PatriotMaven Scouting Profile: Jalen Elliott

Notre Dame safety, Jalen Elliott, could be a solid addition to the Patriots' defensive backfield.

Jalen Elliott is a guy who has been widely ignored by the media through this draft process. Yet, Jim Nagy of the Senior Bowl (in which Elliott starred in), hinted that team scouts are giving him some attention leading into the draft.

We haven’t seen much hype surrounding @NDFootball FS Jalen Elliott (@Jae_Uno_) but he’s a @seniorbowl staff favorite. He showed up running alleys and breaking on balls over the top on junior tape. We know NFL scouts that like him quite a bit, too. #thedraftstartsinMobile pic.twitter.com/6e1jj4x5uN

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) September 3, 2019

Elliott had a disappointing senior season at Notre Dame and many questioned why he was even invited to the Senior Bowl. But that didn't stop him from putting together an outstanding week in Mobile, answered some of the questions about his play, and shot up draft boards. 

Elliott is far from perfect, and being on a team like the Patriots would likely not give him an opportunity to get a boatload of playing time, at least not in the beginning of his career. However, he can be an immediate contributor as a sub from the sideline. Here's why:

Man coverage skills

- Elliott was very up and down in man coverage. His junior year was chalk full of outstanding man coverage clips. His senior year was entirely different. 

- Elliott looked a little befuddled at times his senior year. He frequently allowed his man to get too close to his frame and almost step on his toes. Elliott operated with flat feet. A cardinal sin of man coverage is letting the receiver get up on your toes, which allows the receiver to do what he wants at will. 

- These technical issues were issues that we really did not see in his junior year and we did not see in the Senior Bowl. It's possible that a role switch for Elliott his senior season, which required him to play the post much more often, played a big part in his struggles. As someone who likes his game a lot and would like him in New England, I hope that was the case.   

- Elliott also was up and down with covering tight ends. The bigger the tight end was, more frequently problems came about. His week at the Senior Bowl where he covered tight end Harrison Bryant 1-on-1 a lot were his best moments covering tight ends. He battled it out with the fellow senior potential draft pick that whole week and put on a show. 

Zone coverage skills

- His vision and anticipation allowed him to succeed in this department. Elliott never really let things get by him. Despite some inconsistencies, he was a pretty solid zone defender in college.

- When it comes to the NFL, the question remains to be seen if his speed and range will limit him here. His speed and range were frequently the culprits to his inconsistency in zone coverage. This is a reason to worry after his 4.80 40-yard dash. 

Ball skill

- He does a very nice job of attacking the catch point. Elliott was never one to track in too many interceptions at Notre Dame. However, over the last two seasons, he forced 11 incompletions. 

Tackling

- Elliott is a solid tackler with a willingness to lay the stick at times on ball carriers. Some missed tackles showed up on film. However, his tackling stood around average with the rest of college football, negating the concern a bit. But the missed tackles were certainly worth noting.  

Instincts 

- He's got a solid football IQ and field vision. He seems to have strong anticipation and ability to read the offense. His years at quarterback might contribute to these strong instincts, similarly to tight end Adam Trautman out of Dayton. 

Versatility 

Where Elliott lined up during his college career. He has a lot of snaps at slot corner. Provided by PFF

Elliott played a lot of slot corner and some say he could play corner at the next level. Needless to say, Elliott can play plenty of positions in the defensive backfield. 

Athleticism 

- This is a concern for Elliott. His athleticism will be the primary reason he falls down boards. As mentioned before, he ran a 4.80 in the combine's 40-yard dash. Many question whether his poor athleticism will prevent him from taking the step to the next level and whether or not it will limit what can be asked of him in the pros. 

- To prove the doubters wrong, Elliott had to have a killer combine. But he didn't which hurt his stock. The 40-yard dash was the headline for him, as it is for most prospects. His 40-yard dash was the slowest of the safeties in this year's class. 

- His vertical leap of 34 inches was also unimpressive, but was certainly nowhere near as concerning as his 40 time. 

- Maybe Elliott can turn things around during his Pro Day in South Bend. Mark your calendars for April 1, when Elliott's athletic ability will be on display again. There' a chance he can turn things around. 

Size

- Elliott is 6-foot, 210 lbs. This is an ideal size for the next level. Especially if Elliott can play some man-to-man in the slot. He will stack up well there. 

Film 

As referenced before, Elliott can lay the stick. Here he is bodying a tight end. Shows his physical play and shows he has the size to put a hit like this on a tight end. 

One of Elliott's several pass break ups. He plays this one really nicely. Great ball skills and awareness to prevent the big catch. 

Some NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl said Notre Dame's Jalen Elliott was the biggest riser of any prospect in Mobile. pic.twitter.com/no5JLmqzH9

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 25, 2020

These Twitter clips are nice plays in 1-on-1 drills during Senior Bowl week. These are the kind of plays that should get people excited about him. 

Fit

Elliott impressed during the Senior Bowl week with tight man coverage. However, he would be in no position to start on an NFL team right away. Nevertheless, he could be an immense situational player for the Patriots. 

I could see Elliott getting playing time in coverage against tight ends and when the field starts to get shorter and the defense is trying to make a stop in the red zone. Elliott is a stingy man coverage player with excellent vision and ball skills, which could really help in inside the 20s.