Xavier Scott CB Illinois |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #14 ROLE: Dual-Role Man CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.52 seconds (40%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #14 | |
| ROLE: Dual-Role Man CB | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.52 seconds (40%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
74.2 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 69.0 | |
| Tackling: |
|
85% |
| Run Defense: |
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86% |
| Coverage: |
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71% |
| Zone: |
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71% |
| Man/Press: |
|
69% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#372
Position rank:
#57 (DB)
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| College Games: 32 College Snaps: 1808 | ||
ESPN RATING: 75/100
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247 RATING: 84/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Josh Wallace - Michigan |
|
90% |
| DeVonta Smith - Notre Dame |
|
87% |
| Marcus Harris - California |
|
86% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A multi-sport athlete at Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Xavier Scott played 11 games as a true freshman at Illinois in 2022, then led the Big Ten with 11 pass breakups as a sophomore starter in 2023.Scott's 2024 season produced four interceptions, including a pick-six against Kansas, plus first-team All-Big Ten honors and a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist nod. He led Big Ten cornerbacks in snaps while lining up outside, in the slot, and at safety, and he sealed the regular-season finale against Northwestern with a late interception.
Scott returned for 2025 but played only three games. He broke up two passes in a September win over Western Michigan before landing awkwardly on an interception attempt in that game, suffering a right foot and ankle injury that required season-ending surgery and cost him the final 10 games. In January, Scott announced he would return to Illinois for a fifth season in 2026 rather than turn professional.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Strong run-defense and tacklings from a versatile slot role
- Recorded four interceptions in his healthy 2024 season
- Reads route concepts and drives on throws with anticipation
- Picked off a pass against Duke before the injury
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Foot surgery limited him to three games in 2025
- A much-traveled prospect whose eligibility timeline is worth confirming
- Average timed speed limits recovery against vertical routes
- Overall coverage is modest, more eyes than mirror
- Tiny 2025 sample makes the projection lean on prior tape
Scouting Report: Summary
Scott is a versatile slot defender whose 2024 tape is the real evidence, an instinctive cover man who recorded four interceptions and earned all-conference honors before a foot injury wiped out most of his 2025. He reads route concepts, drives on throws, and brings strong run-defense and tacklings from inside, picking off a pass against Duke in his brief 2025 action. The instincts and the prior production are the reasons he stays on the radar.The injury and the circumstances dominate the projection. Foot surgery limited him to three games, his average timed speed limits recovery against vertical routes, and his gives up his share in coverage, leaning more on eyes than mirror technique. The tiny 2025 sample makes the evaluation depend on prior tape, and as an older prospect his eligibility timeline is worth confirming. He is an instincts-and-toughness slot corner with a real availability question.
The draw is the 2024 production and the slot instincts, a developmental nickel whose value depends on a clean medical and a return to form. The injury, the age, and the average speed keep the grade low, but the ball production and the run-game toughness are worth a late look. He grades as a priority-free-agent type whose path runs through slot coverage and special teams.
How other scouting services rate Xavier Scott (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
141.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
24.0
*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.
