2019 NFL Draft Hidden Gems, Secondary Edition Volume 2

2019 NFL Draft Hidden Gems

Secondary Part 2. By Matt Anzio

CB – Zuril Hendrick

• School: Edinboro University
• Height: 6‘1            
• Weight: 190 lbs
• Hometown: Rochester N. Y.
• CGS Showcase, Dream Bowl Participant, 2 X All-Conference, All-Regional & All American with an impressive 21 Career INT’s
• Hometown: Rochester N.Y.

Hendrick  is a Suffocating Corner that  invades your space & Fights till the end.   

Was ranked 9th in the entire nation & 1st in the PSAS  with 6 INT’s & this previous season. Also added 37 tackles  & 15 PBU’s starting 9 games for Edinboro as a Senior.

Good pre snap play recognition  reads the play makes the proper adjustments. Has enough speed to play the outside against the quicker wide outs. Fluently moving feet looks natural into his backpedal turn into full speed  without losing much ground on his man the catch up speed to run them down. Plays close man or can give cushion in zone at times but his ability to get in wideouts personal space is his best quality.    Also has played in the slot where he shows the short area burst with the toughness needed to play inside if called upon. Can’t see wasting his outside ability but in a pinch it’s good he has the experience .  He also played some safety shows he can be a vital component to a secondary that needs versatile depth. Ball tracking talent over his back shoulder or on the come back. A threat of a pick six anytime he intercepts the ball.  Slick ward off blocks or knock out the play with a knack for finding weaknesses in the strongest of Offenses. Aggressive intense tackler patient with anticipation stakes quality angles. Squares up the ball carrier or runner goes low &  fundamentally chops down opponents like a machete thru a sapling. Change of direction is very good tracks the ball carrier makes the tackle. Nice on DB blitzes cause he can get behind the line untouched fast. Has no issue tackling big Tight Ends  strength technique to take down even the biggest of weapons.

Looks good as a return man with the ability to  work his way through coverage. The homerun speed to be dangerous in the open field on KR. Confident with a passion for the game. Think if you get him into a 90 man camp, don’t think it will be too big for Hendrick. He will run with any  opportunity presented, check that he will sprint to it.

FS/ DB  – Billy Inge lll  

• School:   East Stroudsburg
• Height – 5’ 10      
• Weight – 188 lbs
• Pro day Results – Forty: 4.56  
• SS:4.58
• Reps: 16
• Vert: 33.5“
• Broad: 9“9“
• L Cone: 7.43   

Inge wreaks havoc on anyone with the ball in their hands.

Been featuring my share of absurdly quick elusive type DB that have KR ability most of all a ton of versatility.  Is what I wanted to present not only in this Vol 2 but throughout this Hidden Gems series.  Inge started 8 games at FS this past season tally up 66 tackles, 6 FF, 2 FR, 1 INT & 8 PBU’s. Inge shares the record with one other player for the Warriors All time Forced Fumble record.  A Career that included 20 games 142 tracklist, 9 FF , 6 INT, 2 FR & 14 PBU’s. So it’s pretty obvious that he always around the ball, but he also always attacks the ball like a starving  dog in the meatpacking district. Maybe considered a bit undersized for FS he has played SS as well & shows the necessary short area burst toughness to play Nickelback/ slot.

Reads the QB’s eyes presnap with anticipation make the proper adjustments. Can flip from run to pass with almost no hesitation.  Can play center field like Willie Mays locating & swarming in on poorly thrown or off the mark passes. 41 will time the ball in the air close & hit or rip the ball from the wide outs grasp.  Radius is large roaming around in the passing game always aiming for the ball on hits like it has a bullseye on it. Gets his hands up timing PBU ability just a ball-hawking heavy hitting slept on DB worth a gander.  Tackling is killer goes hard durable no fear of contact, in fact, he strives in that area. The burst catches up speed with great quick lateral movement & vision containing both WR YAC yardage & RB’s alike. Furious tackler for a DB in the run game or on ST coverage can be a true beast of a hunter that will devour his prey.

CB  Kemon Hall

• North Texas
• Height: 5 ‘ 11
• Weight: 190
• Played in the NFLPA Bowl  1st TeamAll-Conference USA
• Had 5 tackles & 2 PBU in the New Mexico Bowl 12/15/18
• Hometown : Calhoun City, M.S.

Pursuit to the ball explosive hits make Hall an exciting prospect.

48 tackles, 39 solo with 4 INT’s  2 TD’s in 11 games last season. Had 14 PBU’s &  was ranked 3rd in the Nation in passes defensed 1.7 per game in 2018.  

