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New York Giants Draft Prospect: CB Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State

Fentrell Cypress II is another cornerback prospect whose background appears to be a fit for the Giants' zone-heavy scheme.

Nick Falato

Oct 18, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Fentrell Cypress II (23) celebrates a down during the first half of the game against Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Oct 18, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Fentrell Cypress II (23) celebrates a down during the first half of the game against Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
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Florida State cornerback CB Fentrell Cypress II began his career for Virginia before entering the transfer portal to get to Florida State. In 2023, he was rated by 247Sports as the third-best cornerback to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Fentrell Cypress II, CB

  • Height: 6’0” 
  • Weight: 187 lbs
  • Class: 5th Year-Senior
  • School: Florida State
  • STATS

A former three-star recruit out of Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he was the 26th recruit from his state and the 135th graded CB during the 2019 cycle.

Cypress initially took his talents to Virginia and played four seasons for the Cavaliers before entering the transfer portal and joining the Florida State Seminoles for two seasons. He was a four-star recruit, the third-ranked CB, and the fifth-overall player in the 2023 transfer portal.  

Cypress earned Second-Team All-ACC in his final season with the Cavaliers (2022). He started 23 consecutive games for the Seminoles once he arrived and was the winner of the Bill McGrotha Award.

He allowed just a 52.9% catch rate in 2024 and a 50% catch rate in 2023. He finished his college career with a 50.7% catch rate. He did surrender seven touchdowns in college.

Strengths

  • Solid size for a CB with very good length
  • Solid overall athlete with sufficient fluidity to operate in space
  • Changes direction, agility, speed, and acceleration are suitable for an NFL player 
  • Smooth backpedal and good footwork to match WRs
  • Disciplined player who avoids grabbing (penalized just three times over five seasons)
  • Solid disruption ability at the catch point with a penchant to time contact well
  • Adequate production and effectiveness with variety of concepts: press-man, off-man, midpointing, zone, etc.
  • Solid man coverage cornerback with adequate jam and good mirror skills up a WR’s stem
  • Adequate jam strength and positioning in press-man at the LOS, feet are disciplined  
  • Better in zone than in man coverage – good eyes and solid spatial awareness 
  • Midpoint positioning was solid with very good eyes to locate backside routes in match/zone
  • Very good zone feel on two-man route concepts – baits and reacts well
  • Has a knack for locating the football in the air – quick reactor 
  • Good tackler who cleaned up his technique in 2024 – missed just one tackle (3.7%)
  • Solid overall in run support – good angles and understanding of positioning 
  • Diagnoses plays well with good vision

Weaknesses

  • Is a sufficient athlete but not a difference-making one
  • Takes some time to decelerate and flip his hips when pushing vertically on comebacks/curls
  • Not the stickiest against quick separates on sharp cuts
  • I wish he was quicker to close to WR’s hips in man coverage after the break
  • Could use more strength up the stem – may struggle against more physical WRs
  • Play strength against WR blocks in run support was adequate but may be exploited at the next level
  • Must get better at shedding blocks in run support
  • Almost exclusively played outside (just 30 snaps in the slot over five seasons)
  • Missed multiple games throughout his career with undisclosed injuries
  • Older player
Florida State football defensive back Fentrell Cypress II
Florida State football defensive back Fentrell Cypress II participates in the final Tour of Duty winter workouts ahead of 2024 spring practices on Thursday, March 7, 2024. / Ehsan Kassim/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK

Summary

Fentrell Cypress II is a zone cornerback with good eyes and spatial awareness to operate Cover-3 match/zone concepts or Cover-4/Quarters; he could also be fine in a Cover-2 scheme as the flat defender.

He may struggle to consistently defend receivers in man coverage due to sloppier transitions against sharp cuts and questionable play strength.

His ball skills and processing are good, and he’s a very willing tackler who executes good technique, but Cypress II must gain a little strength, which may be difficult given his age. 

GRADE: 5.72

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Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart / Nick Falato

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Nick Falato
NICK FALATO

Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation.

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