From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, 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, Day 3 selections, or priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Virginia Tech cornerback Dorian Strong.
No. 44 Dorian Strong/CB Virginia Tech – 6010, 185 pounds (Grad Student)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Dorian Strong | 6010/185 | 9 1/4 | 30 7/8 | 76 1/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.50 | 1.55 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’8″ | 36 | 15 |
THE GOOD
– Physical press corner who likes getting hands on receivers
– Able to disrupt and slow down route and timing
– Uses frame to compete at catch point; at best when taking away slant routes
– Rides receivers vertically and across the field, can get in their hip pocket and stay there
– Good eyes and finds the ball in the air
– Proficient in bail technique when playing off to read quarterback through receiver’s route
– Willing tackler with downhill trigger, gets players down in open field
– Comfortable playing in space and on an island as the team’s field corner
– Experience on special teams as jammer
– Tons of college starting experience
The Bad
– Lack of ideal length for his frame
– Only an above-average athlete
– Shows tightness against quick game and nuanced route when asked to change directions and flip hips around
– Trouble mirroring when he can’t get hands on receiver
– Gets stuck on blocks in run game
– Some tackle attempts are underwhelming, resulting in him throwing shoulder and making lackluster attempt
– Needs to improve balance and keep feet under him to avoid falling off mid-route
– Too often loses outside leverage/contain in the run game
– Alignment often away from action and wasn’t very active in run game, resulting in low tackle numbers
Bio
– Turns 23 on March 14
– 44 career starts for Hokies
– Career: 112 tackles (1.5 TFL), 35 PDs 7 INTs, and 1 FF
– 2024: 32 tackles, 6 PDs, 2 INTs, and 1 FF
– Ten career penalties, three in 2024, two in 2023 (per PFF)
– Played WR and CB in high school, caught eight TD passes on 17 receptions as senior along with making 33 tackles
– Three-star recruit from Upper Marlboro, Maryland; only other offer was Delaware State (other services listed him as two-star recruit)
– Suffered season-ending fracture in right hand in 2022 (injury occurred at base of thumb), requiring surgery and limiting him to four games
– Once admitted he became “complacent” during 2021 season, leading to down year but improved focus and work ethic
– Logged 55 snaps on kick coverage in 2023, 18 on punt coverage in 2022 and 43 in 2021
Tape Breakdown
Dorian Strong had just one official Power-Five offer but made the most of it, becoming a top defender for the Hokies by career’s end. Though he lacks ideal length for his frame, he’s still a strong and tough press corner who beats up wide receivers off the line of scrimmage. He’s at his best breaking on the ball on slants, routinely making plays and running routes for the receiver.
He served as Virginia Tech’s field corner and was comfortable playing one-on-one with a lot of space to navigate. Downfield, he can find the ball and make plays on it with a ton of breakups over his career.
But that field-corner responsibility kept him uninvolved against the run and even dating back to high school, Strong has never posted big tackle numbers. Perhaps some of that speaks to teams not throwing toward him and in the tape I watched, the other Hokies corner was targeted far more often. While Strong can wrap up receivers in the open field, he’s often stuck on blocks and has some ugly attempts. Cut-up below.
Also didn’t like how often he lost outside leverage in the run game.
Strong also has trouble with small movements and mirroring when he can’t ride the route and get hands on the receiver. Though he defends slants well, he will have trouble if he has to change directions and flip around. You’ll see the same on double moves, too.
Conclusion
Overall, Dorian Strong had a strong college career and likes to play big and physical. He’s best in a Cover 2 type of scheme if his tackling and run support improve a couple of ticks. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the length for the type of corner he wants to play as, dinging him a bit, but he could become a solid No. 3/immediate backup corner with special teams value.
My NFL comp is Dane Jackson.
Projection: Late Day 2/Early Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.2 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: vs Wake Forest (2023), at Vanderbilt (2024), at Miami FL (2024), at Duke (2024)
