With the last pick of the 4th round the Indianapolis Colts select
CB Damontae Kazee
Name: Damontae Kazee
School: San Diego State
Position fit: Outside cornerback
Stats to know: 40 of the 72 passes thrown into his coverage in 2016 were either hitches or go routes. He allowed 19 catches for 316 yards, two touchdowns and had six interceptions on those targets.
What he does best:
- Solid tackler. Plays a lot of off coverage, so has to come up and make stops. Missed only five tackles from 69 attempts in 2016 when not always having an easy play to make.
- Reads the QB well. Rarely misreads where the ball is going, and it allows him to break on it well. Notched seven interceptions from 72 targets in 2016, one behind the highest figure in the nation.
- He rarely allows a player to get much after the catch, allowing 99 yards all season after the catch.
- Showed a good feel for zone, and multiple receiver threats. Made plays at times when being put in a bind between two routes.
Biggest concern:
- Measurables across the board — including size — are below average. He is just 5-foot-10 and 184 pounds, with a 40 time in the 4.5s.
- San Diego State ran quarters coverage almost exclusively, and he lined up almost entirely at right cornerback (467 of 505 coverage snaps in 2016), so there is a lot of projection involved to his NFL role.
- Was almost exclusively in off-coverage playing bail technique, so ability in press or closer to the line is projection.
- Would occasionally drift inside when bailing deep and allow a player behind him. Doesn’t have the speed to make that back up.
- Occasionally got a little physical with receivers deep in routes that would be called at the next level. Was flagged just once in 2016, but there were plays in there that would be NFL penalties.
Bottom line: San Diego State’s scheme makes Kazee’s evaluation a real challenge. There are teams in the NFL that play plenty of quarters coverage, but none that do it exclusively the way the Aztecs did, and certainly not always in off coverage with bail technique. Kazee faced little other than hitches and go routes, adding more to that struggle and his measurables have been poor to date. What is on tape however is largely good. He has the ability to defend the run and make plays on the ball in coverage, and being liberated from his college scheme could allow him to develop his skills a little bit more. He shows a really nice ability to read the QB and make the right break on the ball. His measurables will raise some concerns, but he could carve out a place as a third or fourth corner on a team and try and prove he can do more when he gets that opportunity.
- 4.54 SEC -40
- 11 REPS bp
- 34.0 INCH - vert
- 124.0 INCH - BJ
- 5'10"HEIGHT
- 30 7/8"ARM LENGTH
- 184LBS.WEIGHT
- 8 5/8"HANDS
OVERVIEW
Coming off a 2015 season where he tied for the second-most interceptions in the FBS (eight) and was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year (75 tackles, seven pass breakups), Kazee strongly considered entering the 2016 draft as an underclassmen. He returned to San Diego, however, to finish out his career -- and again was named the conference defender of the year and first-team all-conference pick. Kazee again tied for second in the nation with seven interceptions, breaking up eight others. His playmaking abilities started as a true freshman, when he came to SDSU after his brother, Walter, finished his time with the Aztecs as a running back. He led the Mountain West with four forced fumbles and making 41 tackles despite not starting a game. Kazee moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore, leading the team with 13 breakups and intercepting another.
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
Good bounce in his feet for short area movement. Plays with a quick transition forward from his pedal when reacting to the route. Looks for most efficient route to the ball to disrupt the catch. Very good route awareness from zone. Can split the high-low combinations and anticipates the chosen route early. Highly instinctive with a taste for turnovers. Wants to make a play on every ball thrown his way. Posted 43 passes defensed over the last three years including 16 interceptions during that time. Active and downhill in his run support.
WEAKNESSES
Tall and a little tight in his backpedal. Unable to carry deep speed down the field. Can be beaten over the top if he's not diligent with his positioning. Can be run out of position by play-action and jet sweeps that are directed his way. Has recovery quickness underneath, but is missing recovery speed. Takes unsound angles in run support and will lose contain. Lacks size for outside and could be mismatched against size.
BOTTOM LINE
Limited by his size and his long speed, Kazee has all the instincts and ball skills that a team could want. If he fails to run well, he could drop a round or even two, but he's a good fit for teams who run zone and off man. His willingness in run support and his penchant for taking the ball away should follow him into the pros and make for an early transition into a third or fourth cornerback role.
