KSR 2022 NFL Draft Profile: Yusuf Corker
We have reached NFL Draft week, and things are happening as the biggest non-sporting event on the calendar quickly approaches. Kentucky could have a couple of big days out in Las Vegas.
Yusuf Corker has been a prominent name within the Kentucky football program for quite some time as the former recruiting win out of Metro Atlanta went on to have a very productive career in Brad White’s zone-heavy defense. After five years, Corker is off to the NFL Draft and should become the fifth defensive back to hear his name called in the Mark Stoops era.
Our draft series at KSR continues with a highly intelligent safety who has major special teams value.
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Player: Yusuf Corker
- Height: 6000
- Weight: 203 pounds
- Arm: 31 inches
- Hand: 9 1/4 inches
- Wingspan: 75 inches
- 40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds
- Broad jump: 10’1″
- Vertical: 34.5 inches
- 3-cone: 7.06 seconds
- Short shuttle: 4.30 seconds
- Bench press: 23 reps
Not surprisingly, Corker’s athletic testing did not jump off the page when compared to one of the most athletic positions in football. The size is average, and so was most everything else. The bad 10-yard split and short shuttle scores will be a concern at a spot where short area burst is vital to close off big spaces of grass.
College Production
- 2017: Redshirt
- 2018: 13 games, 8 tackles, action primarily on special teams
- 2019: 13 games, 13 starts, 74 tackles (led team), 4 PBUs, INT
- 2020: 11 games, 11 starts, 77 tackles, 2.5 non-sack tackles for loss, 2 PBUs, 2 INTs, team captain
- 2021: 13 games, 13 starts, 81 tackles, 2.5 non sack tackles for loss, 1 sack, 8 PBUs, team captain
- Career: 50 games, 37 starts, 240 tackles, 5.5 non-sack tackles for loss, 14 PBUs, 3 INTs
Background
Yusuf Corker hails from Metro Atlanta and spent his prep years at McDonough (Ga.) Woodland. The two-way player in high school drew heavy recruiting interest due to his potential at defensive back. Corker was ranked a four-star prospect and had many Power Five programs in pursuit.
Michigan State, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt were the finalists for Corker but Kentucky was able to close some ground late and land a commitment in December just two months before the defensive back signed with the Wildcats in the class of 2017.
After one redshirt season, Corker officially moved to safety and would play that position the rest of his collegiate career. The 2018 season was spent backing up Darius West before Corker stepped into the starting lineup the very next season. The free safety would not leave that spot until he entered the draft.
Corker finished each of those three years with at least 70-plus tackles and saw his ball production slowly improve over his career. The two-time team captain was one of the most trusted voices on the defense and could be depended on for good solid play in the backend during his Kentucky career.
Scouting Report
In Kentucky’s scheme, the Wildcats often called for Yusuf Corker to be a force player in run support. The free safety was at his best playing downhill and unloading on ballcarriers. However, there is some work to be done.
There are times when Corker had issues finishing tackles, and his pursuit angles were not always perfect. The change of direction skills need some sharpening as the safety had issues recovering when the initial angle was off.
In pass coverage, Corker plays with good eyes, and his knowledge of the game seems to lead him to the right spots on tape. Corker lacks top-end foot speed to close as a true centerfield safety, but could thrive in a two-deep scheme that allowed the safety to play in a smaller area.
As a redshirt senior, Corker flashed some real value as a blitzer as he looked to time snap counts on simulated pressures and fired without hesitation on stunt calls. There should have been more interceptions in his high volume of snaps, but the safety made a good jump in 2021 making more plays on the ball despite not recording an interception.
Due to his willingness to play downhill and seek contact, Corker will have plus value as a special teams performer where the job is to run and find the football. High football intelligence will get him on a lot of draft boards as day three rolls on.
Draft Window
Dane Brugler (The Athletic) Grade: 5th round
Jordan Reid (ESPN) Grade: 5th-6th round
Unfortunately, the ceiling does not appear to be super high as a prospect for Yusuf Corker. The free safety has issues playing deep in space, lacks great positional speed, and does not produce enough plays when the ball is in the air. Therefore, he is likely to be a scheme-dependent player in the NFL.
However, it could be fairly easy for Corker to find a home.
Corker’s special teams value due to his willingness to deliver contact and overall speed is what will get him on a 53-man roster. That makes him a major target as soon as the fifth round. It could linger later, but the safety should be off the board before the draft enters the seventh round.
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