Mekhi Blackmon NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for USC CB

BR NFL Scouting DepartmentApr 25, 2023

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 178

HAND: 9 ¼"

TOP NEWS

ARM: 31"

WINGSPAN: TBD

40-YARD DASH: 4.47

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 36"

BROAD: 10'5"

POSITIVES

— Very good man-coverage ability.

— Plays with high-level ball skills. Does a great job of tracking and high-pointing the ball.

— Ultimate competitor. Rarely gives up splash plays.

NEGATIVES

— Lacks ideal physical skill set.

— Tweener for positions. Has played on the outside but looks to be a better fit as a slot defender.

— Below-average run defender. Doesn't give much support.

2022 STATISTICS

—14 G, 66 TOT, 3 INT, 12 PD, 2 TFL

NOTES

— DOB: 3/18/1999

— 33 starts

— Transferred from Colorado in 2022

— 2022 first-team All-Pac 12

— 2022 third-team AP All-American

— 2021 All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention

OVERALL

Mekhi Blackmon transferred to USC following four seasons at Colorado and burst onto the scene for the Trojans, earning first-team Pac-12 and and third-team Associated Press All-America honors. While his physical and athletic profiles leave a bit to be desired, his coverage ability is undeniable.

Blackmon's lack of size and strength is a hindrance against the run. These limitations give him difficulty when shedding blocks and prevent him from delivering much punishment to ball-carriers. His abilities translate best as an undersized outside corner in the NFL, and while he has experience inside, he may struggle against NFL run games.

The hallmark of Blackmon's game is his coverage ability, specifically in press-man. While undersized, Blackmon is an incredibly physical and aggressive corner who is not afraid to fight above his weight class. His physicality brings loads of penalty flags with it, but Blackmon is rarely beat for splash plays and demonstrates high-level ball skills.

Blackmon is an incredibly interesting prospect whose position in the draft has a wide range of outcomes. His physical limitations in both build and athleticism raise questions, yet his impressive coverage ability creates quite a lot of intrigue. Ultimately, he will likely be capped by these limitations, preventing him from being amongst the top defensive backs off the board.

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

OVERALL RANK: 156

POSITION RANK: CB22

PRO COMPARISON: John Reid

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings