{"id":277985,"date":"2026-04-22T10:02:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=277985"},"modified":"2026-04-22T10:01:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:01:51","slug":"charles-demmings-nfl-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/04\/22\/charles-demmings-nfl-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Charles Demmings NFL Draft Profile: Small School Corner With Elite Athletic Traits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every NFL Draft features a handful of small-school prospects that rise up boards due to elite traits and upside. <\/span>Charles Demmings<\/span> may be one of the best examples in this year\u2019s class. Demmings is one of my favorite prospects in the entire draft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Charles Demmings NFL Draft Profile<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Coming out of <\/span>Stephen F. Austin State<\/span>, Demmings combines <\/span>size, speed, and explosiveness<\/span> into one of the most intriguing cornerback profiles in the draft. While he remains relatively unknown to the general public, Demmings has long caught the attention of NFL scouting departments.<\/span><\/p>\n

With elite athletic testing and strong ball skills, Demmings has the tools to become a <\/span>high-upside outside cornerback<\/span> at the next level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Charles Demmings<\/a> \u2014 Cornerback<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2022 Height: 6\u20191\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Weight: 193 lbs<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Arm Length: 32\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 40-Yard Dash: 4.41<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Vertical Jump: 42 inches<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Broad Jump: 11\u20190\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 School: Stephen F. Austin State (2021\u20132025)<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Career Interceptions: 9<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 2024 Second-Team All-Southland Conference<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 2025 First-Team All-Southland Conference<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 9.97 Relative Athletic Score (RAS)<\/span><\/p>\n

College Career Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Charles Demmings developed into one of the top defensive backs in the <\/span>Southland Conference<\/span> during his time at Stephen F. Austin State. His combination of size and elite athleticism allowed him to consistently match up with opposing top receivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Demmings recorded <\/span>9 career interceptions<\/span>, showcasing his natural ball skills and ability to create turnovers. His performance steadily improved, culminating in <\/span>First-Team All-Southland Conference honors in 2025<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite playing at a smaller program, Demmings consistently flashed NFL-caliber traits, particularly in man coverage situations where his athleticism and length allowed him to mirror receivers effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Strengths<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Elite Athletic Profile<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings tested as one of the top athletes at the cornerback position. His <\/span>4.41 speed<\/span>, <\/span>42-inch vertical<\/span>, and <\/span>11-foot broad jump<\/span> demonstrate rare explosiveness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ideal Size for Outside Corner<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

At 6\u20191\u201d with 32-inch arms, Demmings possesses ideal length and size to match up with NFL receivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Press-Man Coverage Ability<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings thrives in press-man coverage. His length and athleticism allow him to disrupt receivers at the line and stay attached throughout routes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elite Recovery Speed<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings\u2019 speed allows him to recover quickly when beaten. His ability to erase separation is one of his strongest traits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ball Skills<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings tracks the ball exceptionally well downfield and high-points throws effectively. His 9 career interceptions highlight his playmaking ability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smooth Hip Transitions<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings displays smooth hips in his backpedal and transitions well when changing direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Burst Breaking on the Ball<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings closes quickly on throws, using his burst to eliminate throwing windows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Natural Mirror Ability<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Shows strong ability to mirror receivers in man coverage with long strides and reactive movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Areas for Improvement<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Play Strength<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings\u2019 play strength is below average, which may cause issues against physical receivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zone Coverage Recognition<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings shows average zone awareness and will need to improve recognition at the next level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Run Support<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings is inconsistent as a tackler and can make \u201cbusiness decisions\u201d in run support.<\/span><\/p>\n

Press Coverage Patience<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Demmings can become impatient in press coverage, occasionally allowing receivers to gain early leverage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hesitation at the Top of the Drop<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Occasional hesitation at the top of his drop can create small separation windows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Small School Competition<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

The jump in competition from Stephen F. Austin State to the NFL will be significant.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NFL Projection<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Charles Demmings projects as a <\/span>developmental outside cornerback<\/span> with starting upside. His elite athleticism and man coverage ability give him strong developmental traits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Demmings fits best in <\/span>press-man heavy defensive schemes<\/span> where his athleticism and length can be maximized. With improved strength and refinement, he could develop into a quality starter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pro Comparison<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u2022 Ceiling: Sean Murphy-Bunting<\/a><\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Floor: Ahkello Witherspoon<\/span><\/p>\n

Demmings\u2019 athleticism, length, and flashes in man coverage mirror players like Sean Murphy-Bunting. Ahkello Witherspoon represents a realistic floor as a long, athletic corner with inconsistent physicality.<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Scouting Report<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Charles Demmings is one of the most intriguing small-school prospects in this draft class. His elite athleticism, size, and ball skills give him significant upside at the next level.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Demmings still needs refinement in zone coverage, strength, and tackling, his physical tools provide a strong developmental foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n

For teams looking for a high-upside outside cornerback, Charles Demmings could become one of the <\/span>best value picks on Day 2<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Draft Grade:<\/strong> Day 2<\/span><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings brings elite athleticism with a 9.97 RAS and strong ball skills to the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5630,"featured_media":278084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,33760],"tags":[33533,34324,34264],"class_list":["post-277985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","category-profiles","tag-2026-nfl-draft","tag-2026-nfl-draft-combine","tag-charles-demmings"],"modified_by":"Sue Levine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5630"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277985"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277985\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":278076,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277985\/revisions\/278076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/278084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}