Alontae had a real injury, coach Josh Heupel said. On the first play he has the sideline talking to him while the ball is snapped and he shows his recovery speed. During informal meetings, I told every single (NFL) scout I was going to run a 4.38. https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/27/chargers-nfl-draft-scouting-report-tennessee-alontae-taylor/. WebThe 2022 NFL Draft was the 87th edition of the National Football League 's annual draft and was held from April 2830, 2022, at the Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. He will try to rip the ball out too often rather than making the tackle. Although there are some alluring elements to Taylors scouting report, there are limitations that lead to the overall projection of an NFL backup early in his career. He finished the season with 5 tackles and 1 interception against Texas A&M. CB #27. In Indianapolis, he timed 4.36 seconds in the 40 with a quick 10-yard split of 1.50 seconds. He will read the quarterback and come off his man to help on the deep routes. Big, athletic and probably needs some seasoning. Positives: Terrific vertical receiver who has done exceptionally well in the lead-up to the draft. From a wide alignment or tight to the formation he will aggressively take on the block to force the play inside. Want more information on Mays? Want more information on Jones Jr.? From an athletic standpoint, theres plenty to enjoy about Taylors game. Makes his presence known in the run game with good pursuit angles and hard-striking blows. In looking to lay a big hit, he can fly past his opponent. (He) played the last month of the season with that injury. A multi-year academic honoree, Taylors off-field intelligence is evidenced in his football IQ. Pro Football Network, LLC. Gambles when reading the quarterback, leading to more spacing issues in zone coverage. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Taylor clocked a 4.36-second 40 after putting on more than 12 pounds since the end of the season, and theres been some talk of NFL teams looking at him as a safety. Displays outstanding awareness, battles defensive backs, and works to come away with the difficult catch. Saints Take Alontae Taylor at 49th Overall. In Off Man Coverage, he gives too much space will get on his heels and that combining with his long legs can make his transition take extra time. Technique and long legs slows transition in Off Man 138 overall, No. He will need to sharpen up some of his technique and tone down his gambling in certain situations. Works hard to make plays against the run. On Dec. 1, Taylor announced that he would not play in the Music City Bowl to get healthy for the Senior Bowl and NFL Draft preparations. Alontae Taylor. Having secured his first forced fumble against Florida, Taylor returned to haunt the Gators as a sophomore, securing his first career interception. Negatives: Has short arms. Analysis: Taylor is a tough, athletic corner who excels facing the action. 21 wide receiver, No. Difficult for him to redirect his explosion and short-area agility suffers. Negatives: Has a limited route tree. By year two or three, Taylor has the makeup of a quality starter as he continues to gain comfort and time on task at the position. Solid change of direction to mirror release; break on routes I got emotional when I got back to my room, just kind of going through the toe injury and things like that. In Zone, he can play the deep third or underneath and has good route awareness. Very average recovery quickness in space. While Taylor has some exciting athletic potential, there are limitations here. On Thursday, teams will start the process by announcing their first-round selections. Current. When taking on blocks he uses a good base, pad level and hand placement and works hard to shed. Hes a big-play threat who needs to round out his game. Due to his slower change of direction and processing skills, his future projects to be in a zone-heavy scheme. Hell also add special-teams value having played on those units (462 total snaps) throughout his Tennessee career. Following a standout performance at the 2017 Toyota East-West Tennessee All-Star Classic, the promising prospect was named the MVP of the East team. Positives:Nice-sized cornerback with a terrific head for the position. All Rights Reserved. The 2022 NFL draft will take place April 28-30 in Paradise, Nevada. Hes a big-play threat who can see double duty returning kicks or punts. Taylor reads the eyes of the quarterback and bolts ahead of the throw for the pick-six. Positives: Quick, explosive lineman who plays with a relentless style. For him, it was absolutely the right decision (to opt out of the Music City Bowl). Speed . He will see a heavy dose of special teams in the NFL and might be a teams best option at gunner. However, at the very least, he should be given practice-squad consideration this fall. Positives: Nice-sized cornerback with a terrific head for the position. Additionally, Taylor regularly fails to wrap up and take the correct angles. In Indianapolis, he timed 4.36 247Sports Composite: Four-star (0.9471 rating), No. presently grade Womack as a seventh-round/PFA prospect. Carpenter was not invited to the Combine but turned in outstanding numbers during pro day workouts. Want more information on Butler? And the New Orleans Saints will be While underneath, he again will use his physicality to jam up receivers through his area. Taylor started all 12 regular-season games, including the last few while struggling through a toe injury that required a walking boot. Possess excellent length, good overall size and excellent athletic ability, Has elite speed and put on a show at the combine where he ran a 4.36. He is a smooth player with an opportunistic play style. 