Patrick Surtain II answers all questions about his game at Pro Day
Throughout the entire 2021 NFL Draft process, Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II has been one of the premier defensive players in the class. He has consistently been a shutdown cornerback on the outside for the Crimson Tide and undoubtedly has massive upside at the position at the next level.
Anybody who watches Surtain can see that he plays the cornerback position with tremendous technique and instincts. He is a smooth mover who always puts himself in great position and attacks the ball in the air extremely well. There is not any panic in Surtain’s game. He always plays under control and consistently takes care of his responsibilities in coverage.
On top of that, Surtain is a long and strong cornerback prospect who shines in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. He immediately makes life difficult on opposing wide receivers but some in the draft community have questioned his deep speed. Is Surtain a burner at the cornerback position? No, he is not. But he showed enough speed to maintain deep coverage against speed receivers at the college level.
Can he do the same against NFL-caliber speed receivers? Only time will tell, but his performance at the Alabama Pro Day earlier this week is a great sign. Measuring in at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, Surtain has ideal size at the cornerback position, but we knew that. It was his 4.42 40-yard dash that really caught attention around the league.
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With that kind of speed and impressive explosive traits, Surtain sure seems to have the athleticism needed to handle outside cornerback duties on the outside. Couple that with his great size and incredible natural instincts in coverage and we sure seem to have a shutdown cornerback in the making on our hands.
With the uncertainty surrounding Caleb Farley’s back injury and Surtain proving his athletic ability at his Pro Day, the Alabama product stands out as the clear CB1 in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Jaycee Horn certainly deserves consideration but Surtain is the more well-rounded player and undoubtedly has massive upside at the next level.
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Patrick Surtain answered all of the questions about his game at the Alabama Pro Day and has set himself up to have a fantastic career at the next level.