Jeff Gladney Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5’-10”
Weight: 191 pounds
School: TCU
NFL Combine Performance Data
40-Yard Dash: 4.48 seconds
Bench Press: 17 reps
Vertical Jump: 37.5”
Broad Jump: 124.0”
Jeff Gladney 2020 NFL Draft Profile
TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney climbed the ranks of the depth chart and enters the 2020 NFL Draft after three strong seasons with heavy playing time. Last year, the Texas native played in 712 defensive snaps, including 387 snaps in coverage. During his time on the field, Gladney allowed 27 receptions on 58 targets for 369 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 77.4.
Gladney initially joined the collegiate ranks as a three-star prospect out of New Boston High School. Shining on both offense and defense in high school, Gladney eventually committed to TCU as a full-time cornerback. After redshirting through the 2016 season, Gladney finally saw the field in 2017. Appearing in 703 snaps, Gladney allowed 30 receptions on 57 targets for 424 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. He had the best season of his collegiate career in 2018, allowing just 27 receptions on 72 targets for 321 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
Strengths
- Ideal speed for the NFL and won’t be beat deep;
- Elite speed allows him to aggressive play shallow routes without worrying about getting beat deep;
- Great recovery ability and rarely gets burned by opposing receivers;
- Fantastic footwork, especially when in press coverage;
- Fundamentally sound work with his hands;
- Good sense for the ball, smart with his angles;
- Can be effective when utilized as a blitzer;
Weaknesses
- Press corner that doesn’t have the typical build for that style of play;
- Needs to add strength to deal with larger NFL receivers;
- Only one year of top-level production (2018);
- Lack of strength leads to lots of potential pass interference calls when trying to slow receivers;
- Sometimes bites too hard on double moves.
NFL Comparison: Vontae Davis
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Projection: Round 2
Bottom Line on Jeff Gladney
Jeff Gladney is a high-risk, high-reward type of prospect. There are few things in the NFL more valuable than a press cornerback that doesn’t get beat deep, and that’s exactly what Gladney was at college. He can run with just about any receiver in the league and has the closing speed to make up any separation lost. This speed and self-confidence allows him to play shorter routes more aggressively and made him one of the more well-rounded cornerbacks in the college football landscape.
However, there is some worry that his style of play won’t translate to the NFL. At 5’-10” and 191 pounds, Gladney is notably smaller than the typical press cornerback. He made it work in college, but this lack of size and strength could be an issue at the NFL. This isn’t to say that he can’t be successful in the NFL – several smaller press cornerbacks have managed to have great careers despite underwhelming builds. However, it does lower his probability of panning out in the NFL.
Main photo:
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