Tag: Kyler Gordon

3 Titans used as comparisons for 2022 NFL draft prospects

Three 2022 NFL draft prospects are drawing comparisons to current Titans.

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The 2022 NFL draft is almost finally upon us, which means we can stop speculating about what the Tennessee Titans will do with their seven selections in this year’s event.

As is the case every year, draft prospects are drawing comparisons to current NFL players, and that’s something Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield did recently.

In their article, three Titans were listed as comparisons for members of the incoming class: Treylon Burks and A.J. Brown, Kyler Gordon and Elijah Molden, and Desmond Ridder and Ryan Tannehill.

Here are the write-ups for each

Burks and Brown:

Burks is a ball-winner on the outside with the confidence needed to play receiver at a high level, and with the football in his hands he can accelerate from SEC secondaries in a flash. Those skills translate well to the NFL. I’ve said before that Burks reminds me of A.J. Brown, and I’ll stick with that comparison.

Gordon and Molden:

Gordon’s versatility, closing speed and ability to help against the run will endear him to secondary coaches and defensive coordinators at the next level. He just needs to dial back the aggression just a bit, being more patient and disciplined, and he can carve out a nice role for an NFL defense.

This is another same-school comp, and as we’ve said, comparing players to former teammates is often low-hanging fruit, but you can see parallels between his game and Elijah Molden, a former Washington defensive back now in Tennessee with the Titans.

Ridder and Tannehill

Ridder offers an NFL team what you want to see from a mental perspective, with some athleticism to boot. You put those two traits together, and you have a very strong foundation for an NFL quarterback. His growth as a passer during his time on campus should not be ignored, and in the right offensive system you could see Ridder being a solid starting quarterback early in his career, with an opportunity to become more.

At the scouting combine, Ridder told the media that he modeled his game after Ryan Tannehill, and you can certainly see that on film. You also see shades of Marcus Mariota as well. When you start connecting dots, you might be led to the Atlanta Falcons, perhaps with their pick at the top of the second round…

Interestingly enough, Gordon and Molden were teammates at Washington before the latter was drafted in 2021. Also, Ridder has been pegged as a possibility for the Titans at No. 26 overall.

Because of his similarities to Brown, Burks is my favorite receiver of the ones thought to be possibilities for the Titans late in the first round.

Just imagine having an offense with Brown, Burks and Derrick Henry simply abusing opposing defenses with their physical style of play. That would be fun to watch.

 

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2022 NFL draft: The consensus big board top-7 CB prospects

With that in mind, here are the top-seven cornerback prospects in the 2022 NFL draft according to the consensus big board.

The Seahawks secondary looks a lot stronger now than it did a year ago at this time. There is still some work to be done, though. After re-signing free safety Quandre Diggs and bringing back nickel corner Justin Coleman the other major item to take care of is finding a new starting outside cornerback to replace D.J. Reed, who signed with the Jets.

With that in mind, here are the top-seven cornerback prospects in the 2022 NFL draft according to the consensus big board.

 

2022 NFL draft: Kyler Gordon scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon

The “other” Huskies cornerback who could land in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Kyler Gordon brings his own impressive combination of athleticism and polished technique to a premium position.

Here is everything you need to know about this shutdown artist:

2022 NFL mock draft: David Dorey

The Huddle’s David Dorey releases his first NFL mock draft of 2022.

David Dorey’s first mock draft of 2022 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.

We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2022 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.

2022 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

Pick Team Pos Player School
1 Jacksonville Jaguars EDGE Aidan Hutchinson Michigan
2 Detroit Lions EDGE Travon Walker Georgia
3 Houston Texans S Kyle Hamilton Notre Dame
4 New York Jets OT Ickey Ekwonu N.C. State
5 New York Giants EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux Oregon
6 Carolina Panthers OT Evan Neal Alabama
7 New York Giants (via CHI) CB Sauce Gardner Cincinnati
8 Atlanta Falcons OT Charles Cross Mississippi State
9 Seattle Seahawks (via DEN) OT Trevor Penning Northern Iowa
10 New York Jets (via SEA) WR Treylon Burks Arkansas
11 Washington Commanders CB Derek Stingley Jr. LSU
12 Minnesota Vikings EDGE George Karlaftis Purdue
13 Houston Texans (via CLE) WR Drake London USC
14 Baltimore Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum Iowa
15 Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA) CB Trent McDuffie Washington
16 Philadelphia Eagles (via IND) WR Chris Olave Ohio State
17 Los Angeles Chargers LB Devin Lloyd Utah
18 New Orleans Saints EDGE David Ojabo Michigan
19 Philadelphia Eagles EDGE Jermaine Johnson II Florida State
20 Pittsburgh Steelers WR Garrett Wilson Ohio State
21 New England Patriots LB Nakobe Dean Georgia
22 Green Bay Packers (via LV) WR Jameson Williams Alabama
23 Arizona Cardinals CB Kyler Gordon Washington
24 Dallas Cowboys OT Tyler Smith Tulsa
25 Buffalo Bills RB Breece Hall Iowa State
26 Tennessee Titans WR Jahan Dotson Penn State
27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers OG Zion Johnson Boston College
28 Green Bay Packers OT Bernhard Raimann Central Michigan
29 Kansas City Chiefs (via MIA) WR John Metchie III Alabama
30 Kansas City Chiefs CB Andrew Booth Clemson
31 Cincinnati Bengals S Dax Hill Michigan
32 Detroit Lions (via LAR) QB Kenny Pickett Pittsburgh

