Kaiir Elam Scouting Report: Kaiir Elam NFL Draft
Cornerback, Florida Gators, #5
Measurements
6′ 2″ / 196 lbs
40 time: Ran a 4.51 in high school. In 2020 he claimed he ran sub 4.4 to media.
Kaiir Elam Draft Profile
Kaiir Elam comes from a very athletic family. His father is Abram Elam who was a safety in the NFL for many years. His uncle is Matt Elam who also was a safety in the NFL. Matt now plays for the Tucson Sugar Skulls in the Indoor Football League.
Elam is a former 4 star recruit out of The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Florida. He was a 4-year varsity letterman for the Benjamin School football team. During his time on the team, he racked up a total of 71 tackles (55 of which were solo) and 9 interceptions. According to 247sports, these stats were good enough to attract 41 Division I offers.
Elam struggled out of the gate for the Gators his freshman year. Only getting 8 total tackles (6 solo), 3 passes defended and 2 interceptions. But his sophomore year, he bounced back and had an incredible season. He had a total of 39 tackles, 11 passes defended and 2 interceptions. This is the kind of efficiency you want to see from an early first round draft pick. So far this year he has kept that going.
When watching the Florida vs. Alabama game, I couldn’t help but realize that whenever the ball was thrown in Elam’s direction, it was either deflected or he made a tackle to stop the receiver in his tracks. If you want to watch some good film on Elam, I recommend you watch that game.
Strengths
Active Hands
Florida Gators DB Kaiir Elam.
Not only is Elam one of the hardest corners to line up against in the country because of his speed, when the ball is thrown in his direction he makes it almost impossible to catch. As mentioned earlier he put this on display against Alabama. Look at when he lined up against one of the best receivers in the nation, John Metchie III. Given that Metchie III is the primary target on that Crimson Tide offense, Elam was not scared to get physical and use his hands to deflect the ball away every time it got near him.
Elam isn’t just good with his hands when the ball is thrown to the receiver he is covering. He is also very good at hand fighting with the receiver at the line of scrimmage. By doing this, he is either forcing the receiver off of his route or delaying the route. Either way, he does a fantastic job of disrupting the flow of any offense that he faces.
Vision
Elam’s ability to read the quarterback’s eyes is what makes him so special. Not only is he good at seeing where the QB is looking, it is almost like he knows exactly where the ball is going to be placed. If I were an opposing QB, I would not even risk throwing the ball in Elam’s direction unless I throw a no-look pass like Patrick Mahomes.
Elam also has very good field vision and awareness. He knows where he is at and is aware of every receiver that is around him. This is another reason why opposing quarterbacks must hate playing against him because he knows where everyone is at all times.
Speed
Elam’s ability to line up against any receiver in the nation, and keep up with them, is what makes his draft stock rise every season. If I were a coach in the NFL, I would put Elam on the fastest opposing receiver every game, even a fantastic route runner like Davante Adams. This is because his quick feet rarely allow him to get left in the dust. But, if that were to happen, he has enough straight-line speed to make up ground and make a play on the ball.
Quick Feet
As mentioned earlier, Elam has fantastic speed. That speed would be worthless if he could not change directions on a dime. A corner of his caliber needs to have the ability to change direction at any given moment. This is because the wide receivers in the NFL are very unpredictable. Corners can’t afford to give them any space to work with.
Press Coverage
Florida Gators CB Kaiir Elam.
When I first started watching film on Elam, I couldn’t help but realize how good he is in press coverage. I had no idea how effective he actually was until another one of our analysts pointed out to me that one PFF metric has him allowing less than .5 yards per snap while in press coverage. This is one of the most insane stats that I have ever heard in my history of watching college football.
What makes him so effective in press coverage is his speed and shiftiness. In order for him to be effective at the next level he has to be unstoppable in press coverage. This is because if he is beaten off the snap, even with his recovery speed, many receivers in the NFL will be too far gone to catch up.
Wide Receiver History
Elam played wide receiver and cornerback in high school. I know this does not necessarily set him apart physically from the rest of the corners in the draft. However, having played both sides of the ball probably helps him with his football IQ especially when lined up against one of the top receivers in college.
Size and Length
With Elam standing at 6’2” this already gives him an advantage over all of the other corners in the 2022 NFL Draft. What is even scarier for college offenses is the fact that he plays even taller than that deep down the field. His vertical allows him to go up and contest balls against players who are known as vertical threats. That is what makes him a one of a kind prospect. His blend of speed and size allow him to line up against any type of receiver.
Weaknesses
Helping in the Run Game
Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam.
If Elam wants to be an unstoppable force in the NFL, he needs to improve on shedding blocks and helping in the run game. Although his length and frame are a strength when in coverage, it can be a weakness when stopping the run. This is the case because when you are getting blocked by a tight end that is much bigger than you, you need to be able to shed the block and make a play on the runner. Although he does not have the strength to shed blocks, as mentioned multiple times in this report he has the speed to make a play. So, if he strictly uses his quick feet to his advantage in the run game, he will be one of the most versatile corners in the NFL.
Draft Stock
Every time I watch Elam’s game film, his draft stock just keeps rising. His ability to make a play on any ball that comes towards him can only be compared to one other player in this draft class, and that is Derek Stingley Jr. If the draft were to happen right now, I would feel comfortable picking him in the mid 1st round. One team that I think would be a perfect fit for Elam to play for would be the Raiders. This would be a good fit because although their secondary keeps improving, he would fit that mold and make an instant impact.
Final Thoughts on Kaiir Elam
Elam is one of the best coverage corners that I have seen step foot on a college football field. His active hands and vision are skills that are very hard to coach especially to a player of his caliber. This has to make a lot of NFL coaches very excited to see. His speed and athleticism is what also separates him from the rest of the crowd in the 2022 NFL Draft. Overall, I think that Elam will have an instant impact on any team that he joins because he is such a rare talent.
Kaiir Elam Scouting Report by Matthew Lewis
