Javon Bullard NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Georgia S

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 198

HAND: 9"

ARM: 30¾"

WINGSPAN: 73⅞"

40-YARD DASH: 4.47

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

POSITIVES

— Very good athletic ability with great balance and movement skills in space. Fluid hips in coverage. Has quick feet in coverage with good burst in short areas. Has good range as a deep safety to cover the sideline.

— Good football IQ and play recognition in both run and pass game. Plays the quarterback's eyes well and has a quick reaction to what he sees.

— Very good ball skills. Tracks the ball well in the air to where he is able to high-point the ball and undercut routes. Uses his hands well to catch the ball away from his body.

NEGATIVES

— Can have too much separation at times. Has below-average recovery speed when caught out of position. Runs well but lacks the top-end speed to match elite receivers downfield.

— Inconsistent tackler. Does a good job of being physical with his tackles but often dives at legs and ankle bites without the consistency of wrapping up. Allows extra yards to leak when tackling at times.

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 56 TOT, 1.0 TFL, 2 INT, 5 PD

NOTES

— Born Sept. 3, 2002

— 3-star prospect in 2021 class, per 247Sports

— 22 games started

— 2023 AP All-SEC Second Team

— 2022 Defensive MVP of Peach Bowl

— 2022 Defensive MVP of CFP National Championship Game

OVERALL

Javon Bullard is an athletic safety with great coverage ability. He's a versatile player who gives enough scheme flexibility to play in both zone and man coverages.

An aggressive defender, Bullard does a great job of playing from multiple levels and positions. He played in 11 games his freshman year and became a full-time starter during his sophomore year at Georgia.

Bullard is an athletic safety who does a good job of playing both the run and pass but has a bit of an edge in his pass coverage. He's a fluid athlete who possesses quick feet and balance in his pedal, where he rarely is caught outside of the framework of his body. He's also a smart player who understands the routes and how he's being attacked.

When breaking, he has a very good burst to stay in phase, but he lacks the recovery speed to catch up if he's caught out of position. His loose, fluid hips allow him to seamlessly flip and swivel to open downfield.

As a zone defender, he does a very good job of anticipating the quarterback as well as identifying threats. He has very good range as a deep defender, using his athleticism to get off the hash and cover the sideline. When in phase, he has the ball skills necessary to pluck the ball out of the air or at least get his hand in to deflect passes.

When playing the run, Bullard does a great job of triggering from all levels. An aggressive defender, he tracks the ball-carrier with great leverage and quickly closes the ground. Bullard uses his short-area quickness to defeat blocks, along with his aggressiveness to take on with his hands to maintain his leverage.

When tackling, he shows he isn't afraid to come up and get into the mix, although he is an inconsistent tackler when he doesn't wrap up and dives at ankles. When in tough spaces, he is able to unload his hips and deliver big hits.

Ultimately, Bullard is an all-around safety who excels in pass coverage but is more than adequate in the run game. He will need to continue to add weight and strength, along with improving his coverage skills. Either way, Bullard will be one of the top safeties taken in the draft and will have the potential to play within the first few years of his NFL career.

GRADE: 7.4 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 46

POSITION RANK: S6

PRO COMPARISON: Nasir Adderley

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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