Advertisement

Is a move to safety in best interest of former USC star, Cowboys UDFA Isaac Taylor-Stuart?

USC cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and ended up seeing action as a true freshman. He only appeared in four games so he was able to make it a red-shirt year, which led to him earning the starting nod in most of his games for the 2019 season. In 2020 he served as a backup cornerback, while still seeing action quite frequently, which brought upon the 2021 season where he regained the starting role.

Now, he’s a UDFA signing of the Dallas Cowboys, hoping to earn a spot in a deep yet unproven back end of the rotation.

Stewart is an intriguing player, and one I’m not quite sure of on how the Cowboys see his long term career playing out. Most of his playing experience is at cornerback, but there are more than a few instances on film that make one wonder if the best for his long term projection is a move to safety. His arm length came in at 31 1/2 inches which is good for the 75th percentile among safeties, while only being in the 51st percentile for cornerbacks. We all know Dan Quinn loves size in his corners, and Stewart came in over 6-foot-1 which is good for the 58th percentile among cornerbacks while being in the 42nd for safeties. So what does the film say? Is a move to safety favorable for him?

Measurables and Stats

Listed Height: 6-foot-1

Listed Weight: 201 pounds

Jersey Number: 6

Stats (2021): 25 solo tackles, 39 total tackles

Impact Plays (2021): 1 interception, 3 pass defelctions

Film Study Information:

Games Watched: Washington (2019), UCLA (2019), Stanford (2021), Utah (2021)

Best Game: UCLA (2019)

Worst Game: Utah (2021)

Physical Skills Evaluation:

Long speed: Ran a 4.42 40-yard dash, which was good for the 92nd percentile. 

Run Support: Doesn’t go about deconstructing blocks in the best way. Doesn’t really have a plan of attack, rather he just charges at the blocker and engages them. 

COD Ability: Isn’t sudden in his change of direction downfield, but he does not have much wasted movement. Has a momentary pause while he gathers himself, but he does not take false steps. 

Tackling: Doesn’t shy away from tackling, he is willing and capable in this area. 

Physicality/Toughness: Can get thrown off balance by bigger receivers who are more physical. 

Performance Evaluation:

Man Coverage: Saw him in press man, press bail. Gives up some separation at the routes breaking point. Waits until the wide receiver commits to the stem of the route before opening his hips, and turning and running with them. Doesn’t consistently land his hands when he is in press. 

Zone Coverage: Doesn’t over-commit to his drop until the play develops. Gains good depth and doesn’t let receivers get on top of him. Willing to come off his assignment and make a play on the ball. 

Reaction/Recovery: Don’t really see him out of phase where he is forced into recovery a lot. When he did give up separation at the routes breaking point, he fought through the hands of the  receiver to contest the catch. 

Ball skills: Fights through the hands of the receiver when contesting a catch. Keeps his eyes back on the QB when in zone and is able to track the ball well. Doesn’t consistently turn his head and locate the football in flight. 

Awareness: Willing to come off of his zone and make a play on the ball when his eyes are back on the QB. Doesn’t always put himself in the best position on deep shots and can be called for pass interference.

 

Strengths:

Stewart has good technique in press man with his feet, as he does not open up his hips too early and he waits for the receiver to commit to the stem of the route before opening his hips up to turn and run. He is good in zone coverage, he gains good depth and doesn’t let the receiver get behind him. He is a capable and willing tackler. He fights through the receivers hands at the catch point. Has good long speed as he a ran a 4.42 which was good for the 92nd percentile.

Weaknesses:

Never really saw him out of phase so I have questions about his true recovery ability. He doesn’t charge downhill when changing directions, rather he has a momentary pause you would like to see him get coached out of him.  His hand punch in press man needs refinement as it often lands wide and doesn’t effect the receivers much. Could do a better job of turning his head and locating the football on a more consistent basis. Lacks any sort of plan when deconstructing blocks in space, he just chargers at the blocker and engages with them.

Fit with the Cowboys:

Stewart leaves me questions as to what his full time role is in the NFL. He has the makings of things you would like to see in a corner, as well as safety. So perhaps that is why the Cowboys brought him in.

At cornerback, the club has Trevon Diggs leading the depth chart, and then short-term solutions in veterans and unproven commodities in 2021 rookies. Anthony Brown enters the last year of his deal with Jourdan Lewis running through 2023. Kelvin Joseph got some playing time as a rookie but is engulfed in a legal situation while Nahshon Wright only really played special teams.

At safety, Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker signed two-year deals but Donovan Wilson is in the final season of his rookie pact and Israel Mukuamu didn’t hit the field much as a sixth-round rookie. He, too, was a CB in college who moved over after being drafted.

The Cowboys didn’t draft either position in 2022, but signed several UDFAs for the secondary who Taylor-Stuart will compete with.

His lower-half technique in press man is good, but his upper half need refinement. He gains good depth in zone and is comfortable playing with his eyes back on the QB, both are things one likes to see from safeties. The things that cause concern about a potential move to safety for him, are his change of direction ability when coming downhill, and his lack of being able to deconstruct blocks in space. Regardless of where the Cowboys view his long term career arc, he will be a player they can likely store on the practice squad, while he finds his true home position wise.

Prospect Grade:

Man Coverage (15)

8

Run Support (5)

2

Zone Coverage (10)

8

COD Ability (10)

6

Reaction/Recovery (10)

5

Awareness (10)

7

Long speed (10)

9.1

Tackling (10)

7

Ball skills(10)

6.2

Physicality/Toughness (10)

6

Final Grade: 64.3, 6th round player

1

1