2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Duke Dawson

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

Duke Dawson, 5-10/195 Cornerback Florida

Duke Dawson Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Good instincts

Athletic

Quick cornerback; above-average speed

Able to run with speed receivers on verticals

Runs the route with the receiver

Prevents separation

Transitions well

Can cover up speed receivers

Sits on routes and challenges speed receivers

Quick feet

Dangerous ball skills

Good hands

Threat to take the ball away

Knows what to do with the ball after making an interception

Route recognition

Willing tackler

Good open-field tackler

Times contact well

Special teams potential

Recoverability

Willing tackler

Can play off-man coverage

Can play zone coverage

Athletic upside

Weaknesses:

Short

Tight hips

Will struggle with big receivers

Could be picked on in the red zone

Limited to slot in the NFL

Summary: Over the past few years, Florida and LSU have had a running debate about which one is “DB U” for the amount of good defensive backs they are producing for the NFL. Dawson will continue that tradition for the Gators in the 2018 NFL Draft with his mid-round potential.

Playing behind Vernon Hargreaves, Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, Dawson flashed as a reserve corner for Florida in 2015. In 2016, he replaced Hargreaves as one of the starting corners for the Gators, totaling 24 tackles, seven passes broken up, one interception and one forced fumble for the year.

In 2017, Dawson was on the field for every snap as the Gators’ top cornerback with Tabor and Wilson off to the NFL. Dawson totaled 34 tackles with nine passes broken up and four interceptions on the year. He put together an impressive tape going against Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk, running with Kirk and preventing separation.

Dawson projects as a slot corner for the NFL. He is good when plays are in front of him, plus has instincts and a good concept of route combinations. Dawson transitions well and owns above-average speed to carry verticals. He is a tough and gritty corner who will be a nice option to cover fast receivers as Dawson can run with them downfield. Dawson also is a willing hitter and will contribute to run defense, plus make some nice open-field tackles.

With Dawson’s height, he will have to be a slot corner and be protected from being matched up against big receivers. He also has tight hips and can struggle to open up.

Sources have told me they have graded Dawson as a third- or fourth-rounder.



Player Comparison: Brian Poole. In conversations with team sources, they compared Dawson to Poole. Both are thick nickel corners who have good coverage skills on slot receivers. They are gritty defensive backs with physicality and a tenacious style of play. Poole mistakenly went undrafted, but he’s turned into a quality contributor for Atlanta. Dawson should be a mid-round pick, and he could easily end up being a solid contributor in his role.

NFL Matches: Cleveland, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Buffalo, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas, Minnesota, Cincinnati and New England

There are a lot of teams that could be a fit for Dawson in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns have to upgrade their cornerback talent, and Dawson would make a lot of sense for one of their mid-round picks. Tampa Bay could use more young cornerback talent to go with Vernon Hargreaves, and Dawson would make sense for the Bucs in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Colts need a young corner to go with Quincy Wilson and replace Vontae Davis. San Francisco also needs cornerback upgrades. Dawson would be a nice fit as a nickel on the inside of Akhello Witherspoon. Buffalo could consider Dawson as it has to find a replacement for Ronald Darby.

The Rams could consider Dawson, especially if Lamarcus Joyner is let go. Staying in Los Angeles, the Chargers could use a cornerback to go with Casey Hayward. Jason Verrett is nearing the end of his contract and has dealt with durability issues.

Dallas could use more cornerback talent, and Dawson could make sense for the Cowboys in the second round. The Vikings have to consider a replacement for Terrance Newman, and the Bengals could use a replacement for Adam Jones. Dawson could interest both Minnesota and Cincinnati.

The Patriots could consider taking Dawson. Malcolm Butler is entering free agency, while Stephon Gilmore was disappointing in his first year with New England. Dawson’s cover skills could make him a fit for the Patriots’ defense.

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

RELATED LINKS:


2018 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


2018 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








NFL Picks - Nov. 25


NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 25


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4