Ourlads' Profile:
2022 Guide: What Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services said about NICK CROSS:
Maryland, 6001 212 4.34. Junior entry, three-year starter, Bowie, MD. Physical player with good toughness. Has experience in a variety of coverage including one and two high looks. Has rolled to the box on occasion and been used to match tight ends. Tracks well moving downhill, normally taking good angles to the ball in run support. Solid in chase mode he has the speed to track runners across the field. Normally gathers and explodes into tackles with finish. Does a quality job maintaining leverage in space. Great speed and range in the deep zones with the ability to get over the top of an outside vertical route as a one or two high safety. Makes some big hits coming from a distance. Has ball skills in the deep zones with the ability to leap at the catch point. At his best as a zone defender getting a good read on the quarterback and receivers. Speed shows up breaking on throws in front of him. Mostly a straight-line speed player he has some hip tightness which limits him in man coverage and lateral transitions. On anything but straight forward, his movement can get segmented at times. Can be a little late to the play changing direction. Outstanding recovery speed covered this up at the college level. Versus agile backs in the open field, at times he becomes a lunge tackler reacting to movement. Hasn’t missed many but there are some shoestring tackles barely hanging on. Cross can develop into a starter in the right zone scheme. Will have value as a deep safety with his range. Should be outstanding on special teams.
2021 stats: 67 T, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 4 PBU, 2 FF, 3 INT. OSR:4/16. Third/fourth round. (A-31 1/2, H-9, VJ-37, SS-4.21).