Last season, the Green Bay Packers made two massive moves at the cornerback position. They let their former lockdown corner Jaire Alexander leave after a tumultuous last couple of seasons in green and gold, after he struggled to stay on the field. They also brought in Nate Hobbs to fill that role and potentially be the CB1 for years to come.
While the Alexander move proved to be a smart one — he retired after a midseason trade to the Philadelphia Eagles — the Hobbs gamble was less than stellar, as he was benched early in the season and cut after just one year in Titletown.
Now the Packers find themselves in desperate need of secondary help, without a first-round pick to land blue-chip talent in the draft. The Packers will have to look to the middle rounds to find high-upside players who can fill roles and become stalwarts in a cornerback room that has become a revolving door.
Malik Muhammad could be just the player the Packers are looking for.
While playing in the SEC, Muhammad faced future NFL receivers every week. He constantly played at a high level and became someone that quarterbacks tried to avoid targeting.
At 6’0”, 182 lbs., Muhammad has the size needed to play corner, but he will need to add some muscle to his frame at the next level. Still, his length and athleticism are intriguing. Muhammad has long arms, a tool most defensive coordinators love to see in cornerbacks. He also has impressive testing numbers with a 4.42 40-yard dash, a 39” vertical, and a 92nd percentile broad jump.
Muhammad is a twitchy corner who excels in both man and zone coverage, and his athletic ability pops on tape.
In man coverage, Muhammad is comfortable with all press, off, and bail techniques, which he demonstrated during his time at Texas. His ability to read the quarterback’s eyes and stick to his zone, triggering downhill when it’s time to make a play on the ball. His 32” arms are in full effect when disrupting receivers at the catch point, showcasing his physicality.
Muhammad has incredibly fluid hips and can easily stay with opposing wideouts as they make their cuts and breaks. When he gets lost, he has the speed to recover and get back on track after missteps.
He also possesses the speed and ability to make an impact on special teams. It’s something he showcased early on at Texas when he recovered a blocked punt in the Red River Rivalry game his freshman year.
Muhammad is also a willing and able defender in the game run, often setting the edge and playing with physicality. While he’s willing, he sometimes lacks tackling technique, going for shoulder tackles rather than wrapping up properly. His weight and size can hinder him here. At only 182 lbs., he struggles to bring down bigger ball carriers.
His lack of strength also hinders him in coverage. Bigger, stronger wideouts can move him off his spot and create separation through sheer force against him.
Muhammad sometimes can open his hips prematurely on deeper routes, giving smart route runners easy releases on the inside. He can also be susceptible to double moves, which is common for cornerbacks in his mold. He also lacks the production in the takeaways department that scouts would like to see.
Ultimately, Muhammad’s success will depend on whether he can maintain his playing weight or add muscle. The coverage skills and ability to keep up with receivers are undeniable, but he will need time to learn at the NFL level and put on weight.
The Packers currently need all the help they can get when it comes to the cornerback room, and Malik Muhammad seems like the perfect high-upside prospect they could take a flier on in these years where they are light on draft capital.
