Draft Profile: Darius Rush, CB, So. Carolina

The 2023 NFL offseason is here and that means it’s time for mock drafts, draft profiles and everything that goes with them. So without further ado, here’s one of many Draft Profiles for the 2023 NFL draft.

Darius Rush, CB, So. Carolina

HT: 6’2
WT: 196 lbs

Accolades:

– 2021 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
– 2019 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
– 2018 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

Video:

Pros:

– Willing and successful blitzing off the edge. Consideration for a move to safety with a combination of range and sure tackling.
– Great on route recognition and has click-and-close ability
– A coordinated athlete with good footwork and balance. A heady cover player with above-average · feel and anticipation in space.
– Extremely aggressive to come up and put his body in traffic to make tackles.
– Tough and scrappy with forceful nature to be physical at all levels of the field. Has good bulk on his frame to be aggressive in run support.
– Can deliver the big hit and isn’t afraid to jump inside to slow the ball.

Cons:

– Isn’t great in route recognition when he’s facing the action, is hesitant and susceptible to double moves, and too often gets unnecessarily handsy when playing trail position
– Rush runs well, but Rush doesn’t have elite recovery speed.
– Gets sloppy with his backpedal when playing off-man and seems to lack the instincts to close on the ball.

Summary:

In 2021 as a junior Rush played in 13 games and contributed on 617 snaps. He chalked up 18 tackles, 4 assists, and added 4 stops. In the secondary Rush forced 8 pass breakups, one interception, and gave up QB rating when targetted of 97.1.

In 2022 as a senior Rush saw action in 10 games while playing 576 snaps. He logged 26 tackles, 8 assists, and made 5 stops. In coverage Rush had 6 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and surrendered a decent QB rating when targetted of 87.7.

Information in this article first appeared on NFL Draft Buzz and is used with permission. Find the latest coverage, analysis, and player rankings for the 2023 NFL Draft at nfldraftbuzz.com

Follow, Like and Subscribe to Bucs Report