One of the toughest defensive backs in the country, Devon Witherspoon is looking to bring his grit and tenacity into a secondary near you as he enters the 2023 NFL draft.
Here is everything you need to know about the Illinois cover man:
Vitals
Height: 5-11 3/4
Weight: 181
Class: Junior
Strengths
When watching Witherspoon you are immediately hit with the notion you are watching a pro football player. Aggressiveness and athleticism make him stand head and shoulders above the competition and it constantly pops up on the film. He looks every bit the part of a NFL defensive back and he plays up to that level as well, grading out as one of the top defensive backs in the country last year. He was the top corner for Illinois and did not allow a single touchdown, and gave up a passer rating of 25.3 when targeted.
Witherspoon thrives in man coverage, getting his hands on receivers at the line of scrimmage with a strong punch to the chest which often stalls or jams up receivers who cannot stick with the level of physicalness he brings to the table. Even when they do, he is speedy and fluid enough to flip his hips and trail defenders downfield, with the intense route and eye discipline to understand what is being run and being able to break up passes thrown his way. He essentially took away one half of the field this last season, and that has to be noted.
His biggest highlights come from his tackling, whether that be when running backs break the line of scrimmage, or when receivers roam into his territory via crossing patterns or screens. Witherspoon is quick to absolutely light them up and punish them for daring to enter his airspace, he will leave an impression on anyone and likely discourage them from coming his way again. He is an elite run defender and tackler, and clearly wants to make sure everyone knows it.
Weaknesses
It is easy to note that Witherspoon’s physical and aggressive style of play does not necessarily line up to his body type. With a more wiry frame and standing at just below six feet, he plays like someone with Richard Sherman’s build but does not quite have the frame or arm length to back that up. Obviously this has not been a problem in college, but one has to imagine the level of physicality he plays with will catch up to him against NFL-level athletes.
His aggression also leads to some problems in his pass defense, as he can get a little grabby or get beat on deeper routes without the elite speed to recover from overstepping a route concept. This will come down to discipline and knowing when to allow his aggression to take over his game and not letting his fundamentals falter to make a big play.
Projection
Teams are going to fall in love with Witherspoon’s tape; there is little question about that. His ultra-aggressive playstyle and physical tackling will leave defensive coordinators clamoring to get that type of attitude and skillset in their secondary. His technique has served him well in college and he has clearly been one of the top corners in the country over the last two seasons, and his game tape will likely transition in some capacity to the next level.
Physical limitations and a tendency to create penalties could cost him some points in the draft room, but it will not outweigh his production when it comes to his grade.
Projection: Top 15 Pick
