2023 NFL Draft Profile: Alabama CB Eli Ricks

With the impending free agency of both Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting, the Bucs will be looking to replenish the ranks of their secondary. The 2023 NFL Draft looks to be an oasis for a team currently lost in the desert of salary cap hell. Cornerback is one of the deeper position groups in this year’s draft, with talent loaded throughout each round.

While we at Pewter Report have made cases for targeting the corner position in the first or second round, given the depth of this class, there is a corner who could be a Bucs fit in the third: Eli Ricks of Alabama.

Eli Ricks’ College Career

Ricks enters the NFL Draft as a true junior. Originally a top high school recruit in 2020 out of IMG Academy just down the road in Bradenton, FL, Ricks started his career at LSU. He was listed as a five-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals.com.

In 2020, Ricks played eight games as a true freshman for the Tigers. He registered 11 solo tackles and nine assisted tackles while recording four interceptions and five pass deflections and scoring a touchdown. In 2021, Ricks only played in six games and his statistical production fell off in every facet. He produced just 11 total tackles, one pass defensed and one interception his sophomore season.

Ricks entered the transfer portal prior to his junior year and ended up moving to Alabama for the 2022 season. He was not an immediate starter for the Crimson Tide, as he didn’t move to the starting lineup until week eight against Mississippi State. Ricks had perhaps his best game of the season against the Bulldogs, recording two tackles and four passes defensed. He finished the season with 13 tackles, one tackle for a loss and those four passes defensed.

For his entire college career, Ricks finished with 44 total tackles, two tackles for loss, 10 passes defensed and five interceptions.

Ricks’ NFL Draft Profile

Alabama CB Eli Ricks NFL Draft – Photo by: USA Today

Ricks has the physical frame the Bucs and head coach Todd Bowles will appreciate. Alabama lists him at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. That compares favorably to other defensive backs who have been drafted during the Bowles era. Dean is 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Murphy-Bunting is 6-foot, 195 pounds and Zyon McCollum is 6-foot-2 and 199 pounds. Meanwhile, Carlton Davis, who was drafted prior to the arrival of Bowles but was given a contract extension last year, is 6-foot-1, 206 pounds.

Ricks is a bit lanky going into this NFL draft compared to the Bucs’ traditional cornerbacks, but his frame is one where he should be able to put on five to ten pounds without sacrificing any of his athleticism. His combine testing will be key to whether he will be looked at as a second- or third-round pick. I expect him to run the 40-yard dash in the mid 4.5’s, with a short shuttle in the range of 4.15-4.25 seconds and a three-cone in the low 7 seconds. But if he is able to come in with faster times on these three measurements, it could push his draft stock up into the second round.

Ricks’ Strengths and Weaknesses

Watching Ricks’ tape,  his strengths pop out immediately. He does a great job of stacking what he does best to ensure the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. While Ricks is comfortable playing off the line of scrimmage, he seems to prefer working in press coverage. He enjoys using his long arms to land a solid punch off the snap and trying to re-route his receiver to the outside.

This enables Ricks to stay in phase as he and the receiver work vertically. Then, if the quarterback targets his receiver, Ricks brings those long arms back into the equation, using them to disrupt the ball at the catch point. This is what helped him rack up those five interceptions and double-digit pass deflections.

NFL Draft Prospect Alabama CB Eli Ricks vs. Mississippi State – Photo By: USA Today

While Ricks doesn’t have elite speed, his long and lanky legs allow him to take long strides and cover ground quickly. That, combined with his comfort in off-coverage, make him an ideal fit for a Cover 3 scheme like the Bucs run.

Where Ricks struggles is against premium athletes. If the receiver he is matched up against is an elite route runner who can change direction quickly, Ricks will struggle to flip his hips to keep up. Additionally, if lined up against a larger receiver with a thick frame and explosiveness off the line, he will struggle to be able to re-route and keep up as the receiver moves vertically.

It’s not that Ricks doesn’t want to be physical. There are plenty of reps when he attempts to assert himself with force. However, if the receiver he is facing has a stronger build like Mississippi State’s Justin Robinson (6-foot-4, 220), he can get bodied quite easily.

Ricks has a high-football IQ and good instincts. He doesn’t shy away from looking into the backfield to see what the quarterback is doing. This helps him make plays on the ball.

Ricks’ character will be a factor that could affect his draft status in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was arrested in May of 2022 for a speeding and marijuana possession charge. The marijuana charge was ultimately dropped, but it will no doubt be a source of conversation between Ricks and teams that are looking at him during their meetings.

Injuries weren’t a giant part of Ricks’ college career. At LSU, he dealt with a shoulder injury. Then, this past year, he had a back injury leading into the beginning of the season and left the Ole Miss game with a head injury before missing the following week against Austin Peay. None of these should be seen especially concerning for his draft prospects.

Depth At CB In The NFL Draft Could Allow Bucs To Target Other Positions Early

While the Bucs have a huge need for cornerbacks and secondary overall, they aren’t the only needs the team has in the upcoming NFL Draft. One could make an argument for outside linebacker, inside linebacker, wide receiver, defensive lineman, or even quarterback. While there are several cornerbacks that could be had in the first or second round, the draft is deep enough at cornerback that a very talented player like Ricks could potentially be had in the third round.

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