Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon is still emerging as one of the top CB prospects in this year’s draft class. During workouts, he only helped his case and showed that he deserves all the hype. The 22-year-old is getting looked at by various teams. While playing for Illinois, Witherspoon showcased that was one of their toughest players.
Advertisement
As a freshman, he earned high praise from the team’s head coach, Lovie Smith. With only two days remaining for the 2023 NFL Draft, fans are immensely interested in knowing the benefits and disadvantages of drafting the young talent.
What advantages and disadvantages will a team face if they draft Devon Witherspoon?
Witherspoon is not the ideal size for an outstanding outside cornerback, but he performs well when playing off the ball. He has good instincts and uses his eyes to quickly respond to quarterbacks and receivers. Witherspoon demonstrated his ability to cover well during his three seasons playing for Illinois. He earned several accolades like Walter Camp All-American First Team, first ever defensive back to be named a Consensus All-American in Illinois history, Senior Bowl All-American, etc.
Following are the pros and cons of drafting Witherspoon:
While watching Witherspoon play, it’s evident that he pays close attention to the ball and follows the quarterback’s gaze. This enables him to utilize his secondary strengths to his advantage. He possesses excellent instincts and is knowledgeable about route patterns, allowing him to quickly react and defend against passes. He also has strong ball skills, frequently turning his head to track the ball and make plays on it.
Witherspoon lacks the necessary speed to recover quickly if he misreads route patterns, making him vulnerable to long passes. Additionally, his tendency to anticipate and jump routes can leave him susceptible to double-move plays by opposing receivers. Despite his smaller stature, Witherspoon plays without fear, and his strong ball skills may aid him in compensating for his size disadvantage.
Are the Detroit Lions pursuing Witherspoon?
The Lions will definitely add weapons in the defensive area heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. Even though Jeff Okudah’s selection on Day 1 raised some eyebrows, especially after not living up to the expectations, many think that the Illinois CB will be a perfect match for the Lions.
ESPN Draft analyst Matt Miller recently showered praise on Witherspoon. “He is a feisty cover man who plays an aggressive style, a perfect Dan Campbell pick. Witherspoon has the ball skills, toughness and speed to become the team’s CB1; he grabbed three interceptions in 2022, with 14 pass breakups,” he stated.
On April 27, 2023 will fans come to know what the future holds for the talented footballer.
