Deommodore Lenoir 2021 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 200 pounds
School: University of Oregon
Pro Day Performance
40-yard Dash: 4.45 seconds
Vertical Jump: 34.5″
Broad Jump: 10’1″
Bench Press: 15 reps
Deommodore Lenoir 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Coming out of high school, Deommodore Lenoir was a four-star recruit according to ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports. With dozens of schools interested in his talents, Lenoir had to decide where he was going to spend the next four years of his football career. Some schools that had shown interest were North Carolina, Nebraska, Michigan, Oklahoma, UCLA, and many more. Lenoir decided to attend the University of Oregon where he played as a cornerback for four seasons.
As a freshman, Lenoir spent the season playing special teams and a depth cornerback in all 12 games. Although Lenoir did not see the field much he was still able to finish the season with 25 tackles, five pass breakups, a tackle, and a half for loss. After becoming a full-time starter in his sophomore year, one evident thing was his instincts. Lenoir had 52 tackles, nine pass breakups, and three INTs.
Once again, Lenoir had another solid season in his junior year. Although he did not have as many INTs, Lenoir was still able to contribute with impactful plays. He was able to accumulate 46 tackles, seven pass breakups, two and a half tackles for loss, an INT, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Out of a possible 74 targets, Lenoir only gave up 54.1% of passes. Because of his season in 2019, Lenoir made the AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team. However, during his senior season, the COVID-pandemic caused the Oregon Ducks to only play seven games. In those seven games, Lenoir had 35 tackles, a forced fumble, and an INT. Similar to the previous season, he finished on the AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team.
Strengths
- Physical at the high point;
- Good instincts;
- Willing tackler in the run game;
- Smart football player that understands route concepts;
- Doesn’t take plays off.
Weaknesses
- Limited athlete with average speed;
- Needs to work on technique;
- Lacks versatility to play on the outside;
- Allows defenders to run by him when playing off-man coverage;
- Stiff hips.
NFL Comparison: Rock Ya-Sin
Teams With Need at Position: Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angelos Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Detriot Lions, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings
Final Word on Deommodore Lenoir
Because of his short arms and lack of athleticism, Lenoir will be limited in the NFL to playing as a nickel cornerback. However, because teams play with five DBs over 60% of the time in the NFL, if Lenoir can be a top-three cornerback on the depth chart, he will find himself on the field more times than not. Lenoir is a physical corner who excels in zone coverage and press coverage. His physicality works best for him around the line of scrimmage and when he battles with receivers for 50-50 balls. However, this will lead to penalties because he can get over physical. As a result, it may be best for him to be matched up with tight ends on the inside rather than shifty wide receivers.
Because Lenoir plays with tight hips, he will have trouble against receivers with an expanded route tree or double moves. As a result, he will be prone to giving up large chunk plays. When it comes to the run game, Lenoir gets the ball carrier to the ground. His tackling is a little unorthodox, but this is another instance where his physicality and strength help him. Because of his size and skill set, a move to strong safety may be in the future for him.
Draft Projection: Early Fourth to Late Fifth
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