- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 120,629
By Bob Sturm May 13, 2021
A tradition in this space for years has been to deep dive on the draft picks in the months between the draft and the opening of training camp. In many cases, I had scouted the player pre-draft, but that was not generally going to include some substantial tape work for this space.
The object here is to give analysis and reviews that will show his strengths and weaknesses that capture the form he possessed upon his entry into the NFL through visual aids.
Today, we start with what might be the pivotal pick of this draft for the Cowboys. Kelvin Joseph can either make or break things for this class because, like Trevon Diggs in the 2020 group, he has many doubters. Diggs by no measure played a perfect season — I will be reviewing his rookie season in a piece planned in the hopper. He had his big victories and his big defeats in 2020. He also posted some of the best coverage grades of any rookie corner in the NFL. This is the toughest league in the world and to see his battle level and response to adversity put him as a prospect to get excited about. He wasn’t the sure thing CeeDee Lamb appeared to be at all, but if the Cowboys found a starting corner without using a first-round pick, they probably scored very well with their 2020 draft.
And that history nearly repeated itself again in 2021, when Dallas was able to rally from losing on its first loves at corner with pick No. 10. It definitely did not go according to plan as they lost out on Patrick Surtain (Denver) and Jaycee Horn (Carolina). They instead traded back, picked up a third-rounder for their trouble, took Penn State’s Micah Parsons to play linebacker and then walked a tight rope to hope that one of their remaining top corners would make it to them. We assume their wish list consisted of Caleb Farley (No. 22 to Tennessee), Greg Newsome (No. 26 to Cleveland), maybe Eric Stokes (No. 29 to Green Bay), and Tyson Campbell (No. 33 to Jacksonville).
What happened on Day 2 after one of their two remaining targets (Campbell) was snagged is certainly open to debate. No more corners went before No. 44, but several safeties did. There was a discussion on whether they would have taken any of Jevon Holland, Richie Grant and Trevon Moehrig before Joseph, but from what we can tell, they were dead set on the last corner they thought of as an ideal template scheme fit and a potential Year 1 starter.
Still, with only Joseph left, Dallas never pulled the trigger to go up and get the “Last of the Mohicans” as Jerry Jones once described the team’s urgency in drafting Travis Frederick in 2013. Did they play it perfectly? Or should they have gotten aggressive when they already had the corner plan in Round 1 defeated?
We may never know the details, but by all accounts, their guy fell to them at No. 44 — just like Diggs did at Pick 51 one year ago.
But unlike Diggs, the media reaction is far less optimistic. This disagrees with my pre-draft assessment that evaluated Joseph to be selected exactly where he was. That certainly shouldn’t imply I was right, but it inspired this follow-up piece.
In fairness, the outcry about Joseph from detractors goes in a few places and none of those might show up on film. Evaluating a man’s character or general personality cannot always be done on tape during games. But, to review, we have red flags that showed up in places like Dane Brugler’s “The Beast”:
“… there are character red flags due to youthful immaturity and accountability issues (on and off the field) … some of his former coaches go to bat for him, but some don’t (he “needs to grow up,” according to one former coach) … scouts say his rapping passion might supersede his football passion (has released six albums under the name “YKDV Bossman Fat”) … suspended for the 2018 bowl game for a violation of team rules … he had one foot out the door before the season was over and the coaches directed him to opt out.”
There is definitely a “he said, she said” history to his exit from LSU. He played 2018 there and 2020 at Kentucky. To hear some say it, he didn’t want to get serious about his football. To hear Will McClay tell it on the radio the other day, they wanted to move him to safety and he wasn’t having it and transferred to prove he was an NFL corner-to-be. So he bounced before LSU would have the most successful season in school history. That alone elicited red flags to go play at Kentucky.
He put up a season of great film at Kentucky and opted out when the team sat at 3-6. Again, this is really no different than Jaycee Horn’s decision at South Carolina. But unlike Horn, people add this and that together, as well as Kentucky coach Mark Stoops’ negative reaction to this decision and that pushes some to conclude that Joseph is a potential bad prospect gamble:
“He didn’t want to opt out, but he didn’t want to play this week. Didn’t want to risk injury, I said, ‘That’s understandable, but that’s not how we’re going to do it.’ I can’t just have him out there standing around saying, ‘I’m not playing in this game.’ That’s not a good sign. That’s not the way we’re going to do it here at Kentucky.”
Add those two issues with this sentence from Brugler:
“… scouts say his rapping passion might supersede his football passion (has released six albums under the name “YKDV Bossman Fat”).”
And there you have it. Cowboys media and fans are terrified of this guy being a legitimate corner, even though the price at Pick 44 seems well within the range of a fair tape evaluation.
This brings us to the remainder of this project. First, I have never met Joseph and even if I have, I am sure a 10-minute conversation would not get verification either way about his next 10 years. I have no idea how he sees the world or what happened at LSU. Honestly, what is past is prologue. That said, that is all we have to go on until camp hits. I have no way to vouch for that, but I can go back and review his tape again (mix in a few games I had not seen previously), to double-check my feelings that they might have a guy to pair with Diggs who might even ultimately become their “top guy”.
I took the All-22 from three games from 2020 on Joseph where he played Mississippi State (Oct. 10), at Tennessee (Oct. 17) and at Florida (Nov. 28). I tried to break down his game to some degree to make it simple to see what he does so well, and because film is prohibited these days, I will try to give you some still photos to follow along.
