DMN Blog: Cowboys go right off Goose's board
by Tim MacMahon
Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick was the best available player left on Goose's board. Not sure if that swayed Jerry, but the Cowboys made Scandrick the 143rd pick of the draft.
He'll compete with Alan Ball, a seventh-rounder last season, to be the Cowboys' fifth cornerback if Pacman Jones is reinstate.
Here's a scouting report on Scandrick.
Orlando Scandrick (CB)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 192
College: Boise State
Conference: WAC
Hometown: Los Alamitos, CA
High School: Los Alamitos
View Combine Page >>
NFLDraftScout.com
distributed by The Sports Xchange.
Analysis
Positives: Has a lean, angular build with room on his frame to carry more weight without it impacting his impressive timed speed...More fast than quick, but shows the loose hips to run stride-for-stride with the receiver (when he gets too high in his pedal, he takes extra steps and lacks explosion)...Has very good body control attacking the ball at its high point, making him one of the better kick blockers in the draft...Late to react to the pass in the deep secondary, but is more comfortable and alert taking on action in the box than most cornerbacks (12.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage)...Better when he shuffles his feet in his backpedal than when he gets too tall in his stance...Has the ability to jump on the hip and run with the receiver coming off the line (problems occur when he has to turn out of breaks)...Breaks quickly on the play when asked to take on the ballcarrier (has better closing urgency vs. the run than the pass)...Likes to come up and support vs. the run, avoiding blocks when attempting to disrupt the pocket...Takes good angles to close vs. the run, but needs to get stronger in order to have better success playing off blocks...Quick to arrive when asked to fill the rush lanes and has a knack for getting low...Times his leaps well, using his long arm extension to reach around and deflect the ball away before the receiver can adjust..His explosive leaping ability contributed to him blocking seven kicks during his career...Even though he needs to refine his backpedal, his loose hips help him recover when he takes false steps in transition...Has excellent range, but just needs to show that sudden closing burst more often (lacks urgency at times)...When he locates the ball, he is quick to close...Lacks an ideal feel for routes, but takes good angles when closing... Has the speed to close and make plays near the line...When he doesn't bite on pump fakes and keeps his assignments, he shows the acceleration to catch up and defend in the deep zone...As a junior, he was more efficient as a zone defender, making proper switch-offs...Adequate cut tackler when he stays low in his pads...Has the open-field quickness, fluid agility and excellent hip swerve to recover when beaten on long routes (needs to explode out of his breaks better)...Shows better stop-and-go action on short and intermediate routes than he does in the deep third of the field...Not afraid to jump and extend for the ball in tight quarters.
Negatives: Needs to upgrade his overall strength and physical receivers have had success pushing off him (struggles to reroute bigger opponents in press coverage)...Has very good timed speed, but he lacks explosion and suddenness coming out of his breaks or when redirecting (takes extra steps)...Looks awkward in transition when he gets too high in his backpedal...Is slippery when avoiding blocks in backside pursuit, but if blockers gets into his jersey, he is easily washed out...Does not have the upper-body strength or hand jolt to disengage...Will ankle-bite or take a side when tackling and needs to do a better job of facing up and breaking down taking on ballcarriers along the perimeter...Perhaps due to his rolling start, he does not close with great urgency, especially on plays in front of him...Gets a lot more pass deflections than pass thefts due to marginal hands (traps the ball or lets it into his body rather than reaching and plucking for it), but has the timing and leaping ability to compete for jump balls or to elevate when attempting to block kicks...Struggles with route recognition and, when he gets back in the zone, he will eyeball the pocket too long or bite on pump fakes...Must not allow so much cushion, as his lack of explosion out of his breaks can make him a step slow in recovering when a receiver gets behind him.
Compares To: ERIC WRIGHT-Cleveland...Scandrick is not the most physical cornerback, but he brings instant value in the sub package as a nickel back due to his short-area coverage skills, and on special teams, where he excels as a kick blocker. He needs to show more urgency in his play and despite his timed speed, he fails to show the explosive burst coming out of his high backpedal to stay tight with the receiver. He needs patient coaching to help him develop, as his instincts seem to be lacking, despite three years as a starter. His speed is unquestioned, along with his elevation skills, and he could be drafted earlier than his marginal strength and adequate man-coverage skills merit.
Injury Report
2007: Missed the second half of the Hawaii game (11/23) with a left thumb fracture.
2008: Could not lift at the Combine, as he was still recovering from his left thumb injury.
Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick was the best available player left on Goose's board. Not sure if that swayed Jerry, but the Cowboys made Scandrick the 143rd pick of the draft.
He'll compete with Alan Ball, a seventh-rounder last season, to be the Cowboys' fifth cornerback if Pacman Jones is reinstate.
Here's a scouting report on Scandrick.
Orlando Scandrick (CB)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 192
College: Boise State
Conference: WAC
Hometown: Los Alamitos, CA
High School: Los Alamitos
View Combine Page >>
NFLDraftScout.com
distributed by The Sports Xchange.
Analysis
Positives: Has a lean, angular build with room on his frame to carry more weight without it impacting his impressive timed speed...More fast than quick, but shows the loose hips to run stride-for-stride with the receiver (when he gets too high in his pedal, he takes extra steps and lacks explosion)...Has very good body control attacking the ball at its high point, making him one of the better kick blockers in the draft...Late to react to the pass in the deep secondary, but is more comfortable and alert taking on action in the box than most cornerbacks (12.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage)...Better when he shuffles his feet in his backpedal than when he gets too tall in his stance...Has the ability to jump on the hip and run with the receiver coming off the line (problems occur when he has to turn out of breaks)...Breaks quickly on the play when asked to take on the ballcarrier (has better closing urgency vs. the run than the pass)...Likes to come up and support vs. the run, avoiding blocks when attempting to disrupt the pocket...Takes good angles to close vs. the run, but needs to get stronger in order to have better success playing off blocks...Quick to arrive when asked to fill the rush lanes and has a knack for getting low...Times his leaps well, using his long arm extension to reach around and deflect the ball away before the receiver can adjust..His explosive leaping ability contributed to him blocking seven kicks during his career...Even though he needs to refine his backpedal, his loose hips help him recover when he takes false steps in transition...Has excellent range, but just needs to show that sudden closing burst more often (lacks urgency at times)...When he locates the ball, he is quick to close...Lacks an ideal feel for routes, but takes good angles when closing... Has the speed to close and make plays near the line...When he doesn't bite on pump fakes and keeps his assignments, he shows the acceleration to catch up and defend in the deep zone...As a junior, he was more efficient as a zone defender, making proper switch-offs...Adequate cut tackler when he stays low in his pads...Has the open-field quickness, fluid agility and excellent hip swerve to recover when beaten on long routes (needs to explode out of his breaks better)...Shows better stop-and-go action on short and intermediate routes than he does in the deep third of the field...Not afraid to jump and extend for the ball in tight quarters.
Negatives: Needs to upgrade his overall strength and physical receivers have had success pushing off him (struggles to reroute bigger opponents in press coverage)...Has very good timed speed, but he lacks explosion and suddenness coming out of his breaks or when redirecting (takes extra steps)...Looks awkward in transition when he gets too high in his backpedal...Is slippery when avoiding blocks in backside pursuit, but if blockers gets into his jersey, he is easily washed out...Does not have the upper-body strength or hand jolt to disengage...Will ankle-bite or take a side when tackling and needs to do a better job of facing up and breaking down taking on ballcarriers along the perimeter...Perhaps due to his rolling start, he does not close with great urgency, especially on plays in front of him...Gets a lot more pass deflections than pass thefts due to marginal hands (traps the ball or lets it into his body rather than reaching and plucking for it), but has the timing and leaping ability to compete for jump balls or to elevate when attempting to block kicks...Struggles with route recognition and, when he gets back in the zone, he will eyeball the pocket too long or bite on pump fakes...Must not allow so much cushion, as his lack of explosion out of his breaks can make him a step slow in recovering when a receiver gets behind him.
Compares To: ERIC WRIGHT-Cleveland...Scandrick is not the most physical cornerback, but he brings instant value in the sub package as a nickel back due to his short-area coverage skills, and on special teams, where he excels as a kick blocker. He needs to show more urgency in his play and despite his timed speed, he fails to show the explosive burst coming out of his high backpedal to stay tight with the receiver. He needs patient coaching to help him develop, as his instincts seem to be lacking, despite three years as a starter. His speed is unquestioned, along with his elevation skills, and he could be drafted earlier than his marginal strength and adequate man-coverage skills merit.
Injury Report
2007: Missed the second half of the Hawaii game (11/23) with a left thumb fracture.
2008: Could not lift at the Combine, as he was still recovering from his left thumb injury.
posted by The Gryphon at 2:09 PM
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