Trent McDuffie CB Scouting Report

[Jets Global]

Trent McDuffie NFL Draft Profile Position: Cornerback School: Washington Current Year: Junior Height: 5'11" Weight: 195 pounds
Trent McDuffie Scouting Report Trent is truly in the highest tier athletically. His elite explosiveness is visible in multiple phases. He has searing quickness charging the backfield, and he also has the vertical burst to rise up for high passes. His explosiveness translates to spry, sudden feet at the line of scrimmage. Furthermore, McDuffie is a quick-twitch athlete with a ton of potential energy stored in his frame. He owns the lateral suddenness to slip past blocks, and his twitch and explosion allow him to recover ground against double moves swiftly. Trent’s athletic profile remains strong. He’s fluid flipping his hips upfield, and he has the long speed to stick to receivers’ hip pockets. Additionally, McDuffie channels his athletic traits very well. He transfers his weight with ease, stacking feet motions effortlessly. His footwork is effervescent, composed, and meticulous. It allows him to use his athleticism with dangerous efficiency. Trent is an energetic tackler. He’s not tentative by any means, and he possesses an explosive burst leading into the contact point. The Washington CB takes care not to overshoot angles in pursuit, and he has the ability to force fumbles and generate turnovers in these situations. McDuffie plays at full speed and gives maximum effort, and his tackling reps display this well. McDuffie is similarly proficient. He’s willing to be physical in press, and he matches aggression from receivers. The Washington product is hard to get off-balance with releases at the line, given his strong footwork. Downfield, he’s able to track his receiver while keeping his eyes on the quarterback, and he has the awareness to double back when he sees an open man underneath. McDuffie shows the ability to adapt his focus as the play develops, alluding to impressive natural instincts.
Areas for Improvement McDuffie’s frame is somewhat slight for NFL standards. His size can make it difficult for him to disengage in run defense, and he doesn’t have much natural strength at the contact point. He can convert his explosiveness to power, but he’s not often going to have a size advantage over other players. McDuffie can also get outmuscled by larger blockers and receivers. McDuffie’s length isn’t elite from a proportional standpoint. His middling length and strength prevent him from consistently disrupting releases in press. Additionally, his ball production is somewhat lacking to this point, which may raise more questions about his reach. McDuffie does flash high-point ability and ball skills at the catch point, but he needs to translate that into more production in 2021. McDuffie can sometimes improve his spacing in zone coverage, and he also reverts to body tackling at times, failing to wrap up with his arms. His versatility might also be a question to some. However, he gained experience in the slot in high school and could be in line for more time there with Molden gone.
Trent McDuffie Career at Washington Trent McDuffie enrolled at Washington in 2019 and quickly made a strong impression on the coaching staff. He hit the ground running for the Huskies, starting 11 of 13 games in his true-freshman season. Over that span, the Washington CB accrued 45 total tackles, 1 interception, 2 pass deflections, 3 fumble recoveries, and 2 forced fumbles. He earned consideration for Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, gaining notoriety as a rising star on the CFB stage. 2020 was supposed to be McDuffie’s breakout, but COVID-19 complications shortened the Pac-12’s season to four games. Nevertheless, McDuffie still managed to produce in limited action. Across the Huskies’ four-game slate, he registered 14 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and a half-tackle for loss. For his play, he received second-team All-Pac-12 recognition. As the 2021 campaign approaches, McDuffie is now eligible for the NFL Draft. Some players remain in school past their junior seasons, but if McDuffie’s career thus far is any indication, he doesn’t have to hesitate. He’s adapted quickly to find success wherever he’s gone. As long as he keeps trending up, the NFL will be no different.
Trent McDuffie NFL Draft Player Profile McDuffie’s size is the only thing stopping him from potentially contending for the preseason CB1 title. That’s not to say that he is small. Still, in a class with Kaiir Elam, Derek Stingley Jr., and Ahmad Gardner — all of whom are over 6’1″ — McDuffie’s size can be considered average. Size is an active strength for players like Elam and Gardner. For McDuffie, it’s not. Nevertheless, he is an elite athletic talent with the explosiveness, fluidity, and speed to be a terror in pass defense. He also owns the physicality and fast play pace to make things happen in run defense. If he can increase his ball production and have his best year yet in 2021, he can easily break into the Round 1 discussion.