DeAndre Houston-Carson NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Bears Rookie

POSITIVES

A three-year starter at cornerback, DeAndre Houston-Carson made the move to free safety in 2015 and earned All-American honors. With a standout week at the Senior Bowl, the small-school prospect started building buzz toward a Day 2 grade.

A team captain in 2015, Houston-Carson is a jacked-up tackler. He’s fiery when coming downhill and will lay out to jar the ball-carrier. Houston-Carson is a top-level competitor and didn’t play like a William & Mary product when working against bigger boys at the Senior Bowl.

After three years at cornerback, Houston-Carson combines coverage knowledge with his tough, attacking style. When matched up against players in man coverage, he has the size and speed to run in-phase. He’s twitchy enough to line up in the slot and mirror smaller, quicker receivers.

A three-phase player, Houston-Carson can help in the run game, in pass coverage and on special teams—where he had four blocked punts in 2014 and nine total blocked kicks in his career.

NEGATIVES

Houston-Carson has average play speed and burst to attack the ball, and given his performance against a low level of competition in the Colonial Athletic Association, there will be questions about his overall talent.

Short arms (30 ⅛”) are an issue when Houston-Carson is asked to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. The move to safety helped protect his lack of top-end speed and poor balance in his backpedal. He’s aggressive at the snap but can be too aggressive when he’s asked to play in man coverage.

With the build of a cornerback and the speed of a safety, Houston-Carson may be a man without a position. He needs more time to learn the nuances of the safety spot, but the potential is there for him to be a starter.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 201 lbs.

40 Time: 4.54s

3-Cone: 7.15s

Short Shuttle: 4.28s

PRO COMPARISON: Rashad Johnson, Tennessee Titans
FINAL GRADE: 6.00/9.00 (Round 3—Future Starter)