Outside corner that can shut down daylight like lightning. Hits like a aluminum baseball bat  drives players to the turf like a bag of trash. Strong with killer instincts to read, react to attack with a vengeance.  Man outside or zone man type DB. Is physical can bump disrupt a players route off the line or in coverage.Blanketing wideouts cramping their style leaving little room to move.Tracks the ball like  a bloodhound has the clamp like hands to snatch the ball out the air without apology. Seen him backpedal some but he can redirect himself forward backward laterally with ease. Closes down any room for wide outs to run can sniff out a bubble screen or check down for a loss. INstincts & ball reaction is top of the line.  Extension with the timing reach to shut opponents down like Home Depot shutdown your local hardware store. Fit well in any coverage scheme with the speed instincts size to help on the perimeter. Can hold up on cover 2 or even cover 1 another true number 1 outside QB. Good range sideline awareness to box out wideout knock them out the play.  Locates the ball like a WR with quality ball reaction skills. Vertical extension to high point the ball out jump even the longest of weapons. Good open field tackles can help contain the run or blitz strong uses good leverage not afraid to get dirty. Another outside DB that is always around & deflecting or taking away the ball. vision if he gets the turnover can navigate his way to the endzone. Plays thru the whistle on pass or against run, well rounded sleeper.  

CB/ DB Jermaine Ponder

• School – Saint Francis U
• Height: 6-1    
• Weight: 200
• Pro Day Results – Forty: 4.49
•  SS – 4.18
• Reps – 15
• Broad: 11’ 1”
• Dream Bowl Participant  Tied for 3td in FCS in PBU’s
• Hometown: Rochester, N. Y.

Great Pro-day numbers with tape to match.

There are a few guys that caught my eye in the SFU secondary the past couple years.  

Ponder is no exception proves to have the best burst with technique & freakish athletic ability. He has also learned a lot behind some talented DB’s & with a DB coach that is proving to be one of the best in the Conference or Nation.

Observes the QB cadences pre snap makes necessary adjustment . Can play sone play man outside or in he has speed toughness & a nose for the football. Can run with almost any wide out with his 4.4 speed. Has the size strength & toughness to knock balls loose & take players down.  Timing locates the ball bats it down with great hand eye coordination. Played outside & even some slot has the size & speed for outside so that’s where i think he should be. The fact he can play slot is a bonus no doubt he can be a dangerous DB to try to come across the middle. His closing speed & powerful hits can cause defenders to be aware of his presence on the ball field.   Another physical DB that can make some nice open field tackles & plays with great intensity against the run or when he stays home. Shows tremendous ball reaction when the ball is in the air. Takes the right angles hard hitter fights for the ball top 3 guy in the Nation in takeaways. Ponder is a player that has all the natural ability sub 4.5 speed for his big frame to cover or to lay players flat on their backs.  Hard hitting high energy quick moving DB that can be used in many ways on a Pro squad.

Slot/ SS/KR Orlando McKinley

• School: Florida A & M
• Height:    5’ 8        
• Weight: 180
• MEAC INT Record Holder, 2018 2nd Team All MEAC  2017 2nd team All MEAC 2016 3rd Team
• Hometown: Atlanta G.A.

Shifty explosive DB  is a Problem with the ball in his hands.

Had 24  , 17 solo  tackles, 6 PBU & 2 INT’s this past season but stats alone don’t do him justice need to throw on the game film. Trained for months but something happened & his Pro Day was canceled. A real shame I know how much it meant to him but he is strong hand  fighting against the odds from day 1. What i see is a shutdown type of CB. A that will use his intelligence & vertical ability to win. This CB should not be pigeonholed into a category but since that is what you will do here is a tremendous nickel special teams Gem.   

Aggressive intense smaller slot strong safety type player that can play man. Scrappy physical quick twitch oily hip player that can find make a play on the ball hit with the type of gusto feel is a needed commodity in the inside 0n Man or press man Zone. Super quick feet movement skills can backpedal change into full sprint very natural.  Has the range make up speed to play outside but they generally save that for the at very least 5’11 CB prospects. Although we have seen these guys out jump out work & out smart many of their bigger counterparts in the defensive backfield. Has the long ball coverage skills to cover deep. Can make some outstanding INt’s & pass breakups. Played outside more than you would think shows good long speed  ability to eliminate options. Physical stong handed will fight for pry the rock loose or cause the incompletion. Strong physical tackler good grip that uses his strength momentum intensity to make some unbelievable tackles & hits. Can be used on DB blitz showed promise shooting the gap closing in on QB or RB behind the line finishing them like mortal Kombat.

Also a decorated kick returner that has shown to be one of the most exciting in the country & a top returner for the Rattlers.  Fun guy on returns to watch led his team in return yards a big play threat anytime on kick return smooth cuts vision acceleration to succeed in the return game too.