The 2022 NFL Draft is going to be an exciting one for Husky fans, with five prospects in the draft who will all in all likelihood end up being drafted. The player getting the most hype out of the group is Trent McDuffie. The three-year starter at Washington is getting a lot of buzz as a potential first-round pick, so what makes the former top recruit and All-American so exciting?

Strengths

Where to begin… McDuffie’s rare athleticism set him apart from a lot of other cornerback prospects in this class. With a 41.5 inch vertical, 4.4 speed, and elite short-area quickness, he has the potential to be an elite #1 corner on the boundary at the NFL level. His speed allows him to run with anyone over the top, and McDuffie has mastered the art of mirroring and matching the receiver across from him.

He’s not afraid to step up and jam his man at the line, and he’s a great tackler in run support who would much rather put the ball carrier on the ground than go for the big hit. One thing that stands out on film for McDuffie is that most coaches tried to scheme their guys open against him by sending them on shallow crossers, but his athleticism and tackling ability didn’t allow them to get many (if any) yards after the catch.

Weaknesses

When he plays off-coverage, teams like to take advantage of that by calling quick hitters. It was most apparent on film during the 2021 matchup against Washington State, where the Cougs attacked him inside more than once, and had some success doing so. A lot of that was due to the scheme, which required him to sit back, but McDuffie is best in man to man where he gets to play up in a receiver’s face.

Standing in at 5’11, the only other true question about McDuffie’s game is, how will he fare against some of the bigger receivers in the NFL? Stanford’s Simi Fehoko, who stands at 6’5″, got the best of him a few times in their 2020 matchup. With a lot of bigger receivers finding their way into the NFL, McDuffie will need to utilize his insane vertical jump to the best of his ability on jump balls, which will absolutely be coming his way in the red zone during his rookie year.

In conclusion

McDuffie might be the safest pick at cornerback in this year’s excellent class. He should be able to slot in as a starter from day one, and will be at the very least a number two corner for whatever team decides to draft him, and there’s a good chance he ends up as a number one cornerback, much like former Husky Byron Murphy did with the Arizona Cardinals.

Looking at team needs around his most likely draft slot (the back half of the first round), McDuffie would fit best with the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, or Las Vegas Raiders, who could all use another cornerback.

Prediction

Round 1, pick 21 to the New England Patriots. McDuffie will take over opposite J.C. Jackson, who has quietly been one of the best corners in the league since he got drafted. That would kick Jalen Mills into the slot, and give the Patriots one of the best tandems of cornerbacks in the NFL. Bill Belichick prides himself on his defense, and McDuffie will be a great asset for the best head coach in NFL history.