2022 Chiefs Draft Prospect: Alontae Taylor

Coverage Skills

Ideally, Taylor may have more overall comfort in man coverage, as things currently stand. He is sufficient and effective as a press man coverage corner. Not only can he disrupt routes early as we mentioned above. On top of that, Taylor is able to flip his hips quickly and carry routes all the way down the field. He has shown a great understanding of coverage spacings, landmarks and body positioning.

In off-man coverage, Taylor is able to flash suddenness and speed when working downhill. There is still more polish needed in those moments. For example, getting out of his backpedal more cleanly on occasion is needed at the next level against NFL level speed. Taylor is still very urgent when working downhill or when playing balls in front of him, though.

Despite his success in man coverage, one should not discredit Taylor’s improvements in zone coverage. Showing an ability to adjust in space has flashed more often. To boot, Taylor has become more comfortable in tight areas and when needing to gain early leverage on larger receivers.

Athleticism

There is little to no stiffness in this defender’s game. The combination of change of direction skills, flexibility and lateral mobility that Taylor possesses will serve him well as a younger player making the transition to the NFL game. On the flip side, his spatial awareness appeared to be steadily improving throughout his time at Tennessee. It is easy to see how fluid he is while in coverage, which is major against different sizes of opposing receivers. That is largely due to the long speed, foot fire and click and close ability of Taylor.

Length

Length at the cornerback position is obviously highly coveted by NFL teams. You either have it, or you don’t. There is a bit of sneakiness to Taylor’s game in this area, however. He uses quick, subtle jabs to attempt to frustrate opposing receivers at the line of scrimmage. The same kind of temperament is used when carrying routes down the field. But most of all, Taylor adds much more force when extending his arms at the catch point.

Versatility

Taylor played the majority of his snaps at the outside cornerback spot for Tennessee. Notably, he was not limited to playing on just one side of the field like some college cornerbacks are. Taylor was able to gain more experience while playing in the slot in recent years too. His mirroring ability in coverage is steady in each spot. While most people will focus on his stats or results at each spot, the growth in different coverages is what pops in this area. He proved that he could handle any coverage concept for the Volunteers. That is a trait that should suit him well, as Taylor gains more seasoning and coaching at the next level.

Football IQ

It was impressive how little, if ever, that Taylor actually bit on double moves or pump fakes from the opposing offense. His read and react ability is quite well-rounded for a player who is still early on in playing the cornerback position. This is mainly on plays where he is working downhill. Elsewhere, more fine tuning will be needed against passes in the deeper portions of the field. There can occasionally be moments where Taylor is late to find the football in those areas. The same can be said for his adjustments at the catch point, especially if he is unable to infuse his physicality.

Ball Skills

I would not say that Taylor is incapable of playing the football consistently at the catch point. There is just more comfort and confidence when working against routes downhill. You see him jump throwing lanes and routes with plays like this.

Less often, there are results for Taylor in the deeper areas so far. A lot of that is once again attributed to late reactions and more polish needed on adjustments when looking to find the football. More growth will serve him well in this area. However, the technique and athleticism combination could allow for plenty of chances at making plays on the football early on at the NFL level.

Tackling

There are many items to improve upon in this area for Taylor. First off, he is generally too high when coming in to make the tackle. Lowering that strike zone would be a great start. Taylor does not come in with much force either. This allows for ball carriers or pass catchers to bounce off of contact easier than what you would hope for. Lastly, Taylor often loses his balance and base early on during the tackle attempt. There is basically nothing to support him when that occurs.

CHIEFS FIT

There are a few items that make Alontae Taylor an initial fit with the Kansas City Chiefs. His ability to press at the line of scrimmage, quick transitions in zone coverage, physicality and length would certainly appeal to the style that the team has gravitated towards in recent years. The team has also had specific success on cornerbacks who are projects or unfinished products.

That is not to say that Taylor does not provide a significant impact in many areas. However, he has an opportunity to add more experience at the position. Taylor’s path of steady growth from reserve role to trustable starter in college could be something similar to what he could slide into with a contender like the Chiefs.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs draft prospect profiles throughout this winter and spring. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.