STRENGTHS - Trufant possesses very good height and length for an NFL CB. He uses his length well in man coverage, as he times his breaks well and is able to consistently reach around his man to break up passes. He is very physical at the LOS, which allows him to redirect his man off the LOS and stay on his hip out of the break. Numerous times in games I evaluated, he was so physical and persistent off the ball, that receivers either gave up on or cut off routes early. He displays a smooth pedal and is fluid in transition, and does an excellent job of looking back to the QB to locate the ball in the air.
WEAKNESSES - Although he is able to hide it by being so physical at the POA, Trufant needs to add bulk to his frame for the next level. This issue is often exposed on run plays, as he struggles to disengage from blockers when he lets them get on top of him and initiate contact. While he flashes the ability to play the run effectively, he is too often tentative to attack and can be sealed out of the play. QBs were able to consistently complete passes in front of him in games I evaluated, as he did not display the closing burst needed to consistently break on plays in front when he didn't get an early read on his man's route. Although he does an excellent job of breaking up passes, he does not look comfortable catching the ball and will miss INT opportunities.
SUMMARY - Scouts and the media have had high expectations for Desmond Trufant because of his pedigree (his older brother Marcus plays for the Seahawks), and he has not failed to disappoint. Although he needs to add bulk to his frame, he has the length and competitiveness to excel in press coverage. He is extremely physical with receivers at the LOS and seems to have a knack for wearing his man down as the game progresses. He does not display innate explosiveness breaking from off the ball, but possesses the natural instincts needed to recover effectively as well as locate and play the ball in the air. He needs to show the same aggressiveness against the run that he does in coverage, but he clearly has the skill set to start in the NFL as a rookie. He will likely be drafted late on day one to a team that like Atlanta that prefers its corners to be physical and aggressive on the perimeter.