South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore is expected to potentially be a late first round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He has everything you look for in a first round pick cornerback. He has the size, the speed, he tackles well, and he's physical. He does have a tendency to give up plays and might only excel in a specific defensive scheme, however. National Football Post's Wes Bunting explains a little bit:
Stephon Gilmore, NFL Draft 2012: Viewed As Good, Not Elite Corner
He was a 5-star prospect who made a lot of plays but also gave up a lot of plays as a sophomore. He’s raw with his footwork, but he’s one of the few big corners in the draft who can turn and run, who will tackle, and he’s got the skills to be a really good cover man. He played mostly zone and press-bail.
Physically, he can play press, but he was rarely asked to do it. Mostly you’re looking at him as a zone corner right now.
Teams who play a lot of zone coverage, like the New England Patriots, could really be drawn towards Gilmore especially in the back end of the first round. Currently, Gilmore is rated as the sixth best corner in the draft by Mocking The Draft.
For more on Gilmore, be sure to check out South Carolina blog Garnet and Black Attack. Be sure to check out the latest at SB Nation’s NFL Draft hub and SB Nation’s Mocking The Draft.
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