STRENGTHS
Donte has the speed and quickness to make plays most cornerbacks struggle to make. He is a smart, explosive athlete who might be able to play more than one position for the team that selects him. As far as pure cover skills, Donte might be the quickest and fastest of all the corners in this draft. He can cover in any style of defense zone or single coverage because of his high football IQ and pure explosive athletic talent. He’s always looking to intercept the ball and with his quick hip flip and quick feet and change of direction skills, Donte will adjust right in the middle of coverage to intercept a pass. He competes on every play and is looking to be a playmaker on every play even when making a tackle. There is no doubt that Donte can impact at the next level because of his versatility to play defense, offense, and special teams for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Donte has good height and arm length to play bigger than his size but his lack of bulk and weight to handle those big receivers who will get physical with him at the next level for a 16 game schedule makes Donte more of a specialty player. That doesn’t mean he can’t become an impact player, it just means to start him game after game and expect him to hold up against those types of receivers may be asking too much of him physically because of his body type.

BOTTOM LINE
Don’t get me wrong…this kid can play but I think it’s better to use him when you think he can impact. Use him in nickel/dime packages on the inside or outside depending on the match up along with using him on the return special teams units and coverage teams. He has the talent to be used on offense in the slot as a receiver because of his speed and quickness also. If you’re a team that has to play the New England Patriots two times a year you might want to think about selecting Donte because he will shut down those quick, fast slot receivers and frustrate that style of team who uses that style of game plan. Donte goes low when he tackles and with the new rules against that torpedo style of tackling this could be an issue that Donte will struggle with until he learns a new way to tackle. Donte is an impact player. He looks for the ball all the time and will make a play or two during a game so in spite of my concerns for injuries selecting Donte early in this draft makes sense to me. His versatility, explosive athletic talent, high football IQ, and the fact that he could be a starting shut down corner in the future in any style of defense makes Donte the perfect player for a playoff team to select. Add to all this information the fact that Donte has speed and quickness of a wide receiver similar to the Giants Odell Beckham Jr also makes Donte a player who could be special. If you’re a smart team, you don’t pass on selecting “special” too long in a draft just because “special” lacks bulk.

Drew Boylhart   APR.2018