From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Iowa State defensive back Malik Verdon.
#7 MALIK VERDON, S, IOWA STATE (R-JR) – 6035, 218 lbs.
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Malik Verdon 6035/218 9 1/2 32 1/4 78 3/8
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A 4.34 7.06
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
The Good
— Elite height and very good weight
— Played deep, box and as an overhang defender
— Smooth in his backpedal
— Tracks the ball well and uses his length to his advantage
— Physical jam in man coverage
— Good timing and solid acceleration as a blitzer
— Willing run defender; sticks his face in the fan
— Good quickness on the backside to knife into the backfield
— Active communicator on defense
The Bad
— Route awareness is only adequate
— Has tight hips and opens them early in coverage
— Lacks recovery speed
— Very grabby in man coverage
— Inconsistent tackler as the last line of defense
— Lateral agility/COD only adequate when mirroring ball carriers
— Poor hand usage when taking on blocks; ducks head, losing sight of the ball
— Aim point on tackles in inconsistent
— Marginal when reading the mesh point, chases the fake
— Not a wrap-up tackler
Bio
— Career: 134 tackles, 68 solo, 7 TFLs, 1 sack, 3 INTs for 38 yards, 10 PBUs, 2 FFs
— 2024: 76 tackles, 35 solo, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT for 38 yards, 5 PBUs, 2 FFs
— Second-team all-Big 12 (2024)
— 27 games/23 starts
— 2022 season-ending injury; 2023 missed three games (broken forearm); 2024 – hairline fracture (left forearm)
— 2024: four games with double-digit tackles
— Chose Iowa State over Pittsburgh, Iowa, and Washington State among others
— Played in charity softball game vs. Iowa to benefit the Make A-Wish Foundation
— Also played basketball in high school
Tape Breakdown
Malik Verdon is a safety with elite height and very good weight along with good arm length and hand size. He aligned primarily to the boundary side for the Cyclones, including in the box, as the overhang defender and as a deep safety. He reportedly had an informal meeting with Pittsburgh at the NFL Combine.
He played mostly in Cover 2 or Cover 3 as a pass defender and gets good depth and has solid range when covering half of the field. When aligned in the slot or intermediate area he has a good backpedal. Verdon plays with physicality in man coverage and in the red zone, executing a good jam on his receiver. In underneath zone coverage, he displays solid awareness and change of direction to get back downhill. As a blitzer from the edge, slot, or the box he shows good timing and solid burst to hit the gap.
His length is an advantage with the ball in the air, and he tracks the ball well.
In run support, Verdon is a fearless defender and will throw his body into the fray. When playing on the edge or in the slot, he is willing to take on blockers and shows solid quickness cutting into the backfield from the backside. When lined up in the box, he is a willing gap filler. Coming from the deep safety, he closes quickly and looks to take out the legs of the ball carrier.
His route awareness is adequate overall, but he has tight hips when flipping in coverage. That causes him to open his hips early in coverage. His speed is adequate overall, but he lacks recovery burst. In man coverage, he is very grabby and creates a lot of contact within the routes. His lateral change of direction is marginal, and he struggles to match receivers and ball carriers. In zone coverage, he will get flat-footed while diagnosing the play. As the last defender, he is inconsistent as a tackler and only takes adequate angles.
Man coverage against wide receivers is not Verdon’s strong suit.
His change of direction when matching ball carriers is marginal.
When taking on blocks in the run game, Verdon has poor hand usage. He uses his body and turns his head, losing sight of the ball.
He is marginal when reading the mesh points and will chase the fake. When in the box, he is a touch slow mirroring the runner to the gap. His tacking technique is marginal, his aiming point varying. Verdon plays with adequate physicality and is a marginal wrap tackler.
Conclusion
Overall, Verdon has desirable size, length and experience playing on all levels of the defense. He played on the boundary side in multiple coverages and has solid range. In zone, he has good awareness playing near the line of scrimmage and in the red zone. He tracks the ball well and his length is an advantage in coverage. He is willing run defender, playing fearless in gaps and always flowing to the ball from any alignment.
Areas to improve include understanding route combinations, being less grabby in man coverage and more consistent as the last line of defense. Taking on blocks with his hands and improving his tackling technique would be beneficial.
Verdon’s size and tenacity are welcome traits but there are lot of areas where he needs to improve. Couple that with his injury history and there a lot to be wary of. His size alone will have coaches intrigued. His best fit would be as a box safety who can match up with tight ends in coverage, play in sub-packages and in the red zone as well as being a core special team player.
For a player comp, I give you Hamsah Nasirildeen. A player with size and traits to play in the box and match up with tight ends who needed to improve his open-field tackling and coverage instincts.
Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.2 INJ End of Roster/Practice squad (7th Round)
Games Watched: 2024 – At Iowa, Vs Arkansas State, Vs Central Florida, Vs Texas Tech, At Utah
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