In today’s Draft Review article, we will be taking an in-depth look at Marlon Humphrey. Humphrey was drafted to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, with the 16th pick overall. In college, he played cornerback at the University of Alabama for two years, before declaring entry in to the NFL Draft this year. His father, Bobby Humphrey, also played football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He had a prolific running back career at Alabama, and was drafted in the first round of the NFL Supplemental Draft in 1989. Although joining Alabama in the shadow of his father, Humphrey quickly became his own player, in his two seasons with the team. His fantastic play made him one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and granted him the opportunity to be an NFL first round pick. Today, we are going to go over his skill set, where he will fit in on the Ravens, predictions for Humphrey going forward, and grade the overall selection.
Skill Set
Humphrey is a 6’0″ 197 lbs cornerback, a good size for an NFL cornerback. Humphrey has many great traits to give him a substantial advantage in the NFL, however, one of his best traits is his athletic abilities on the field. He is able to use his body in a way that gives him an advantage on an opposing wide receiver, and can make plays with his athleticism. To go along with this athleticism, he is very fast. At the NFL Combine this offseason, he posted a blazing 4.41 second 40 yard dash. Humphrey is more than just his speed, he is also a great coverage cornerback. He plays aggressively, with a fiery passion for the game. He packs a punch when he makes hits, and is able to strip the ball from players with somewhat regularity. Another great trait that he possesses is his superb football instincts. He is very aware on the field, and always finds a way to get involved in the action. This contributes to his great ability to jump routes and make plays on the ball. Often times he will sniff out a route or passing lane, and jump it, leading to some great plays. Finally, he has experience playing in a zone scheme defense at Alabama, and should fit well with the Ravens defense in 2017 and beyond.
Fit In Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Humphrey in the first round of the draft, meaning that they likely see him as a starter. With Humphrey’s build and size, he will likely play on the outside at cornerback, on the opposite side of Jimmy Smith. Brandon Carr, an offseason cornerback acquisition from the Cowboys, will likely either split time with Smith and Humphrey to split the work up and keep everyone rested enough, or will find time in certain packages that call for more than three cornerbacks on the field. Tavon Young will likely continue playing in the slot cornerback position, a position that he excelled in last season as a rookie.
Predictions for Marlon Humphrey
I believe that in Humphrey’s first year with the Ravens, he will excel at his outside cornerback position, and quickly become an essential part of a dominant Ravens defense. I believe that Humphrey will be able to go toe to toe with some of the best wide receivers in the league, including division rivals AJ Green and Antonio Brown. Humphrey will get over 30 tackles and multiple interceptions in his rookie year. After his rookie season, Humphrey will go on to a productive career with the Baltimore Ravens, and will contribute until his departure.
College Statistics
2015 – (Freshman Year) – 45 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles.
2016 – (Sophomore Year) – 36 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble.
Selection Grade
The Ravens selected Marlon Humphrey in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, with the 16th pick overall in the draft. Humphrey was projected to go somewhere between the 12th and 20th pick in the first round. Baltimore picked him up at 16, exactly in the middle of that range. They did not reach for Humphrey, nor did they get a steal. They found a prospect with the right value at the right pick. However, other players such as Jonathan Allen, defensive end from Alabama and Reuben Foster, linebacker also from Alabama were both still on the board. Both of those prospects were considered to be top 10 prospects in the draft this year. The Ravens could have gotten even better value with these players, however each had their own concern, which caused their first round slide. Overall, the Ravens get a B+ grade on this pick. Good value, good player, but there were other better value options on the table.
