2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Corey Ellington, SAF, Mississippi State
Player Data
| Name, Jersey # | Corey Ellington, #10 |
| School (Code) | Mississippi State University (MSST) |
| DOB, Class Yr | 10/05/2002, True Senior |
| Height, Weight | 6021e, 200e |
| 40 Yd Dash | 4.54e |
| Position/Depth | SAF/1st |
| Honors/Captainship | Athlon Preseason Third-Team All SEC |
| Season Viewed (yr) | 2023 |
| Games Watched | Vs. MSUN, Vs. ALUN, @ ALAU |
| Scout Name / Date | Hayden Russell, 09/08/2024 |
Per Year Stats (Most Recent First)
| 2024 | Injured through 2 games |
| 2023 | 12 games, 66 TKLs, 4 TFLs, 2 Sacks, 2 PBUs, 1 FF |
| 2022 | 11 games, 14 TKLs |
| 2021 | 8 games, 12 TKLS |
Player Summary:
Corey Ellington is a true senior SAF who enters the 2024 season with one year of starting experience. Typically aligned as the boundary safety in Mississippi State’s three-high safety scheme in 2023. Possesses exceptional height yet slender build with decent length. Solid athlete with quality agility, quick feet, and considerable explosiveness. Gains depth as a deep defender with a smooth backpedal to keep everything in front of him. Good at leveraging and reacting to routes in front of him in zone coverage. Great burst out of his break to close space in an instance. Plays his best in underneath zones where he can jam receivers, utilize his physicality to get off blocks, and key the mesh point for his run/pass read. An asset in run support who will explode downhill to fill running lanes and tackle the ball carrier. Works his way through trash with vision and agility to locate the ball carrier and finish the play. Tackles in space with proper pad level and good technique. Displays marginal range as a high defender; better suited in confined spaces. Moderate hip fluidity when reacting to the throw, takes time to flip around his frame and change direction. When playing underneath, he struggles to see targets in his peripheral vision and needs to take his eyes off the quarterback for extended periods of time. Has very little experience getting his hands on the football. Ordinary speed and athleticism to mirror WRs and athletic TEs vertical and across the field in man coverage. Adequate strength; has a noteworthy number of missed tackles against bigger ball carriers where he slipped off of them.
Scheme Fit:
Projects best as a rotational big nickel. Plays his best football closer to the box where he can fit out the run and play in more condensed spaces.
Power Statement:
A tall safety prospect with vision, athleticism and burst, and a physical playstyle to make plays in the passing game and excel in run support. He is a tweener lacking the range and hip fluidity to excel as a deep safety at the next level, but lacks the quick twitch to play in the slot. Can rotate in as a big nickel if he can improve his processing speed underneath in zone coverage.