Eli Ricks

Pos: CB

School: Alabama

Ht. 6’2″ 

Wt. 188

Games Watched: LSU, Texas, Tennessee

One Liner: Long cornerback who wins with size, strength and press technique

Strengths: 

  • Very good size. Ricks has the desired frame and length needed to be a versatile corner at the next level. At 6’2, his height allows him to compete at the catch point, and he possesses long enough arms to jam at the release point in press reps.
  • Very good press technique. Ricks has above average press technique, and has the footwork and timing with his jams to effectively disrupt route concepts early in the progression. He stays square and patient with his frame and is not overly aggressive in matching the receiver. 
  • Very good ball skills. Ricks plays with good technique at the catch point, and has the arm length as well as the radius to time his jumps and jar the football loose.
  • Good strength. Ricks flashes NFL strength with his jams and can be a tough physical corner in press situations. 

Weaknesses:

  • Adequate athleticism. Ricks lacks long speed and is not quick out of his transitions after flipping his hips. I don’t trust his change of direction skills and he lacks the desired plant and go ability to play off man. 
  • Adequate route recognition.  Ricks lacks route recognition, and could be a few steps late to readjust and mirror receiver movements, in press and in off man. He’ll need to improve here to make up for a lack of athleticism and long speed. 
  • Adequate fluidity. Ricks lacks fluidity in his hips, and is a little stiff moving out of his backpedal and into his mirroring downfield. He’ll need to make sure he is refined in terms of route recognition and other technical skills in press in order to make up for this.

Overall Assessment: Eli Ricks is a typical press man corner, and is already a bit ahead in terms of his press technique. He checks off size and length prototypes to be a boundary man corner. However, I don’t think Ricks can be a viable starter until he develops better anticipation for routes and polishes his processing and instincts. He doesn’t have the hip fluidity and athleticism to make up for a lack of route anticipation, and he would be susceptible to sharp cuts and double moves without some work in this area. 

Scheme Fit: Press Man corner

Pick Projection: Round 4

Grade: 6.20