NFL Draft Profile: Mekhi Blackmon, Cornerback, USC Trojans
Mekhi Blackmon
USC Trojans
#6
Pos: CB
Ht: 5110
Wt: 178
Hand: 0928
Arm: 3100
Wing: 7458
40: 4.47
DOB: 3/18/1999
Hometown: East Palo Alto, CA
High School: Menlo-Atherton
Eligibility: 2023
One Liner:
Blackmon is an experienced, savvy, and physical cornerback who knows how to contribute from a variety of roles, but his physical limitations prevent him from contending for a top-100 selection.
Evaluation:
Blackmon primarily lines up on the boundary side of the field, although USC sometimes tasks him with playing strictly one side of the field for the entire game. The California native has exclusively played outside this season, but he gained experience playing in the slot with Colorado. Blackmon has cut down on missed tackles this year and set a new personal best for defensive snaps played by over 200. His arm length and wingspan aren’t elite, but they meet NFL standards. He is experienced in man and zone coverage. Blackmon showcases good awareness and instincts in zone. The JUCO product isn’t afraid of contact. He’s willing to come downhill and tackle running backs one-on-one in space. Blackmon is patient when lined up in press, allowing the route to come to him so he can absorb it. In press, he displays active hands and accurate strikes early in the rep. He is excellent at establishing leverage in the route stem, especially on outside releases. Blackmon squeezes routes along the sideline. He has enough recovery speed to get back into some routes but doesn’t have elite speed to catch burners. Blackmon is quick to drive on short routes and make plays near the line of scrimmage. There are flashes of him mirroring routes, but his athletic limitations and inconsistent foot speed keep him from performing consistently in this area. Blackmon is very physical at the catch point and plays above his weight class. When USC played Stanford in 2022, Tanner McKee threw a 50-50 ball in the end zone to his top target Elijah Higgins, who is unofficially listed at 6'3", 234 lbs. Blackmon had the coverage. He fought to establish inside leverage on the much larger Higgins, beat the Stanford receiver to the football at the catch point, and tipped the pass to himself for an interception. Blackmon also broke up a one-on-one end zone shot against Utah (2022) when Cameron Rising targeted 6'5", 205 lb. wide receiver Devaughn Vele. Blackmon is an older prospect who suffers from penalties. He drew four flags in 2021 and seven during the 2022 regular season, including three against Stanford and two against Utah. Blackmon is aggressive in press coverage but becomes grabby at times. Despite his physicality, Blackmon gets pushed around a lot because of his weight. Receivers can play through him or block and displace him in the running game. Even UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson sent him flying four or more yards downfield on a block when the two teams met in November (2022). Blackmon lacks the play strength to shed blocks and set the edge consistently. He suffers from several physical limitations, including his thin frame, lack of elite speed and twitch, and some tightness in his hips. Blackmon’s footwork appears hoppy at times, which leads to occasional balance issues. Receivers tend to separate from Blackmon at the top of their routes on curls and comebacks. They also generate separation on inside releases when Blackmon is a little late to get his hips around. Releases that start outside before cutting inside create issues for Blackmon’s agility. He doesn’t always get his head around for the football when carrying receivers vertically.
Grade:
6th Round
Quotes:
“If you ask Blackmon about his childhood growing up in East Palo Alto, he'll tell you that he had to fight his entire life. And he has had a chip on his shoulder after getting overlooked coming out of Menlo-Atherton High School. Blackmon was a full qualifier but did not have any FBS offers, so he had to go the Junior College route initially.” -- Adam Munsterteiger of 247Sports’ BuffStampede on CB Mekhi Blackmon
Background:
Blackmon was a three-star JUCO transfer, according to 247Sports from the College of San Mateo in San Mateo, Calif., in the class of 2018. He previously attended Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, Calif., where he failed to receive a star ranking from 247Sports upon graduation with the class of 2017. Blackmon played wide receiver and defensive back as a high school senior, amassing 23 receptions for 620 yards and nine touchdowns on offense and six interceptions on defense. He played basketball as a freshman and sophomore at Menlo-Atherton High School. At the College of San Mateo in 2017, Blackmon totaled 20 tackles, an interception, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery as the team finished with its best record (11-2) in program history. He joined Colorado before the 2018 season and eventually transferred to USC ahead of the 2022 season. Blackmon is cousins with KeeSean Johnson, who was a sixth-round pick for the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft and is currently on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad. Johnson attended Fresno State, where he’s the all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Blackmon has three younger brothers and three younger sisters. He was born on March 18, 1999. Blackmon was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2021.
