Avery Young NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for San Francisco 49ers' UDFA CB

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 207

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31 ⅞"

WINGSPAN: 76 ⅜"

40-YARD DASH: 4.78

3-CONE: 6.90

SHUTTLE: 4.25

VERTICAL: 37

BROAD: 9'8"

POSITIVES

— Has good length with very good size for the cornerback position.

— Fluid backpedal, hips, transitions in coverage.

— Good ball skills, attacks the ball in air, high-points the ball well.

— Willing tackler in open space. Hard hitter who isn't afraid to throw his body around and lay the wood.

NEGATIVES

— Lacks desired explosion and twitch. Top speed is average. Has trouble staying with more of the elite athletes.

— Plays high and upright at times. Shows tightness when sinking his hips to get out of breaks.

2022 STATISTICS

— 12 games, 1 INT, 46 SOLO, 84 TOTAL TKL, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 4 PD, 1 FF

NOTES

54 career starts

Hula Bowl participant

OVERALL

Avery Young has been a versatile defensive back for Rutgers. He started 12 games at safety in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons and started nine games at corner in 2020. His versatility in the secondary was largely due to his size and length that will translate to the next level.

In pass coverage, Young plays to his length and size, attacking passes in air. He shows good ball skills, consistently challenging the rock in the air. Young displays fluid footwork and movements in coverage, with a smooth backpedal and the ability to open his hips. He navigates from the safety position with ease of movement but lacks explosive change of direction or range.

In the run, Young showcases aggressiveness and a willingness to tackle. He has the ability to close and lay down hard hits. He is a reliable tackler in the open field and has the size to fight through run blocks. His lack of range hinders his ability to make tackles sideline-to-sideline, but he is more than capable of attacking the screen game or running game in a straight line from the deep safety position.

Young shows the ability to be fluid, aggressive and impactful at the cornerback position, using his size in press and disrupting short-area passes or runs from the position. His weaknesses as a player include the elite deep speed and short-area quickness. Young projects best at the SS position, adding depth to a team by stopping the run and covering tight ends.

GRADE: 5.4 (Backup or UDFA with Roster Potential/UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 273

POSITION RANK: CB32

PRO COMPARISON: Vernon Scott

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings