Tyrique Stevenson Draft Profile and Scouting Report

 

Tyrique Stevenson Scouting Report: Cornerback, Miami Hurricanes, #2

 

2023 NFL Draft Measurements

6’0” / 214 lbs.

Tyrique Stevenson 40-Time – 4.40

 

Tyrique Stevenson NFL Draft Profile

Stevenson is a former 5-star recruit out of Miami Southridge High School in Homestead, Florida. According to 247sports, Stevenson was the fourth-best player in the state of Florida. The players he was ranked behind were Nolan Smith, Trey Sanders, and Evan Neal. He was also the third-best corner in the nation, behind only Derek Stingley Jr., and Andrew Booth. While achieving this status, he received offers from 29 division I programs. After only visiting Florida, Auburn, Miami and Georgia, he decided to take his talent to Athens.

In his first season at Georgia, he played in 9 games. Throughout those games, he had 9 solo tackles, 1 sack, and 5 PBUs. Although this season was a solid introduction to college football, he still had room to grow. In his 2nd season, he had 22 solo tackles and 5 PBUs. After playing two seasons with the Bulldogs, he decided to enter the transfer portal and play for the Hurricanes. In his first season with the Hurricanes, he had 29 solo tackles, 1 interception, and 4 PBUs. Finally, this past season, he had 18 solo tackles, 2 interceptions, and 7 PBUs.

 

Strengths

Play Strength

When lined up in press coverage, Stevenson puts on displays his amazing play strength. He has a strong punch that allows him to knock the defenders back at the line of scrimmage. On routes to the outside, he can keep his hand on the receiver which forces them toward the sideline. This limits the amount of space that the receiver has to work with and puts him in the perfect position to break up the pass. When defending routes in the middle of the field, Stevenson is good at going through the receiver to deflect the pass. His play strength also allows him to pack a punch when tackling anywhere on the field.

Man Coverage

Tyrique Stevenson is at his best when he is playing in man coverage. When lined up in coverage, he does a good job of keeping his pad level low and his hips loaded. After the ball is snapped, he is good at mirroring his target throughout their route stem. When they reach the top of their route stem, he does a good job of anticipating their break and staying with them. Then, throughout the play, he can quickly get and keep leverage. Stevenson is also good at changing direction on a dime. This is because of his ability to keep his hips low and take off in the same direction as the receiver. He also shows off his quick hips when defending deep routes because he can flip his hips 180 degrees and take off down the field.

His top speed also allows him to stay with most receivers when defending these routes. This will allow him to easily transition to the NFL and have an instant impact. When lined up in soft man coverage, he does a good job of not being too far away and allowing an easy catch. But if he does need to quickly close out on a receiver, he has the acceleration to do so and even break up the pass.

Athleticism

When watching his film, it became clear very quickly that Stevenson is a natural athlete. He is a great athlete across the board. Whether it is his agility, speed, or even body control. As I have mentioned several times already, I am impressed with Stevenson’s hip mobility. When in coverage, he can quickly change direction on a dime and stay glued to the receiver’s hip. Prior to the snap, he does an amazing job of keeping his pad level low. This allows him to punch the receiver and knock them back at the line. If he bails out in press coverage, he also shows amazing balance when backpedaling. This allows him to quickly react to the route break and be in the right position.

Instincts

The one aspect of Stevenson’s game that stood out to me the most is his football IQ and instincts. When in man coverage, he does a very good job of anticipating where the receiver is going to break. He then uses his quick reactions to make a break on the route and make a play on the ball if it comes his way. Stevenson also has an understanding of how to consistently win matchups. He has a strong understanding of when he should jam a receiver and when he should bail out.

Weaknesses

Zone Coverage

When watching Stevenson in zone coverage, I was not impressed whatsoever. He does a good job of quickly navigating to his zone, but once he gets there he looks lost. Stevenson lacks the awareness needed to properly cover his zone and keep an eye on the QB. When looking at the QB, he also has a tendency to keep his eye on him for too long. This allows receivers to find holes in his coverage and make an uncontested catch. I watched this happen at all levels of zone coverage, which makes me believe that he completely lacks the ability to be effective in zone.

Tyrique Stevenson Draft Stock

As of today, nflmockdraftdatabase has Stevenson ranked as the 61st best prospect in the draft and going in the 2nd round. After watching countless hours of his film, I would have to agree with that ranking. Out of the 2023 cornerback class, I have Stevenson ranked as the eighth best which is one spot above Deonte Banks. This ranking makes me believe that he will go anywhere from 50-64.

Final Thoughts on Tyrique Stevenson Scouting Report

Tyrique Stevenson was one of the most entertaining DBs to watch this past season. He is amazing in man coverage due to his ability to use his physicality, speed, and instincts to make a play. Although he is a tremendous athlete, I have concerns about his versatility going forward. But, he has a lot of tools needed to be successful in the NFL and that is why he got invited to the Senior Bowl. Although he did not make my Senior Bowl watchlist, he would have been one of the honorable mentions. After his performance at the Senior Bowl, his draft stock has gone up tremendously. I am curious to see how he does at the NFL Combine and if his stock will go up even more.

Tyrique Stevenson Player Comparison

When watching his film, he reminds me a lot of Paulson Adebo. Their frames are similar and they are good at jamming receivers at the line. But the similarity that really stood out to me was the fact that they are both very good at recognizing route times.

 

 

Tyrique Stevenson Scouting Report and Player Profile Analyst – Matthew Lewis