2017 NFL Draft Player Preview: Marlon Humphrey

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Marlon Humphrey, 6-0/197 Cornerback Alabama

Marlon Humphrey Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Very good cover corner

Runs the route with the receiver

Prevents separation

Fast

Quick feet

Can cover up speed receivers

Has ball skills

Loose hips to turn and run with speed receivers

Can play press-man coverage

Can play off-man coverage

Can play zone coverage

Good length

Tough defender

Good tackler

Willing run defender

Intelligent

Height

Tracks the ball well downfield

Recoverability

Successful against good college receivers

Should be able to play quickly

NFL pedigree from his father

Big upside

Weaknesses:

Allows too many completions over his head

Needs to get better about playing the ball over him

Doesn’t always play as fast as his timed speed

Summary: In the preseason before the start of the 2016 season, WalterFootball.com was first to report that sources from multiple teams really liked Humphrey and already viewed him as a high first-round talent due to scouting training camp practices. Teams felt he had a great skill set with size, speed and athleticism.

After redshirting in 2014, Humphrey had an excellent debut to help Alabama win the National Championship. He earned a starting job across from Cyrus Jones and Humphrey was the Crimson Tide’s top corner. In 2015, Humphrey totaled 45 tackles with three interceptions and eight passes broken up.

In 2016, Humphrey totaled 33 tackles with two tackles for a loss, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He had an excellent 2016 season opener against USC as he shut down wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, holding him to one catch for nine yards. Humphrey also had an interception returned 18 yards for a touchdown and a tackle for a loss. That set the tone for an excellent season as Alabama’s No. 1 cornerback. Aside from one mistake, Humphrey was very good at defending Washington speedster John Ross in their playoff matchup. Against Clemson and Mike Williams, Humphrey did well covering Williams overall, but did allow some receptions that went over him.

Humphrey is a well-rounded prospect who does everything well. He is very good at preventing separation as he can vertically stay with speed wideouts and run the routes with receivers. Humphrey also has the size and physicality to match up with big wideouts. Hupmhrey is a tough defender who is smart and generally has good eye discipline. He is good at jamming receivers and turning and running with them downfield. Humphrey flashes ball skills to slap passes away or pick them off. Additionally, he is a good tackler and willing run defender.

Sources feel that Humphrey’s only real flaw is that he had issues playing the ball during 2016. Against Arkansas, Humphrey gave up a few receptions, including a touchdown. He also had a rough game against Ole Miss as he gave up a few completions downfield, including a score. On those plays, Humphrey had blanketed receivers and did not allow separation, but they were making receptions over him and he wasn’t doing a good job of playing the ball. That is the one issue that Humphrey needs to fix for the NFL. If he lands with good coaching, Humphrey has the skill set and upside to become a shutdown corner.

For the NFL, Humphrey is a versatile corner who could be a No. 1 corner for his defense. He has ability to play press-man, zone or off-man coverages. Humphrey also is big, physical, and tough enough that he could be a free safety. Teams across the league have graded Humphrey as a legit first-rounder.



Player Comparison: Kareem Jackson/Casey Hayward. Scouts have compared Humphrey to being a bigger and better version of Kareem Jackson. They’ve also said that Humphrey is a bigger and faster version of Hayward. Hayward has been a good pro corner, while Jackson had been a solid corner for the Texans until last year. In the NFL, Humphrey could easily be a better version of either of these corners.

NFL Matches: Tennessee, New York Jets, Buffalo, New Orleans, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Detroit, Miami, Oakland, Houston, Kansas City, Dallas, Green Bay, Pittsburgh,

There are a lot of potential fits for Humphrey in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The highest he could hope to go would be in the middle of the top 10. With one of the Titans’ two first-round picks, Humphrey could be a fit as they need a No. 1 cover corner for their defense. Sources with the Titans really like Humphrey, so he is in play for them with the fifth-overall pick.

At the sixth pick, Humphrey could be an option for the Jets as they released Darrelle Revis this offseason and have a big need at cornerback. Staying in the AFC East, Humphrey could be in play for the Bills with the 10th-overall pick as they lost to Stephon Gilmore in free agency.

The Saints could use more cornerback help for their defense, so they could consider taking Humphrey with the 11th-overall pick. Cleveland needs a third cornerback and could consider Humphrey at pick No. 12.

If Humphrey gets to picks 14-16, he has three potential landing spots. Philadelphia needs multiple cornerback upgrades, especially a No. 1 corner. Humphrey could be in play for the Eagles in the first round. One pick later, the Colts need another corner to pair with Vontae Davis, and Humphrey could be a fit for Indianapolis. The Ravens could use a corner upgrade to go with Jimmy Smith.

Humphrey shouldn’t slide into the 20s, but he has a lot of potential landing spots if he does. At pick No. 21, the Lions could use a corner to pair with Darius Slay. One pick later, Miami could consider adding a corner to pair with Xavien Howard. At No. 24, the Raiders could consider some cornerback upgrades after having coverage problems during the 2016 season and letting D.J. Hayden leave in free agency. Houston has to replace A.J. Bouye. Jonathan Joseph is aging, while Kareem Jackson declined tremendously last year.

Staying in the AFC West, Kansas City could use a corner upgrade across from Marcus Peters. Dallas needs real help at corner and Humphrey would be a steal at pick No. 28. With the 30th pick, Pittsburgh could use a corner to pair with Artie Burns.

2017 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Jamal Adams, S, LSU Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama Ryan Anderson, LB, Alabama Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado Budda Baker, S, Washington Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee Garett Bolles, OT, Utah Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida Jake Butt, TE, Michigan Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida Pat Elflein, G, Ohio State Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama Dan Feeney, G, Indiana Devonte Fields, OLB, TCU Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M Davon Godchaux, DT, LSU Charles Harris, DE, Missouri Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State Josh Jones, S, N.C. State Sidney Jones, CB, Washington Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss Desmond King, CB, Iowa Kevin King, CB, Washington DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky Marshon Lattimore, CB, Onio State Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech Marcus Maye, S, Florida Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State Takkarist McKinley, DE/LB, UCLA Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA David Njoku, TE, Miami Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan Ethan Pocic, C, LSU Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin Haason Reddick, LB, Temple Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama John Ross, WR, Washington Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin Davis Webb, QB, California Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU Marcus Williams, S, Utah Mike Williams, WR, Clemson Tim Williams, DE, Alabama Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida Chris Wormley, DE, Michigan

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