Antonio Cromartie
Cornerback
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 210 pounds
Class Year: Jr
Experience: 3V
High School: Lincoln
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
40 time: 4.39 seconds
NFL Draft Summary
Frank Coyle: Cromartie is the best defensive back in this class. He gives the Chargers' battered secondary a shutdown corner. He can match up with big, fast receivers and has the talent to press for a starting job as a rookie.
Pros: Cromartie declared for the NFL Draft after missing the 2005 season following knee surgery. He has the combination of size, speed, quickness, agility and instincts only the highest blue-chip cornerbacks possess. He has rare movement skills for a 6-foot-2 athlete and performs positional skills that only 180-pound athletes can accomplish. He has the hip flexibility and footwork of a much smaller athlete with the height and reach to matchup with any receiver in the game. He is the best college corner over the past two decades. In his back pedal, he is smooth, fluid and is able to break quickly on the ball. He has exceptional ball skills and competes for the pass on every attempt. He shows good recognition of plays with the rare closing burst to make up for mistakes and incredible top-drawer ball skills. His workouts at both the NFL Combine and Florida State pro day indicate his knee problems are behind him. His decision to declare for the draft came as a surprise, but his postseason performance has opened eyes to his athletic skills.
Cons: He missed the entire 2005 season with a knee injury sustained in July 2005. His bizarre college career includes only one start. In zone coverage, he is raw in many respects and needs development. He is not alert and instinctive to recognize routes and his decision-making is not as developed as necessary. As a tackler, he is not really physical.
Numbers: At the Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds, with a 38î vertical jump and an 11í broad jump. His 10-yard split was 1.53 seconds, one of the best at the event. At Florida Stateís pro day, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds with a time of 3.89 seconds in the short shuttle and a time of 7.02 seconds in the three-cone drill. He also had a 44î vertical jump and did 18 reps of the 225-pound bench press. His overall stats in 2004 include four interceptions and two touchdowns on an interception and fumble recovery.
This is special to Rivals.com from Frank Coyle. Coyle has written about the NFL Draft in his newsletter for more than 15 years and has endorsements from NFL veterans like Gil Brandt, Phil Savage and Charley Casserly. Coyle's work can also be found at www.draftinsiders.com - where he offers a free NFL e-mail service. You may call Coyle toll-free at 800-776-1949.