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Lavelle Westbrooks, CB, Georgia Southern (HT: 5’11½”; WT: 186 lbs.)

Cincinnati Bengals

Seventh Round: 252th Pick

Positives

• He has prototypical size and arm length for an outside cornerback. With teams looking for bigger, more physical corners, Westbrooks has been able to draw interest from many NFL teams.
• Closes quickly on underneath routes, showing good short-area burst to reach the ball and be in position to defend passes.
• Gives great effort in run defense and shows the ability to fill running lanes well. As he gets more experience at cornerback, his technique should continue to improve.
• Good positional versatility, as he is a former safety. Although he is too small to play safety full time, he can rotate around the field in different coverages.
• Recognizes plays well, which allows him to backpedal efficiently against passes or set up to fill his lane against run plays.
• Good tackling ability by lining up with the ball-carrier. As he adds strength, he should be able to become more consistent in tackling efficiency.
• Has quick feet during his backpedal and keeps his shoulders and hips squared. He doesn’t waste steps after the snap, giving himself an opportunity to make a play for the ball.
• Aggressiveness leads to jumped routes and turnovers. The foundations for a playmaking cornerback are there.
• Although very raw, Westbrooks has potential due to his physical ability. 

Negatives

• Instincts on when to jump routes and where the routes are designed to break are very underdeveloped. He is more reactive than proactive at this point.
• Loses his man in coverage due to stiff hips. His inability to turn and run with his assignment in man coverage will limit what schemes he can consistently play in.
• Limited distance speed, as he was burned easily during the 2014 Senior Bowl practices. His 40-yard dash time of 4.63 reflects his limited speed.
• Undisciplined eyes while in coverage, falling for double moves and pump fakes, which allows his man to go deep for an easy pass.
• Although he has potential to be solid, he has a very low floor. He could easily find himself without a secure roster spot. He needs significant technique work.
• Played against poor competition often and looked like just a guy at the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine.

Personal Notes

• 2014 Senior Bowl participant
• 2014 NFL Scouting Combine participant
• Unranked safety prospect as a high school recruit

Ratings Chart

Graph made by http://nces.ed.gov

Overall

Lavelle Westbrooks showed a lot of heart and determination at the Senior Bowl after he was burned a few times by more experienced and athletic receivers, but his physical limitations and inexperience show why he is a major project. He will have to master technique and go to a team that uses off-man or Cover 2 coverages. It’s possible, and Westbrooks is used to defying the odds after being an unranked high school prospect.

Draft Projection: Seventh Round or Undrafted