2021 NFL Draft | D2, D3, and NAIA Scouting Reports: Southwestern Assemblies of God
Maliek Golden NFL Draft Scouting Report | Cornerback
Positives: Productive small school defensive back who tracks the pass in the air, effectively times pass breakups, and possesses good hands for the interception. Effectively reads and diagnoses the action, immediately picks up assignments, and works well with teammates. Smart, tough, and possesses a good head for the ball. Gets vertical and fights to break up passes. Sells out to make plays. Effectively quarterbacks the secondary and gets teammates in proper position.
Negatives: Lined up at cornerback in college and was late reacting to receivers’ moves off the line. Plays to one speed and shows no closing burst.
Analysis: Golden was a terrific small-school defensive back and possesses next-level ball skills. Deep speed is a concern, but he offers potential in zone coverage.
2021 NFL Draft | Texas A&M Commerce
Kader Kohou NFL Draft Scouting Report | Cornerback
Positives: Instinctive small school cornerback who is best facing the action. Quick to read and diagnose, instinctive, and stays with assignments. Jams receivers at the line, is quick flipping his hips, and battles to break up throws. Feisty, stays on the receiver’s hip out of breaks, and positions himself to knock away the pass. Hard hitter who possesses a good burst to the ball and lays out opponents. Voluntarily defends the run. Game-changing return specialist.
Negatives: Plays to his speed. Slow getting his head back around to locate the pass in the air. Not stout at the point of attack.
Analysis: Kohou was a solid small school cornerback and a game-changing punt returner. Best facing the action, he can line up as a dime back in zone packages if he shows ability returning punts this summer.
2021 NFL Draft | Texas A&M Kingsville
Darrian Hambrick NFL Draft Scouting Report | Wide Receiver
Positives: Big-bodied possession receiver who projects as a move tight end. Fluid releasing off the line of scrimmage, displays quickness into breaks, and adjusts to the errant throw, making the reception in stride. Uses his hands to separate from opponents, stays low exiting breaks, and tracks the pass in the air. Gets vertical over defenders and comes away with the difficult grab. Consistent hands catcher.
Negatives: Neither quick nor fast and rumbles around the field. Double-catches the pass on occasion.
Analysis: Hambrick is a strong pass catcher who lacks the play speed and quickness to stay at receiver in the NFL. He’s a developmental move tight end destined for a practice squad.
2021 NFL Draft | Tiffin
Devin Butler NFL Draft Scouting Report | Wide Receiver
Positives: Nice-sized receiver who is also productive returning punts. Uses his hands to separate from opponents, displays route discipline, and follows the quarterback across the field. Boxes out opponents with his frame, has a stout build, and extends his hands snatching the ball out of the air. Adjusts to the errant throw, makes the reception in stride, and displays eye/hand coordination. Works to pick up yardage after the catch.
Negatives: Not quick in or out of breaks. Doesn’t play to his 40 time.
Analysis: Butler is an effort player with nice size and dependable hands. He lacks great upside but has enough ability to make a roster as a fifth receiver.
JaQuan Hardy NFL Draft Scouting Report | Running Back
Positives: Stoutly built ball carrier with outstanding running skills. Patient, displays outstanding vision, and waits for blocks to develop. Sifts his way through traffic, keeps his feet moving, and slides off defenders. Bounces around piles of defenders, consistently runs north and south, and works runs. Possesses outstanding vision and instincts.
Improvises when plays break down and has opponents grasping at air. Does a good job creating yardage for a bigger back. Keeps his feet off the initial hit and picks up a lot of yardage off initial contact. Solid pass catcher out of the backfield who adjusts to the errant throw and makes the reception in stride.
Negatives: Plays to one speed and lacks a burst. Really best between the tackles and isn’t a perimeter ball carrier.
Analysis: Hardy dominated the small-school level of competition he played at and possesses enough skill to make an NFL roster as a fifth back.
2021 NFL Draft | Truman State
Lawrence Woods NFL Draft Scouting Report | Cornerback
Positives: Undersized cornerback who also impacts games as a return specialist. Mixes it up with receivers, stays on the opponent’s hip out of breaks, and plays heads-up, instinctive football. Quickly diagnoses plays, possesses a burst to the ball out of his plant, and effectively times pass defenses. Works hard to get a hand in and knock away the throw. Sells out on the blitz and flies around the field. Game-impacting kick returner who is also effective on punt coverage units.
Negatives: Slow transitioning off the line with opponents and isn’t quick or smooth flipping his hips. Side shuffles down the field and must learn to backpedal. Small.
Analysis: Williams was a terrific cornerback at the small-school level and possesses enough ball skills to line up in dime packages facing the action. More than anything else, his next-level career will be predicated on his special teams’ skill and ability to return punts and kicks.
2021 NFL Draft | Valdosta State
Rogan Wells NFL Draft Scouting Report | Quarterback
Positives: Patient pocket passer with a next-level arm. Sells ball fakes, naturally looks off the safety, and throws with an over-the-top delivery. Possesses a strong arm, easily gets the pass downfield, and puts speed on throws. Senses the rush, gets outside the pocket, and goes to secondary targets when necessary. Challenges in the vertical game. Accurate with good pass placement in the short and intermediate field.
Negatives: Throws flat-footed and releases the ball off his back foot. Doesn’t pick up yardage with his legs. Reportedly has hands under nine inches long.
Analysis: Wells possesses the size, arm strength, and passing ability to be kept on a practice squad as a developmental prospect. As of posting, I haven’t heard whether he plans to return to Valdosta State in 2021.
2021 NFL Draft | Wisconsin-Whitewater
For information on Wisconsin-Whitewater offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz, check out his 2021 NFL Draft Profile.
2021 NFL Draft | Yale
Melvin Rouse II NFL Draft Scouting Report | Cornerback
Positives: Undersized corner with average play speed and solid ball skills. Effective facing the action, tracks the pass in the air, and possesses good hands for the interception. Battles opponents throughout the action and competes to break up throws. Displays a burst to the ball out of his plant and effectively times pass defenses. Works hard getting off blocks and gives effort making plays on the ball handler.
Negatives: Deep speed is a major concern. Lack of height results in mismatches. Ducks his head tackling.
Analysis: Rouse is a solid football player yet is an average athlete with poor size and play speed. His ball skills and ability to see the action give him a chance to make a roster as a ninth defensive back who can be used in zone coverage.
Want more 2021 NFL Draft prospect news? Want to do your own mock draft?
Dive into PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator and test your own drafting acumen. Continue to visit Pro Football Network for NFL news and in-depth analysis beyond 2021 SEC scouting reports and NFL Draft implications. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter (@PFN365) to stay in the loop on all things college football and the NFL Draft landscape.