Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson NFL Draft Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5’-8”
Weight: 178 pounds
School: TCU
2023 NFL Draft: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Scouting Report
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is considered one of the most explosive athletes in the 2023 NFL Draft. Nephew of Hall-of-Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Hodges-Tomlinson has some big boots to fill in the NFL. At the college level, the undersized cornerback has already proved he has the tools to be a success. A strong performance at the NFL Combine only solidified what we already knew about Hodges-Tomlinson’s elite athletic traits.
23-year-old Hodges-Tomlinson had four impressive years at TCU. 2022 was his senior year and also his most impressive one. In a year where TCU made the National Championship game, Hodges-Tomlinson amassed 50 tackles with two for loss, three interceptions, and a forced fumble in 15 games. His 15 pass defenses were also notable. While Hodges-Tomlinson is not a turnover machine, he does have an impressive 36 pass defenses over his four years at TCU. His consistent performance at the top level awarded him with three First-Team All-Big 12 nominations (2020, 2021, 2022). And, in 2022, Hodges-Tomlinson peaked by winning the Jim Thorpe Award and being named a First-Team All-American.
As it stands, Hodges-Tomlinson is a borderline top-10 cornerback in this class due to the sheer quality and depth of talent. The likes of Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez, and Joey Porter Jr. are, by consensus, rated higher than Hodges-Tomlinson. He does, however, have plenty of admirers and will likely be a mid-round selection.
Strengths
- Good amount of college experience and excellent production;
- Very good athleticism and tested well at Combine;
- Fluid hips in man coverage;
- Smooth feet and excellent transitions in and out of breaks;
- Twitchy and explosive, excellent change of direction and able to stick with almost any receiver;
- Physical and aggressive at line of scrimmage;
- Physicality helps in disrupting timing throws;
- Good ball skills despite smaller size;
- Good closing and recovery speed;
- Solid tackler and willing to help in run support;
- Has the versatility to play on perimeter but also in the slot;
- Excellent competitor and willing to get scrappy
Weaknesses
- Very undersized for position, can be beaten by taller receivers;
- Lack of length also limits impact radius;
- Size limitations mean that a lot of NFL teams will view Hodges-Tomlinson as a slot-only prospect;
- Can often be too grabby and leads to holding calls;
- Needs better anticipation at the top of routes, can get lost on some curls and comebacks;
- Scrappiness sometimes results in a lack of technique;
- Struggles to shed blocks and can be beaten on screen plays easily;
- Sometimes gets beaten by double moves;
- Has a tendency to get caught watching the backfield too much;
- Prone to missing tackles and being overaggressive in pursuit
NFL Comparison: Nickell Robey-Coleman
Teams With Need At Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders
Projection: Round 3
Bottom Line on Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is an elite athlete and will be a contributor at the NFL level. He is one of the most explosive prospects in this year’s class and plays with heart and aggression, despite his small stature. He is a sturdy tackler who ensures that every pass is contested. While his size limits him in terms of defending the run (specifically, detaching from blocks) and against taller receivers, Hodges-Tomlinson makes up for that in other ways. He is excellent in both man and zone coverage but is particularly potent in man. This is because of his high-end speed, smooth footwork, and fluid hips.
Hodges-Tomlinson has played both perimeter and slot corner for TCU. At the NFL level, given the size of boundary receivers, Hodges-Tomlinson will find the most success in the slot. His scrappiness and physicality are double-edged. He is physical and tight in coverage, but his over-aggressiveness can lead to penalties. This will be something that his NFL coaches will need to manage with him and was a concern expressed about Trent McDuffie last year. Due to his athleticism, Hodges-Tomlinson can start for an NFL team straight away. In a league where mesh concepts and spread concepts are becoming fashionable, Hodges-Tomlinson would be useful to deploy against change-of-pace backs and tricky slot receivers. Some have suggested that Hodges-Tomlinson’s profile is similar to Marcus Jones’ from last year. However, Hodges-Tomlinson presents a much higher upside as a traditional defensive contributor.
In all, Hodges-Tomlinson is a unique athlete at the cornerback position who projects well as a starting slot cornerback. Through four years at TCU, Hodges-Tomlinson has consistently demonstrated elite athleticism, physicality, and competitiveness. The only concerns rest with his size. If he was three or four inches taller, he would be in the conversation as a first-round pick.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY
