Positional ranking: #5

Big Board ranking: #29

 

Overview

Position: CB

College: Notre Dame

Class: Junior

Age: 21

 

Measurables

Height: 5’10 3/4″

Weight: 195 lbs.

Arm length: 31 3/4″

Hand size: 9”

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: 4.54 sec.

Vertical jump: 36.0”

Broad jump: 121.0”

Bench press: 14 reps

3-cone drill: 6.72 sec.

Short shuttle: 4.10 sec.

 

Strengths

Prototypical skillset of a slot corner with the ability to play outside. Very intelligent. Excellent change-of-direction skills and fluid hips. Great overall technique. Knows how to play shuffle coverage. Stays in phase in man-to-man coverage. Comfortable in cushion coverage. Has the ability to press despite a lack of size/length. Good in zone coverage. Deflects the ball away at the catch point. Anticipates and breaks on underneath throws. Plus ball skills. Tough and physical. Wrap-up tackler. Unafraid to get in traffic to make plays. Played all three cornerback spots for Notre Dame.

 

Weaknesses

Long speed is average. Size can give him trouble on jump balls. Can sometimes be flat-footed in coverage. Shouldn’t be used on the boundary in a cover-3 scheme.

 

NFL comparison

Chris Harris Jr. – I think Julian Love will be able to play on the outside against NFL talent, but his ability to go inside and defend slot receivers—similar to Harris Jr.—is what really gives him Day 1 value.

 

Conclusion

Overall, Julian Love has natural man-to-man cover skills, and his effectiveness inside or outside should excite scouts and coaches alike. Love’s toughness and willingness as a tackler should solidify him as one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s class.