Big Board ranking: #27

Positional ranking: #5

 

Overview

Position: CB

College: Florida

Class: Junior

Age: 20

 

Measurables

Height: 6’1 1/2”

Weight: 191 lbs.

Arm length: 30 7/8″

Hand size: 8 7/8″

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: 4.39 sec.

Vertical jump: N/A

Broad jump: N/A

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: N/A

Short shuttle: N/A

 

Strengths

Ideal overall size with long arms. Extremely confident in press coverage. Stays close to receivers out of the press. Patient and mirrors the release footwork of wideouts. Very fluid hips to open in either direction out of the press. Jams are physical and very disruptive. Can stay in the press all game and allow close to nothing. Tremendous speed and light feet for a bigger corner. High awareness and intelligence. Excellent route recognition to read passing concepts and make a play. Great at the catch point. Very good ball skills. Won multiple 50/50 balls. Has thrived in off-man and zone coverage. Exceptional play recognition against both the run and pass. Experience at both left and right cornerbacks with some time spent in the slot. Played excellent in coverage versus Jameson Williams (Alabama 2021). Suited up for final bowl game because he said it owed it to his team. NFL bloodlines as the son of Abram Elam and nephew of Matt Elam (both former defensive backs).

 

Weaknesses

Can get handsy at times. Seems to have a natural inclination to grab the shoulder in trail position. Lacks physicality as a tackler for his size. Goes low too often. Needs to be better breaking down to tackle in space. Too easily grounded when trying to get off blocks. Concerns about quickness dealing with elusiveness in space.

 

NFL comparison

James Bradberry

 

Conclusion

Overall, Elam is a prototype press cornerback with extreme confidence and impressive fluidity to match up with opponents on the outside. He needs to improve as a tackler, but Elam should draw consideration in the middle of the first round in the right situation.