ESPN Analyst
Updated 02/03/2010
Grimes has the tools and skill set to develop into a very good college cornerback. Just needs some time to continue physically developing and add some positional polish. Tall with a rangy, lean frame that will need added strength and bulk to match up on the outside versus bigger college receivers. Very well versed in coverage schemes. Displays great quickness, foot-speed and smooth hips. Breaks fast on the perimeter run or pass and off the hash over the top of routes, when employed at safety. Has very good range in zone schemes and equally impressive man-to-man skills, particularly when pressing. Will step up and play aggressive and physical. Utilizes his deceptively-strong hands and wiry body to impede the receiver's release off the line. Can flip his hips to turn and run vertically without losing much in transition. Has very good recovery burst and makeup speed. Re-directs sharply out of his breaks mirroring in off-man. Competes for the jump ball in deep coverage with great high-point skills. Could grow into a difficult one-on-one matchup for receivers at the next level, once his leaner frame fills out. Soundly times his jump, shows very good body control and adjustment to the ball in the air. Gets off the stalk block quickly in run support and locates the football. A strong, reliable tackler -- particularly in the open field. Our main concern is that his high-cut frame can hinder his transitional quickness/smoothness breaking underneath and his stop-start skill when feathering quicker receivers off the line. Pedal can be high and a bit rigid at times. Difficult to create separation against due to his sharpness out of his breaks and burst out of his cuts, but top-end speed could be tested vertically at the next level. Projects best as a bump-and-run guy or a hard underneath corner in a Cover 2 system. Overall, Grimes is a very talented corner with coveted size, acceleration, physicality and ball skills. Should add a lot of value as both a returner and coverage guy on special teams.
...lulz, sounds like a Pro-Bowler.
