Crimson Tide Scouting Report: Cornerback Josh Jobe

BamaCentral and NFL Draft Bible team up to profile the 17 Alabama players who have a chance to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Alabama is looking for senior cornerback Josh Jobe to be one of the leaders of what could be an outstanding defense in 2021.

Last year he built on his top-notch performance against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, where he started in place of Trevon Diggs and finished with six tackles and notched his first interception. 

Jobe also fortified his reputation for hitting like a safety in the Rose Bowl, where he forced a fumble on the opening kickoff to set the tone against Notre Dame and totaled seven tackles.   

Josh Jobe 

No. 28
Pos: Cornerback 
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 188
DOB: 4/9/98
Draft Eligible: 2022
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
High School: Cheshire Academy, Conn. 

Pros

Physical corner with length. Jobe has good spatial awareness at the backend, filling areas vacated by teammates that are put in conflict by the offense. Communicates to pass off routes and get his side of the secondary lined up. Fast enough to carry verticals down the sideline. When he triggers, he gets downhill quickly, displaying straight-line burst. Makes an attempt to find the ball in the air when he has favorable positioning and can afford it, if not he plays the hands. Length allows him to contest the catch point. Jobe contributes willingly in the run game, getting off blocks and tackling ball carriers reliably.

Cons

Gets caught flat-footed, trying to shoot his hands, allowing defenders to cross his face and separate off the ball. Jobe is too grabby when he ends up in bad positions, leading to penalties. Lacks the foot speed and fluidity required to mirror receivers in man coverage. Gets too deep in zone coverage, allowing for space underneath when there is no vertical threat and triggers slowly.

Summary

Long-limbed corner who is predominantly deployed in zone coverage. Jobe contests the catch point and is physical in run support. When playing man coverage, he is unable to mirror and gets grabby. Jobe projects as a deep zone cornerback who is best in a deep third or quarter. A transition to safety makes sense as his skill set is better suited for it in certain defenses. His physicality translates to special teams where he can be a contributor while offering depth in the secondary.

Grade: 7.2 (now)/7.7 (potential)

BamaCentral Analysis 

Jobe was a player whose emotions sometimes got the best of him when he was younger, but he's really developed as a player and cornerback and is looking to improve his draft stock this season. Pro Football Focus had him as an honorable mention All-American last season, when he totaled 55 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and two sacks, and added 11 pass breakups to go with two forced fumbles and one quarterback pressure. The website claimed he allowed only one reception every 20.0 coverage snaps to rank sixth nationally, but the stat that got our attention was he yielded just one touchdown.

Crimson Tide Scouting Report is a 17-part series on Alabama's prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft, with evaluations by NFL Draft Bible and analysis by BamaCentral. Check out his profile on NFL Draft Bible.

Linebacker Henry To'o To'o

DE/OLB Christopher Allen

Safety Jordan Battle

Tight End Jahleel Billingsley

Defensive Tackle D.J. Dale

Defensive End Justin Eboigbe

Linebacker Christian Harris

Defensive back DeMarcco Hellams


Published
Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.