Instincts/Recognition: Played Free Safety and Cornerback at the collegiate level. Shows excellent instincts in man and zone coverage. Reads routes and combination’s well, which allow for a good jump on the ball, resulting in a ton of pass break ups. Reads the Quarterbacks eyes well and sits on routes. Also bates the Quarterbacks well. Instincts verse the run are up to snuff. At the Cornerback position, does a nice job of looking into the backfield and reading the run and attacking it. As as a Free Safety, he shows the ability to keep depth while still being in position to attack the run. Recognizes pre snap reads and was the signal caller for the defense.
Cover Skills: Has the ability to line up outside the numbers and cover Receivers and line up in the slot and cover Slot Receivers and Tight Ends. Is a tad stiff in his hips, especially during his back pedal and “plant-and-go”. Does display a good amount of closing burst. At the Free Safety position he stays deeper than the deepest.
Ball Skills: Not an interception machine. Lacks elite ball skills. Is more of a pass breaker-upper than an interceptor. Is often in position for an interception, but rarely comes down with it. He only amazed one interception in his four year career at Clemson.
Run Support: Solid in run support. Takes great angles from the Cornerback and Free Safety positions. Plays with great leverage and is a sure tackler. Isn’t overly powerful upon contact, but gets the job done. Tends to be more aggressive in run support when at the Cornerback position.
Intangibles: Named a permanent team captain in 2010. Known for being one of the highest IQ defensive backs in the nation. Offers scheme versatility and a returner in the return game. Possesses a blue-collar work ethic. No off field issues.
Overall Stock: Marcus Gilchrist is in a class of his own when it comes to versatility. Not many defensive backs can play multiple positions in the secondary. For this alone, he will garner a ton of attention. Not only does he possess versatility, but he has an excellent build and has solid athletic attributes. He’s slightly below 5’11”, thickly built, and ripped. At the combine he ran a 4.4 forty-yard dash, vertical jumped 38.5 inches, and bench pressed 225-pounds 26 times. Gilchrist can be considered a jack-of-all-trades and a master of known. Some look at this moniker and negativity. For the NFL, this moniker is a good thing. Teams are looking for guys that can fill multiple roles. It saves them roster space and dollars. At the next level I prefer him at Cornerback. With some mentoring, he can develop into a quality starter. Since he possesses scheme versatility and the safety position is fairly weak this year, I look for Gilchrist to come off the board somewhere in the third round.
NFL Comparison: Michael Griffin