The 2024 NFL Draft is getting close, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information.
Here's our report on Dadrion Taylor-Demerson.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson's 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
- Height: 5-foot-10
- Weight: 197
- 40-yard dash: 4.41
- 10-yard split: 1.52
- Vertical jump: 38"
- Broad jump: 10'3"
- Arm length: 30 7/8"
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS
- Played to athletic measurables with excellent game speed and pursuit range. Explosive burst and acceleration.
- Smooth, fluid athlete who played downhill from the back end with a desirable combination of aggression and control.
- Big-time flashes of playing downhill in run game and making textbook form tackles wrapping and taking down.
- Quick trigger from back-end safety alignment to drive on routes in front of him. Sudden and explosive burst.
- Showed the needed play speed and range to play post safety. Quick recognition of routes with quick reactions.
- Easy transitions and change of direction on the back end. Smooth pedal with loose, fluid hips to turn and run.
- Matched up man-to-man vs. slot WRs, showing off-man coverage traits: Smooth pedal with easy transition.
- Showed he could play mirror match and physical press man vs. slot WRs. Outstanding versatility.
WEAKNESSES
- Not the ideal size you would like for a safety, lacking body length and arm length. Did not look big on tape.
- At times, he played downhill with aggression. In the run game, he would drop his head and throw his body at the runner.
- Missed some tackles on the back end with poor technique. Tendency to drop his head and bend at the waist.
NFL TRANSITION
Taylor-Demerson is one of the most multi-dimensional safety prospects in the 2024 draft class. He is one of the best overall with his alignment versatility and traits profile. Taylor-Demerson can play in two-shell coverage concepts and has the loose hips to transition easily and change directions. He also has the play speed and range to play post safety in addition to playing slot corner in off-coverage and press man.
Taylor-Demerson played with high-level competitiveness. What consistently stood out was his play speed and pursuit range to make plays sideline to sideline. His physical toughness showed up as a tackler.
One question teams will have is whether he is almost exclusively a back-end safety, playing single-high and two-shell coverages, or whether he can match up to wide receivers in the slot in twins and trips formations. That determination will go a long way in projecting his value and deployment. If he can match wide receivers in the slot, he becomes a high-value piece in an NFL defense.
Overall, Taylor-Demerson’s 2023 tape showed a multi-positional and multi-dimensional safety with the versatility to play on the back end with play speed and range. His hip fluidity and easy transitions allow him to match wide receivers in the slot. He can also make plays in the run game with his downhill support and competitive toughness.
OTHER NOTES
Taylor-Demerson played five years at Texas Tech, becoming a full-time starter in his sophomore season of 2021. He made 32 starts in his final three seasons. He came out of high school in Oklahoma City as a running back and transitioned to safety in his first year at Texas Tech.
Taylor-Demerson predominantly aligned to the field in split-safety coverages. He also played significant snaps at post-safety and aligned over the slot. There were snaps he matched up man-to-man on slot wide receivers No. 2 to twins and No.3 to trips. There were also snaps he was deployed as a blitzer off the slot. He got some snaps aligned as an overhang defender just outside the box.
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