Chargers Scouting Report: Washington CB Kyler Gordon

Putting Washington CB Kyler Gordon under the microscope to see if he fits the Chargers.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2022 NFL draft.

With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, I take a look at Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon.

Kyler Gordon | Washington | #2 | R-Junior | Mukilteo, WA | 5’11.5” | 194

40-yard Dash: 4.52
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Career: 2021 All Pac-12 First Team, receiving honorable mentions in his previous two seasons. Former two-way player who played running back and wide receiver in high school. Compiled 97 tackles (4.0 for loss), two interceptions, and 12 pass breakups in 29 games.

Red Flags: None

Strengths: Twitchy, flexible corner whose game is built around his athletic advantages. Proficient in press, off-man, and zone coverage as a versatile option both outside and inside. Bail technique is smooth and urgent. A suction cup to the receiver’s hip even through multiple breaks. Lateral explosion is frantic with minimal latency. Processes releases quickly in close proximity off the line. Arms extend with force and tactical intentions – doesn’t panic tug at the opponent’s jersey. Feet, hips, and head all mirror the route in one fluid motion. Mentality to eliminate vertical opportunities at all cost made him nearly impossible to stack. Competitive motor and brings the punch to matchups. Speed and evasiveness as a blitzer to shoot around obstacles and into the backfield. Can become a missile in run support. Eyes rarely betray him watching the quarterback. 

Weaknesses: Tackles with his head first, arms second. Lenient with his cushions and his bait often worked against him. Unproductive in the turnover department. 40-yard dash fails to reflect the athlete on tape. Movements are more reactive than anticipatory and overwhelmingly rides his athleticism to the whistle.

Final Word: A spontaneous cannonball with an instantaneous fuse, Kyler Gordon processes the developments in front of him a few clicks faster than his teammates. Gordon is tough to shake and boasts a resume with minimal blemishes in a premier Washington secondary. His athleticism, hip fire, and comfortability executing various coverages will allow him to slide into every NFL system. 

Fit Likelihood: High

Grade: 2nd

Film Highlights:

Gordon’s exceptional athleticism on display as he makes up ground and flies in front of the ball on a downfield throw.

Gordon with the perfect mirror of his assignment against Utah in 2020, earning him a pass breakup.

Kyler Gordon has experience on outside, but skills to dominate slot in NFL

If the Cowboys return to the CB well, it would need to be for a player who could fit, and not block, their recent picks. @CDPiglet says Gordon may be just that guy.

Jimmy Lake’s time as a coach for the Washington Huskies has produced NFL defensive backs Marcus Peters, Budda Baker, Kevin King, Byron Murphy, Taylor Rapp, Elijah Molden, Keith Taylor Jr. and this year is adding consensus first-round prospect Trent McDuffie. But of all the prospects Lake has tutored, from being a defensive backs coach, all the way up the ladder, Kyler Gordon could be the best ball of clay he’s ever produced.

The coach himself already called Gordon the most athletic he’s ever come across, and Gordon made Bruce Feldman’s 2021 Freaks list.

Gordon is a 6-foot, 200-pound ballet dancer, who has used a dance and kung-fu background to maintain his agility as he has continued to put on mass every offseason. Gordon’s 3.87 mercurial pro agility score was only .14 seconds from the record of 3.73. With the right coaching staff, Gordon could end up being the best corner in this class in five years and another good corner from the DB factory at Washington. Is that staff in Dallas?

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 44 Kyler Gordon

Washington CB Kyler Gordon is up next in Unpacking Future Packers, a countdown previewing the 2022 NFL draft for Packers Wire.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Since 2017, the Washington Huskies football program has had eight defensive backs selected during the NFL Draft.

The Huskies will add two and most likely three more to that list after the 2022 NFL Draft. Trent McDuffie, Kyler Gordon, and Brendan Radley-Hiles will all hear their names called this spring.

