Scouting Report #2: Morris Claiborne

Here at BCC, I will be doing a scouting report for each one of the players on my big board, or atleast the first 25. I hope you enjoy, and leave some feedback, thanks.

Today's Scouting Report is on Morris Claiborne, and here's the link to my big board... http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2012/2/6/2776266/rhetts-top-50-big-board

Click the Jump.

Morris Claiborne -Cornerback, Louisiana State(Junior)

Height & Weight - 6'1" 185 lbs

Agility - Claiborne is very fluid and balanced, and flips his hips very well. He is very quick, and very fast. Clocked in at 4.25 in a hand timed 40 yard dash. Is a great athlete, playing wide receiver, quarterback, and d-back coming out of high school.

Ball Skills - Morris has very good hands for a corner, probably because he's a former receiver, if he gets the ball in his hands, he's very dangerous. He's very elusive, has good vision, and can break a lot of tackles before going down. That is why he is a returner as well.

Size: Has good height at 6'1", and has the frame to add more muscle. Has long arms as well, and matches up well against bigger receivers in jump ball situations.

Man Coverage - Claiborne can be very aggressive and very physical at the line. He likes to line up right off the line of scrimmage, and press the receiver, but he is sometimes inconsistent as he needs better hand placement. He does make up for it though, because he has very loose hips, and is very fast and quick. If he attempts to press, and is caught out of position, can catch up and regain his position on the receiver. He can keep up with most receivers, and is good at reading the receiver's routes.

Zone Coverage - Reads routes very well, when he's sitting back in zone, but usually is in man coverage, so he lacks experience. Closes on the receiver fast, when the ball is thrown, which can lead to some interceptions or pass deflections.

Tackling/Run Support - As stated above, Claiborne is very physical. He extends his long arms into contact, and can gain leverage on receivers trying to seal him on the edge. He isn't scared to lay a hit, and throws his body around. He takes good angles, and usually gets his man to the ground. But in the NFL, he'll likely struggle dragging down the ball carrier, and adding more strength will help.

Player Comparison - Charles Woodson: Woodson is a very physical, very aggressive, and great cover corner. That pretty much describes Claiborne. Only difference is Woodson is a much better player, with all his experience, and he is 17 lbs heaver, making him a much better tackle.

Final Word - Morris Claiborne will be a top 5 pick, and will be one of the top corners of the next decade. Some think he's better than Patrick Peterson. If he can add about 10 lbs of muscle, without losing speed, he will be much better tackler, and a great corner. He's already a terrific cover corner, and would fit our system well. He looks to me like he's going to be a ballhawk, he had 11 interceptions his past two seasons, with most QBs trying to avoid throwing it near him. If he somehow is available at #7, he'll surely be the pick, but it's highly doubtful he even reaches #5.

Videos:

Morris Claiborne NFL Draft Analysis - Oregon (2011 Season) (via TMBDraft)

Morris Claiborne NFL Draft Analysis - 2010 Season (via TMBDraft)