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2010 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Joe Haden
Strengths:
Ridiculous level of production
Terrific closing burst
Eliminates space quickly
Breaks on ball smoothly
Has long speed to play on island
Very fluid hips
Physical corner; gets nice jam at LOS
Takes on blocks
Really lays the wood for a corner
Terrific in run support
Nice ball skills
Locates the football well in air
Nice timing on jump balls
Has soft hands
Effective on corner/nickel blitz (3 sacks, 3 hurries in 2009)
Played a lot of press man coverage
Well coached
Intense football player
Wonderful skill set
Still has some upside
Weaknesses:
Lacks some awareness and instincts
Could anticipate routes better
Sometimes loses focus
Vulnerable to inside moves
Some question listed height
Unimpressive in zone
Summary: Joe Haden is a very talented cornerback with a very well-rounded game, but some teams might be scared off by his lacking instincts, which is critical at the NFL level where pro receivers are great route runners. Haden's level of production and consistency will get him drafted in the top 15 picks. He is one of the better cornerback prospects in the last couple years. He shut down Alabama receiver Julio Jones in the 2009 SEC Championship.
Player Comparison: Leon Hall. Similar size, speed and skill set. Hall is also a great player against the run.