Many Miami Hurricanes players boosted their stock as NFL Draft prospects during their team's run to the National Championship, and cornerback Keionte Scott was one of the biggest benefactors of that postseason push.
In a weaker cornerback class, the rabidness with which Scott plays could get some teams interested in him despite the fact that he has some questions about how well he can tackle at the professional level.
Will Scott overcome those questions and become a solid starter, or is will be more up-and-down when he goes to the NFL?
Miami CB Keionte Scott NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes
Height: 6-0
Weight: 192
Recruiting: Unranked, No. 2 national JUCO transfer, No. 1 CB, No. 1 CA, Auburn transfer
Positives
- Extremely physical player who looks like his hair is on fire when he is out there. Willing to come down in run support and lay down some big hits. Excellent blitzer.
- Football IQ is there, especially in zone coverage. Knows how to bait opposing quarterbacks into bad throws.
- Good athlete for the position with quick feet and loose hips, which help him mirror routes in the slot.
- Has experience both as a nickel corner, outside corner, and safety.
The word "dawg" with that particular spelling applies to Scott in every sense, as he plays with such reckless abandon that any coach would love him in the nickel. With choppy feet, a hard-hitting tendency, and some solid ball skills, Scott has traits modern coaches look for.
Scott's smarts show up in zone coverage, where he shows an ability to break on the ball when thrown near him and tremendous abilities with regard to covering ground. In a zone-heavy scheme, Scott profiles as a possible starting nickel.
Negatives
- Will be 24 years old as a rookie, may limit developmental upside in the eyes of some
- Versatility may disappear in the pros, allowed a 65% completion rate that was even higher when he wasn't locked into the nickel.
- Poor tackler in open field, missed tackles at a 20 percent rate and showcased poor form.
- Performed much better against smaller receivers than bigger ones who could outmuscle him at the line of scrimmage.
Scott's pro ceiling hinges almost entirely on him learning how to tackle, as he is wholly below average in this area right now. Missed tackle rates likely don't decrease from college to the pros, especially early on.
Scott loves to use his size to beat up on smaller receivers, but on occasions when he was matched up against bigger targets, he wasn't as effective. This could eat into the whole "versatility" appeal he brings to the table.
Keionte Scott NFL Player Comparison: Alontae Taylor
In an age where having a quality nickel cornerback is more important than ever before, Scott profiles as someone who could be as disruptive and turnover-generative as Taylor is when locked on.
Keionte Scott 2026 NFL Draft Grade: Early 3rd Round
Scott's pro ceiling will be determined almost exclusively by how well he learns to tackle in the open field. If he cleans that up, there's way too much to fall in love with in basically every other aspect of his game.