He's the primary boundary corner in Al Golden's system (man-heavy with zone match on 3rd downs). He lives in press-man on the field side against the opposing WR1 (around 78% of his snaps in man coverage in 2025), playing Cover-3 match on 1st down with responsibility for the #1 vertical, and dropping 12 yards in zone on passing downs. His sweet spot is press-man against 6'2"+ receivers on the sideline—that's where his jam, hip flip, and length shrink throwing windows to nothing (allowed a 38% completion rate in that subset). Where he struggles: covering smaller, separation-route runners from the slot (Tyreek-type), where his length is less of an asset and his lateral quickness isn't yet elite—the 2025 sample showed two lost reps vs. Penn State. What separates him on tape are his safety-like eyes in zone and his receiver-like hands for ball production.

1. 01

   Press technique

   Timed jam, not a wild swipe. Off-hand to the chest, stays hip-on-hip, with active feet. He doesn't rely on strength to reroute receivers—he uses leverage. This is the kind of technique that translates from Saturdays to Sundays against the 6'2"+ receivers who live on the boundary.

2. 02

   Hip flip

   A 0.18s vertical-to-sprint transition, which is top-3 in this class. It means double-moves don't catch him out of phase. Against 4.45 receivers, he stays in step from the jump. That's real NFL fluidity, not a projection.

3. 03

   Sustained ball production

   Ten INTs and 28 PBUs over 2024-25. That’s not a random highlight—it's a pattern. He has the hands of a converted wide receiver. The NFL pays $25M a year for corners who pull in four or five INTs annually, and that's his projection.

4. 04

   Football character

   A team captain at Notre Dame as a junior. Marcus Freeman talks about him like he's an extension of the coaching staff. He reads adjustments on the sideline, communicates checks to the safety, and leads the meeting room. These are the intangibles that define a player's NFL floor.

1. 01

   Vs. small slots

   Against sub-6'0" receivers with 4.35-level quickness in their 5-yard splits, his 190 lbs can be a liability. He lost two reps against a 5'9" receiver on an option route vs. Penn State in 2025. NFL slot receivers like Tyreek Hill or DeVonta Smith will find him—it's correctable with technique, but it's on the tape.

2. 02

   Run support vs. gap-scheme

   He's a solid open-field tackler, yes, but in run support when taking on a TE in a gap-scheme power run, he gives up two or three yards. He’s not yet Surtain against the run—his anchor needs work if you're going to use him as a seventh man in the box.

3. 03

   Sample size vs. elite WRs

   Notre Dame's schedule didn't provide consistent matchups against top-15 receivers in the country. He faced Wilson Jr. once (and held him to 2 catches for 18 yards), but he needs cross-validation against elite NFL-prospect wideouts.

4. 04

   Standard Frame

   190 lbs is standard but not robust. Against TE-as-WR types (6'4", 240 lbs) in the red zone, he could give up leverage. Needs to show he can add 5-8 lbs of functional strength without losing speed before the Combine.

• Frame

  190 lbs is standard but not robust. Adding 5-8 lbs without losing speed is a must-see at the Combine.

• Sample vs. elite WR

  Notre Dame's schedule limited his cross-conference reps. The Combine and Senior Bowl will be crucial for cross-validation.

• Slot mismatch

  Gives up leverage vs. small receivers with explosive quickness. Elite NFL slots will find him until he corrects it.