Trent McDuffie would open up options in Washington’s secondary

Trent McDuffie, DB
School: Washington | Conference: PAC 12
College Experience: Junior | Age: 21
Height / Weight: 5’11” / 193 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Round 1

Player Comp: Jaire Alexander

College Statistics

Player Overview

McDuffie started nearly all the games he played in three seasons at the University of Washington. In 2021, as a junior, he was named the Huskies’ Most Outstanding Defensive Player and All-PAC 12 First Team.

Like LSU, the University of Washington has become a prolific factory of DB talent, making this quote from Lance Zierlein’s profile of McDuffie all the more impressive:

“Of all the defensive backs that (former Washington) coach (Chris) Petersen recruited, he might be the best. The talent, athleticism and makeup are all really clean.” — Scouting director for NFC team

Strengths

• Excels in man coverage and possesses the ability to spar with WRs at the line of scrimmage.
• Able to play outside or in the slot.
• Is a very willing tackler, and enjoys run support.
• Has very good lateral agility.
• Can be valuable in special teams, either as a gunner or return man.

Weaknesses

• Should add additional strength.
• Didn’t have tremendous production in college.
• Size could potentially be an issue matching up with larger WRs.

Let’s See His Work

How He Would Fit

If Washington decides to add to the defense at pick 11, or trades back a bit in the first round, McDuffie could easily be one of the best options on the table. While cornerback is not currently a dire need, additional, flexible depth at the position is always welcome. Additionally, Kendall Fuller’s current contract is structured such that it could potentially free up significant cap space in 2023 if the team decided to move on from him, if necessary.

I, personally, would prefer adding a player like Jalen Pitre, with more back-end flexibility in the second round, but if Washington wants to roll the dice on a true, potential, lock-down corner, McDuffie could well be their best option at their position in the draft.