J.L. Skinner

Boise State SAF

Games Watched: Oregon State, BYU, Fresno State

Summary: JL Skinner is an incredibly tall safety from Boise State. In college he lined up all over the field, but his role in the NFL is probably best suited as a strong safety on a zone heavy team. He utilizes his size and length well, and reacts quickly to disrupt underneath routes. He was often in the right place at the right time leading to good ball production, and he took smart angles and tackles with good technique. On the downside, his lack of agility means he can’t match up with receivers, and he is slow to help out in the run game. His lack of functional strength also affects him.

Pros

  • Great size and length allows him to make plays other safeties can’t
  • Quickly closes on underneath routes
  • Good ball production
  • Good tackling technique makes him reliable as the last line of defense

Cons

  • Below average change of direction ability
  • Slow to trigger downhill in the run game
  • Lack of strength allows him to easily blocked at times

Grade: JL Skinner gets a 4th round grade. He has good size and above average football IQ, but he will need to be put in an ideal situation to excel in the NFL.