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.

RELATED LINKS:

2010 NFL Mock Draft: Matt's | Walt's

2010 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings

2010 NFL Draft Scouting Reports

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2010 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Joe Haden

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