2016 NFL Draft: Scouting report for Northern Iowa cornerback Deiondre Hall, one of the most productive players at the CB position in this draft…
Northern Iowa cornerback Deiondre Hall is one of the most productive players at his position in the 2016 NFL Draft. Hall’s production over the last two years caught the eye of NFL scouts and he was invited to the Combine and the Senior Bowl.
Over the last two seasons, he picked off 11 passes and forced three fumbles, and was named MVFC defensive player of the year in 2015 with 82 tackles, six interceptions, and four pass breakups. He knows how to get his hands on the football, and we’re going to examine just how he does it.
At A Glance…
Prospect Video
Scouting Notes & Observations
Before moving too far, it’s important to note that while he ran a 4.68 at the Combine, Hall improved on that time with a 4.55 at his pro day. I don’t really care what kind of surface you run on, or who’s timing you, you can always tell by the tape whether or not speed is going to be an issue for a guy at the next level, and we’re going to discuss that further. But don’t be scared off by the 40-time, because one of the best corners in the NFL is Josh Norman, who ran a 4.66 at the Combine back in 2012.
Hall’s size and arm length really stand out. He has some of the longest arms in the entire draft, regardless of position. You don’t usually see arms bigger than 34 inches on anyone but offensive and defensive linemen, so those are going to be a huge weapon for him moving to the NFL. At 6-2 and with 34 3/8″ arms, he’s going to be able to get his hands on the football a lot.
- Willing to stick his nose in the running game and make tackles. Over the last two seasons, he had 156 total tackles, and you love to see a cornerback with the toughness to take on blocks and try and get involved in every play. You see that from Hall.
- Does a good job of jamming receivers at the line when he’s asked to, but can struggle with quickness off the line and you will notice at times the evidence of his long speed becoming a factor.
- Has played a little bit of everything defensively, and while he excelled at cornerback over the course of the season, I think you can see that safety might be his best spot going forward in the NFL. He reads plays pretty well, but doesn’t do as great when asked to play man-to-man coverage because receivers can beat him with quickness. However, he attacks the line of scrimmage really well, takes good angles as a safety, and almost never loses a 50-50 ball situation.
Going into the draft, I see Hall as a day three pick that has some upside as a CB/S hybrid. The initial 40-yard dash time is concerning when you see it backed up on tape at times, but there’s no denying his ball skills and length that will attract NFL teams who will find a way to use him. He is a good tackler who clearly loves the game, and he will have a future in this league.