Robert Fitzgerald S Northwestern |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Coverage is average, stronger in zone than matched up in man
• Ordinary timed speed limits his true deep-third range
• Heavy tackle volume comes with too many misses, 18 on the season
• Best in the box, so scheme fit narrows toward a strong-safety role

Scouting Report: Summary

A downhill, box-first safety at Northwestern, Fitzgerald built his tape on physical, reliable run defense, filling fast and racking up better than 120 tackles as an extra hat near the line of scrimmage. He diagnoses run action quickly, beats blockers to the fit and breaks down as a sure wrap-up tackler in space, and he adds real value near the line.

However, coverage is the softer half of his game; he is more comfortable in zone than matched up in man, and ordinary timed speed limits his range in the deep third. His heavy tackle volume also came with too many misses, 18 on the season, and being at his best in the box narrows his scheme fit toward a strong-safety role.

Overall, Fitzgerald projects as a rotational strong safety and core special-teamer whose run instincts, physicality and tackling give him a defined role near the line of scrimmage, with a bigger role tied to holding up when asked to cover in space. He fits a defense that plays him in the box or the low hole and lets him trigger downhill rather than range from depth, and a team that wants a physical, dependable run-support safety will value the fit. The floor is a dependable box and teams contributor, with a starting role if the coverage tightens.