Trent McDuffie, Washington Huskies.
The NFL Draft is an important time for the Washington Huskies football program. It always hurts to lose good players, but the Dawgs and their fans can celebrate UW alumni headed to play at the highest level of professional football.
Putting players in the NFL is some of the best advertising the Huskies can get when recruiting. UW is earning a good reputation for developing defensive backs. In 2021, there were 34 Washington Huskies alumni either on NFL rosters or practice squads; 8 were defensive backs. With league stalwarts such as Budda Baker, Marcus Peters, Byron Murphy, and Taylor Rapp, it’s no wonder that Washington is quickly becoming Defensive Back U.
Two UW defensive backs went in the 2021 draft; Elijah Molden (third round, 100th overall, Tennessee Titans) and Keith Taylor (fifth round, 166th overall, Carolina). Two more, Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon, will join them after this year’s draft.
After last year’s COVID re-shuffle, the pre-draft season is back to business as usual in 2022. The NFL Combine runs March 1 – 7. Washington’s Pro Day should take place somewhere between one to two weeks after that. And the NFL Draft is April 28-30.
Pacific Northwest Sports audited 25 different mock drafts to see where the D-Back duo might go in the draft. The sources we use may vary from edition to edition but are all credible. This time we included ESPN, USA Today, NFL.com, CBS Sports, Walter Football, Pro Football Focus, The Draft Network, and more. Thirteen of the mocks went two rounds; eight of them covered through Round 3.
Defensive Back, 5-11, 195 pounds
There isn’t one scouting report that doesn’t praise McDuffie’s speed, athletic ability, and toughness. Additionally, certain buzz phrases like explosiveness, fearless, and elite athleticism are attention-getting. Those are skills that are natural, not coached up. Throw in strong instincts, intelligence, and physicality, and it’s a recipe for success.
In the NFL, if a defensive back can cover man-on-man, he generally has a job. McDuffie is fantastic in coverage and rarely loses his assignment. Aside from defending the pass, he can also get to the line quickly to stop the run, and this is a player who likes to hit.
Aside from his height, the biggest knock on McDuffie is that he doesn’t jam his man on the line. At the next level that one step can make a big difference. However, he has the speed and agility to stay close in coverage.
Most mock drafts have McDuffie going in the first round, although there are some outliers. He’s projected to go on Day 1 in 18 of 25 mock drafts. As of now, McDuffie is most likely low-first. If he were 6’1” with the same skills, that’s Top-15 territory. Depending on how well McDuffie tests at the combine, he could force teams into changing their notions about how tall an NFL corner should be.
Three-year starter whose average size is overshadowed by skillful ruggedness, allowing him to contest throws from a variety of coverages. He’s an elite competitor with a route-hugging mentality fueled by body control, foot agility, aggression, and burst. (McDuffie is) a pesky press-man defender with the tools to excel in zone. He’s willing to fly downhill and hit anybody near the football. – Lance Zierlein, nfl.com.
Cornerback/ Nickelback, 6-0, 200 pounds
Another physically gifted athlete, Kyler Gordon, excelled in the Washington Huskies’ five defensive back scheme. He played mainly at nickelback but also saw time at corner in his four seasons at UW. Last year Gordon played in all 12 games and made 36 tackles (2 for loss) with two interceptions, seven passes defended, and a forced fumble.
Gordon has outstanding athleticism to go with good size and strength; he will wow scouts at the combine with his measurables. Those tools are an excellent base to start from as well as Gordon’s ability to stay “close to” or “close on” his man in coverage.
Half the battle is getting in position to make plays. Gordon has that down. Although he’s almost always in position, his consistency to finish needs work. Gordon misses too many tackles and should also be a better finisher than he is. But make no mistake, his talent covering the slot is as good as any DB in this class.
It may take a season or two for Gordon to develop into a starter.
Of the 14 mock drafts we audited that included Gordon, Seattle at 41 was the only entry that showed up twice. The rest of his selections run the spectrum from late first round to early third round.
One of the more interesting selections was Gordon going in the first round to Arizona. The Cardinals already have Washington Huskies alums Budda Baker and Byron Murphy in their defensive backfield. Three Washington Dbs would say a lot about Arizona’s respect for players from UW.
The Huskies may have been on to something when they kicked him into the slot regularly the past two seasons. His short-area quicks play well there. That’s not to say he can’t play outside, but he may be a better fit inside.
Gordon has some of the best initial burst in the class and wins with that explosiveness in a number of ways. You see it in his play at the catch point and making up ground after route breaks. Pro Football Focus Draft Guide.
Where do you think the two former University of Washington defensive backs will go in the NFL draft? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.