Dre Kirkpatrick, Junior, Cornerback, Alabama
Overview:
It is not every day that a cornerback as big and fast as Dre Kirkpatrick comes along. Listed at 6-3, which may be slightly generous, and clocked running a 40 in 4.42 seconds, Kirkpatrick is an amazing athlete. Alabama did not need Kirkpatrick to play much during his freshman campaign. He played a limited role in the secondary, but made most of his contributions on special teams.
Kirkpatrick did not necessarily earn a starting spot as a sophomore in 2010, but the Crimson Tide secondary was decimated by graduation and he was thrown into the fire. Kirkpatrick was not quick to look the part of his potential, but he started to play like most expected by the end of the year. On the season he tallied 53 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups.
Final Projection:
Kirkpatrick will blow away scouts with his measurables. He still needs to supplement that with some more production on the field, but that will come with time. Kirkpatrick is a good corner who can make plays, but his size, quickness and ability to lay out some big hits make him seem like a free safety. If Kirkpatrick can prove that he can cover NFL caliber receivers one on one, he could be a top five overall selection.
1/16/12 Update:
Kirkpatrick did have a great junior campaign and is entering the NFL Draft. He may not be a top five pick right now, but he should be off the board by the middle of the first round and there is plenty of time for him to emerge as the top corner in this class. Kirkpatrick will certainly have some competition in that department from LSU's Morris Claiborne and Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard.
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