Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents enters the 2023 NFL Draft with a number of the most spectacular measurables within the class. A switch from Iowa, Brents earned an abundance of accolades in 2022, being named to the All-Huge 12 first group by his coaches, and All-Huge 12 second group by the Related Press. Brents’ efforts landed him on the Jim Thorpe Award watch listing for the most effective defensive again in faculty soccer.
Strengths of CB Julius Brents
Brents’ measurement and size instantly bounce off the display. A bodily gifted 6’3, 198-pound cornerback, Brents understands find out how to make the most of his pure skills to his benefit. Brents makes use of his imposing body to be disruptive on the line of scrimmage. Brents throws off a receiver’s timing in press-coverage conditions by jamming them up and forcing them to change their launch.
Brents’ bodily instruments are evident on the catch level. Brents’ 34-inch arms (98th percentile) and 9.625-inch palms (83rd percentile) assist him compete for the soccer when opposing quarterbacks take a look at his protection skills. Ball expertise have been a query mark for Brents heading into the 2022 marketing campaign, however he responded to these criticisms by recording a career-high 4 interceptions.
Brents can be a keen participant within the run sport. He’s extraordinarily bodily and by no means shies away from contact. Brents willingly sheds from would-be blocking receivers on the boundary and pursues the ball-carrier. Brents closes downhill and doesn’t take run-game reps off. Collegiate cornerbacks don’t at all times like to sort out, however Brents is a uncommon breed in that division. It’s a trait that can endear itself to Brents’ place coaches.
Weaknesses of cornerback Julius Brents
Brents’ body screams man-coverage cornerback, however his long-speed stays a query mark. Brents didn’t put forth many disappointing outcomes on the NFL Scouting Mix (extra on that shortly), however his 4.53 within the 40-yard sprint was a Thirty sixth-percentile end result. A deeper dive into the context doesn’t assist Brents’ case. His 10-yard break up of 1.57 was a Forty first-percentile end result.
There are cases on tape the place receivers managed to separate from Brents vertically in consequence. It led to Brents getting grabby now and again, which may result in defensive cross interference calls. A positional transfer to security might be throughout the realm of risk for Brents, though it’s largely a projection seeing that he lacks reps at security.
2023 NFL Scouting Mix outcomes for Julius Brents
Brents was a standout performer on the NFL Scouting Mix. Brents’ explosion was on show by way of a 41.5-inch vertical bounce (96th percentile) and 11’6 broad bounce (99th percentile). Brents’ aforementioned 4.53 end result within the 40-yard sprint left some to be desired, however a 6.63 3-cone (93rd percentile) showcased elite change-of-direction means.
Brents’ ends in Indianapolis led to a Relative Athletic Score of 9.99, inserting him in actually elite territory. Brents’ MockDraftable athletic comparisons consists of success tales like Jalen Ramsey, Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II. All three are thought-about elite cornerbacks in in the present day’s NFL. Cornerbacks with comparable athletic outcomes that did not develop are Gareon Conley, Derek Thomas and Justin Layne.
What others are saying about Julius Brents
Lance Zierlein of NFL.Com had the next to say:
Brents is a basic zone cowl nook with an excellent mix of measurement, size and leaping means. He has the disruptive traits to reroute the discharge and the canine in him to deal with his enterprise in run help. He can play some press-man on a vertical airplane however lacks the top-end pace and sample matching to play in that scheme full-time. Brents wants to take care of eye self-discipline from zone however has the ball expertise to win a battle for the cross when he’s in place. Whereas he’s prone to be focused within the draft as a zone-based nook, he has the instincts and demeanor to make a transfer to security if wanted.
Brents is well-positioned to make a right away influence for a zone-coverage primarily based protection. You would like Brents’ skill-set leaned extra favorably to man-coverage conditions, however that’s simply not his sport. General, Brents’ uncommon measurables ought to place him in advantageous positions on the subsequent degree.