The first game was interesting because Mississippi State was in a real offensive funk and facing an enormous amount of Cover 3 and Cover 4 defenses — the Bulldogs could not really get any drives moving at all. I am sure Mike Leach will sort through this, but on this day, he looked outclassed by Stoops and Kentucky’s defense.
Joseph is up top playing outside on a Cover 3 and allows his man the outside leverage, but almost by design because Joseph has such smooth athleticism, he uses his body to get position and turns to play the ball as a receiver.
As you might see above, Joseph is now the receiver and if the ball was slightly more catchable, this is an interception. Like Diggs, he is looking to get the ball.
But, a few snaps later, MSU tries again and he doesn’t let them get away with it this time.
In the truest sense of playing Cover 3, the field is divided into deep-thirds. On this play, Joseph is basically staying above the threats to his side of the field and you can see him in the yellow circle.
Once he sees the player up the sideline go vertical, he leaves the threat on the hash mark for his middle third safety and flips his hips to handle the pass to the outside. He can do this easily and smoothly.
This is where he is above in the yellow again and he has now spotted the ball to his outside.
From there, he works all the way over, high points the ball at the catch and secures the interception.
He will go get the ball on you and take it away. This is what we saw again quickly in the Tennessee game the next week.
This might be his highlight of the season.
He is in man coverage following his motion man all the way through the traffic.
Once the snap occurs, Joseph has nothing but the field to protect, and the Vols are looking to try to pick him off and out-flank him to the sideline.
But, again, he is fast enough to get well under the route and over the pick. He is poised here to close things down in a hurry.
You can see again that when he knows what he is seeing, he is going to not only stop the play, but go get the ball. Look at his paws and long arms that put him in the path easily. And from there, it is over. You cannot be late to the outside and the throw is late and Joseph is gone.
Pick six. Not even close.
Here are my notes from those first two games:
• MSU was avoiding him in the first half and he wasn’t getting much action at all. In zones, he is watching the quarterback and looking for opportunities to get to the ball.
• His closing speed and juice is exceptional.
• He covers verticals easily and fluidly. In man coverage, he just has to make sure he doesn’t get too grabby.
• He plays with an edge and is looking to get under the skin.
• Willing in run support. Keeps his gap, turns action back inside, and will throw his body at the action.
Now, Florida. This was his final college game and he wanted a piece of Kyle Pitts. He got it, too.
This play, early in the first quarter has been seen a lot to show how freakish Pitts is — because he is being covered by a 4.4 corner and it still doesn’t seem to phase him.
We will see this all the time with the trips to one side and then the tight end to the field side. Joseph wants that matchup and the Wildcats give a quarters look with Joseph in the circle.
Here is Pitts and why we called him a wide receiver in almost every way. This is a Julio Jones or Davante Adams jab step to the outside and Joseph must honor it because there is nothing else out there if Pitts is going to the corner. But he is just trying to set up his man with what is basically Giannis going down the lane with a Euro-step.
All he is trying to do is get a little position inside and then it is up to Kyle Trask to put it on his left shoulder. Joseph is in a good spot and with his reach is thinking he can still make the play.
He just misses and the throw is right on. Pitts has it and now this is where Joseph is used to closing it down.
The problem though is that when he has a step on you and you both run roughly the same 40, then he will still be a step up on you at the goal line.
Touchdown.
Now, third quarter and it is time to do it again in the red zone. Joseph is having a decent game for sure, but the Wildcats are not.
Trips left and Pitts vs. Joseph right. This is what we want to see and Trask wants a fade to his Moss-clone.
Here is where things turn into a fight for the ball. Joseph has good position, but those long arms are giving the ref too much to see.
This right here is both players trying to get their space, but you can’t do that if you are Joseph.
He locks on and gets the flag and the ball falls to the ground. Not horrendous coverage and occasionally on Sundays they will call that football. On this day, he was properly flagged.
This last play shows the edge he plays with — he is competitive and fiery. That is great as long as you don’t hurt your team. It was a long day of chasing Pitts and Kadarius Toney and Joseph might have already been thinking about opting out the next day. No idea, but this was pretty crazy.
Florida fumbles, Jamin Davis is on the ball and the play is essentially over.
Task thinks of trying to dive in, then basically relaxes and pulls up. Joseph still wants to hit him.
So, he does. Not the hardest hit ever, but the team needed a play and got one. Now celebrate and compose yourself.
Instead, he takes a personal foul on a play that was not even close to borderline. It was certainly a frustration foul you will see by a player who showed his frustration.
Notes from the Florida game:
• He traveled all day to handle tough matchups and played very well.
• He chases and pursues the play around him properly.
• He handles receivers with a very physical challenge in press man.
• Easy athleticism and never looks taxed to stay hip to hip.
• Was against Pitts and lost a few snaps, but was not terribly outclassed and never really received help. On an island.
• Unlike the first two games, he was noticeably annoyed with what was happening and it showed.
Overall, after a second pass, I am going to say it again. I think Joseph is going to be a fine player and if I had to bet on him playing corner well for Dallas or not, I think he is what they wanted and needed. Does he have some questionable personality traits? Maybe, but there are so many corners that walk that line, I would not say it sets off alarms with me.
Again, I did this to make sure I saw it right the first time and am now even more convinced that the public outcry about this player is over-baked — perhaps because they have dealt with Cowboys’ angst for so long. He absolutely is what you want in the second round and I anticipate Diggs and Joseph will help transform this defense in the next two seasons.
Count me amongst the detractors of the detractors. I believe in this player.
