From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on South Carolina cornerback O’Donnell Fortune.
#3 O’DONNELL FORTUNE/CB SOUTH CAROLINA – 6006, 185 POUNDS (Senior)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| O’Donnell Fortune | 6006/185 | 9 1/4 | 31 1/2 | 76 7/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.57 | 1.57 | 4.47 | 7.40 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’9″ | 32.5 | 13 |
The Good
– Had zero penalties in 2024 and only five total in his entire college career
– Great height that lands in the 86th percentile
– Solid week of practices at the Shrine Bowl and won the East-West Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP
– Shows good pre-play communication by making callouts to teammates so that everyone knows their role, which supports claims about him being a good leader
– Good zone coverage skills
– Has an ability to find the end zone with the ball in his hands even though some may get called back (pick-six in 2022 against Notre Dame, two were called back in 2024 due to penalties or stepping out of bounds, had one in the Shrine Bowl)
– Demonstrates good hip fluidity, which allows him to retreat with ease
– Showed constant improvement in college, with 2024 showing statistical highs in interceptions, tackles, tackles for losses, and forced fumbles
The Bad
– Older age turning 24 before the season paired with below average weight that falls in the 38th percentile
– Relative Athletic Score (RAS) fell in the 26th percentile with very poor agility testing, poor explosion testing, and just okay speed testing
– A lot of his ball production is being in the right place at the right time rather than him making a great play on the ball
– Does not have the long speed to carry a receiver down the field in man coverage
– Lacks the ability to explode out of breaks and make a play
– Nothing special as a run defender
– Hardly played special teams in college with only one season of at least 40 special teams snaps
Bio
– 23 years old (September 8th, 2001)
– 44 games played with 24 starts for South Carolina from 2020 to 2024
– 108 tackles, nine pass deflections, two forced fumbles, seven interceptions, and three tackles for loss in his college career
– 47 tackles, three pass deflections, one forced fumble, three interception,s and two tackles for loss in 2024
– 2024 minor nagging lower body injury that caused him to leave two games early
– Three-star S in his 2020 high school class from Sumter, SC
– Played football, basketball and competed on the track and field team in high school
– In high school played safety, cornerback, punt returner, and kick returner
– Was recognized with the Most Improved Award for the defense in the spring of 2023
– 2024 Honorable Mention All-SEC
– In 2023 was suspended by the team for one and a half games due to a “violation of athletic department policy,” though head coach noted it wasn’t for anything illegal
– Has an NIL deal with Midas that gives his supporters 50 percent off their next oil change
– Defensive Backs Coach Torrian Gray says that he is “Really proud of O’Donnell” and that “He has really become a leader. He has matured a lot. He has really taken upon the role of doing it in his quiet demeanor, but our demeanor”
– Had a 100-yard pick-six against Notre Dame in 2022, which tied the second-longest return in school history
Tape Breakdown
O’Donnell Fortune is regarded as a leader for South Carolina. Here, you can see the on-field leadership with his communication before the play. Once the play starts, Fortune is met with physicality, allowing the receiver to create separation. Despite Fortune being multiple steps behind the receiver, he lacks the urgency to make up ground and cover his initial man. The receiver catches the ball on third down and sets up his offense well. Considering Fortune’s natural bigger size, seeing the separation after the physicality and the lack of attempting to make up ground was a bit discouraging.
— Steven (@Elspedd) April 14, 2025
Fortune is consistently in the right place at the right time, which will be seen in the following clips. Here, Fortune does a good job carrying his receiver up the sideline when the quarterback starts to feel the rush closing in. The Texas A&M quarterback tries to make a play under pressure and vastly under-throws the intended man. This allows Fortune to break on the ball for the interception. Despite returning it for a touchdown, it was determined he stepped out of bounds two yards after he caught it.
— Steven (@Elspedd) April 14, 2025
Fortune made a similar play against LSU a few weeks earlier in the season. This is another example of the quarterback being pressured and trying to make a play. The quarterback overthrows his receiver, and the ball falls right into Fortune’s lap. Despite returning it for a touchdown, it was determined that the quarterback was brought down by his collar, and it was brought back for a penalty on the defense.
— Steven (@Elspedd) April 14, 2025
Finally, this pick-six stands for Fortune. This is the play that single-handedly won him the Defensive MVP award. That is exactly what happened in a game where the West vastly struggled with quarterback play. The quarterback simply lofted the ball over his receiver’s head, and it landed in the lap of Fortune. This time, he was able to return it for six in the most exciting play of the entire game.
— Steven (@Elspedd) April 14, 2025
This was the best play I saw from Fortune. There was some pre-snap communication, and he dropped back to carry the motioning receiver. The receiver stopped on a curl, and Fortune was able to make a great break on the ball while playing tight coverage. This allowed Fortune to bat the ball down for an incompletion.
— Steven (@Elspedd) April 14, 2025
Conclusion
O’Donnell Fortune is an interesting watch. He is widely regarded as a quiet leader by multiple people, and based on his film, that seems to be correct. However, I would be interested to know the details of his 2023 suspension, which was deemed a violation of athletic department policy.
He is a slender zone coverage corner who tested as a poor athlete through his RAS. He is a playmaker with the ball in his hands, based on how many potential pick-sixes he could’ve had in college. I would like to see him make more natural plays on the ball rather than it luckily falling into his lap. Due to the holes in his game and lack of special teams play in college, he may struggle to stay on a team consistently.
My pro comparison for Fortune is Dre Kirkpatrick. Like Kirkpatrick, Fortune is a taller but slim corner who tested poorly when looking at RAS scores. Coming out of Alabama, Kirkpatrick was praised for his zone coverage ability and noticeable confidence. Both are praises I would give to Fortune.
Projection: Late Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 6.1 – Sixth/Seventh Round (End of Roster/Practice Squad)
Games Watched: Shrine Bowl (2025), LSU (2024), Texas A&M (2024), Missouri (2024)
