Kansas State’s Brents Resembles Former Bucs All-Pro CB
Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents had an impressive debut at the Senior Bowl on Tuesday. Going up against what looked like a superior American Team wide receiver corps throughout the day, Brents more than held his own in one-on-ones. He stayed at the hip of each receiver he went against:
This past season at Kansas State, Brents demonstrated his ball skills with four interceptions. This included one in the end-zone on TCU WR Quentin Johnston.
Throughout that Big 12 Championship game, Brents had his ups and downs, getting flagged for defensive pass interference and allowing Johnston to have four receptions for 139 yards. The ball skills are there, but he needs to refine his technique and avoid being handsy down the field.
On this play, he battled well with Virginia wide receiver Don’Tayvion Wicks, arguably the top receiver during the first day of Senior Bowl practice, and got the interception. This play was for naught as a flag was thrown against him, and he was not pleased about it:
He reflected on this play Wednesday morning. “Sometimes things are going to happen, but you just have to have the right mentality when you’re out there,” Brents said. “Every single play, just being intentionally dialed in, locked in, and focused. It is a bigger transition for me going to the NFL, where you can’t be as – a little bit handsy downfield. Just continue to work on that, progression every day, and continue to improve.”
Brents Resembles All-Pro, Former Bucs CB Sherman
When drawing a comparison for Julius Brents, one name came to mind that played for the Bucs in his final NFL season: Richard Sherman. Is that to say Brents will become a 5-time Pro Bowler and make the NFL 2020s All-Decade Team as Sherman did in the 2010s? It’s way too early to tell if he’ll reach that pinnacle, but he offers a high ceiling.
Realistically, Brents can develop into being a second cornerback with the potential to blanket receivers.
When asked about which cornerbacks he’s studied and modeled his game after, he praised many cornerbacks, including Sherman.
“I watched a lot of guys growing up, specifically the best of the best. Patrick Peterson, great technique, always real disciplined in his pad level, great feet. Bigger guys like Brandon Browner, real physical and imposing in the ways he used his length to his advantage.
“Then you got the short quicker guys who everybody knows like ‘Revis Island’ – watched a lot of him growing up. Even guys today in the league, bigger guys like Patrick Surtain II and Jalen Ramsey. Finding different things I can take and apply to my game.”
Brents continued about Sherman, another member of the Legion of Boom secondary: “He was definitely one of those as well that I didn’t mention. Especially when he was in his prime, just consistency, year-in-and-year-out, one of the best of the best for sure.”
The parallels to Sherman start in college, as both went from being 3-star recruits to making big shifts in their final two collegiate seasons.
Sherman converted from a wide receiver to a defensive back at Stanford and put together two solid campaigns that made him a fifth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2011. On the other hand, Brents transferred to K-State from Iowa in 2021 and had a much bigger role on defense.
Sherman and Brents also have similar 40 times, according to the stopwatch. Sherman clocked at 4.56 at the NFL Combine, and Brents is reported by multiple draft outlets to run in the 4.55-range.
Watching Brents play, his coverage skills are much like Sherman’s. He makes up for what he lacks in top-end speed by having the length to stay with opposing receivers, resembling Sherman in this regard. This makes it difficult for receivers to gain separation, especially when they can stay at the hip of the guy they are lined up against.
The leg-up Brents has on Sherman at this point is where he could be drafted. While Sherman made it to the fifth round, Brents very well could sneak into some second to third-round discussions.
It also does not hurt that another tall cornerback drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round this past season came in and made a name for himself, Tariq Woolen. Woolen tied for the league lead with six interceptions, and while he is much faster, teams now more than ever may drool over taller defensive back prospects and what they can mold them into.
No other team may be as infatuated with them as the Bucs.
Bucs Have Preference For Taller Cornerbacks
Drafted just four picks after Woolen in the 2022 NFL draft was Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum. McCollum, standing 6-foot-2, continues the trend of the Bucs drafting corners at the 6-foot and above stature.
One aspect that Brents is more advanced at than McCollum is tackling. From watching him at K-State, he made some big hits and the kinds of open-field tackles that stop big gains, an often pitfall this season for the Bucs’ defense.
In the past five drafts dating back to 2018, general manager Jason Licht has elected to draft only one corner below that threshold: M.J. Stewart (5-11) in the second round, 10 picks before selecting Carlton Davis III, who stands 6-foot-1.
Under Licht and head coach Todd Bowles, the Bucs have coveted corners with this prerequisite length and take chances nearly every year on a guy they can develop into a top cornerback. This method has worked well with Davis and impending free agent Jamel Dean, who also stands 6-foot-1, in recent seasons.
As someone who fits this archetype, Brents can already see himself within Bowles’ style of defense.
“Definitely, they got a lot of good guys over there. As you mentioned, long guys – Murphy-Bunting, Davis, Dean. I would say I could see myself being a fit for a lot of different schemes. I’m really versatile, whatever the Bucs may need me to do. I know they play man at times, I feel like that’s something I’m pretty good at and will continue to improve at it.”
With Dean likely pricing himself out of Tampa Bay, taking a guy like Brents may help to alleviate that void. Results may not be immediate (as seen with McCollum), but if any team were to take a chance on what they may become, it would be the Bucs.
