Florida Atlantic cornerback D’Joun Smith is generously listed as 5’10” on his official Combine height, but he really doesn’t seem that big. Because of that, some teams may see him primarily as a nickel cover guy or situational player that should only be matched up with pass catchers his size.
However, he has shown at the college level that not only can he use his instincts and quickness to beat taller receivers to the ball, but can also finish those plays with interceptions and even touchdowns. However, the level of competition he played against at the college level will not even come close to matching the NFL’s .
There are also questions surrounding his top end speed and physical limitations. However, if given a solid shot and some great coaching at the NFL level, D’Joun Smith has the potential to be a solid cornerback in the NFL.
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 187 pounds
- Arm Length: 30 3/8″
- Hand Size: 8 1/8″
- 40 Yard Dash: 4.45 seconds
- Bench Press: 18 reps
- Vertical Jump: 36.0″
- Broad Jump: 124.0″
- 3 Cone Drill: 6.96 seconds
- 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.26 seconds
- 60 Yard Shuttle: 11.80 seconds
Draft Projection
CBS Sports currently has D’Joun Smith as their #72 overall prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft and is their #9 available cornerback. They have him projected as a second to third round selection.
NFL Player Comparison
- NFL.com: Ross Cockrell, Buffalo Bills
- CBSSports.com: Jamar Taylor, Miami Dolphins
Fit For The Vikings
Minnesota will be looking for a starting caliber cornerback opposite Xavier Rhodes in the 2015 NFL Draft as well as some depth and competition at the position.
My Take
While D’Joun Smith is a very interesting prospect because of his quickness and ball hawking ability, the questions about his overall speed and lack of height make him a poor fit for the Vikings at this point. I’m not sure if I can see him being very high on the Minnesota Big Board come draft day. Despite that, if he’s available with Minnesota’s third round pick and the team hasn’t selected a cornerback yet, I could see them pulling the trigger.
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