Jalen Hoover Scouting Report: 2022 NFL Draft Prospect Report

 

Defensive Back, Idaho Vandals # 25

 

Measurements

5’ 9” / 175 lbs

40 Time: 4.39-4.4 range prediction

 

Jalen Hoover NFL Draft Profile

Jalen Hoover isn’t a name you would have heard on ESPN all season, but he is a player with heart. I tend to love players with heart. It wasn’t until one of our other analysts wrote up Idaho Safety Tyrese Dedmon, that I noticed the undersized DB. Hoover played his high school ball in Mississippi at Northwest Rankin High.

During his time at Northwest Rankin, Hoover would be a three year letter winner and a member of the ALL-State team as a senior. That year he helped lead them to a 10-3 record while producing 46 tackles and adding 3 INT’s. Hoover was also a stand out on the track team recording a long jump over 19 feet in 2014. He would earn a 2 star ranking from 247Sports and choose to play football for the Idaho Vandals as they were at the time a D-1 school.

 

College

After joining the Vandals he would contribute from day one. As a freshman he would play in all 12 games and continue to show his toughness year after year. Although he has a small frame, he rarely missed time in college. There’s something to be said about a guy who seems to play above his weight class at times. As a sophomore, he would start all 11 of his teams’ games and also block 2 punts, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

His junior season would have him finish fourth on the team with 50 tackles as well as lead the team with 10 passes broken up. Hoover would have an odd senior year as covid would break the Vandals season into two separate events, but he would still earn second team All-Big Sky honors in the spring.

 

Jalen Hoover Strengths

 

Versatility

Hoover doesn’t have the build to play outside corner in the NFL, yet he did it in college. On multiple occasions you would see him matched up against a much taller receiver. To my surprise I rarely saw him get bullied on the film. He loves to stand his ground and plays with what I would say is “ A chip on his shoulder.”

Hoover has seen time at safety from time to time as well. He comes up and puts a bigger hit on the ball carrier than you would assume. At times I thought of him as a smaller Bob Sanders. He could fill in at safety if a team was in a pinch, but I wouldn’t rely on him there for the long haul. I feel he would fit well as a tough nosed slot corner in the mold of Kenny Moore of the Colts.

 

Toughness & Heart

 

As I have already mentioned, Jalen isn’t the biggest guy on the field, however he plays bigger. I see him deliver some hits that shake him up, but he continues to play snap after snap. He doesn’t shy away from contact. If you watch him play, you will see him play through some pain and stay on the field. A quality I really like in a player as we tend to see less and less of it now days.

He has legitimate heart to go along with his toughness. Not only does he show it on the field, but he continues to persevere off the field. Although he earned no All-Star game invitations, I think he should have. He is currently training at Michael Johnson Performance, the same training facility that prepped Terrace Marshall, Jerry Jeudy, and Rashaan Gary in recent years.

He also shows his heart off the field in the way he gives back. Hoover has been recognized by regional news outlets for his efforts to help during the Covid crisis. The young man went out of his way to help others and prepare test kits for the community.

 

Tracks Receivers Well

When watching Hoover play, I see him stay with receivers well. He does a good job turning his hips and reacting to their routes. I don’t see him get beat often. When you do see him give up a catch, he tends to be there to make the tackle immediately. I started to wonder if he was just a better athlete than his FCS counterparts, but he hangs tough against the better competition he played as well. Against Indiana, when he was on Fryfogle, he stifled their star receiver.

 

Tackling

 

One wouldn’t think of a player of his stature as a sure tackler, but he is. He may need to add some strength, but when he wraps the ball carrier up he is able to take them down. He uses a bit of a hawk tackling technique.

I know I probably sound like a broken record about this, but the little guy can throw his weight around well. I see some plays where he delivers big hits and I love it. If he plays in the slot, receivers have to fear him over the middle even though he is undersized. Here is a quick highlight reel from his junior year.

 

Special Teams

After speaking with Hoover, I get a sense that he prides himself on special teams play too. He has some blocked punts on his stat sheet, and he likes to think of Ed Reed when it comes to blocking punts. Idaho utilized him as a gunner as well. He could be a real asset to an NFL team on the special teams similar to Matthew Slater of the Patriots. I believe his contribution on special teams is where teams should really take a look.

 

Jalen Hoover Weaknesses

 

Played Lower Level Talent

There isn’t a ton of film on Hoover against D-1 players, so it always leaves the question of how he would play against top caliber talent. I believe he is a more than adequate athlete, but I’m not sure if he can be elite. He is working to try and get his 40 time down into the high 4.3 range, so it’s probably safe to assume he’s pretty athletic. I also mentioned that he had a 19 foot long jump in high school, so he possesses good burst and acceleration ability which is apparant when he reacts on the field.

 

Size

Standing at 5’ 9” and tipping the scales at 175, Hoover leaves something to be desired. I don’t think a training staff can make him taller, but they can help add some muscle to his frame. I wouldn’t be surprised if a team bulked him up 10 pounds. Playing in the NFL he will want that cushion when delivering hits and taking them.

 

Jalen Hoover Draft Stock

If you google Jalen Hoover mock draft, you don’t see much regarding him being drafted. That being said, Hoover is a player teams should take a look at and see if he is a good fit. As a GM, I would take interest in a player with his character and intangibles in the back of the draft. At the very least, I’d be offering him an undrafted contract to see what he can do.

 

Final Thoughts on Jalen Hoover Scouting Report

With the NFL draft getting closer and closer everyday, teams need to be digging for every diamond in the rough. Is Hoover the next Jalen Ramsey? The answer is no, but is he a late round gem or an undrafted free agent who can make an impact? Yes, he has great potential. To all the teams who really focus on special teams greatness please look at this young man. With a couple years of learning he may even grow into a solid slot corner at the NFL level.

Player Comparison: Kenny Moore, of the Indianapolis Colts. Moore is an undersized corner as well, but has shown the league size isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Just like Hoover will have to do, Moore had to earn it and start from the bottom. Moore is a pro-bowl quality player and I believe Hoover has some of the same characteristics.