Jordan Poyer : CB : Oregon State

[Matthew Jones]

Some of my notes on Poyer:

Jordan Poyer, Oregon St. (5’11”, 190)

2009: 11 tackles

2010: 34 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 INT (1 TD), 4 PD

2011: 57 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 4 INT (1 TD), 12 PD

2012 (YTD): 15 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 5 INT (1 TD), 4 PD

• Has made extensive contributions on special teams: gunner, kick returner, punt returner

• Almost always lines up at left cornerback for the Beavers; converted from safety in 2010

• Looks a little bit shorter than his listed 6’0”, but has a muscular, compact build

• Aggressive in coverage, gets physical with his man and will try to undercut routes

• Reacts, breaks on the ball quickly and reads opposing routes well, especially in off coverage

• Excellent ball skills to make plays on the ball in the air; soft hands, remembers to look back

• Experienced in both press coverage and zone coverage; looks a little bit better in man coverage

• Has yet to miss any time due to injury; will enter the draft having played in over 40 games

• Misses far too many tackles; active but not powerful, more of a dive-and-swipe tackler

• Struggles to shed blocks in the running game; active hand use but can be controlled

• Not afraid to mix it up but may have some difficulty covering taller receivers in the NFL

• Confidence borders on cockiness and personality may turn off some NFL teams

Grade: Second or third round

Notes: Poyer should be selected in the second or third round: he is a versatile, experienced player with outstanding competitiveness and impressive measurables. His burst, ball skills, and agility all stand out on tape and could earn him a starting job in the NFL. As a rookie, his special teams value as a gunner and return specialist could help him work his way onto the field. Only two factors may negatively impact his draft stock: his tackling and his personality. Poyer is active but ineffective in run support and pre-draft interviews may negatively impact his draft stock.

[rawdawg]

Some of that stuff is what I like about Poyer. I think he can come in as a rookie and contribute to any team because of his special teams play/experience. And not just returning. I also like that he should have the ability to cover the slot in the nickel early in his career, before perhaps moving to the outside. I think he has elite CB feet, change of direction and closing ability, but he also has the size to not get run circles around him inside.

That's why I like him for the Bears. DJ Moore is a FA, he could take over there next year. Charles Tillman is in his 30s and he and Jennings are FAs after 2013, so Poyer could move to the outside then. Plus, the Bears are always looking for guys who can cover kicks. I think he can be taught to tackle, like Nathan Vasher was as a Bear.

[bulldog0123]

Originally Posted by gpngc

Nice call PF28. Bulldog, a lot of his highlight tapes include a bunch of big hits, forced fumbles, and closing on receivers before they catch the ball.

Care to elaborate? Is he a hit-or-miss tackler that whiffs at times?

I mean, what you were watching was a highlight reel. What I have seen of him, he just seems really tentative and doesn't give much help in run support.

[coach4fu]

Originally Posted by bulldog0123

I mean, what you were watching was a highlight reel. What I have seen of him, he just seems really tentative and doesn't give much help in run support.

I've seen him play several times and really watched his game against Utah and he did a great job vs. the run. Every game I've seen he has been a strong tackler.

[wicket]

one of the least talked about high profile prospects. looks likely to be a second rounder yet noone really talks about him

[villagewarrior]

Poyer and Markus Wheaton are both guys that I feel are underrated and will be steals in the league. Maybe Wheaton more so than Poyer, but you know what I mean.

[princefielder28]

Originally Posted by wicket

one of the least talked about high profile prospects. looks likely to be a second rounder yet noone really talks about him

I have Poyer as a Top 15 prospect and worth a first round pick...Rhodes gets a ton of attention while Poyer flies under the radar

[thetedginnshow]

Because of how the Senior Bowl played out, Trufant gets all the love. But I live in Pac-12 country (in WA, actually) and Poyer's always been better. He's a beast. His size worries me a little bit to be playing on the boundary. He just seems to have a small frame. To me, though, he's the second best CB in the class.