With the Green Bay Packers looking to bolster the depth behind Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, Gordon is a player that they could target in the upcoming draft. The UW cornerback checks in at No. 44 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

Gordon finished his career at Washington with 17 career starts. This past season Gordon recorded 46 tackles, two interceptions, and nine pass deflections.

“He’s scheme proof, you can ask him to do basically anything on the football field and he can get it done,” Roman Tomashoff, a contributor for Realdawg.com, said. “His football IQ. He learned a lot from Trent McDuffie and a lot of the other great Husky defensive backs he got to study under and will be one of the smartest players on the field at the NFL level.”

Gordon is a fluid athlete. He has loose, swivel hips. Gordon is able to flip his hips without slowing down. He has velvet feet and is able to cover receivers vertically and has great closing burst to close on routes. The Husky cornerback does a good job of staying on top of routes.

Gordon was the definition of lockdown cornerback this past season. According to Pro Football Focus, Gordon gave up zero touchdowns this past season and only allowed 243 yards in coverage.

“His footwork is arguably the best I’ve ever seen from a Husky defensive back,” Tomashoff said. “His ability to keep a receiver pressed up against the sidelines or mirror and match is next level, and he’ll be able to do anything and everything a coach asks of him.”

Gordon has springs in his shoes. The Washington cornerback can jump out of the stadium. That vertical, along with the rest of his athletic profile is a big reason why Gordon was listed on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks list for a third straight year.

“You can see his athleticism in how fluid his movement are,” Tomashoff said. “Everything looks incredibly easy on the field, and he’s been able to make it translate into everything he does on the football field, namely his explosiveness and how quickly he can break on the ball.”

With his leaping ability and length, Gordon suffocates passing lanes. While his ball production wasn’t eye-popping, Gordon has natural hands.

“He has great ball skills,” Tomashoff said. “He didn’t get tested a lot over the top, and Washington’s defense prefers to keep everything in front of them, therefore defensive backs barely get tested and aren’t able to put up huge numbers on the stat sheet.”

Gordon is afraid to stick his nose in against the run. He has a quick trigger and flies downhill like he was shot out of a cannon.

“He’s become a very good run defender,” Tomashoff said. “He’s not afraid to come downhill and tackle and is a strong tackler who doesn’t miss much in run support.”

Gordon has outside-inside versatility. He’s more experienced playing on the boundary, but he has the short-area burst and quick feet to match up with wide receivers in the slot.

“He’ll be best on the boundary,” Tomashoff said. “With his athleticism and footwork, despite measuring in at 5’11, he’ll be able to match up with anyone at the next level on the outside.”

Fit with the Packers

Gordon was a lockdown cornerback during his time at Washington. He has the athletic traits to carry that over to the NFL level.

“His ceiling is sky-high,” Tomashoff said. “I believe that Gordon has the most potential out of anyone in this class. His athleticism, potential, and the fact that he can still improve his technique make him a home run pick in my book.”

The Packers already have two lockdown cornerbacks in Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes. By drafting Gordon, the Packers would be adding a possible third one to the mix.

Gordon is scheme versatile. He can play on the boundary or in the slot. His presence could allow the Packers to kick Alexander into the slot full time and let him play the Star position for Joe Barry.

It’s possible that the Packers roll the dice on Gordon and his upside by taking him in the first round. It’s also entirely possible that he slides to them in the second round. Either way, with his athletic profile and ability to take half the field away, Gordon would be a solid selection by Brian Gutekunst.

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12 prospects who should dominate the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine

These talented prospects should put their athleticism on full display in this year’s NFL Scouting Combine

As the 2022 NFL draft draws closer, the rookie evaluation process is in full swing.

Prospects are going to do anything they can to impress NFL decision-makers, and this year’s Scouting Combine will be one of the biggest opportunities for them to do so.

In prior years, we’ve had prospects make names for themselves at the event, showing off impressive athleticism. So who will be the ones to make that happen this year?

Here are 12 players who could enhance their draft stock with big performances in Indianapolis this week:

2022 NFL Scouting Combine: Washington TE says he’s spoken with Seahawks

One prospect to watch is Cade Otton, one of Washington’s top three prospects in this year’s draft.

The Seattle Seahawks are relatively set at the tight end position, assuming they re-sign both starter Gerald Everett and backup Will Dissly, who will become unrestricted free agents in a couple of weeks. If either one walks then Seattle will be in the market for a new tight end and the 2022 NFL draft is the best place to find him.

One prospect to watch is Cade Otton, one of Washington’s top three prospects in this year’s draft along with cornberbacks Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon – who are projected to be picked in the first and second rounds respectively. Otton may still be around in the third or fourth, which could put him in the Seahawks’ range if the board falls right. Speaking with reporters today at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, Otton said that he’s already spoken with the members of the organization and would be happy to stay in Seattle.

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