Four 2020 NFL Draft sleepers for the Vikings to consider
By Luke Parrish
Javon Hagan – S (Ohio)
- Height: 6-foot
- Weight: 215 pounds
To kick things off, let me introduce you to my favorite player in this draft. Javon Hagan is a versatile, do-it-all safety for the Ohio Bobcats. He is a four-year starter for the Bobcats and he has been the leader of the defense since taking over.
As a freshman in 2016, Hagan was a dominant force. He had five forced fumbles, three interceptions, and 10 pass breakups.
In 2019, Hagan led the team with 99 tackles and added five pass breakups and 3.0 TFLs. His collegiate career included 313 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, 26 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, and six interceptions.
Hagan is one of the most productive safeties heading into the 2020 draft, but he has not seen much hype. Let’s get to know him a little more.
Strengths
Versatility is always a beneficial trait to have. The more you can do, the better. Hagan can help a defense in so many ways, from being a menace in run support to being a cover guy down the field.
He can force turnovers when the team needs it most and he is at his best when he is playing downhill and can utilize his closing speed. He is a heat-seeking missile as he nears the line of scrimmage which allows him to put some power into his hits and keep ball-carriers from coming back to him.
Hagan is a very strong tackler who can wrap up or lower the shoulder. As the last line of defense, safeties have to be able to slow down the offense.
I also love how instinctive Hagan has been for the Bobcats. He has the athleticism to make almost any play on the field, but his instincts put him in prime position. He breaks on passes, shoots gaps, and finds the ball regardless of where he lines up. That said, Hagan has lined up as a deep safety, in the box, and as a nickel corner, so, once again, his versatility comes to mind.
Hagan has been recognized for his strong play on the field. He was named to the All-MAC First-Team for the second year in a row. Hagan is also the only defensive back in Ohio Bobcats history to make the First-Team more than once. In total, Hagan earned All-MAC honors in all four seasons as a starter.
Weaknesses
No prospect is perfect and Hagan certainly has his fair share of concerns and questions. For starters, he is not the quickest defensive back in the world. While he plays fast, his long-range speed and quickness are not great. Part of that can be attributed to his relatively stiff lower body that slows down his change of direction.
Being versatile may actually deter some NFL teams too because they will not be able to find a home in their defense for Hagan. While I disagree, I do think it is a justifiable question to have.
Since he moved around so much at Ohio, teams will struggle to know where he was at his best on the field. The Vikings have already had some success with a defensive back without a positional home in Jayron Kearse. Could they look to find a similar player in Hagan?