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By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: During the summer of 2019, team sources shared that Dantzler was a player who jumped out at them despite them not watching him closely because he was not yet draft eligible. The sophomore totaled 43 tackles with nine passes broken up and two interceptions in 2018. Dantzler was even better as a junior, recording 40 tackles with two interceptions, eight passes broken up, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was one of the top defensive backs in the SEC and a steady cover corner for the Bulldogs.
There is a lot to like about Dantzler for the NFL because he does not have scheme limitations and is a versatile corner with good instincts. Dantzler is dangerous in zone, able to play off-man coverage, and can play press-man. He has the size and length to let him take on tall receivers, having shown the ability to win on 50-50 passes. With his height and length, it can be hard for quarterbacks to get passes by him. On top of the size, Dantzler has good ball skills and is very aware of the ball. He plays the ball in air and doesn’t panic when passes come his direction. Dantzler has quality hands to make interceptions and smack passes away.
Dantzler has quality route recognition and is smooth to run in coverage to prevent separation. With his size as an aide, Dantzler has recoverability and is able to close. Plus vision keeps him in position, and he makes good decisions on jumping routes.
The big concerns with Dantzler are his thin frame and his timed speed. Multiple team sources say Dantzler has really good film, which had them projecting him to go in the No. 28-38 range prior to the combine. But then in Indianapolis, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds, which is frighteningly slow for an NFL cornerback. That along with being a lean player have brought up concerns about Dantzler as a pro. Sources feel with his build he probably can’t gain a lot of weight, and question that if he does gain weight, will he become even slower. His 40 time alone gives teams worries that he will have problems running with pro receivers, although they say he definitely played faster, because that issue did not come across in his tape.
The combine 40 probably killed Dantzler’s first-round hopes, but he still looks somewhat safe to be a second-day pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Player Comparison: Kevin Johnson. Team sources have compared Dantzler to Johnson. Johnson (6-0, 185) has been a good corner when healthy, but his consistent injuries have derailed his career. Dantzler and Johnson have a similar physical style of play with versatility in coverage. If Dantzler can stay healthy despite his slim build, he could be a better version of Johnson in the NFL.
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