Draft Information by: Years, Teams, Positions

Rasul Douglas (West Virginia) - 2017 NFL Draft Pick #99 by PHI

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Pre-Draft Analysis for Rasul Douglas (2017 NFL Draft)

Position: Cornerback

College: West Virginia

Overview

Rasul Douglas emerged as a standout cornerback during his time at West Virginia, showcasing a blend of size, ball skills, and competitiveness. His performance in college set the stage for his entry into the 2017 NFL Draft.

Strengths

• Size and Length: Douglas possesses ideal height (6'2") and length for a cornerback, making him a challenging matchup for wide receivers.
• Ball Skills: He demonstrated a knack for making plays on the ball, recording several interceptions during his college career, which highlighted his ability to track the ball and make contested catches.
• Physical Press Coverage: Douglas excels in press coverage, using his size and strength to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage.
• Football IQ: He has a good understanding of route concepts and displays awareness in zone coverage, often positioning himself well to make plays.

Weaknesses

• Speed Concerns: While Douglas is effective in many areas, his straight-line speed raised questions, especially against faster receivers in the NFL.
• Footwork: At times, his footwork can be inconsistent, leading to issues in transitioning and staying with quicker route runners.
• Run Support: Douglas has room for improvement in his tackling technique and willingness to engage in run support, which can be a liability in the NFL.

Overall Assessment

Rasul Douglas was viewed as a talented cornerback with the potential to contribute early in his NFL career. His combination of size, ball skills, and competitive nature made him an appealing prospect for teams looking to bolster their secondary. However, concerns about his speed and footwork created some uncertainty about his ability to handle the faster pace of the NFL.

As teams evaluated Douglas leading up to the draft, he was projected to be selected anywhere from the late second round to the mid-fourth round, depending on the team's specific needs and preferences in their defensive backfield.