Caelen Carson CB Wake Forest | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Caelen Carson CB Wake Forest
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.48 seconds (57%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 03/03/2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |
| Last Updated: 04/21/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2024 | |
| 40 time: 4.48 seconds (57%*) | |
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 03/03/2002 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 83.8 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 95.7 | |
| Tackling: |
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71% |
| Run Defense: |
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82% |
| Coverage: |
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74% |
| Zone: |
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69% |
| Man/Press: |
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72% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#96
Position rank:
#22
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 1929 | ||
ESPN RATING: 73/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 84/100
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Ovr Rank:
#1725
College Combine Results
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RIVALS RATING: 5.4 (89%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Robinson - UCF |
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87% |
| Terell Smith - Minnesota |
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86% |
| Shaun Wade - Ohio State |
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86% |
Drafted: ROUND: 5 - Pick Number: 174 (DAL)
Draft Profile: Bio
Hailing from Waldorf, MD, Caelen Carson showcased his athletic versatility at North Point High School, where he excelled in football, basketball, and track & field. His prowess on the football field, playing both offense and defense, earned him First Team All-Southern Maryland honors and a three-star recruit rating by both ESPN and 247 Sports. Choosing to take his talents to Wake Forest, Carson quickly made his presence felt on the Demon Deacons' defense. Despite facing injuries during his sophomore and junior years. in 2021 he played in 9 games and logged 466 snaps for the Demon Deacons. He made 30 tackles, 2 assists, and had 7 stops. In coverage, he totaled 5 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a QB rating when targetted of 55.5.In 2022 as a junior Carson played in 7 games and contributed on 306 snaps. He chalked up 17 tackles, an assist, and added 4 stops. In the secondary Carson forced 5 pass breakups, and gave up a QB rating when targetted of 81.8.
In 2023 as a senior Carson saw action in 11 games while playing 650 snaps. He logged 41 tackles, 4 assists, and made 11 stops. In coverage, Carson had 4 pass breakups, no interceptions, and surrendered a less impressive QB rating when targetted of 98.2.
Alongside his on-field achievements, Carson earned Preseason Athlon Third Team All-ACC honors in 2022, affirming his status as a key player for the Demon Deacons.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Has an NFL frame with strong hands, the ability to close quickly on underneath routes and the size to tackle with a thump.
- Plays with the natural balance and ultra-quick feet to mirror underneath, and he’s tremendous at reading routes and reading quarterbacks.
- Has the quick feet to mirror receivers underneath. He also has the fluid hips and top-end speed to turn and run downfield. Carson shows good awareness when dropping into zone coverage, with good route recognition and the ability to break quickly and cover a lot of ground.
- Impressive frame and physical attributes, standing at 6'0", 195 pounds, paired with explosive quickness and agility to effectively close in on plays.
- Competitive edge and proactive physicality allow him to excel in pressing receivers, using two-handed jams or well-timed punches to gain leverage.
- Strong at the catch point with authoritative playmaking ability, showcasing great instincts and the ability to make impactful plays.
- Experienced and versatile in coverage, showing proficiency in both man and zone, with quick footwork and fluid hips to stay in phase with opponents.
- Displays a disruptive presence on the field, dominates in the run game - heavy-hitting tackler. Could be suited to a strong safety role.
- Brings a fiery competitive streak and swag essential for an NFL cornerback, coupled with good tackling skills and desirable ball awareness.
- Physical and confident, potentially a tone-setting boundary player with the ability to limit additional yardage through functional strength and aggressive play.
- Carson tracks the ball well and does a nice job of getting his head around in plenty of time to avoid flags.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- In zone coverage, requires improvement in consistency, especially when handling overlapping routes and redirecting back to the field.
- He’ll draw plenty of flags early on with his playing style. Carson is hesitant when facing the action in zone coverage.
- Struggles with turning his head to locate the football on vertical routes, which could lead to penalties against savvy wide receivers.
- Questionable technique and Carson gets lazy with fundamentals, sometimes getting high in his backpedal and will breach the coverage call seeking flashy plays
- Ball production does not fully reflect his capabilities, with a noted need for improvement in intercepting and securing catchable passes.
Scouting Report: Summary
Caelen Carson enters the NFL draft as a cornerback with a strong foundation in man coverage and a natural impact player in run defense. Carson's blend of size, quickness, and competitive nature makes him a compelling prospect for teams running man-heavy schemes. However, his zone coverage and ball-tracking skills on deep routes require refinement to elevate his game at the pro level.His ability to contribute immediately will likely depend on his fit within a defensive scheme that leverages his strengths in man coverage and minimizes exposure to complex zone schemes. Teams looking for a cornerback who can press at the line and has the athleticism to recover and make plays on the ball will find Carson's skill set particularly valuable.
Carson's prospects in the NFL are promising, with the caveat that his transition to the next level will be contingent on his ability to adapt and refine his technique. His aggressive play style, coupled with his physical attributes, makes him a suitable candidate for defenses that prize physicality and press coverage. With the right coaching and system, Carson has the potential to develop into a reliable starter at the next level. The possibility of a him having higher upside at safety will further increase his demand.
Caelen Carson percentiles vs other Cornerbacks (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Caelen Carson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
74.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
21.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.