2020 NFL Draft: 6 Prospects who are matchup nightmares

The 2020 NFL Draft is full of prospects on both sides of the ball who can be matchup nightmares for opposing teams at the next level.

Oftentimes, people will use the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” in a negative context. In the NFL and the NFL Draft, in particular, that couldn’t be farther from the truth, however. Having a hybrid EDGE player who can drop into coverage and play the run or a wide receiver capable of lining up anywhere, even in the backfield, is an incredibly valuable asset.

The 2020 NFL Draft is not short on those type of prospects. With the NFL Scouting Combine now in the rearview, we just saw numerous players on both sides of the ball who have freaky combinations of size and athletic traits. And how those traits can be deployed on the field is what matters in the end.

Looking at the 2020 NFL Draft class as a whole, these six prospects are clearly going to be matchup nightmares for opposing teams as they make the jump to the next level.

6. Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois

A growth spurt saw Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn go from an undersized player to a 6-3, 221-pound matchup weapon for the Salukis. In today’s NFL, with 4.4 speed and elite explosiveness, he’s a tool for a defensive coordinator to use at their disposal.

Chinn is tall and strong enough to match up against tight ends. He’s also fluid enough to play against big slots. If you need him to drop in zone, he’s good at that too. When the ball is in the air, he gets there in a hurry either jarring it free or batting them down — though he did tally seven interceptions between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

If you need him to play the run, Chinn stacks and sheds well. He also has a great burst and closing speed making him a solid run defender. With his skill set, he’s a fit in a 4-3 scheme as a safety/linebacker hybrid and a big-time sleeper that, after his showing in the NFL Combine testing, likely won’t make it out of Day 2.