No. 3: Cornerback Tarvarus McFadden
It was a bit of a shock to see former Florida State cornerback Tarvarus McFadden go undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Especially considering he was viewed as one of NCAA’s top corners entering 2017.
McFadden fell off his final season at Florida State, coming nowhere near close to the eight-interception campaign he enjoyed in 2016. Tack on an awfully slow 4.67 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine last spring, and one can see how McFadden dropped from a high-profile prospect to an undrafted free agent.
Still, there are workable commodities there. At 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, McFadden has the ideal body type for coordinator Robert Saleh’s Cover 3 defense. McFadden is long-limbed and, when he’s on, uses his football IQ to put himself in position to make plays.
That’s where training camp will come into play. McFadden will have to improve on his straight-line speed, although it’s possible that’s been maxed out. If that’s the case, he’ll have to rely on his football smarts and positioning instead.
Rookie defensive backs tend to struggle transitioning to the pro ranks. The coverage schemes are more complex, opponents’ routes are more difficult to read and the level of competition is significantly higher.
McFadden won’t have the luxury of a learning curve here, unless he’s content with a spot on the practice squad.