*S22 CB Prospect Andrew Witten: Draft Profile

[mithrandir]

Andrew Witten has quietly worked his way on to draft boards, currently projected as a late-third to early fourth-round pick. He was not highly sought after out of high school, as he played for a small school in Lexington, KY. As an undersized CB, he didn't receive any offers from Power 5 schools, and ultimately decided to play for the University of Cincinnati. In both high school and college, Witten has shown that he can make up for his lack of elite size and speed with his agility and ability to read offenses and quarterbacks. His intelligence, lateral quickness, and agility have allowed him to rack up huge interception numbers in Luke Fickell's zone defense at the University of Cincinnati. This report will evaluate Witten in five key areas for cornerbacks: speed, agility, tackling, intelligence, and hands.

Speed
Speed is a coveted ability for cornerbacks especially. Witten will thrive in zone coverage at the next level but lacks the elite speed of a shut-down man-to-man corner, running a 4.58 40 yard dash at last week's combine. Witten has shown, however, that his excellent technique allows him to be an effective player in the right zone scheme. Teams who run a lot of man coverage might want to look elsewhere for their starting corners.

Agility
Agility can be nearly as important as speed for a defensive back, especially with many of the game’s best wide receivers running out of the slot. It can be valuable to have a guy who is quick enough to keep up with the small, shifty slot receivers that are tearing up defenses.

Tackling
Witten’s size and measurables are comparable to former Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton, but he is determined to prove he can be more than a slot cornerback at the next level. Like Hilton, though, Witten has shown incredible versatility, being willing to play run support with sure tackling, and even blitzing effectively, recording 7 sacks in his three years as a starter at the University of Cincinnati. Because he is undersized, Witten is not yet an elite tackling DB but has shown he is willing to make tackles and doesn’t shy away from contact. With the right strength coach and right defensive backs coach, he could become a very good run stopper.

Intelligence
This area is perhaps Witten’s most impressive feature. Multiple GMs commented on his thoughtful responses during interviews, and his college tape shows a player who was always in the right place at the right time. With a Wonderlic score of 35, he has far and away the best score of this defensive back class. The average Wonderlic score for cornerbacks is 18, and even the all-pro cornerback Richard Sherman, known for his intelligence as a Stanford grad, only scored a 24. Witten’s score is more in line with the scores of quarterbacks such as Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, or offensive linemen, who typically score very well on the Wonderlic. Witten’s intelligence will allow him to be the quarterback of the secondary, making sure every player is in position to avoid giving up the big play.

Hands
Witten’s agility and awareness put him in position to make plays on the ball often in college. His stats show that he made good use of those opportunities, picking off eighteen passes in his collegiate career, setting a Bearcat school record which was formerly held by Mike Mickens (14). Witten played both wide receiver and cornerback in high school, so I expect he will continue to intercept passes at the next level.

Intangibles and Locker Room Presence
At 22 years old, Witten brings four years of college experience into the DSFL. He is older than many other prospects as his maturity is evident to those around him. He is not flashy but is a responsible adult on and off the field. He leads by example and avoids the partying and social media antics of many young players. He will fit in any locker room as he is unlikely to cause conflict or be confrontational. He would fit best in a culture of professionalism and maturity with a focus of on-field results and a quiet presence off the field.