76 overall, No. NFC South Division Offseason Review featuring news on impact players in the division including Tom Brady, Michael Thomas, and Drake London. Alpha mentality; no backing down to anyone Negatives: Struggles to adjust or slide in space. (92%*), 4.25 (P) (30%*), 128 (C) In the season opener against South Carolina, he tallied 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup. At Kentucky, here is his lone interception in 2021. That said, some of those are entirely coachable, leading to the assertion that he could compete for a starting role. And he gained 12 pounds of muscle and reduced his body fat from 7% to 5%. Opposing quarterbacks recorded just a 49.2 passer rating when targeting Taylor last season, and Taylor allowed just one touchdown on 52 targets, did not commit any penalties and earned an 83.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus the third-highest among SEC cornerbacks. At Alabama, he will read this screen quickly, avoid the attempted block and make the quick stop. Please check your email for a confirmation. Dropping into Zone he reads the QB and makes a nice break on the ball for the pick six. As were about to discover, his scouting report showcases the talents to stick on an NFL roster for years to come. Others think that argument only holds up if a national title is on the line. Stays grounded during contact and generates force with his long reach. Closes quickly and generates explosion. Tracks the pass in the air, adjusts to errant throws, and extends his hands to make the reception away from his frame. Vs Mississippi, he reads the play well shows good acceleration to the ball and gets in on the tackle. Hes a shorter corner (59) with terrific ball skills and ran 4.37 seconds during Toledos Pro Day. Vs Mississippi, at the top of the screen, he is on the outside. Taylors lack of strength showed up at times when taking on bigger receivers, but he did show the short-area quickness to evade offensive linemen in space. 1d ago. ***Full NFL.com Draft Breakdown from analyst Lance Zierlein***. Does Alontae Taylor possess a 2022 NFL Draft scouting report that suggests he can be the first Tennessee CB drafted to the NFL since 2018? Here's a look at the latest draft rankings and a full profile for Taylor. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Enjoys the competition aspect of the sport and is eager to hit. In between, he broke up passes against Alabama and Florida on his way to 5 pass breakups and 29 tackles for the season. Good processing when the action is in front of him, allowing him to make timely breaks on the ball. Stays on his feet, plays off blocks, and bullies his way behind the line of scrimmage to impact the game. 2021: 60 tackles, 41 solo, 1 TFL, 2 INT for 85 yards, 1 TD, 6 PBU, 1 FF Here is what was said of the former Tennessee cornerback before the Saints selected him: STRENGTHS: Good-sized athlete with plus length and sprinting speed collects himself to transition, stay balanced and elevate to make plays on the ball shades himself to restrict catch windows along the sideline recovers well and works his body into position without making early contact (zero penalties in 2021) highly physical downhill with the competitive appetite to match rams and bounces off blockers, maintaining his pursuit quarterbacked an option offense and played wide receiver in high school and is comfortable with the ball in the air senior captain and was voted to the SEC leadership council in 2020 (served two terms as vice chair) productive on special teams (462 career snaps) and has the skill set to be a four-phase coverage player. Then playing one more game becomes risky. Tries to rip the ball out too much rather than make the tackle, 45 games, 31 starts 10 cornerback, Pro Football Focus: No. Attacks the ball with authority, with quick read-and-react ability. Vs Georgia, at the bottom he shows good awareness taking on the bigger blocker to force the play inside and then spinning off to save a good run from being a great one. While his high school career played out, a fierce battle waged for his college future. Has only had a single year of very good college production in coverage (in 2021) - his other seasons were pretty average, Doesn't have the strength to go up against bigger receivers outside - can be outmuscled in contested catch situations, Tends to gamble too often resulting in him jumping routes and him being caught out. Alontae Taylor CB Tennessee | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report Drafted: ROUND: 2 - Pick Number: 49 (NO) Draft Profile: Bio At Coffee County High School.Alontae In Zone coverage, he was used on the deep third in Cover 3 and underneath in Cover 2. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! It wouldnt be a surprise to see five first-round picks at the position. 4 second-year Saints who are looking to make a splash in 2023, Gallery: Saints' top draft picks from the last 8 NFL combines, PFF predicts landing-spots for top Saints pending free agents, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He is a backup player who will look to compete for a starting role. Quickly turns upfield and gives effort after the catch. He called it the toughest decision I have ever made.. Taylor emerged as a team leader and played his best football during his senior season in 2021, and hes performed well in his pre-draft auditions at the Reeses Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine, where he clocked one of the fastest 40 times among defensive backs. His cushion in off-man coverage is inconsistent and often leaves too much space in front of him to contest the play or aid in bringing down the target. Plays to his 40 time, tracks the pass in the air, and nicely adjusts to errant throws. I'm moving on quickly from the 2021 NFL draft with my first Big Board and position rankings for the 2022 class. Taylors game relies on his instincts to fire in coverage and his makeup to keep his assignment suppressed. Career: Former consensus top 10 recruit in Tennessee. Alontae Taylor is a name to know at cornerback, while Cade Mays is dominant on the interior of the offensive line. Bigger hitter than his slight frame implies. By earning his keep at the line, Taylor showed he didnt need elite long speed to carry receivers downfield. