Marshon Lattimore shined in his final season at Ohio State, but hamstring injuries throughout his college career kept him from reaching his full potential before that. Lattimore will have a shot to show what he’s capable of with the New Orleans Saints after being selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
Marshon Lattimore will be star for Saints if he stays healthy
His injury history is a concern, but Lattimore has the potential to be a difference-maker for New Orleans.
Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Lattimore was the first member of the Buckeyes’ talented secondary off the board. He had surgery to repair chronic hamstring injuries during his redshirt year at Ohio State, but those problems lingered the following season. He played in seven games, contributing just five tackles.
But in his final college season, Lattimore stayed healthy and turned in an impressive performance. He finished the season with four interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, and it was enough to place him at the top of pre-draft cornerback rankings. Now we’ll see if Lattimore can take his game to the next level with the Saints.
Why did the Saints pick Lattimore?
Despite his injury history and limited starting experience, Lattimore proved last year that he has the skills to be an NFL cornerback.
He’s a playmaker
If you follow college football closely and hadn’t heard of Lattimore before last season, you may have first noticed him in Ohio State’s 45-24 win over the Oklahoma Sooners.
It came on the heels of a breakout game against Tulsa the week before, which earned him National Player of the Week honors. Lattimore had two picks in that Ohio State victory, and he returned one for a touchdown.
But that was Tulsa. The Sooners were ranked, it was a road night game that was nationally televised, and Lattimore and his teammates wanted to make Oklahoma pay after the Sooners’ backup quarterback said Ohio State’s defense was basic.
Lattimore sure didn’t look basic as he racked up five tackles and an interception against Oklahoma. That was just the beginning of Lattimore’s star-making season.
Lattimore doesn’t let the other team make many plays
The Ohio State product is fast — he ran over his competition at the combine and showed that his initial burst at the whistle is just the beginning of his athleticism. The guy can tackle, too. Not only is he not afraid of it, the cornerback didn’t miss a single one of his solo tackle attempts in 2016. In coverage, Lattimore was targeted 41 times last season, and per PFF, forced a 30.2 passer rating among the opponents — fourth best in the FBS among corners.” — Read More at Land-Grant Holy Land
He proved to be consistent in coverage, intercepting or deflecting 14 of 35 passes quarterbacks threw in his direction. He also allowed a passer rating of just 30.2 and never missed a tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.
His greatest strengths are his athleticism and his technique. He’s particularly good in man coverage and has the speed and fluidity to hang with NFL-caliber receivers. Lattimore is a sure and consistent tackler, and his instincts should help him get up to pro speed quickly.
Oh, and he’s fast. Lattimore tweaked a hip flexor at the combine and still ran a 4.36 40-yard dash.
Lattimore was one part of an Ohio State secondary that features another top cornerback prospect, Gareon Conley, and arguably the best safety in this year’s draft, Malik Hooker.
Will injuries hold him back?
Lattimore’s injury history is the key concern about his future in the NFL. The hamstring injuries plagued him in high school and were severe enough to require surgery on his left hamstring in his redshirt freshman season with the Buckeyes. An injury to the right hamstring severely limited him in his redshirt sophomore year.
He stayed healthy throughout the 2016 season, but it was the only year he started at Ohio State. That lack of experience is another concern with Lattimore.
Lattimore was also injured at the combine, and while it was initially reported to be a hamstring injury, Lattimore refuted that:
The difference for Lattimore in his final season at Ohio State was a shift in the way he approached stretching and strength and conditioning. The Saints should create a plan for Lattimore to keep him loose and healthy enough to reach the same heights he did last year.
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