NFL.com draft profile DB Antoine Brooks, Alpha, Built like a brick mailbox

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ANTOINE BROOKS JR. MARYLAND S

Prospect Info

COLLEGE
Maryland

CLASS
Senior

HEIGHT
5' 11"

WEIGHT
220 lbs

ARMS
31 1/8"

HANDS
9 1/4"

Prospect Grade
6.00
DEVELOPMENTAL TRAITS-BASED PROSPECT

2020 Draft Results
DRAFTED BY
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 6 ‧ Pick 198

Combine Results

u-unofficial
40 Yard Dash
4.64

Bench Press
18

Vertical Jump
34.5

Player Bio
Brooks was a very good high school player in Maryland before suffering major injuries in his senior year (he was still named Prince George 4A County Offensive Player of the Year), limiting college recruiters' interest. The Terrapins offered him just before signing day and haven't regretted it since. He played in six games as a reserve his true freshman season (five tackles), and then moved from linebacker to defensive back. It proved to be the right move, as Brooks was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2017 (77 tackles, team-high 9.5 for loss, two interceptions). He was a second-team all-conference selection as a junior (68 stops, team-high 9.5 for loss, two pass breakups in 12 starts) and senior (team-high 87 tackles, 8.5 for loss, one interception, five pass breakups in 12 starts). Brooks' lone interception for the year was a game-clincher in the opener, a win over Texas that the team dedicated to the late offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who passed away after suffering heatstroke during a May 2018 workout.

Analysis
By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst

Draft Projection
Round 5

Overview
He's either a versatile defender or one lacking a clean positional fit depending on a team's assessment and scheme. He's played in a variety of spots over the past two years, but hip tightness and lack of length do show themselves when matched in man coverage. He's a freelancer who lacks the range to play single-high, but his instincts and recognition talent improve his ability to challenge effectively as a split safety. He's a well-built banger with solo tackle talent near the line and should be a quality short zone defender. Brooks offers middle-round value as a split-safety capable of box duties and should offer an upgrade on special teams coverage.

Strengths
Alpha personality on the field
Built like a brick mailbox
Highly instinctive near the line and loves to bang
Pursues with good leverage
Comes to balance as open-field tackler
Squares and scrapes laterally to maintain tackle positioning
Plays hard and plays with passion
Former quarterback with intriguing pre-snap recognition
Smooth pedal moving forward and backward
Explosive leaper who's able to spring and challenge up top
Potential to be a star cover man on special teams

Weaknesses
Needs to play with improved discipline as a pro
Gets outside the structure and freelances at times
Questions about where his best position fit is
Tightly bound with sticky hips to open and run
Lacks prototypical length to challenge throws
Will have issues covering man in space
Needs a little quicker downfield squeeze in run support
Limited lateral agility creates limited tackle radius