2020 NFL Draft: Top 5 nickel cornerback position rankings
21
Essang Bassey Nickel
Scouting Report
Bassey comes with the highest draft stock of the current group so why he is fifth on the list? Let’s take a dive into the traits and see what’s keeping him from being at the top.
Bassey has some of the smoothest coverage skills in all of college football. His hip fluidity is an elite trait and shows up in his ability to flip his hips in any phase of the route with losing his positioning on a receiver. His coverage skills are advanced as he is an effortless mover who waste little to no steps when having to come out of a crossover run and drive back downhill to make a play on the ball.
He has impeccable footwork that allows him to be explosive in his change of direction which is a dominant trait at the nickel position. Bassey plays with very good awareness as he excels in reading his keys and indicators whether he is in man or zone coverage. The ball skills he displays are excellent; he is able to always be around the football in coverage.
Bassey understands when he can turn his head to play the ball in the air and then also displays a great awareness for when he just needs to play the hands. The Wake Forest product times his hook and swats perfectly due to him always being in good position which will ensure he won’t be a guy who gets called for a lot of penalties in the NFL.
He trusts his technique as an elite technician which allows him to slow the game down as a very good mental processor who is comfortable playing on his own in space. A solid tackler who can get ballcarriers on the ground, doesn’t have a lot of tape of him missing tackles.
His stock at the nickel position is hurt by his unwillingness to consistently show up in the run game. Bassey Does not always looked engaged or in a hurry to assert himself in the run game which is a big concern as a guy who will need to set the edge of the defense. His foot speed is only adequate as he will end up in trail position more times than you would like and is forced to play through the hands of the receiver.
Essang Bassey has the highest stock within the draft community of any player in this group but will have to increase his level of physicality in order to become an effective nickel at the next level. Essang Bassey has the potential to be an elite nickel built more in the mold of Chris Harris Jr. from the Broncos but for now is ranking is held down due to a lack of physicality and lack of willingness in run support.