Scouting Profile: Mello Dotson - CB - Kansas
Sales Pitch: Long instinctive corner with good ball skills. Lacks the twitch or speed to be a impact player but could be a low-end starter in the right scheme.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Mello Dotson is a former 3-Star recruit from the state of Florida. A staple on the backend for the Jayhawks defense over the past four years, he started 46 games with 38 consecutively to finish out his career. Dotson is best known for his ability to make plays on the ball, finishing his career with double digits INTs and PBUs, which was good enough to make him a two-time All-Big 12 CB.
Dotson is a long instinctual corner who does his best work attacking routes front of him. An experienced player, there isn’t much he hasn’t seen, making him a quick processor. Dotson shines in zone coverage where he can read the QBs eyes and drive on plays in front of him. He is smooth to transition out of his back pedal and close on the ball. He has the ball tracking and hands to secure passes at their apex and quickly start his return. Dotson’s ability to diagnose and mirror routes in zone coverage gives him some versatility to play off-man. He does a solid job clicking and closing to break up passes and is particularly effective versus underneath routes.
Dotson is a high cut corner with long legs which limits his lateral fluidity. Average twitch and below average speed create a pessimistic outlook for his man coverage ability at the next level. He struggles to stay attached to targets the further routes get down field, and doesn’t locate the ball well with his back turned. Despite his length, Dotson doesn’t do a good job disrupting routes timings in press coverage. He is a passive puncher who lacks the agility to slide and match sharp releases. Dotson possesses a lean frame with below average play strength, it greatly limits him as a run defender where he struggles to get off blocks. He is a poor tackler who comes in out of control in space and lunges at ball carriers legs. For a player who’s ball skills and instincts might be better at safety, his inability to tackle will hurt his chances to get on the field.
Dotson profiles best as an outside corner in a zone scheme. He lacks the physical traits to be a high end coverage player or the size to play safety, but in the right scheme could see rotational playing time. Dotson projects as a Day-3 pick to a zone defense in need of corner depth.