NFL Draft Preview: Leodis McKelvin

The Cornerback from Troy is Projected as an Early-to-mid First-rounder

Player: CB Leodis McKelvin

College: Troy

Class: Senior

Height/Weight: 5'10", 190 lbs.

Projected pick: Early-to-mid first round.

Strengths: McKelvin is a tremendous athlete with pretty good ball skills. What he lacks a bit in size, he makes up for with a 40" vertical and good hands, leading to plenty of chances for interceptions or challenged passes. His 4.4 40 time leaves NFL scouts drooling over his deep coverage ability, but McKelvin possesses more than straightaway speed, too. His quick feet and above average agility allow him to adjust to passes pretty easily and he has great closing speed if a receiver does find a way to get by him. McKelvin also has two years of special teams experience under his belt, as he was a tremendous punt returner at Troy.

Weaknesses: As previously mentioned, McKelvin lacks quite a bit in size over top-of-the-line NFL receivers. Eight of the top ten receivers in 2007 (based on receiving yards) were 6'1" or taller, showing a push by NFL teams to bigger, tougher receivers. The good news for McKelvin is that most teams get a physical corner to handle those types, while he can stick with the Steve Smiths of the NFL world. Also because of his small stature, McKelvin doesn't have tremendous hitting skills and is prone to having his tackles broken. He also has troubles jamming a bigger receiver at the line or knocking a jump ball down. Also, his experience at Troy didn't challenge him with great talent, so it is difficult to project how he will do against NFL receivers.

Projected Teams: