Johnny Patrick   Position: CB School: Louisville Height: 5’105/8" Weight: 191 lbs Class: RS-Senior 40 time: 4.59 All-Star Game: Senior Bowl Team Captain: No Draft Projection: Early 4th Round

Summary

Like many other players in the Louisville program, Patrick significantly improved his play last fall. The tough, aggressive corner became more of a ball-hawk while continuing to be strong against the run. Though teams will appreciate his growth as a player, his tight hips and deficiencies in man coverage could limit his effectiveness at the next level. He may appeal primarily to teams that play a lot of zone coverage. Despite a disappointing slow 40 at the Combine, Patrick has the upside to become a starting corner in the league, but he needs to refine his overall game. Additionally, his arrest last summer could prove to be an issue for some teams.

Ball Skills

Patrick significantly improved his ball skills as a senior. He hauled in five picks, more than he had in his first three years at Louisville combined. He’s particularly effective at getting his hands on the pigskin when the action’s in front of him. With his superb closing burst, he’s able to break on the ball, and his soft hands lead to very few lost opportunities. However, he’ll gamble and lose at times, and he has trouble tracking the ball when trailing the receiver. He’s slow to react to underthrown passes and isn’t effective at reading receivers’ eyes, thereby negating his otherwise very good balls skills.

Man Coverage

Many of Patrick’s negative plays have come when playing press man. His technique playing up at the line is subpar. He’ll get overaggressive and get off balance, and bigger, more physical receivers manage to overpower him. His 4.59 40 at the Combine isn’t a perfect gauge of Patrick’s speed. He ran a 4.48 at his pro days and plays like a low/mid 4.5s guy, but, he loses speed when asked to flip his hips, making him beatable when matched up against speedy wideouts.
Patrick is more effective playing off the line of scrimmage. He does a good job of closing on shorter routes and uses his good closing burst to eat up the space between him and the receiver. Though he has short 30” arms, he doesn’t seem to have any trouble reaching around the receiver to deflect the ball.

Zone Coverage

one coverage may be Patrick’s greatest strong suit. He’s quick in his backpedal and does a nice job of clicking and closing on the ball. While he’ll gamble at times, he’ll make more plays for his squad than the other team. He doesn’t appear to have many mental lapses and would be most effective playing for an NFL team that plays a lot of zone.

Tackling

Patrick is a willing, aggressive tackler. For the most part, he employs solid tackling technique, though he’ll sometimes get sloppy or go for the big hit. He plays bigger than a player his size and doesn’t let up when the action’s on the other side of the field, using good pursuit angles to make the tackle if his teammates fail to do so.

Run Support

One of the stronger run support cornerbacks in this class, Patrick quickly spots the ball and packs a big punch when meeting the ball-carrier. He’s not afraid to give up his body to make the play, serving as a heat-seeking missile delivering hits. Somewhat surprisingly, he didn’t force many fumbles while at Louisville, but he produced a big one in the team’s bowl game against Southern Mississippi.

Hips/Lateral Movement

A bit tight at the waist, Patrick will struggle to flip his hips and chase the receiver. It’s one of the biggest deficiencies in his game and may not be something he can improve on at the next level. As a result, he’ll continue to be more effective when the play’s in front of him.

Physicality

Teams will love Patrick’s physicality. He plays much bigger than the typical corner his size and will deliver a nice wallop when a ball-carrier’s running down the sideline. His aggressiveness can get him in trouble in coverage, but a good position coach should be able to teach him to play under control and make less contact when the ball’s in the air.

Additional Information

Patrick missed three games in 2007 in any games since then, showing some toughness playing through a shoulder injury during his senior season. Last summer, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, but the charges were later dropped.

Academics

Patrick graduated in December 2010 with a degree in justice administration.

Awards & Honors

2010: First-team All-Big East

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