2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: There could be something to Parry Nickerson visiting Raiders

Parry Nickerson, CB Tulane

Mesurables

5’10”, 182 pounds

40-yard dash: 4.32

Vertical leap: 33.5

Broad jump: 10’0”

20-yard shuttle: 4.29

3-cone drill: 7.31

Stats

2017: 55 tackles, six interceptions and eight passes defensed

2016: 29 tackles, four interceptions, nine passes defensed and a forced fumble

Pro Football Focus

2017: Gave up a quarterback rating of 41 and one catch over 40 yards

2016: Gave up a quarterback rating of 32.5 and nothing over 30 yards

Gave up just two touchdowns the last two years

Made plays on 28 percent of his targets over the last two years

Strengths

• Despite lack of size, can slow down receivers by jamming them
• Can play press and off-man coverage
• Quick feet and loose hips to match patterns from his backpedal
• Gets his head around to find the ball
• Excellent closing burst to and long speed
• Tracks the deep ball very well
• Ballhawk

Weaknesses

• Not the big corner most of the NFL is looking for
• Aggressive style doesn’t work with big receivers
• Gets grabby at times and could draw a lot of flags in the NFL
• Lacks length and might be limited to smaller receivers

Fit with Raiders

The Raiders have Rashaan Melvin and Gareon Conley, two good-sized CBs, to line up outside. Nickerson’s small size, speed and agility make him the ideal candidate be the team’s slot-CB. He could stay with guys like Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs and Travis Benjamin of the Los Angeles Chargers, reducing the amount of big plays they give up.

Bottom line

The Oakland Raiders are going into the 2018 NFL draft needing a fast CB. That leads many to believe they have to use the No. 10 overall pick on Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, who also ran a 4.32 40. But he may not be there or the Raiders could take another prospect.

Nickerson is a mid-round projection so the Raiders could take players at other positions in the first two rounds and still add that much-needed speed at CB. His tape, stats, analytics and blazing 40 time make him someone the Raiders must look into. So Nickerson’s visit with the Raiders could be of some of significance.