The 2024 NFL Draft is here, 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 Decamerion Richardson.
Decamerion Richardson'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
- Height: 6-foot-2 1/4
- Weight: 188
- Arm length: 32 3/8"
- 40-yard dash: 4.34
- 10-yard split: 1.38
- Vertical jump: 35"
- Broad jump: 10'8"
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.26
Decamerion Richardson 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS
- Outstanding size and length for an outside corner with extensive experience playing press and off coverage.
- Showed some strong reps of mirror match press man staying in phase maintaining contact at the top of route stem.
- Snaps of the mirror-match press man show him squeeze the receiver to the sideline, taking him out of the play.
- Off-coverage side saddle snaps with knee bend, flipping his hips efficiently to match breaks. Covered ground.
- More often than not from, off coverage carried vertical routes stride for stride. Speed and stride length pluses.
- Played a lot of off coverage zone (cover 3, cover 4) with an understanding of route concepts re: responsibilities.
- Willing and competitive as a run defender. Played with toughness outside. Made a lot of tackles for a corner.
WEAKNESSES
- Long and high cut, which at times negatively impacted stopping ability, transition and change of direction.
- There were too many off-coverage snaps where he was too upright, delaying plant and drive response quickness and burst.
- Not twitchy or explosive in his movement. Body type with long legs limited ability to be sudden in his reactions.
- Mirror match reps, there was stickiness opening hips. Too many steps to match the break at the top of the route stem.
- Ability to carry vertical routes did not always match his fast 40 time. Likely a function of segmented transitions.
- Vertical throws in which he did not get his head around to locate the ball. Did not have much ball production.
- Susceptible to double moves on the outside from off coverage. Long, high cut frame limited quick transition.
NFL TRANSITION
Richardson is one of the most fascinating corner prospects in the 2024 draft class as you project and transition him to the next level. With his highly desirable combination of size, length and speed, he clearly showed all those traits the more tape I watched, especially playing mirror match press man at a higher level.
There were a lot of concerns with Richardson’s 2023 tape, and there is much he needs to clean up, much of which can be improved with coaching and development in the NFL. Overall, his size, fluid movement and ability to effectively play mirror match press man is an excellent starting point.
In addition, he has extensive experience and, for the most part, a good understanding of zone coverage concepts as they connect to route concepts and combinations. Corners with Richardson’s size, length and overall movement are always in demand in the NFL, and it would not surprise me if he develops into a quality starting outside corner.
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