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 Louisville defensive back, Jarvis Brownlee, Jr.
#2 JARVIS BROWNLEE, JR., CB, LOUISVILLE (rSR) — 5103, 194 lbs.
Combine/Senior Bowl
Measurements
Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
Jarvis Brownlee, Jr. | 5103/194 | 9″ | 31 1/4″ | 75 1/4″ |
40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
4.51 | 1.62 | 4.25 | 6.94 | |
Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
9’10” | 31.5″ | N/A |
The Good
— Plenty of starting experience
— Boundary corner played on both sides and in the slot
— Good jam at the line of scrimmage
— Physicality drips throughout his play
— Good agility, COD, and gets downhill quickly
— Awareness and spacing in Zone
— Good understanding of route combinations
— Very willing in run support
— Solid tackler overall
The Bad
— May not be long enough to stay as an outside corner
— Lean lower half and narrow stance in slot
— Struggles versus quicker receivers; misses with jam leaves him chasing
— Stays physical too long within the route; will draw penalties
— Transition in off coverage is slow
— Inconsistent getting his head around on the deep ball
— Too grabby on crossing routes
— Over-aggressiveness will cause missed tackles
Bio
— Career: 174 tackles, 115 solo, 7.5 TFL, one sack, 6 INT, 1 TD, 22 PBU, 1 FR, 1 FF
— 2023: 30 tackles, 16 solo, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 6 PBU, 1 FR
— 2023 All-ACC honorable mention
— Played three years at Florida State before transferring to Louisville
— 48 games, 39 starts
— Senior Bowl invitee
— At FSU, co-Devaughn Darling Defense Freshman of the Year
Tape Breakdown
Jarvis Brownlee, Jr. was primarily a boundary corner who played outside to the short side of the field. He aligned on both sides of the field and in the slot as well. He was used in Man and Zone coverages.
In coverage, when playing Press Man, he displays solid footwork to mirror the receiver and very good physicality using a two-handed jam to slow and redirect receivers. His battles with 6-6 Johnny Wilson from Florida State were fun to watch. In Off Man coverage, he shows a solid backpedal and hip turn. He shows solid agility and good change of direction to match at the breakpoint.
Physicality is a big part of his game.
When playing the deep zone, he gets good depth, has a good understanding of route combinations, and is aware of receivers in his area. In the underneath Zone, he displays good awareness of receivers in his area and jams them to redirect their route. His spacing and mobility are good, and he gets depth to close the hole behind him.
On screens, he gets downhill very quickly to make the stop or run through the blockers to disrupt the timing. He displays solid hands to knock down throws when the opportunity is there. Overall, he is a solid tackler in space, often opting for the chop-down variety rather than the wrap-up tackle.
A sample of his pass breakups.
He gets downhill quickly to make plays near the line of scrimmage.
Against the run, he plays much bigger than his physical size. He is solid as the force player, will take on pulling blockers to close the gap, and will cut the corner and chase down from the backside. When aligned in the box, he uses quickness and agility to duck under the lineman’s block to make tackles in gaps.
When not using a jam in Press coverage, particularly in the slot, he struggled against quick receivers, leaving him in chase mode from the get-go. He is very physical with the receiver within the route and will stay in contact well downfield, drawing some flags. He is late to transition in off-coverage and will catch or collide with the receiver. On the deep ball, he is inconsistent in getting his head around, and on crossers, he is too grabby trying to slow their route. His stance is narrower when aligned in the slot than when he is aligned out wide. Aggressiveness will lead to penalties and some missed tackles.
A couple of reps versus quick receivers. He wasn’t able to match their quickness.
Being aggressive there are going to be some misses.
Conclusion
Brownlee has solid size and length and experience playing inside and outside. He has experience in Zone and Man coverage with a good awareness of route combinations. At the line of scrimmage, he uses physicality to disrupt routes and plays with very good physicality, no matter the size of the receiver. He attacks screens, is a good tackler and plays aggressively against the run as well.
Areas for improvement include finding the line between being physical and holding, matching up with quicker receivers more effectively, and improving his footwork in off-coverage. Reviewing his stance and jam in the slot and staying under control when tackling would also be helpful.
Brownlee wants to get up in everyone’s face and make them earn the yards they are trying to get. You have to love his physicality overall and his willingness to make quick stops in the run game. He is slightly undersized and lean in the lower body, but you’d never know it from his performance.
The best fit for him would be in a zone-heavy system that allows him to be physical near the line of scrimmage when they play Man. Playing in the slot could be the best spot for him, but he could also handle outside for some teams. He would also be a prime candidate for kick coverages on special teams.
For a player comp, I’ll go with Taron Johnson. Both have experience in a variety of coverages, have good awareness in Zone and have the physicality in the pass and run game.
Projection: Early to Mid-Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.0 Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – Vs Boston College, Vs Notre Dame, Vs Duke, Vs Florida State, Vs USC