Damontae Kazee, CB: Big Production In A Small Package

Damontae Kazee, CB
School: San Diego State | Conference: Mountain West
College Experience: RS Senior | Age: 23
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 184 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 5th or 6th Round
NFL Comparison: LaMarcus Joyner

College Statistics

Player Overview

Damontae Kazee is yet another option in the slot for teams looking to improve that position in what seems like a historically deep cornerback class. Kazee is undersized but he has no shortage of competitive nature, passion, and instincts for the position. He dominated the competition in the Mountain West conference and was named the defensive player of the year in the conference in 2015. Kazee has some excellent production over his career that features 6 forced fumbles, 17 interceptions, and 29 passes defended. Kazee gets himself into position with regularity between the ball and its intended receiver. He plays with great vision and anticipation and has a knack for tracking the ball and jumping routes. There are going to be questions about if that type of production is sustainable at the next level as well as reservations about his size but the team that drafts Kazee will get a hyper-competitive talent that plays much bigger than his 5-10 / 184 frame.

Strengths

• A good athlete with good short area quickness. Has the footwork to match the receivers. Is aggressive in his play and will jam at the LOS and be a nuisance to opposing receivers.
• Solid tackler that plays bigger than his size. Offers a surprising amount of pop when making contact. Has solid form and will come up to the LOS and shoot into the backfield to make a stop.
• Great ball skills with the deflections and interceptions statistics to back it up. Instinctual and plays with great anticipation.
• Has great vision can see into the backfield in run support and set up his angles well. Can also anticipate routes and passing lanes to get a jump on where the play is going.

Weaknesses

• Undersized at the position and will be limited to a slot role. Hard for me to envision him not adding more mass at the NFL out of necessity.
• Aggression can lead him away from his assignment where he can be exposed if the QB and receiver are able to extend the play. Same issue on the run with over pursuit.
• Can get pushed around by bigger receivers. Went up against Josh Reynolds at the Senior Bowl and gave a great effort but in the end was still overtaken by his size and strength.

Let’s see his work:

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

I like Kazee as a player and while he definitely makes a strong effort to play physically and larger than the sum of his parts I worry about the level of competition he’ll face in the NFL. I would be strongly in favor of him bulking up and improving his strength. Though he’s only 1 inch shorter and 4 pounds lighter than say, Cameron Sutton, his body type just looks a bit light. When I think of potential fits in the slot for the Redskins I think of the opposition they are most likely to face: Jordan Matthews, Sterling Shepard, and Cole Beasley. I’m sure Kazee could make a few plays against all of those guys but I am unsure of his prospects regarding consistent play against them, especially Matthews with his size, Beasley with his short area quickness, and Shepard with his combination of both. If he were 1 inch taller and 6-8 pounds heavier he’d be talked about as a potential 4th rounder. Kazee needs a bit more time to develop before stepping into a “starting” role but I do think he could be a solid contributor as early as his second year. As a potential late day 3 pick it's a selection I wouldn’t mind the Redskins making though I personally prefer getting slot guys who would be a bit more pro ready like Corn Elder, Jourdan Lewis, and Cameron Sutton.