Robert Longerbeam 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Rutgers Scarlet Knights CB

Tale Of The Tape

Longerbeam is a plus athlete who offers good energy and instincts to his new team. He’s produced a lot of ball production in the way of pass coverage and forced fumbles while serving as primarily an outside cornerback. However, his size profile creates a conflict that may limit his upside and make him a matchup-specific player. 

In coverage, Longerbeam is most effective with zone coverage opportunities to use his vision and transitional quickness to attack targets. He has the foot speed to stop quickly and redirect while also possessing good short-area explosiveness.

He’ll need every bit of it with his weight and frame. As a space player, Longerbeam does check the box. He can be less sturdy in man coverage, both at the top of routes and when trying to defend against vertical shots. As a press or bump player in the contact window, he’ll transition well enough into playing in phase, but he’s often bumped or stacked on the outside and dislodged by hand fighting or subtle contact. 

Longerbeam has sufficient length but should not be considered a viable press corner option on the perimeter at the NFL level. He could slot inside against nickel receivers, but he is missing the appeal as a support player in the run game to live in the nickel full-time.

Further complicating matters is his lack of work there at Rutgers — he’s taken 100 snaps in the nickel in the last two seasons combined. 

His size also creates challenges as a tackler. Longerbeam averaged a 17.5 percent missed tackle rate throughout his college career, and his functional strength in all phases is generally limiting. Can he add weight? How much would it compromise his burst and speed? 

Longerbeam does boast extensive special teams experience, with more than 400 career snaps in the third phase of the game. He’s taken more than 70 reps on kickoff and punt coverage, setting the table for him to potentially steal reps there as well and fortify his rosterability and game-day status.

Ideal Scheme Fit, Role

Longerbeam projects as a developmental nickel corner and special teams contributor.

He’s a coverage-flexible talent who could be considered a viable option for most coverage types thanks to his foot speed and recovery burst, but he’ll likely be a matchup-specific talent due to his size unless he can add weight effectively. 

Grade: 69.00/100.00, Sixth Round Value

Big Board Rank: TBD

Position Rank: TBD