabama Jaguars instead.
At first, Rockette’s stint at South Alabama was short-lived. After only a year, academic issues forced him to revert to the JUCO ranks. He played for Northwest Mississippi CC in 2018. There, he not only produced on the field but changed himself for the better off of it. And in 2019, he returned to South Alabama, where he’d end his career on a triumphant note.
Rockette’s career at South Alabama
As a freshman in 2017, Rockette showed promise with the Jaguars. But in 2019, he finally began to deliver on that promise. After returning from the JUCO ranks, Rockette quickly factored into the starting equation. He started eight games in 2019, amassing 15 tackles, a pick, 5 pass deflections, and 2 fumble recoveries.
Over the following two seasons, Rockette only added to his production. Through the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, Rockette collected 53 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 6 pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.
For his production in 2021, Rockette was named a first-team All-Sun Belt selection by the analysts here at Pro Football Network.
Rockette’s NFL Draft ascension
Good players go undrafted. That’s what happens. And unfortunately, that may happen with Rockette. After his strong pro day, there’s the chance he gets drafted. But going undrafted isn’t an indictment of the player. It’s just a byproduct of a limited supply of draft picks.
Not every prospect can be drafted. But going undrafted is far from the end. With his explosiveness, willing physicality, and ball skills, Rockette should earn an opportunity on a 90-man roster. His special-teams ability can help him carve out a niche role early on. And he has the tools to potentially develop into a slot defender.
Regardless, the South Alabama CB could be a candidate to stash on the practice squad for a couple of years while he continues to refine his game.