Cameron Sutton, CB: A Ball Hawk In The Slot?

Cameron Sutton, CB
School: Tennessee | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Senior | Age: 22
Height / Weight: 5-11 / 188 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 3rd or 4th Round
NFL Comparison: Robert Alford

College Statistics

Player Overview

Cameron Sutton is an impressive man coverage corner coming out of Tennessee. Sutton started as a true freshman and had been a staple of health and reliability until this past season where he missed a few games due to an ankle injury. Sutton is a versatile corner that Tennessee primarily used in man coverage but he can play zone as well. He was asked to come up to the LOS and blitz and he was also a key part of the return game last year. He is an extremely competitive player and fights for the ball until the play is over. He plays with good instincts and is a high effort player. He has some issues with off coverage if he’s not able to check his opponent at the LOS. On tape, I saw several times where Sutton made his way back to the ball despite being beat initially. Maybe the most impressive statistic of Sutton’s that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is that he’s only allowed three touchdowns against him in his career. Sutton can certainly play the boundary but given his size and impressive man cover skills, he seems like a natural fit in the slot in the NFL.

Strengths

• Great competitor that will not give up on plays or his coverage responsibility. Will fight his way back to the ball to make a play and is a sure tackler that will at least get his man down.
• Very smart player that plays with confidence. He understands route patterns and space and uses it to his advantage. Instincts are there to make plays on the ball and jump routes which show up on the stat sheet with 30 passes defended in his career.
• The coaches at Tennessee love him and praised his work ethic and leadership skill.
• Good athlete with decent speed and acceleration.
• Offers special teams value as a returner.

Weaknesses

• A bit undersized for the position in the NFL which limits his fit to being a slot corner.
• Wish he played more physically at the LOS doesn't take full advantage of the opportunities available to disrupt a route there.
• Decent fluidity when changing direction but has some hip tightness in his backpedal and turn.
• Can get engulfed by blockers in run support. Needs to learn how to disengage and tackle in traffic.

Let’s see his work:

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

I definitely think the Redskins could use a player like Sutton. His versatility, effort, and leadership quality tick a lot of the boxes the team should be looking for in young talent. I think Sutton would be a nice depth addition and I think he has a real shot to gain some reps at slot CB during his rookie year. Also, because of his return abilities, Sutton could see himself on the field sooner rather than later. I think a lot of his weaknesses can be fixed with a good defensive backs coach. I also think Sutton can take his play to another level if he learns how to play with more physicality and mixes that skill with his instincts, closing ability, and ball skills. He could have the makings of a ball hawk playing the slot.