Scouting Report: T.J. Tampa (CB) - Iowa State
Sales Pitch: “Long physical CB with good zone instincts. Has a stiff upright backpedal and below average speed that limits his man coverage ability but brings length, toughness and ball skills to a defense.”
Athletic Profile
Height: 6’ 0 7/8”
Weight: 189 lbs
Arm Length: 31”
Hand Size: 9 1/4”
40 Yard Dash: 4.58
10 Yard Split: 1.64
Vertical: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Short Shuttle: 4.07
3-Cone: 6.97
Age: 22
Relative Athletic Score: 6.34 / 10.00
Statistics
Career: 83 TKL - 9.5 TFL - 3 INT - 19 PD - 1 FF
2023: 33 TKL - 3 TFL - 2 INT - 7 PD - 0 FF
Strengths
Big strong corner with a long frame
Good zone instincts and spatial awareness
Length and aggression to reroute WRs at the line of scrimmage
Disruptive player at the catch point
Comfortable operating in trail technique as a coverage player
Solid burst to drive on routes in front of him
Brings power behind his pads as a tackler
Runs the alley with aggression and toughness
Size to take on blockers in run game
Weaknesses
Stiff upright backpedal
Below average redirect ability
Lacks top end speed
Struggles to stay attached versus comebacks
Does not show the ability to mirror in off coverage
Last second PBUs in college will turn into completions in the NFL
Inconsistent open field tackler
Scheme specific corner
Summary
T.J. Tampa is a long physical corner who is at his best in zone coverage. The former 3-Star recruit was a football and basketball star in the state of Florida before becoming a two time All-Big 12 honoree for Iowa State. At almost 6’ 1” with 31” arms, Tampa is an impressive corner physically. He is extremely tough and aggressive, using his length to disrupt and reroute WRs off the line of scrimmage. He succeeds as a man coverage corner when asked to press and stay attached in trail technique. Tampa has to win at the line of scrimmage to be effective in man coverage because he is an average athlete. A mid 4.5s player, he struggles to turn and run with faster WRs and cannot be left without safety help over the top. He has stiff hips and marginal change of direction skills that limit his ability to stay attached on comebacks, as well as a play off man coverage. Tampa is most effective as a zone coverage corner where he can use good instincts and solid burst to close on plays in front of him. He does an fantastic job using his length and size to disrupt throwing lanes as well. Tampa did an excellent job in college of creating pass breakups (19 PBUs in his career) using his length and size to generate incompletions. He brings power behind his pads when closing out of coverage to dislodge the receiver from the ball. His lack of top end athleticism means he tends to arrive just as the ball does, resulting in low interception numbers and raises a concern about how translatable his deflections will be to the NFL where everything is faster. Tampa’s aggression and toughness shows up in the run game as well. He will run the alley speed and fit against lineman without fear. He has the strength to tackle bigger backs in the hole and has a large tackle radius due to impressive wingspan. Tampa does have some inconsistences as a tackler due to his stiff hips and lack of body control but generally does a good job getting ball carriers down. Tampa’s blend of size and instincts make him a good fit for zone heavy teams in need of an outside corner. His athletic and man coverage limitations will take him off some teams boards but he projects to be a solid starter at the next level if he lands in the right spot.