Kyler Gordon Scouting Report

Washington, CB, #2

Kyler Gordon Scouting Report Measurements

5’11.5” 194 lbs.

40: 4.52

3 Cone: 6.67

Shuttle: 3.96

Vertical: 39”

Broad: 10’8”

Bench: 20 reps

Kyler Gordon NFL Draft Profile

It feels weird to write an article about how a guy with a good shot at being taken in the first round is undervalued, but that’s exactly what’s happened with Kyler Gordon. People are sleeping on him, and I think he deserves to be in the discussion with the top cornerbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

High School

Gordon attended multiple high schools, so I’m going to focus on his senior season when he attended Archbishop Murphy in Everett, Washington. He put up 841 receiving yards, 517 rushing yards and 88 passing yards. Oh, he also had 44 tackles and five interceptions. That’s right he was playing Ironman football, offense and defense. Colleges were as impressed as I was and Gordon was a four star recruit and number one football recruit in the state of Washington. To be clear, he was recruited as a cornerback. Though Gordon had nine offers including Stanford, Oregon, Nebraska and Notre Dame, he chose to remain in state and attend the University of Washington.

The Huskies

Gordon became a full time starter in 2019 and put three great seasons together, that is if you count the weird short Covid season as a season. He ended his college career with 98 total tackles, two interceptions, 14 passes defended and two forced fumbles. Gordon was a standout at Washington, that’s why he’s being talked about as a first round prospect.

Kyler Gordon Strengths

Athleticism

His 40 time is OK, obviously it’s not slow but it’s not in the sub 4.4’s like we see with some cornerbacks every year. Look at every other number he put up. They are literally all freak level numbers. A 6.67 3 cone drill? A sub 4 second shuttle? Those are track star numbers. Throw in a 39” inch vertical and 10’8” broad jump just so you know his legs are powerful on top of being freakishly quick. Just in case you aren’t blown away yet, he goes and puts up 20 bench reps. With that number I can’t see him being bullied by any wide receiver. It’s easy to see on film too, he’s got play speed. 

Intelligence

Kyler Gordon plays the game intelligently. He closes ultra quickly, because he watches the quarterback’s eyes and knows where the play is going. His background as a wide receiver helps him recognize routes, again, allowing him to know where the ball is going. Gordon reads the run well too, he’s in on the back very quickly. He’s going to have a 90’s rating in Madden in awareness.

Ball Skills

What really stands out about Gordon is his ability to high point the ball. Again, Gordon’s wide receiver background allows him to high point the ball consistently. This, of course, increases the likelihood of an interception. He’s comfortable with the ball in the air. Gordon isn’t going to panic when a pass comes his way. Finally, he shows excellent body control. He can conort his body in order to swat, or catch a ball. 

Tackling

A former wide receiver who can tackle? I guess it can happen. Gordon is a wrap up tackler, he’s not giving up many broken tackles. He’s very good in the open field, or on an island, as well. He can tackle a receiver in open space as the only guy around. He’s not afraid to run to the line to make a hit on a running back either. 

Kyler Gordon Weaknesses

Hands

Washington Huskies CB Kyler Gordon

Washington Huskies CB Kyler Gordon

Those excellent Gordon ball skills have led to too many dropped interceptions for my liking. I expect a former wide receiver to be able to come down with the pick more often. He also gets handsy with receivers at times. Those kinds of penalties will be called more at the next level. He’s a physical corner, which is great, but occasionally he’s too physical.

Kyler Gordon NFL Draft Stock

He is predicted to be a late first/early second round pick. I say he’s in the top half of the first round. I know it doesn’t seem like a big difference, but it’s the fact that there’s a seemingly large gap between him and the Sauces and Stinglys. There even seems to be a clear gap between him and teammate Trent McDuffie. Don’t get me wrong, I love McDuffie as well, I would just personally grade them as equals. 

Kyler Gordon NFL Comparison

A better run defending Adoree Jackson.

Overall Thoughts on Kyler Gordon Scouting Report

The overall theme here is that Kyler Gordon is a possible first round pick, but still undervalued. He has decent size, incredible athleticism and excellent smarts. His zone and man coverage are equally strong. Gordon can literally fit into any defense. If your team manages to grab him in the second, you should be celebrating like crazy.