Our midweek edition of Ravens links will profile one of the Ravens’ potential draft targets, aggregating what all of the draft experts are saying about that prospect throughout the media. Today, we’ll find out what the experts are saying about the player who will likely be the second player off the board, Vernon Hargreaves III.
Vernon Hargreaves Draft Profile – NFL.com
Grade:Â 6.7
Overview:Â “Hargreaves not only earned first-team All-SEC honors in all three of his seasons in Gainesville, but also lined up multiple All-American honors in 2014 (three interceptions, 13 pass breakups) and 2015 (four interceptions, four pass break-ups) due to his playmaking ability.”
Strengths: “Premier, quick twitch athlete with explosion pulsing through his hips and feet. Instant click-Âand-Âclose action to explode forward and attack the throw. Vertical springs to go up and over receivers at the high point. Smooth, controlled backpedal…Plays with outstanding body control and balance. Feet are electric. Can overwhelm lesser opponents across from him. Instinctive and urgent in his play. Excels from press, off or zone coverage. Fiery competitor with a strong desire to own the pass. Has quick, soft hands…Unwilling to stay blocked and doesn’t hesitate for one moment in run support and against wide receiver screens. Chest-up tackler who runs through his target.”
Weaknesses: “Lean, wiry frame. Aggressive nature allows teams to bait him with double moves. Quicker than fast and doesn’t have closing speed to make mistakes underneath and still recover on top. Allowed 16.5 yards per completion this season. Scouts worry about his height outside. Big receivers will pose a challenge on the next level.”
NFL Comparison:Â Joe Haden
Bottom line: “While scouts have voiced some concerns about Hargreaves’ size and recovery speed, you won’t find anyone who doesn’t admire his competitiveness and consistency of production. Hargreaves has a level of suddenness and explosiveness in his movements that should always have him near the ball.”
-Lance Zierlein
Vernon Hargreaves Scouting Report – Walter Football
Strengths: “Recoverability, Instincts, Smart, Avoids penalties, Strong run defender, Tough tackler at times, Special teams contributor: returner and cover, High-character individual, Good teammate; coach’s son, Instincts, Upside”
Weaknesses: “Doesn’t always play up to this size, Gets beat on more 50-50 jump balls than he should, Can give up separation deep to fast receivers, Seemed to be protecting himself as a junior”
Summary: “Entering the 2015 season, Hargreaves looked like he could be a special cornerback prospect, and I thought he could be the best corner prospect since Patrick Peterson in the 2011 NFL Draft. Hargreaves was a star as a freshman and sophomore, and while his junior year wasn’t bad, it looked like he was protecting himself and his NFL hopes. As a result, Hargreaves’ play suffered, and late in the year, he really seemed to be slumping. That being said, Hargreaves still is an NFL-ready corner who could be a No. 1 corner as a pro…
“In speaking with scouts, they say those issues are minor in the grand scheme of Hargreaves as a player. They love his ability to run with receivers and keep them from getting open. They say that, immediately, Hargreaves is going to be better than the vast majority of receivers in the NFL.
Sources say that Hargreaves gets high marks off the field. He is a good worker, teammate and high-character individual. For the 2016 NFL Draft, sources project Hargreaves to go in the first round. By the sound of it, they look at him as more of a top-20 prospect rather than a top five-pick like Peterson.”
– Charlie Campbell
Vernon Hargreaves Scouting Report – DraftWire by USA Today
Strengths: “Much stronger than his slight frame appears, very effective in press, Stays low in his pedal with no wasted motion bursting back to the ball, Good route recognition and awareness in zone coverage, Active, high-effort defender in run support, Quickness to slip blocks and defend the perimeter, Smart, instinctive player, Tough, competitive defender who plays with excellent intensity”
Weaknesses: “Small, narrow frame with short arms that lack bulk, Can get knocked off balance by bigger/stronger receivers, Needs to get his head around more often vertically”
Analysis: “While I’d be fine with Hargreaves on the outside, his technical skill and quickness would make for an excellent slot corner, which is basically a starter in today’s NFL. Hargreaves presence could allow a defense to mix coverages as well, as he played press, off-man, and plenty of zone at Florida. He’s experienced, well-rounded, technically strong, active in run support, and possesses fluid man coverage skills. Tough to pass up on that package in the first round, regardless of size concerns.”
– Jon Ledyard
RSR Take
There seems to consensus among all three that Vernon Hargreaves biggest weakness is his tendency to let up big plays, both on jump balls and by way of the double move. Based on what we know about Jalen Ramsey, Hargreaves would likely be second fiddle.
Still, in the likely scenario that Ramsey isn’t available with the 6th pick, there are plenty of worse picks than Vernon Hargreaves, and he offers ability from the slot, an area where the Ravens are in need with Webb’s status uncertain and the Ravens’ desire to play him at the safety position.
If Laremy Tunsil, Joey Bosa, and Jalen Ramsey are gone before the Ravens pick, Vernon Hargreaves could be the best player available to the Ravens.
