2019 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Juan Thornhill

2019 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2019 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State Trey Adams, OT, Washington Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky Zach Allen, DE, Boston College DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State Garrett Bradbury, C, N.C. State A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Florida State Devin Bush, LB, Michigan Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State Noah Fant, TE, Iowa Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma Ryan Finley, QB, N.C. State Rashan Gary, DT, Michigan Will Grier, QB, West Virginia Terrill Hanks, LB, New Mexico State Damien Harris, RB, Alabama N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa Joe Jackson, DE, Miami Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama Jalen Jelks, DE/OLB, Oregon Elgton Jenkins, C, Mississippi State Daniel Jones, QB, Duke Dremont Jones, DT, Ohio State Tre Lamar, LB, Clemson Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson Chris Lindstrom, G, Boston College Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss Drew Lock, QB, Missouri Bryce Love, RB, Stanford Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson Byron Murphy, CB, Washington Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan Jachai Polite, DE, Florida Taylor Rapp, S, Washington Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State Darnell Savage, S, Maryland Jeff Simmons, DT, Mississippi State Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame Mike Weber, RB, Ohio State Devin White, LB, LSU Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Greedy Williams, CB, LSU Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama Oshane Ximines, LB, Old Dominion Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple

Juan Thornhill, 6-0/202 Safety Virginia

Juan Thornhill Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Instinctive

True free safety

Rangy

Covers lots of ground

Ball skills

Makes plays on the ball

Tracks the ball well

Reads quarterbacks’ eyes

Could play some nickel corner

Could play some man coverage on tight ends

Plays hard

Intelligent

Willing tackler

Decisive to attack downhill

Weaknesses:

Missed tackles

Not an interchangeable strong safety

Can’t be the eighth man in the box

Summary: Recently, I was speaking with an area scout, and we agreed that it is relatively easy to find strong safeties for the NFL. Every year, the SEC produces some run stuffers and physical defenders for the middle of the field, and that kind of safety also routinely comes out of the other conferences, especially the Big Ten. However, finding a true safety who can cover and lock down the deep part of the field is much more difficult. Safeties who can cover are often turned into corners, so finding a true free safety to be a deep centerfielder is a challenge. Thornhill is one of those rare free safeties and could be a very good value pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Thornhill went under the radar during his collegiate career due to playing for Virginia, yet he turned in three excellent seasons. As a senior, Thornhill recorded 98 tackles with six interceptions and seven passes broken up. In 2017, he had four interceptions with 12 passes broken up and 63 tackles. That came after he notched three picks, seven breakups and 45 tackles in 2016.

Some team sources feel that Thornhill is the second-best safety in the 2019 NFL Draft behind only Mississippi State’s Johnathan Abram. There are many reasons that some are so high on Thornhill. The first attribute that really jumps out at evaluators are his instincts. He is a smart player who finds the ball. He reads a quarterback’s eyes, is able to quickly diagnosis routes, and uses his speed and athleticism to get in place to make plays.

Along with his instincts, Thornhill shows good range. He covers a lot of ground in the deep part of the field and possesses the speed and athleticism to get to the sideline from the middle of the field on deep throws. Thornhill has nice hands and high points the ball well. He is a threat to pick off 50/50 balls, and in his pro career, he could produce some nice interception totals.

Thornhill is a true pass-coverage free safety who could serve as a single high safety and a reliable centerfielder to lock down the deep part of the field. He also could handle some man coverage against slot receivers and tight ends. Thornhill’s pass-coverage skills are tough to find.

In the ground game, Thornhill has some issues with missed tackles from time to time. Still, he will flash sometimes, firing downhill to make some good tackles in space. He is a willing tackler, and some of the missed tackles can be coached out of him with NFL expertise. Some team sources say that Thornhill’s willingness to tackle is encouraging for him to improve that issue, and he is not one of those defensive backs who avoids tackling or is hesitant to get physical. After some time getting coached in the NFL, Thornhill’s tackling could no longer be a liability.

In the 2019 NFL Draft, Thornhill could be a second-round pick. I believe he could end up being a really good starting free safety in the NFL with Pro Bowl potential.



Player Comparison: Marcus Williams. Team sources compared Williams to Thornihll, which makes a lot of sense. Both are free safeties who cover a lot of ground and have ball skills. They also have similar builds and issues as tacklers. Williams was a second-round pick, and Thornhill could go in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

NFL Matches: Oakland, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Kansas City, New England

The Raiders should not have a need at safety, but former general manager Reggie McKenzie took a few busts at the position. Obi Melifonwu was cut, and Karl Joseph is more of a rotational backup. Thus, Oakland needs a long-term starter.

Carolina needs a free safety to pair with Eric Reid, and Thornhill could be a great fit for the Panthers on Day 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft. Staying in the NFC South, Tampa Bay made a mistake passing on Derwin James and need a safety to go with Justin Evans. Thornhill could make sense for the Bucs on the second day of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Green Bay traded away HaHa Clinton-Dix and could use a safety to go with Josh Jones.

Eric Berry has had an inspiring career overcoming injuries and illness. Kansas City could use an upgrade next to Berry and get ready for the end of Berry’s career.

The Patriots have some aging safeties and could use some youth at the position.

2019 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2019 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State Trey Adams, OT, Washington Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky Zach Allen, DE, Boston College DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State Garrett Bradbury, C, N.C. State A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Florida State Devin Bush, LB, Michigan Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State Noah Fant, TE, Iowa Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma Ryan Finley, QB, N.C. State Rashan Gary, DT, Michigan Will Grier, QB, West Virginia Terrill Hanks, LB, New Mexico State Damien Harris, RB, Alabama N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa Joe Jackson, DE, Miami Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama Jalen Jelks, DE/OLB, Oregon Elgton Jenkins, C, Mississippi State Daniel Jones, QB, Duke Dremont Jones, DT, Ohio State Tre Lamar, LB, Clemson Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson Chris Lindstrom, G, Boston College Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss Drew Lock, QB, Missouri Bryce Love, RB, Stanford Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson Byron Murphy, CB, Washington Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan Jachai Polite, DE, Florida Taylor Rapp, S, Washington Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State Darnell Savage, S, Maryland Jeff Simmons, DT, Mississippi State Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame Mike Weber, RB, Ohio State Devin White, LB, LSU Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Greedy Williams, CB, LSU Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama Oshane Ximines, LB, Old Dominion Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple

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