The Future 40, Prospect 5: Joe Haden Scouting Report

An article was released a little over a week ago previewing what would be a new series here called The Future 40, and the next edition is here! The segment has and will continue to run every other day until late April as we provide you with in-depth scouting reports of some 2010 NFL Draft prospects, giving you information key to understanding some of the players’ strengths, weaknesses, projected round of selection, possibility of being picked by the Eagles, and much more! And because the Draft is an important event for the entire league, some of the top-ranked players not expected to go to Philadelphia will also be reported on. In the first look at a prospect, we evaluated Nebraska’s DT Ndamukong Suh, who many consider to be the best player in the entire rookie class. In the second, we examined powerful RB Jonathan Dwyer and in the third and fourth, FS Darrell Stuckey and LB Sean Weatherspoon. This time around, we will continue to stay with the defensive side of the ball and look at Joe Haden:

• Prospect Name: Joe Haden
• Position: Cornerback
• College: Florida
• Height/Weight: 5′11″, 190 pounds
• Age: 20
• Class Status: Junior

Summary: Not only did Joe Haden receive a bit of attention for being recruited out of a high school with a catchy name (Friendly), but he also became the first true freshman member of the Florida football team to start on the opening day of a season. His 63 tackles and solid coverage efforts as a first-year Gator earned him various awards and praise from local newspapers and some other networks, but his name was still relatively unknown among the lists of the top NCAA Cornerbacks. In his second collegiate season, Haden saw his statistics improve greatly, as his tackle and interception totals jumped, and he also notched his first career forced fumble. He could not have closed out his ‘08 campaign any better, for the CB appeared very dominant and confident while leading the defensive squad to a national championship. Heading into the 2009 season, the quick defensive back was ranked as one of the best future Draft prospects; he sure supported that during his final season as a Gator. Recording a personal-high 4 interceptions and once again topping the 50-tackle mark, Haden also proved to be an effective pass rusher, as he managed to get 3 sacks. His ability to shut down opposing Wide Receivers was also displayed, for he very rarely allowed offensive players to get by him for significant gains. While the Safety positions have been the highlight or talked-about position of the secondary for this upcoming NFL Draft, Haden’s talents make the Cornerback spot a bright one.

Career Statistics:

Notable Achievements/Awards:

• All-American Honors (2007, 2009)
• Finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (2009)
• All-SEC Honors (2007)
• AFCA Coaches’ All-American Team (2009)

Strengths:

• Produces consistently
• Reads opposing Quarterbacks’ decisions very well
• Gets a good break on passes/balls thrown his way
• Has excellent catching ability
• Possesses exceptional speed
• Despite size, can be physical with opponents
• Can be relied on for tackling
• Locates the ball well on deep passes into the secondary
• Has shut-down instincts in man coverage
• Rarely has character issues
• Carries an intensity for the game

Weaknesses:

• Performs with mediocrity in zone coverage
• Is vulnerable to shifty routes and quick moves by opposing receivers
• His height may come into question down the road
• Occasionally loses focus on long-developing plays
• Has poor awareness at times

NFL Player Comparison: Leon Hall, Cincinnati Bengals

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We hope that everyone enjoyed the fifth report for The Future 40 prospect segment, and urge you to keep checking back for more scouting analysis as the series continues all the way up until the Draft! Also, remember that we will happily take and consider requests from our fans for this series! If you or another Eagle fanatic is interested in seeing a certain player be evaluated in The Future 40, be sure to contact us as soon as possible, and we will attempt to include your selected prospect!

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