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2018 NFL Draft preview: Tarvarus McFadden

By Will Lomas

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles celebrates their 33 to 32 win over the Michigan Wolverines during the Capitol One Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on December 30, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles celebrates their 33 to 32 win over the Michigan Wolverines during the Capitol One Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on December 30, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /
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A look ahead to one of the top cornerbacks in the 2018 NFL Draft class.

The Tennessee Titans addressed cornerback in the 2017 NFL Draft in Adoree Jackson, but was it enough?

I would like to preface all of this by saying that all the grading is far from over and at this point last year people had Jalen Tabor as the top cornerback in the draft. Looking back, he was closer to a third round pick than a first round pick.

Also, if LeShaun Sims plays well this year then there is a chance that the Titans don’t even touch cornerback in the draft with three relatively young corners on the roster locked down long term.

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However, going into the season I would grade cornerback as the position group with the second most question marks behind pass rusher.

With that in mind, it is time to look at someone poised to get a lot of attention heading into the 2017 season, Tarvarus McFadden.

Tarvarus McFadden

CB, FSU

6’2, 198 lb.

15 starts, 8 interceptions, 6 PBUs

Accolades

-:Jim Cobern’s top CB to watch heading into this season

-Led NCAA in interceptions last year

-First team All-ACC 2016

-All-ACC preseason team 2017

Pros

-Very productive in his one year of starting for Florida State. He led the nation in interceptions, and they weren’t flukes, look at this beautiful pick:

-He has a linebacker frame with cornerback athleticism, which is rare and important to a team that wants to be physical like the Tennessee Titans.

-When he can come downhill he is physical, look at this run blitz from the slot here and from the boundary below that:

-His blitzes are enough of a threat to force QBs to respect his fakes, which led to a pick on the play below.

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    • Cons

    -Not sure if it is an effort issue or a speed issue, but plays like this where McFadden gets beaten over the top are hard to watch.

    -Can be too physical at the LOS for me. Really loves to jam WRs with two hands but if he misses on those with the speed he has shown, he is going to get killed.

    -Really limited to the outside because of his lack of COD.

    -He doesn’t really have the temperament of a Jon Robinson player.

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    Summary

    On paper, Tarvarus McFadden would be a great addition to the Tennessee Titans. He is very productive, effective on blitzes, physical at the LOS, and should have a decent number of starts under his belt by the end of the season.

    However, I have some big questions for him. The main question is, would Jon Robinson love his effort? I know he is a CB, but he has the dimensions of a linebacker and still can be caught watching plays instead of making them.

    In coverage McFadden is solid for 15-20 yards and the speed becomes an issue which makes me think that he needs to play in a defense where he can play in aggressive coverage underneath with safety help behind him. His lack of COD also means that he is going to have to play a very specific position.

    I see the potential for a very good cornerback here, but right now I don’t think he is a player the Tennessee Titans would fall in love with. Sure, they might trade down out of the first and take him if he falls, but he doesn’t have that hair-on-fire style of play and I am not sure that he would come in immediately as a huge improvement over LeShaun Sims.

    So at the end of the day it comes down to would I rather have Sims and a 1st or McFadden, and right now before the 2017 season I would go with the first choice.

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