JL Skinner 2023 NFL Draft profile: Scout report for the Boise State SAF
JL Skinner, Boise State: 6’4”, 220 pounds; SR
One of the top-1000 overall recruits in 2019, JL Skinner appeared in all 14 games as a true freshman in backup duty. The following season, he started all six games he was available for and picked off one pass.
In 2021, he logged all 14 starts and led the Broncos in tackles (92), solo tackles (66), fumbles forced (two) and recovered (three), along with seven TFLs, five PBUs and a couple of INTs. However, it was this past season when he improved from second- to first-team All-Mountain West in 2022, with lower tackling numbers (65 total, just 0.5 for loss), but more ball production, with four picks and five PBUs.
JL Skinner scout report: Strengths
+ Big, physical safety, who sets the tone whenever he can initiate contact. He molds his game after Kam Chancellor.
+ Steps down and confidently fills the C- or D-gap when offenses run counter or power plays, where they block down and kick out to create that lane for him.
+ Strong enough to create those stalemates in the hole against bigger backs, before the rest of the defense arrives there.
+ When the offense runs draw or screen plays and he has a tight-end working up to him, JL Skinner stays balanced and then has the punch power to rock their pads backwards. Also shoots through between linemen at times on RB screens and make the tackle for minimal yardage.
+ Blocking Skinner with a slot receiver is generally a mismatch, and he’s certainly not somebody wideouts want to crack down on because they typically take the worst of it.
+ Shows great pursuit away from the action and you see him blow up some receivers on fly sweeps at the opposite sideline for limited yardage. Had an unreal TFL against Oklahoma State in 2021, tracking down a swing screen off orbit motion where the target tried to reverse field
+ And one-on-one in space with scrambling quarterbacks and backs on check-downs, JL Skinner has been a very effective tackler. Despite his aggressive play-style, the 12.0% missed tackle rate each of the last two years is fine in the context of what you see on tape.
+ For a bigger safety, who has the physicality to play near the line of scrimmage, Skinner is actually rotated or straight-up lined up as a center-fielder very regularly.
+ Does a great job as the single-high safety to put himself in position to double receivers streaking downfield between the numbers.
+ You like what he presents driving down on things in front of him in quarters and there’s a good chance he dislodges the ball from receivers, if he gets there as they touch it.
+ Even when JL Skinner ends up in quasi-man against a quick out route, how hard he drives down on those allows him to knock the ball out.
+ Has the short-area burst to attach to the hip-pocket of tight-ends/slots running crossers against his outside leverage. Made a great pick against Oregon State in the 2022 season-opener, where he reached between the receiver’s hands, batted the ball to himself and set up his offense in scoring range.
+ Quickly shoots that crease to get out to the corner route off scissors concepts in match zone.
+ However, he can also be a valuable asset dropping down as a robber and taking away those lay-ups over the middle, where you can visibly tell that receivers are slowing down/try to short-arm catches as they approach him.
+ Combining his anticipatory skills and short-area burst, Skinner can challenge quick-breaking routes in man-coverage and if you allow him to be aggressive with another safety over the top, that could be a valuable asset.
+ Doesn’t typically allow receivers to get him turned the wrong way as they tilt during the route stem and try to beat him across his face.
+ With 32-inch arms and his mindset, he has the potential to frustrate tight-ends off the line when allowed to play press-man by his future team.
+ His length and feistiness allow him to challenge the catch-point effectively, yet he has the proven track-record of plus ball-skills when he can actually turn and locate.
+ Held opposing quarterbacks to an (NFL) passer rating of 40.1 this past season, going 17-of-32 for 176 yards and one touchdown, compared to his four picks.
+ For as aggressive as Skinner’s play-style is, he was never penalized more than once in any of his four seasons with the Broncos.
JL Skinner scout report: Weaknesses
– Still misses too many tackles, wanting to blow up ball-carriers near the line of scrimmage, rather than being disciplined with bringing them to the ground.
– You like the aggressiveness to attack blockers and not just sit back there against the run as a deep middle safety. But at times it’d be better if Skinner made sure he stays between the ball-carrier and his own end-zone, leveraging and forcing cuts, so maybe the rest of the pursuit can catch up.
– You see JL Skinner overrun some plays from the backside or shuffle inside as he sees a condensed formation and gets himself out of position against cutbacks.
– Generally, the way he commits to the initial break of routes and how more advanced quarterbacks can get him turned the wrong way, he could be taken advantage of with some double-moves and big plays generally in the pass game as a deep zone defender.
– Seeing him on the field in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, how gangly his build is and the stiffness he showed changing directions with those long legs when asked to play man-coverage against receivers definitely worried me.
JL Skinner scout report: Grade
In terms of real splash plays at the safety position, I would put JL Skinner’s highlight reel up with anybody in this class. That’s definitely not me saying he’s a pure feast-or-famine type of player, but with how overzealous he can be as a tackler and allow himself to be led to the wrong target as a deep zone defender, there’s some of that to him.
I wouldn’t call Skinner a top-tier athlete in terms of top-end range or explosiveness to be a classic free safety or somebody you want to play a ton of man-coverage against shiftier receivers. His mentality as a run-defender, the extensive tackling radius he presents, his awareness and anticipation for plays, along with the burst out of his breaks to attack routes in front of him, make him one of the best all-around defenders in the back-seven among this draft.
I just don’t know exactly where to put JL Skinner and his body-type is a bit concerning. He suffered a torn pec training during this pre-draft process, but is supposed to be back at 100% the day he gets selected and should go around the compensatory pick range.
Grade: Late third round
You might like other 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports: Tyree Wilson (EDGE), Texas Tech; Will Anderson Jr. (EDGE), Alabama; Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR), Ohio; Zay Flowers (WR), Boston; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Quentin Johnston (WR), TCU; Zach Charbonnet (RB), UCLA; Bijan Robinson (RB), Texas.
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