Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Scouting Report and NFL Draft Player Profile
2023 NFL Draft Measurements
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson 40-Yard Dash Time – 4.30
5’9” / 180 lbs.
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Draft Profile
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is a former 3-star recruit out of Midway High School in Waco, Texas. Many of you football fans will recognize the last name, Tomlinson. That is because Tre’Vius is the nephew of College Football and NFL Hall of Fame running back Ladainian Tomlinson. According to 247sports, Hodges-Tomlinson was the 157th-best player in Texas. He was also the 104th-best safety in the nation. While achieving this status, he received offers from four Division I programs. These programs include Texas State, Kansas State, Baylor, and TCU. After knowing who his uncle is, it was easy to predict where he was going to commit and that was exactly the case. He committed to play for TCU only 4 days after receiving the scholarship.
According to ESPN, Hodges-Tomlinson got a few snaps as a true freshman in 2019. In those snaps, he recorded 7 solo tackles and one pass deflection. During his 2020 season, he had significantly more snaps and recorded 14 solo tackles and 13 pass deflections. As a junior in 2021, he played in 12 games and recorded 32 solo tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and 7 pass deflections. Finally, prior to the National Championship game, he has 38 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 interceptions, and 14 pass deflections.
Strengths
Athleticism
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson could be the most athletic cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft Class. He has elite acceleration and top speed that allows him to keep up with any receiver in the nation. When the ball is snapped, he does a good job of keeping his hips low, allowing him to quickly backpedal while staying balanced. His foot speed while backpedaling allows him to stay with the opposing receiver during their route stem. When the receiver makes a break in his route, he can quickly flip his hips open and stay glued to their hip. If the ball is thrown under him, he can quickly accelerate and close out on the targeted receiver. His explosiveness helps him jump the route and deflect a pass in the middle of the field.
Fluid Hips
As I briefly mentioned above, Hodges-Tomlinson is very good at quickly flipping his hips open at the top of route stems. When the receiver makes a cut toward the inside, he does a good job of mirroring their movement. This allows him to stay glued to their hip, making it easier to make a play on the ball. When defending against vertical routes, he shows that he is very good at flipping his hips 180 degrees out of a backpedal. After flipping his hips, he relies on his elite athleticism to stay with the receiver.
High Motor
Many people first recognize how athletic Hodges-Tomlinson is when they first see him play. When I first watched his film, the first thing that stood out to me was his high motor. In every play I watched, it seemed that he gave 110% even if he lost his assignment. When making tackles against bigger receivers, he shows incredible aggression and makes sure that his tackles pack a punch. If he loses his balance when in coverage, he can quickly recover and catch up to the receiver almost effortlessly.
Versatility
Although Hodges-Tomlinson primarily lines up on the outside at TCU, he has the skills to line up anywhere in coverage. Given his lack of size, he will likely slide down to the slot in the NFL. This would allow him to line up against receivers of similar size. Hodges-Tomlinson has also played a decent amount of snaps lined up in the box. In many of these plays, he has shown glimpses of being an effective run-stopper in the 2nd level. He could also occasionally line up on the defensive line in corner blitz schemes. His speed allows him to quickly get past a blocker before they even get their hands on him. This would pressure the QB and hopefully force them to make a mistake.
Weaknesses
Size
The biggest concern that I have surrounding Hodges-Tomlinson’s game is his lack of size. He stands at 5’9” and weighs 180 lbs. making him significantly smaller than most NFL corners. His lack of size hinders his ability to consistently win on the outside against bigger receivers. This makes me believe that he would be best fit to play in the slot at the next level. His small frame also hinders his ability to be a threat in the run game. This is because he often gets absorbed by the opposing blocker and can’t leave the middle of their body. Hodges-Tomlinson also lacks the play strength needed to make tackles against bigger receivers on the outside.
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Draft Stock
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson could potentially be one of the most talented corners in this draft class. If he had a slightly bigger frame, I would have him graded as a late 1st-rounder. But after considering everything that brings to the table, I think he will go in the 3rd round.
Final Thoughts on Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson
As I have mentioned several times in this article, Hodges-Tomlinson may be the most athletic cornerback prospect in the nation. He has elite acceleration and top speed that allows him to keep up with any receiver. He also has very fluid hips that allow him to change directions on a dime at the top of route stems. His quick hips also allow him to flip out of his backpedal and take off down the field. Hodges-Tomlinson also has a very high motor that in a way reminds me of the high motor that his uncle had. Given his lack of size and strength, he will likely slide down to the slot in the NFL. This would allow him to lock down the middle of the field against smaller receivers.
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Player Comparison
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson reminds me a lot of former Houston Cougar Marcus Jones. Although they have similar skill sets, Hodges-Tomlinson is overall more athletic and has more upside to his game.
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Scouting Report and Player Profile Analyst – Matthew Lewis
