Today we will be looking at Jevon Holland, who is in the mix to be one of the first safeties taken in the 2021 NFL Draft after opting out and declaring for the draft in September. Holland sizes up at 6’1″ and 200 lbs, and played two years as a productive starter at Oregon before opting out.
Strengths: Holland is a tough and physical player, allowing him to finish on the ballcarrier, match up with big tight ends in coverage without being bullied, and knock wide receivers off their route in zone coverage. Holland is a good run defender, possessing superior understanding and awareness of responsibilities and fits and good overall discipline stacking the box. He plays with an urgent tone, constantly working to arrive at the action. In coverage, Holland possesses experience in man coverage but above all has a real nose for the ball, with leaping ability and ball skills to disrupt the catch point and make plays on the ball. Holland was the leader of the Oregon defense, calling out plays and adjustments to the rest of the unit. He also possesses functional versatility, having had reps in the slot, in the box, and as a deep safety. Holland gives added value as a solid kick return option.
Weaknesses: While Holland has played in a variety of alignments, he does not project to excel in any specific area. He would be well described as a jack of all trades but master of none. Holland lined up primarily at nickel, but I don’t see him being able to cover shifty and creative NFL slot wide receivers due to his propensity to get turned around in coverage, lose leverage, and lack eye discipline. As he is typically listed as a safety, the rest of the draft community has caught onto this. He does lack speed both in recovery and in terms of range, and occasionally misses open-field tackles, so he cannot project to being a deep safety. This leaves him as a box safety at the next level, where he will need to show an improved ability to disengage from blockers and overcome his more limited experience at the position in comparison to other prospects.
Bottom Line: Holland’s projection to the NFL is troubling given that I believe that he will have to transition from the nickel to being a slot safety, and that he is not great at any one thing. I think this will lead to him being a decent player who will get the job done in the box as a plus run defender with some coverage ability, but I do not see an elite safety talent in this early phase of studying his tape. I am, however, confident that he will be a solid starter who makes the occasional big play with his ball skills.
Draft Projection: Round 2
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