Eric Rowe CB Utah #18
Wt: 205
[level-scouting-reports]
Size/Athleticism: Impressive height, but surprisingly short arms. Strong leaping ability adds to the effect of his height in jump ball situations. Adequate athleticism but nothing special for a cornerback. Converted safety and some teams will view him as a safety due to some limitations in functional speed/agility. Tested extremely well at combine, but does not appear to have the same elite athleticism on the field.
Coverage: Has the strength to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. Inconsistent footwork and balance creates issues against quicker receivers who can force him into a false step at the line of scrimmage—and then he lacks the elite speed to recover. Change of direction ability to lacking, making it difficult for him to recover from false steps. Excels at defending underneath routes due to his physical play, but is susceptible to getting beat over the top. Would not trust him on an island early in his career—needs safety help over top.
Ball skills: Tends to play the receiver more than he plays the ball. Would like to see him turn to locate the ball more consistently. Shaky hands.
Run support: Capable but inconsistent. When unblocked, he’s a playmaker—closes quickly and efficiently and can wrap guys up or deliver a big hit. Gets blocked and taken out of the play by receivers more often than you’d like to see for a corner with some size.
Intangibles: Nothing positive or negative of note.
Durability: Missed two games with hamstring injury in 2012. Knocked out of a game and missed following week in 2014 with undisclosed injury
[/level-scouting-reports]
Overview: Rowe is a safety/corner ‘tweener. As a corner, his size is definitely intriguing and could potentially lead to some first-round grades. He excels at jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage but limited agility (like many taller corners) make him susceptible to getting beat over the top. I wouldn’t trust him on an island, which limits his upside, but there’s definite value in his physical play and he has the skills to start on the outside in the right defensive scheme.
