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Jets trade 6th round pick to IND for CB Nate Hairston


jetskid007

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OVERVIEW

Hairston didn't have much luck finding playing time at receiver his first three years with the Owls, but a change to cornerback his junior year may help him earn a spot in the NFL. He played in eight games as a redshirt freshman, missing four with an ankle injury, catching seven passes for 62 yards. His production was only slightly better in 2014 (13-88 in seven games) before the team switched him to defense. In 2015, he played in all 13 games at cornerback, starting two (11 tackles, one pass breakup). Hairston took the reins of the position as a senior, intercepting two passes and breaking up three others while making 27 tackles, three for loss.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

 Has good size and well-built lower body. Built like a more physical player and lives up to it. Competes hard when the ball heads his way. Will knife in at full-speed when he reads hitch or wide receiver screen. Quick to shuck and attack in run support. Former wide receiver at Temple who plays with fluid movement in space. Loose hips allow for smooth transitions in matching patterns and longer strides in space. Has adequate foot quickness and twitch. Plays with a good feel for coverage responsibilities. Diligent to protect against speed and is rarely beaten over the top.

WEAKNESSES

 Only one season as a full-time starter. Targeted just 36 times in college with only six passes defensed. Man cover skills are work in progress. Footwork can be a little uneven in his backpedal and transitions. Will panic and face guard rather than finding the ball when he gets beat over the top. Protected somewhat by cover-2 and cover-3 looks. Needs more man experience. Scouts question his long speed. Leaves an excessive buffer in his bail technique leading to easy completions underneath.

DRAFT PROJECTION

 Round 5-6

BOTTOM LINE

 Raw but very moldable prospect. Hairston shows good awareness from zone and his physical style and willingness to come tackle make him an immediate fit for primarily zone cover teams. However he may have the tools to eventually become a solid bump-and-run cornerback as he becomes more experienced at the position. Hairston is a projection-based talent who should become a much better player in two years than he is today. -Lance Zierlein
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I'm into this move. For a raw player, he's had a lot of NFL reps. Versatile. May not be best suited for the slot and kind of got buried on the depth chart after the Colts selected Rock Ya-Sin with their first pick. Like the fact that he's still under contract for another 2 years. Only 25. 

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He started 7 out of first 8 games but ankle injury plummeted him to measly 9 snaps for the rest of 2nd half last year.   He was almost 200 at the combine but he is listed as 180?   I hope he can stick on outside because I like Brian Poole and Alex Brown at slot.

 

PS: I made the similar comment early today but I think that part of end using error did not make it posted. However, my apologies if I repeated.

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10 minutes ago, Rockice_8 said:

I kept reading slot CB depth by our beat writers but all the INDY guys say he is best on the outside.  

Hope to see him get some snaps tonight on the outside to see what he's got.

Yeah.. I was puzzled about that because it didn't make any sense to acquire slot CB in order to improve the CB situation. However, I have to root for him to affirmatively stay outside.

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Just now, JetsandI said:

Yeah.. I was puzzled about that because it didn't make any sense to acquire slot CB in order to improve the CB situation. However, I have to root for him to affirmatively stay outside.

If that height and weight are accurate and he's really 6' 200 lbs then he's not a slot CB.

I've also seen some people praise his man to man and others say he's best in zone so I really have no idea what to believe.

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4 minutes ago, Rockice_8 said:

If that height and weight are accurate and he's really 6' 200 lbs then he's not a slot CB.

I've also seen some people praise his man to man and others say he's best in zone so I really have no idea what to believe.

Unfortunately, he was a slot CB with seeing some action on outside for Colts.  However, his limited experience at CB may be the reason for that. Let's hope he emerges well for Jets.

 

edit... https://coltswire.usatoday.com/2018/07/31/indianapolis-colts-nate-hairston-seeing-time-outside-cornerback/

Give or take. lol.

Edited by JetsandI
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  • 2 months later...
2 minutes ago, doumeyer said:

WE GOT ROBBED, we gave up a sixth round draft pick to get this guy. Two games in a row this guy was atrocious.

I don't think you can say we got robbed. We took a calculated risk and it looks like it may not have worked out. We weren't getting a world bearer with that pick, chances are that pick would have been a special teams player at best. 

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1 minute ago, doumeyer said:

WE GOT ROBBED, we gave up a sixth round draft pick to get this guy. Two games in a row this guy was atrocious.

Not exactly getting robbed. JD took a flier on a physical corner who our assistant GM is familiar with from his time in INDY. It doesn't look like it's going to work out but I still appreciate JD's sense of urgency in identifying a need and trying to improve this roster in the little time he had before the season. 

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41 minutes ago, jetskid007 said:

I see a guy who is much better suited for the slot. Very similar profile to Brian Poole in fact. Trade didn’t work out but a flier the team had to take. Should utilize him purely in the slot going forward and see how he develops there. 

Agreed, but Poole has played well in the slot and I think he can be resigned fairly cheap. We have enough holes as it is I'm taking a don't fix what isn't broken mentality here. Resign Poole and keep Hairston as depth.

Edited by mattmanz91
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