Roger McCreary
CB Auburn 5-11 190 SR #23
GRADE: 90 OVR RANK: TBC POS RANK: TBC
ARM LENGTH: 28 7/8″ // HAND SIZE: 9″
40YD: 4.50 (67%) // 10YD: ( %) // VJ: ( %) // BJ: ( %)
BP: ( %) // SS: ( %)// 3C: ( %)
Projection: Will be scheme diverse at the next level due to technique/processing strength but is an easier fit as a predominantly press man CB. Draft projection: Round 2 ~ Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports
Ravens Fit: McCreary will be somewhat of a litmus test for the Ravens’ more heightened awareness of athletic measurables for defenders. He tests relatively modestly and measures with shorter than ideal arms, but, he uses his superior technique and processing to overcome that challenge. He’s a dream fit in the Ravens scheme as a player who is more comfortable in press man and though his value as a prospect likely falls short of the number 14 pick, his fit in the scheme may push him higher up the Ravens’ board than others. Would compete day 1 for a starting CB job.
Overall Fit 4/5
Context
Plays majority of time as the outside boundary corner, mostly in soft-shoe press man, off man or Cover 4.
Coverage
Very effective at the primary job of a CB – mirroring WRs in a confined area to make it difficult for the QB to target him, and when he is targeted, his ball skills allow him to make plays on the ball. There is a smooth and methodical flow to his movement in coverage, there is very little wasted movement and he has outstanding technique. He has great hip fluidity and can open up, flip his hips and change direction in general very smoothly. He has good fundamental transition and drive mechanics with no wasted steps when driving on the receivers’ breaks against all types of routes.
He is extremely efficient with his movement and has become more patient with his feet when in soft-shoe press over his career at Auburn. He combines this movement technique with excellent processing, reading route progressions and knowing when routes will break by reading the receiver, to ensure he stays in phase at all times when defending from press man. He will rarely jam at the line but when he does, he is patient with his hands and does a good job disrupting the initial portion of the route. He can also be physical through the route when appropriate and at the break-point, something he has worked on over his college career and you can see him develop this over time. This processing and technical excellence combine to form good play speed for McCreary – he is not the fastest CB but has plenty of long speed to recover when he needs to and can close quickly, though he has only average explosion.
He succeeds more with technique and processing but he can be exposed on comeback routes when he’s defending in off-man, often giving up too much cushion, even further down the field, than he can close from.
His ball skills are a hugely impressive part of his game, he doesn’t have ideal length but he makes up for it with instincts and timing. His ability to stay in phase so easily on so many different types of routes clearly helps him at the catch-point but he also doesn’t have the ideal length you’re looking for at the position so this might cause him some challenges. He overcomes those challenges with great timing and hand placement on the ball. He is always looking for the break-up, even after the catch has been seemingly secured.
Run Support and Tackling
He is very willing to engage as a run defender and will get bigger ball carriers to the ground with plenty of play strength and power. He can also be effective at shedding blocks but his angles can be a problem as a force player. He can be too conservative and give himself too much to do to make a play on the ball-carrier when he needs to.
SUMMARY
CB who stays in phase from press man always with great ball skills to disrupt the pass. Not ideal length or explosive, uses technique/processing to win consistently
PRODUCTION
SR: 1 Sack, 2 QB Hits, 53 Total Tackles, 2 INTs, 13 PBUs
JR: 40 Total Tackles, 1 FF, 3 INTs, 5 PBUs
INJURY: None
RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 3
Intelligence 4
Versatility 3
Grit 4
Scheme 5