From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we will 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 Tennessee cornerback Kamal Hadden.
#5 KAMAL HADDEN, CB, TENNESSEE (R-SR) — 6010, 196 pounds
Combine/Pro Day
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Kamal Hadden | 6010/196 | 8 1/2″ | 30 7/8″ | 74 1/8″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.53 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’2″ | 34.5″ | N/A |
The Good
— Good size and solid speed
— Strong jam at the line of scrimmage
— Loose hips and good footwork to match receiver release
— Good COD and acceleration at the break point and coming downhill
— Awareness and spacing in zone coverage
— Very good aggressiveness at the catch point; tries to break up everything
— QBs did not throw his way a lot and still had good ball production
— Solid force player and run support near the line of scrimmage
The Bad
— Minimal ball production prior to this season
— Coming off season-ending shoulder surgery
— Length and hand size are below average
— Testing has been limited in pre-draft due to coming off rehab
— Doesn’t always get his head around on deep balls
— Physical receiver can create space at the break point
— Dives too low when tackling near line of scrimmage
— Poor effort to tackle downfield on players with a full head of steam
Bio
— Career: 87 tackles, 56 solo, 5.5 TFL, 6 INT, 1 TD, 12 PBU, 2 FF
— 2023: 19 tackles, 13 solo, 3 INT, 1 TD, 8 PBU
— Had season ending shoulder surgery in late October 2023
— 23 games, 15 starts
— Didn’t allow a TD pass in seven games in 2023
— Per Pro Football Focus, defensive coverage grade of 90.4 – second-best among SEC cornerbacks; fifth in the nation in 2023
— Began career at Independence CC; stopped in Auburn for spring 2021 but did not play
— Also lettered in basketball in high school
— Earned his bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a minor in business administration
— Models his game after Jalen Ramsey
— Birthday: January 17, 2021 (23)
Tape Breakdown
Kamal Hadden was a boundary corner for the Volunteers and played on both sides of the field. He has good size, solid speed with adequate length. He has experience in man and zone coverages and is combative at the catch point.
In man coverage, when lined up in press he will use a very aggressive two-hand jam to disrupt the receiver off the line of scrimmage. He has good footwork and loose hips to match the release and gets up to speed quickly. From off coverage, he has good balance and change of direction to click and close on balls in front of him. On in breaking routes, he has good mental processing and looks to undercut the route.
When playing zone, he gets good depth and has solid awareness in Cover 3 along with a good understanding of route combinations. In the underneath zone, he actively tries to jam receivers coming through his area and has solid spacing. On screens, he displays good mental processing and aggressiveness on screens to get through blocks to the ball.
Getting downhill from zone coverage to make the stop and limit yards after the catch.
At the catch point, he is very combative. Whether it’s trying to intercept, knock down a pass or play through the basket, he always tries to break up the pass. He has good hands to bring in the interception and solid vision after the catch. When blitzing, he displays good acceleration and gets his hands up in passing lanes.
Almost every throw his way gets contested.
A couple of interceptions. One gifted on an overthrow and the other late in the fourth quarter to close out the victory.
Against the run, he was solid as the force player and showed solid aggressiveness to meet runners before they got their legs churning. He will make a good effort to get off receivers’ block attempts and cut down runners on the outside.
Near the line of scrimmage, he will cut down runners.
While his two-handed jam is effective, when a receiver connects to swipe his hands away it puts him a disadvantage right away. Physical receivers can create space at the break point. On deep balls, he doesn’t always get his head around to find the ball. When tackling in space, he gives a poor effort to any runner with a full head of steam. He doesn’t try to wrap up and when he tries to use force with his shoulder it’s very passive. As a tackler, he will also dive low and miss.
The receiver leans on him to create space. This is one of a very few targets that was not contested.
Tackles will be missed but lack of effort when a player has a full head of steam is unacceptable.
Conclusion
Overall, Hadden is an outside boundary corner who can play on either side. He has experience in man and zone schemes and would fit in either. He has good size, solid speed and good change of direction. At the catchpoint, he is very disruptive and looks to break up every pass. Against the run, he is solid near the line of scrimmage and is effective as the force player.
Areas to improve include getting his head around on deep balls, using independent hands in his jam and tackling more aggressively in space. Correcting his aiming point as well as wrapping up would help him be a better tackler.
There hasn’t been a lot of pre-draft talk about Hadden, and I would guess that is because he has been rehabbing his shoulder after surgery and not taken part in a lot of the pre-draft activities. His 2023 tape compared to 2022 was a big jump in improvement and as a coverage corner, I like his game. He has the confidence and combativeness you want to compete with all receivers.
His tackling and run support leave a little to be desired but some teams will hope they can get more out of him. Additionally, his length isn’t ideal, but he still gets his hands in break up passes. I believe him to be scheme diverse as far as coverage is concerned.
For a player comp, I will give you Bashaud Breeland. He too was athletic, had loose hips and an aggressive style in coverage.
Projection: Early Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.5 Potential Starter/Good Backup (4th Round)
Games Watched: 2022 vs Clemson; 2023 – vs Virginia, At Florida, Vs South Carolina, Vs Texas A&M, At Alabama
