STRENGTHS - Holley is a smaller safety who plays the back end of the defense for the Panthers. He plays a very "safe" game, as he rarely gets burned but it keeps him away from the action. He does a good job of defending the deep middle-third of the field, almost like a rover. He has a solid frame, albeit small, and he is very instinctual. His top notch instincts have him finding the ball before some receivers know it is coming. Holley did a great job against Nassib and Syracuse, preventing them from throwing the ball down the field. He has good ball skills and good football awareness.
WEAKNESSES - Holley is a very small prospect for the safety position in the NFL. He is also not quick footed and his lack of speed is a problem going forward. He is too 'safe" as his first step in pass coverage is always a step backward. He is always late to the running back as he plays too deep, and is a part of the gang tackle. Holley needs to do a better job of recognizing a running play and stepping up to help defend the run. Holley is not an overly physical football player, as he is more of a technician than a striker.
SUMMARY - Holley does a good job of maintaining the back end of the defense for the Panthers. That is saying something as the secondary has a lot of pressure to perform because of the lack of pressure from the defensive line. He is a very instinctual player who can find the ball before anyone else on the field has. It shows when he starts to move to the intended target before the ball is thrown. He is a gang tackler who always gets to the pile late because of how safe he plays the position. It is hard to consider a 5'9", 190 pound safety at the NFL level but Holley has great coverage instincts and has a chance. He must become a special teams ace if he wants to stay on a roster. He warrants late-round or priority free agent status because of his ability to cover the back end of the defense.