AJ Finley NFL Draft Scouting Report

SAF, Ole Miss Rebels

AJ Finley is a senior defensive back who played multiple positions throughout his career at Ole Miss early but settled into the safety position. At the safety position, Finley has proven to be a productive defender, finishing his career with more than 200 tackles and eight interceptions. Finley’s ability to make plays in the run game and in pass coverage comes from his range and instincts. 

As a run defender, Finley does a good job of triggering from depth at his FS position and closing to ball carriers. Finley does a good job breaking down and approaching defenders with a good angle for him to make the tackle. As a tackler, Finley uses his length to wrap and drag defenders to the ground. Although Finley has a thin frame he has shown a willingness to tackle ball carriers. 

In pass coverage, Finley shows to be a high-IQ player with an in-depth understanding of route combinations. In Finley’s career, he has made game-changing plays and has an interception return for a touchdown. Finley does a good job jumping routes to make plays on the ball. In man-to-man coverage, he’s shown that he can cover receivers in the slot, mirroring them on in-breakers and carrying players vertically down the field. Finley’s arm length helps him make plays on the ball, although there are times he is out of phase. 

Finley’s concern as a player comes from his frame and his ability to consistently show well against the run without getting injured. In the run game, Finley throws his body around to make tackles, but there is a concern about how long his frame will hold up. Finley could benefit from using different tackling techniques that require less of him using his entire frame to tackle to help preserve his body. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Positional versatility 
• Ball production (8 career interceptions)

Top Reasons For Concern: 

• Thin frame 
• Injury concerns

Size (TBD):

Height: 6020

Weight: 205 lbs

Wingspan: TBD

Arm Length: TBD

Hand Size: TBD

Athletic Testing (source):

40-yard Dash: 4.50s

Vertical Jump: TBD

Broad Jump: TBD

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD

Ideal Role: Free safety

Scheme Fit: Cover 2 or Cover 4 scheme

TDN Consensus Grade: 68.00/100 (Sixth-Round Value)

• Sanchez Grade: 68.00/100

Written By: Keith Sanchez 

Exposures:  Kentucky (2022), LSU (2022), Texas A&M (2022), Alabama (2022)

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