Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson NFL Draft Scouting Report
CB, TCU Horned Frogs
Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson became an impact player the moment he arrived in Fort Worth. He is the nephew of TCU and NFL Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson and a three-star recruit out of Waco, Texas. Hodges-Tomlinson was rated as the No. 15 safety in the state of Texas, a position that helped contribute to his versatility in the defensive backfield. He was First-Team All-Big-12 and First-Team AP All-Big-12 in 2020 and 2021, and a Second-Team AP All-American in 2020.
Hodges-Tomlinson is an extremely athletically-gifted player with impressive man coverage skills. As TCU plays mostly man coverage in their defense, he is tested many times a game and his skills show greatly. His ability to stay square and mirror a receiver as they stem to try and open his hips is a credit to his footwork. He is smooth in and out of breaks and is able to flip his hips with ease when necessary. His speed is a huge advantage to him, as he has the ability to quickly close the distance if a receiver has beat him and gotten separation. However, his eyes can get him in trouble, as he can get caught looking in the backfield for a run and give up the crack-and-go or other deep, double-move shots. Still, he is extremely versatile and has played multiple reps at corner, nickel, and safety against high-powered Big 12 offenses. At the point of attack, when the ball is in the air, he is a high-energy competitor who has great ball skills to make a play and force a breakup.
The main issue Hodges-Tomlinson faces is his size, something he cannot control. Unfortunately, at 5-foot-9, he may struggle at times to play a ball put up high for a receiver. While physical, he struggles with block destruction, as his size and frame allow bigger receivers to easily block him and take him out of the play when defending the run. He is a good tackler and has a strong IQ, although he may overthink an assignment and act too aggressively, giving up an explosive run or taking himself out of the play altogether. As a safety in high school, he already understands the position of defensive back and has transitioned to the more physical and technical demands of the cornerback position well.
I think Hodges-Tomlinson is a great competitor and athlete, which will benefit him greatly. However, I am concerned about his size to consistently start as an everyday outside corner in the NFL. I would not feel comfortable lining him up against a team’s “X” receiver due to his small frame. I could see him getting a shot at outside early in his career, but I think a move to the inside at nickel would eventually become his role. Ideally, I think the best position for him would be as a starting outside corner with the ability to play in the slot at nickel corner. I feel he would match up better covering smaller, faster receivers in the slot, although I would like to see his tackling improve in order to provide effective run support as a nickel.
Hodges-Tomlinson’s athletic ability gives him the opportunity to contribute to an NFL defense right away. With the evolution of the passing game and speed offenses possess nowadays, he could find himself in a viable position to be a quality starter early in his career.
Top Reasons to Buy In:
Athleticism, especially speed
A technician in man coverage, making him a lockdown defender
Physicality and versatility to help a defense in multiple ways
Top Reasons For Concern:
Size, especially impacting length
Struggles at block destruction, affecting his ability to defend well against the run
Missed tackles
Size (NFL Combine):
Height: 5′ 8”
Weight: 178 lbs
Arm Length: 29”
Hand Size: 8 5/8”
Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):
40-yard Dash: 4.41s
Vertical Jump: 39”
Broad Jump: 11′ 0”
Short-Shuttle: TBD
Three-Cone: TBD
Bench Reps: 12 reps
Ideal Role: Starting outside corner, versatility to play nickel corner in slot
Scheme Fit: 3-3-5 system with a lot of man coverages
Prospect Comparison: Marcus Jones (2022 NFL Draft)
TDN Consensus Grade: 83.00/100 (Second-Round Value)
Haskins Grade: 83.00/100
