2022 NFL draft: Jaquan Brisker scouting report
One of the most athletic defensive backs in the 2022 NFL draft class, Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker will look to turn that athleticism and potential into a first-round selection as he makes the jump to the pros.
Here is everything you need to know about Nittany Lions defensive playmaker:
Vitals
Height: 6-1
Weight: 199
Class: Senior
40 time: 4.49
Strengths
Brisker is an excellent athlete with good speed, change of direction ability, and fluidity in the open field. His athleticism allows for a lot of versatility in his game, as he was moved around a lot in the Penn state defense to take advantage of specific matchups. That will likely do the same in the NFL, with his team matching him up with more athletic tight ends, or playing over the top, depending on what personnel they are lined up against.
When asked to play outside of the box as a roaming safety, Brisker excelled, covering a tremendous amount of ground and never looking lost in the back half of the field. He closed on deep passes well, and ended 2021 with two interceptions and five passes defended.
In the box, Brisker wins with physicality in run support, tracking the ball carrier from the snap and exploding past would-be blockers to drag the opponent to the ground. He has excellent range, thanks to his physical build and ability to make quick adjustments on the fly. He’s also solid on the blitz when asked to do so, acting as a heat-seeking missile on a one-way trip to the quarterback. Though he never notched a sack in his career, Brisker was able to apply quite a few pressures.
Weaknesses
At times, Brisker will take awkward tackling angles on receivers in the open field, which led to a few big plays that could have been prevented with his athleticism. He’ll have to learn to be more consistent, and better adjust for receivers’ speed at the next level.
Brisker also had a tendency to over-pursue his target and whiff on a tackle, trusting his speed a bit too much. This lead to 10 missed tackles last season.
He’ll need to be coached up to improve in both of these areas in the NFL ranks.
Projection
A versatile safety who can be played anywhere, Brisker will be coveted by defensive coordinators who will look to maximize his potential and play him everywhere to match up with creative play-callers on the other side of the ball. His athleticism and do-it-all skill set will be valuable enough for him to hear his name called early in this year’s draft, perhaps even in the first round.
