The college football season is over; withdrawals, depression, misery. Before you slip into an apathetic stupor for eight months, remember that the NFL Draft is just around the corner! From now until April's NFL Draft, I will be profiling some of the more interesting prospects. I can't promise that I'll get to your favorite player, but if you'd like to see a certain player profiled, shoot us an email and let us know.
The whole speed issue with Joe Haden is almost at non-issue at this point. His 4.57 40 yard dash at the Combine was reportedly due to a sprained back and Haden more than made up for the lackluster time at his pro day, running in the high 4.3's or low 4.4's depending on who you ask; that's perfectly acceptable speed for a cornerback in the NFL.
A lot of analysts have used the term 'shutdown corner' when describing Haden. He recorded eight picks in his three years as a Gator which is nothing to write home about, but his true value has been in pass breakups. In his three collegiate seasons, he recorded 34 pass breakups. He has a nice vertical leap and times his jump well to break up passes.
Haden didn't have to play downfield very often in the Gator defense. Sure, receivers have gone deep on him (you'll see a few examples in the video), but the Gators pass rush was so effective in most games that Haden saw a lot of short and medium range passes. He has the speed to stay with deep receivers and I'm not saying he'll be a liability here, only that he hasn't been overly tested in this capacity.
Another concern that some have with Haden is that he did not play cornerback until college. But he started in the opening game as a true freshman and has logged 40 career starts in his three year career. I'm convinced he has a pretty solid grasp on the position. If you're committed to reading into this perceived lack of experience further, it only means that he'll improve with further instruction in the NFL.
At 5'11 he has adequate height, but some consider him undersized at 190 pounds. Unlike a lot of cornerbacks, though, Haden actually tackles. He doesn't just lay out his best hit and hope the ball carrier goes down; he wraps up properly and brings his man to the ground. He doesn't let himself get pushed around in coverage, either.
He'll have to work on his backpedal and a good defensive backs coach will surely address this part of his game. He seems to go side to side instead of backwards sometimes. Haden looks good in both man and zone coverages, although man coverage is his strong suit. He's a smart player, anticipates routes well and does a fine job of recognizing running and passing plays.
I'll address another concern that some have expressed about not only Haden, but the Gators in general. This will surely rile up a few fans in Gainesville, but so be it. The Gators do not have the greatest record for producing quality NFL talent. There are always exceptions (Emmitt Smith, Fred Taylor), but the list is not very long and quite underwhelming.
This new crop of Florida Gators that won a couple of championships over the past few years has yet to be tested in the NFL, so we'll see. But to draft a 'shutdown corner' in the first half of the first round, I'd want the system that produced him to have a better track record of producing professional talent. At least at his position (yeah, Lito Sheppard made a couple Pro Bowls).
Still, if I'm a general manager or head coach, I'd take Haden if I was in need of a cornerback because I feel like he has real talent. I might not take him with the 6th or 7th pick (I would be reluctant to take any corner that high, actually), but I feel like he fits nicely in the 10 to 15 range of the first round.
The 49ers picking 13th and 17th seem like the consensus best destination for Haden at this point. Where he was once considered a lock for the Browns at #7, concerns about his speed (since squashed) dropped him on a lot of mock drafts. The Browns are reportedly still interested in Haden and I wouldn't be too surprised to hear his name called when they go on the clock. - Danny Hobrock
Danny is a sports journalist primarily covering college football and professional baseball. His work for Xtra Point Football has garnered national attention and is critically acclaimed. Danny is the former editor of a political and current events website and the editor of our college football content.
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The college football season is over; withdrawals, depression, misery. Before you slip into an apathetic stupor for eight months, remember that the NFL Draft is just around the corner! From now until April's NFL Draft, I will be profiling some of the more interesting prospects. I can't promise that I'll get to your favorite player, but if you'd like to see a certain player profiled, 
