NFL Draft Prospects 2019: Cornerback - David Long, Michigan

This former top 100 national recruit from Los Angeles didn’t record a single tackle even his freshman year, but started all games in year two and recorded a couple of picks along with six pass break-ups.

Last season, he made a name for himself as a first-team All-Big Ten selection and absolute shutdown corner, who was part of a Michigan defense that allowed just 13.5 points through the first 11 weeks before that meeting with Ohio State.

Long was heavily deployed in man-coverage throughout games and consistently got hands on receivers, taking them off their route.

He stays physical with his man throughout plays. When those routes stall, he looks back and tries to make a play on the ball. That way he allowed a completion rate of just 28.1%, a passer rating of 37.0 and a microscopically small 0.14 yards per coverage snap in 2018, as part of one of the elite secondaries in college football.

Long makes some tremendous plays, extending himself to break up passes in front of him, and knocks them out of the hands of receivers on crossers or slants routes.

He also lined up in the slot a whole lot for the Wolverines. Long's typically a very dependable tackler, who does well to wrap up and lift ball-carriers off their feet when the opportunity arises, even if those guys outweigh him by several pounds.

While he can control the pace of the route and stay “attached” to receivers for the most part, if Long gets stacked he doesn’t have the closing burst to catch up once somebody gains a step on him vertically.

He really struggles to get off bigger bodies in the run-game and isn’t overly urgent at supporting the run in general, marked by just 37 career tackles. His size is also a concern on jump-balls and back-shoulder fades.

Similar to Jourdan Lewis a couple of years ago, Long is another Michigan corner who has been incredibly successful at the collegiate level, but might not have the size or premiere athletic tools that others in his draft class possess, to be looked at as a true number one outside corner.

He is not nearly as effective when facing physical big bodies, who can deal with his press, or shiftier smaller ones, who can elude them entirely. Nevertheless, I think he can be a valuable addition at nickel for some teams, similar to the way his former teammate Lewis is for the Cowboys – even if his run defense or lack thereof is concerning.

Grade: Late Third / Early Fourth