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely. 2022 PANINI ZENITH FOOTBALL RC #216 ISAIAH SPILLER COPPER DUAL PATCH AUTO 14/50 (#385412363571) h***e (96) Past month Great transaction! Additionally, if you'd like to donate above and beyond the ad-free option, you can donate via PayPal as well. By earning his keep at the line, Taylor showed he didnt need elite long speed to carry receivers downfield. Depending on the team you speak with, Taylor is being graded as either a cornerback or safety. Vs Mississippi, Taylor (2) with a couple Man coverage plays from the bottom of the screen. Opting out of the Music City Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft appears to have been the right professional decision for Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor. He offers possibilities as a dime back and plays with a special-teams mentality. (49%*), 4.36 (C) No trades. Tennessee Volunteers vs. Kentucky Wildcats: Full Highlights, Alontae Taylor scores 56-yard Defensive touchdown vs. Kentucky. With just over two weeks until the 2022 NFL Draft, who are some players that might be under-the-radar draft prospects to watch during the event in Las Vegas? 27-ranked prospect in the class of 2018, decided to stay in his home state for college, committing to the Bulldogs on Monday. Final Word: A well-built, broad player whose thirst for playmaking and resounding hits dominates his tape, Alontae Taylor exhibits the mentality and measurable foundation to challenge NFL receivers as an outside cornerback. In Indianapolis, he timed 4.36 seconds in the 40 with a quick 10-yard split of 1.50 seconds. While Taylor is best in zone and press coverage, he has the ability to hold his own in off-man coverage and carry routes vertically. Who are analysts selecting for the Saints at pick No. 83 overall, No. He must fill out his frame, but hes a scheme-versatile defender who could eventually break into the starting lineup. Very quick, easily changes direction, and works hard. Gambles when reading the quarterback, leading to more spacing issues in zone coverage. Taylor is a player with length and speed who plays with an aggressive demeanor against the run and the pass. Weight: 196. Works well with safeties and effectively communicates with teammates in the secondary. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Opting out of the Music City Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft appears to have been the right professional decision for Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor. The first round was held on Thursday, April 28, and was followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, April 29. Tariq Carpenter is all over draft boards at several positions since draft meetings ended last week. Tennessees Alontae Taylor comes off a strong showing at the Combine and has built momentum for himself moving towards the draft. Blocks with a nasty attitude. He was also invited to the Under Armour All-American Game. Even more combative cornerbacks are available on Day 2 that can become starters in the NFL. Analysis: Jackson comes off the breakout season at Tennessee and is a tough run defender who also displays solid ball skills. From the deep third, he gets good depth and reacts well to plays in front of him to get downhill quickly. The biggest issue for Taylors projection ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft is his inconsistency as a tackler. Jones has enough ability to eventually line up as a No. The 4.36 really blew my mind, Taylor said. Is able to separate himself from blocks and out-leverage his defender to alter the course of the ball. NFL SCOUTING COMBINE/TENNESSEE PRO DAY RECAP, Grade: 6.17 (Good backup with the potential to develop into starter). Negatives: Not a big-bodied tackle and gets knocked around in the middle of the line. He offers possibilities as a dime back and plays with a special-teams mentality. During the most statistically successful of his career, the Tennessee CB tallied 60 tackles, 6 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions (Tennessee Tech and Kentucky). Big and strong frame that can blockade the receiver in close proximity. While he wont blow anyone away in the 40-yard dash, he has enough speed to go with his man downfield. The Northern Iowa product needs more time on an NFL gridiron for proper evaluation. Physical and intelligent cornerback with scheme versatility, Tony Paulines scouting report for Alontae Taylor, Pro Football Networks coverage of Senior Bowl practices. Negatives: Not a stout tackler. By NathanBeighle Apr 7, 2022, 6:57pm EDT 3) 2022 PANINI DONRUSS ELITE RC RED /399 CADE OTTON, QUAY WALKER, ALONTAE TAYLOR (#314390645025) h***e (96) Past month Great transaction! A willing run supporter he will attack the ball and blockers to constrict lanes. Bleacher Report. Plant-and-drive acceleration from backpedal is lacking. While praising his willingness earlier, definite improvements could be made as far as being able is concerned. Stays with assignments, fires upfield defending screen passes and very aggressive. As a result, he isnt always quick to change direction. Against Missouri, the physical cornerback led all Tennessee players with 7 tackles. Keeps the action in front of him, effectively communicates with teammates in the secondary and immediately reads or diagnoses plays. Supporter he will try to rip the ball and blockers to constrict lanes the action front. Is being graded as either a cornerback or safety said, some of his technique and legs. With 7 tackles couple man coverage plays from the deep third or underneath and has good route awareness are. 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