2022 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: Cincinnati vs. Indiana
Indiana CB Tiawan Mullen
The Associated Press named Tiawan Mullen a second team All-American for 2021. He joined his teammate linebacker Micah McFadden on the second team while his counterpart, Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner was named to the first team.
What kind of player is Tiawan Mullen? He might be small (5’10” 180), but he is fearless and ferocious. Watching highlights of him brought two players to mind for me: Jaire Alexander and Tyrann Mathieu, the Honey Badger. The comps work in my opinion because Alexander and Mathieu are both undersized, but they make up for it by flying in low to make tackles and showing superb ball skills in coverage. Mullen has those strengths as well.
The FWAA named Tiawan Mullen an All-American in 2020, and his stats paint a clear picture as to why. He did a little bit of everything on defense for the Hoosiers, recording 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 4 passes defended and a forced fumble. Because of his speed and the way he throws his body into ballcarriers, Indiana’s coaching staff would call blitzes for Mullen, and more than once they led to big plays. His size might scare off some teams ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, but it shouldn’t as Mullen has the athleticism, attitude, and play style to make an impact in the NFL. He can also play in multiple coverages.
The team who selects Tiawan Mullen would likely have him playing in off coverage due to his size, and that’s something he’s shown he can do. He’s adept at playing zone coverage, as he can sit in an area, watch the quarterback’s eyes, and let his instincts take him to the ball. Because of his versatility and ability to tackle, Mullen would make a nice nickel cornerback for a team looking to add depth at defensive back. And finally, Mullen would be a good candidate to play slot corner as he would match up well with the smaller, quicker receivers that usually play that position.
Come next year, Tiawan Mullen should be joining his brother Trayvon Mullen and cousin Lamar Jackson in the league as he has a great chance at being selected in the middle rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.