Scouting Profile: Eric Rowe, CB, Utah

[Dustin]

Previous Installments:

 

The RBs - Hub Post
The WRs - Hub Post
The Off-Ball LBs - Hub Post
The EDGEs - Hub Post
The DTs - Hub Post
Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
Ronald Darby, CB, FSU

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

 

 

Mock Draftable chart: http://mockdraftable.com/player/4957/

 

Games watched: vs Michigan, vs UCLA, vs Washington State

 

The Good:

 

Another big defensive back. Rowe stands at 6'1"and over 200 lbs. Physically, a good match-up against big-bodied receivers.

 

Very physical and willing in run defense. Can come down hill and make a hit with authority. 

  ex. http://www.draftbreakdown.com/gif-embed/?clip=253917&gif=TallNaiveGuernseycow

 

For as big of a corner as he is, he doesn't lumber. Very nimble.

 

Does a good job of playing the WRs hands when his back is turned to the play. If he had turned around, he might have gotten the pick, but this was a good play nonetheless:

  ex. http://gfycat.com/FrankBareBrocketdeer

 

Sound tackler. Manages to get low and wrap up. 

 

Calm and collected when the ball is in the air. He doesn't panic. Very good at playing the deep-ball. 

 

Very aggressive at attacking the catch-point of the WR. 

 

Can mirror receiver well off of the line. 

 

Underrated deep speed. A lot of people list his lack of deep-speed as a weakness. I don't see it. It's not so much of bad deep speed as it is the fact that he's slow to get his hips turned and by effect looks slower than he actually is (4.45).

 

Can get physical and press at the line. 

 

Tested very, very well at the combine. A top performer in all of his drills. Doesn't really show on tape. 

 

Plays the ball and receiver very well when it's in front of him. Then you can really see the athleticism he tested at.

  ex. http://www.draftbreakdown.com/gif-embed/?clip=254070&gif=RelievedInsignificantAppaloosa

 

The Bad:

 

Lacks fluidity in coverage. Tight-hipped and doesn't look natural. He's widely regarded as a safety prospect, and this shows why.

 

Doesn't posses good body-control. Often times can over-run routes and can't recover. WRs create separation from him by sticking their foot in the ground and changing directions. 

 

Doesn't get his head-turned around in coverage. Not a very good technique if he wants to intercept a lot of passes. Much better with the play in front of him. 

 

Keeps his eyes trained in the backfield this entire play and gets beat by Devin Funchess. This would be fine as a safety, not as a corner:

  ex. http://www.draftbreakdown.com/gif-embed/?clip=253917&gif=DigitalMedicalAmericantoad

 

Doesn't mirror well down-field. Lack of fluidity and body-control make it physically hard. 

 

Absolutely horrible at defending slants. Terrible at defending inside moves. 

 

Conclusion:

 

Rowe has all the characteristics of a safety. His size, athleticism, skill-set, and versatility will get him taken a lot higher than people expect. If he isn't gone in the first round, he won't last much longer. Rowe is best fit as a FS in a scheme that will allow him to use his size and athleticism cover TEs in man-coverage. He also has potential as an 8th-defender in the box/nickel-LB role.

 

Projected Round: 2nd

NFL Comparison: Michael Griffin, TEN

[Track Guy]

With safety needing teams like the Redskins, Bears, and Giants picking in the top 1/3 of round 2, I see him landing in that range.

[Superman]

Keeps his eyes trained in the backfield this entire play and gets beat by Devin Funchess. This would be fine as a safety, not as a corner:

  ex. http://www.draftbreakdown.com/gif-embed/?clip=253917&gif=DigitalMedicalAmericantoad

 

 

They play a lot of Cover 3/4/6 coverages. This looks like one of them.

 

He has some good plays and some bad plays in coverage. A lot of people call him tight-hipped, but some plays he looks like Trae Waynes, and other plays he looks like Brandon Browner. I wonder if it's inconsistent technique or physical limitations.

[DougDew]

I have liked Rowe since I first read several write-ups about him back in January. I'm not a tape watcher, but if he has decent coverage skills, ball skills, and is a good tackler, it sounds like he'd make a decent coverage safety. Has enough size to not get beat up or outmatched physically. I believe he ran 4.5 at the combine. Perhaps isn't fluid enough to be a regular a CB but maybe could slide over and be the #4 CB in a pinch.

Disappointing that he may not be there at 93, which is where I'd want the Colts to pick him. I have to think about whether or not to draft him earlier than that.

[ztboiler]

I have liked Rowe since I first read several write-ups about him back in January. I'm not a tape watcher, but if he has decent coverage skills, ball skills, and is a good tackler, it sounds like he'd make a decent coverage safety. Has enough size to not get beat up or outmatched physically. I believe he ran 4.5 at the combine. Perhaps isn't fluid enough to be a regular a CB but maybe could slide over and be the #4 CB in a pinch.

Disappointing that he may not be there at 93, which is where I'd want the Colts to pick him. I have to think about whether or not to draft him earlier than that.

I'm not a tape watcher either...which brings me to a point of curiosity. How would thinking about it help you know whether or not to draft him earlier?  I know it won't help me.  Even if I were to watch him, I'll never get enough data on the rest of the players to where thinking about it will help me.  

 

I do love to watch the draft,  however, and am always amazed at the slots where players are actually drafted.

[DougDew]

I'm not a tape watcher either...which brings me to a point of curiosity. How would thinking about it help you know whether or not to draft him earlier?  I know it won't help me.  Even if I were to watch him, I'll never get enough data on the rest of the players to where thinking about it will help me.  

 

I do love to watch the draft,  however, and am always amazed at the slots where players are actually drafted.

If I had tape to watch on him and other players, I might study the tape closer and like him more relative to others, which might incline me to slot him closer to #61.

[UKColt13]

I like him at safety in round 2

[Manning1887]

I really like him at safety. I have seen varied opinions of him. 

 

I like him fine in the 2nd round, but I love him in round 3.