2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa.

#2 T.J.  Tampa, CB, Iowa State (SR) — 6007, 189 pounds

Combine

Measurements

*Pro Day Figures

The Good

— Plenty of starting experience
— Aligned on both sides of the field and occasionally in the slot
— Good size and length
— Even keeled demeanor; business-like in his approach
— Experience in man and zone, but best fit is as a press corner
— Good speed to hang with the receiver and undercut crossing routes
— Physical and strong with his jam at the line of scrimmage
— Uses length well to get hands in passing lanes
— Will make the big hit when given the opportunity
— Willing participant and good effort to help in the run game

The Bad

— Allows a lot of space in Off Man coverage
— Change of direction is clunky, taking multiple steps to gather and reverse field
— Speedy, smaller receivers can give him trouble
— Positioning is high during his backpedal
— Grabby downfield
— Spacing in Zone coverage needs to improve
— Talking technique near LOS is very inconsistent
— Two-handed jam will be trouble if he misses
— Fairly low ball production with three career interceptions

Bio

— 2023: 44 tackles, 33 solo, 3 TFL, 2 INT for 1 yard, 7 PBU 1 QB hit
— Career: 106 tackles, 82 solo, 9.5 TFL, 3 INT, 22 PBU
— 46 games, 29 starts
— 2023: AP Third Team All American
— First team All-Big 12 (2023)
— Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2023)
— Allowed one TD in last 497 coverage snaps
— Majoring in communications studies
— Two-time All-County in football and basketball in high school
— DOB 03/13/2002

Tape Breakdown

Multiple 2023 additions gave some insight into what type of defensive backs the Steelers now have their eyes on. Tall and long. Joey Porter, Jr, Cory Trice, and Darius Rush are all at least 6’2” and have long arms. One of those guys may earn the starting job opposite Porter next season, but you can never have enough defensive backs.

T.J. Tampa Jr. fits the physical criteria. He has started for the Cyclones for the last two-plus seasons, playing primarily on the right side in 2023. While asked to play a lot of Man coverage, he also has experience in Zone coverage.

Against the pass, when lined up in Press Man coverage, he shows good patience and footwork to mirror the receiver off the line and will use a good two-handed jam to stun receivers. He uses a solid hip flip and good speed to run with receivers on deep routes and uses the sideline to his advantage. He is comfortable with his back to the quarterback and gets his head around to find the ball. On crossing routes, he stays in the pocket of his man and likes to undercut those routes.

While not being targeted often in Man coverage, he uses his length well to get his hand in the receiver’s basket and shows good hands to make the interception. I didn’t see it often, but he was also used to blitz off the edge. In Off Man coverage, he plays with his eyes in the backfield while moving with the receiver to allow good reactions to running plays.

Against Oklahoma State, he will track the receiver on the crossing route, undercut, and make the game-clinching interception.

Against Oklahoma, he gets spun at the top of the route but is able to close the distance and yank down the receiver’s arm to prevent the reception.

Against Texas, he maintains tight coverage on this deep ball to a very talented receiver.

In Zone coverage, when playing underneath, he displays good awareness within his area and can get downhill quickly. When the opportunity is there, he will execute the big hit to try to jar the ball loose. He uses his length well when taking on blocks of the receiver and is good at shedding the blocker to get to the ball. In the deep Zone, he gets good depth, keeping the play in front of him and displaying solid awareness of receivers coming across the field.

As a tackler, he is a willing participant and shows good, yet inconsistent, physicality. Away from the line of scrimmage, he is solid at tackling receivers in the open field, able to wrap and limit yards after the catch. Against the run, he willingly fills lanes or takes on blocks on the edge. He can force the play inside or spill it to the edge.

Against Baylor, possibly a run blitz or just good diagnosing, he fills the lane and makes a tackle for a loss.

Against Kansas State, here he makes a couple of nice tackles, including the first taking on the block before making the tackle for a loss.

In the games watched, just about all of his allowed receptions were on comeback or stop routes. His change of direction is just adequate and will leave him susceptible to these types of routes, along with whip routes and other routes with the receiver coming back to the line of scrimmage. In Man coverage, he will get high in his backpedal, which may also hinder his COD. From an off-man alignment, he gives up a lot of space.

Against Texas, the receiver’s route change causes Tampa to take five steps to reverse field. These types of routes could give him trouble.

In Zone coverage, his spacing is adequate, drifting too far from his spot. He was grabby downfield, which is common in college, but he will need to clean that up. When tackling near the line of scrimmage, his technique is below average. It ranges from trying to tackle high to diving at the ankles of the ball carrier with his back to the ball, allowing them to step over him. The two-handed jam works if it connects, but if he misses, he’ll be forced to play catch-up.

In the snow at Kansas State, he measured up to make the tackle but dives low and at the back of the receiver’s legs, missing the tackle. I saw this technique multiple times.

Conclusion

Overall, Tampa has good size and length, can play on either side of the field, and has experience in Man and Zone coverages. He is comfortable in Press Man coverage, using his length well to jam and in passing lanes. His speed is good to hang with deep routes or crossing routes. He can play deep or underneath in Zone coverage, can get downhill quickly, and will use a big hit to try to jar the ball loose. Against the run, he is a willing participant to fill lanes or take on blockers.

Areas to improve include limiting space on change of direction routes (comeback, stop, whip) and working toward using one hand to jam. Improved technique in his backpedal in coverage, as well as when tackling, will step his game up. Understanding spacing in Zone coverages will allow him to make more plays on the ball.

In the games watched, quarterbacks did not test him all that often, which may have limited his ball production. I like his confidence and demeanor. He got pumped up on a couple of plays, but most of the time, he was all business and on to the next play. His lateral agility and change of direction testing will have an impact on how high he gets drafted. Pittsburgh looks to have transitioned to the bigger cornerbacks, and Tampa fits the mold. You could imagine TJT opposite of JPJ next season.

His best fit is as an outside corner in a Press Man role but with some Cover 3 mixed in. For a player comp, I’ll go with Carlton Davis, who is of comparable size, confidence, and fit best as a Press corner coming out.

Projection: Mid-Day 2

Depot Draft Grade: 8.0 Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)

Games Watched: 2023 – Vs Oklahoma State, Vs Oklahoma, at Baylor, Vs Texas, At Kansas State