STRENGTHS - An under-rated athlete, Poyer has the tools to cover any receiver well in different coverages. When he stays focused on his footwork/technique he can backpedal quickly and is able to transition and close fast on passes in front of him. He is willing to play physical with receiver and can re-route receiver to throw off timing between receiver and quarterback. Naturally instinctive and aware, Poyer reads the QB/Pass well and closes quickly in time to use his good ball skills to break up passes. Willing to come upfield to make tackles in run support and on passes in front of him, Poyer can be a strong and physical wrap-up tackler when he stays under control and over his feet. He has the playing speed to easily chase down ball carriers in pursuit, to stay with fast receivers deep and to recover if he allows separation in man coverage.
WEAKNESSES - Despite Poyer's talent level, he does not consistently play up to it. He tends to lose focus on his footwork at times and it leads to his backpedal becoming choppy which limits his ability to change directions consistently fast. When his footwork is off he cannot close in time to make plays on passes in front of him. In "off" alignment he will open his hips too soon, which gives the receiver the advantage to turn him around. While he can be a good tackler, his desire to make the hard hit leads to him leaving his feet and launching himself at the ball carrier more than he should. Although he seems to enjoy playing physical with receivers, he lacks great strength and can be pushed around by big, physical receivers.
SUMMARY - While I liked Poyer off Oregon State film, he really grabbed my attention with the athleticism he showed at the Senior Bowl. At basically 6'0, Poyer's movement skills are excellent when he maintains good footwork. He can "click and close" on passes in a flash and can change directions to adjust in coverage easily. With the speed to run with any receiver and the athleticism to adjust to any route, Poyer has all the talent to be a quality starting cornerback in the NFL if he can maintain his focus on technique/footwork. Overall, I think Poyer is going to be a second or third round pick who should become a solid starter. However, he must improve his consistency of technique to ever become the productive, play-making cornerback he has the talent to be.