JL Skinner NFL Draft Scouting Report

SAF, Boise State Broncos

JL Skinner is the starting safety for the Boise State Broncos. Skinner was a consensus 3-star recruit that lettered in multiple sports, including football, track and field, and basketball. He began receiving playing time as a freshman. He developed into a tone-setter and leader for the Broncos’ defense. Skinner clocked a personal record 11.30 in the 100-meter dash in high school. This speaks to his straight-line speed at his height and weight. 

Skinner is a physically-imposing defender. He has a rare frame and builds at the safety position. As a coverage defender, he is at his best working downhill as a low-hole safety or robber. In zone coverages, Skinner can sit and squat on underneath routes with the range to trigger downhill to close on them if the QB makes the throw. He plays man-to-man as a big nickel/dime defender, more so against tight ends. Skinner plays off man with the catch technique to square, make contact, and break with the receiving option. As a run defender, he is a physical striker that can deliver jarring hits to ball carriers. He is willing to stick his face in the fire and run the alley to take running backs head-on. I appreciate his ability to read from the second and third levels to locate the football. A great term to describe him is, “hunter”. He tracks the football in motion and works with urgency to get to the spot. He has arm length to stack blocks, peek, and shed to make a play on the football. 

Skinner battles with being aggressive and patient when diagnosing play concepts. I believe that contributed to him playing fewer snaps at free safety and deeper in the box. Parts are moving faster visually to diagnose as they are developing. Skinner is a high-hipped and long-legged defender. This results in some transitional stiffness when having to change directions. I do not believe man coverage assignments versus receivers should be in play for Skinner. He does not possess the foot speed or change of direction skills to mirror receivers in man coverage. 

Skinner hops off the bus and garners attention off sheer size alone. He has stated that Kam Chancellor is his favorite safety of all time and he studies his game. Skinner could fill a similar robber/low-hole strong safety role in a Cover 3 defense. He is not an ideal candidate for single-high safety alignments. To get the most out of Skinner, a defensive coordinator must put him in advantageous situations to impact both run and pass games.

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Incredible combo of height, weight, and athleticism
• Motor
• Physicality

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Change of directions
• Man coverage value
• Scheme/role specific

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 4”

Weight: 209 lbs

Arm Length: 32”

Hand Size: 8 1/4”

Athletic Testing (TBD):

40-yard Dash: TBD

Vertical Jump: TBD

Broad Jump: TBD

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD 

Ideal Role: Low-hole strong safety 

Scheme Fit: Cover 3

TDN Consensus Grade: 74.00/100 (Fourth-Round Value)

• Parson Grade: 74.00/100

Written By: Damian Parson

Exposures: Oregon State (2022), Wyoming (2022), BYU (2022)

JL Skinner NFL Draft Scouting Report. Add him to your big board here.