Mekhi Garner NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for LSU CB

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 212

HAND: 10⅛"

ARM: 32¼"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.55

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 38"

BROAD: 10'8"

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POSITIVES

— Excellent length and size for position. Position flexibility to play both cornerback and safety.

— Fluid hips that allow him to flip and swivel.

— Patient and physical at the line of scrimmage. Has a smooth backpedal and excels playing short routes.

— Strength is on display when taking on blocks and defending in the run game.

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NEGATIVES

—Slow-twitch athlete when changing directions and can be heavy-footed at times. Lacks the desired recovery and top-end speed.

— Has trouble sinking his hips and pad level to get out of breaks.

— Does a good job tracking the ball-carrier in the run game but can give up leverage on the edge.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 43 TOT, 1.5 TFL, 8 PD, 0 INT

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NOTES

— 32 starts

— 2021 third-team All-Sun Belt Conference

— 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl participant

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OVERALL

Mekhi Garner is a big-bodied cornerback with the ideal length and size to play anywhere in the secondary. A transfer from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, he was a productive player in the Sun Belt under then-head coach Billy Napier.

After transferring to LSU, Garner started all 13 games at cornerback in 2022. He racked up eight pass breakups during his lone season in the SEC, although he wasn't able to record an interception.

Garner seems to do best when in zone coverage, where he can read the quarterback and keep routes in front of him. A physical defender, he does a great job of getting hands on receivers and preventing them from working downfield.

Though Garner has good lateral movement and quick feet out of his breaks, he can be susceptible to double-moves or unexpected breaks. He struggles with his pad level and the ability to sink his hips to get out of breaks at times. He has the ball skills to track throws downfield but can struggle keeping up with faster receivers.

When defending the run, Garner does a good job of taking on and controlling blocks. His size and strength are clear advantages, but he can struggle with redirecting while tracking ball-carriers in the open field.

When Garner lines everything up, he delivers big hits in both the run and pass game. With his versatility, he can get away with his tackling style as a cornerback, but he will need to drastically improve it if he shifts to safety.

Mekhi is still a work in progress as a defensive back, but he has the ideal size to play in the NFL. He doesn't have the movement skills to play from man coverage, which makes him more of a fit for zone coverage. He will need safety help over the top, which will allow him to get his hands on receivers and disrupt routes. Garner is a high-level developmental prospect who will need time to adjust to the speed of the NFL.

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GRADE: 6.4 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 144

POSITION RANK: CB20

PRO COMPARISON: James Bradberry

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings