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| Northwestern State University |
DB, Northwestern State
Rankings
NFLDraftScout: #425 player overall, #43 cornerback. 7th round-free agent grade.
Nawrocki: #24 CB, just missed top 150 players. Grade: 5.24, should make a roster and contribute on special teams. 5th-to-6th round pick.
Kiper: #196 player overall, #29 CB.
Draft Countdown: #35 CB. Not in top 256 players. Late round-free agent grade.
Sports Illustrated: #201 player overall, #28 CB.
Scouts Inc: #230 player overall, #30 CB. Grade: 42, borderline draft prospect.
Biography/Honors
2014: Third team FCS all-America. Team captain. Played in the Senior Bowl. Started 11 games at RCB. 47 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, one sack, 4 INTs, 7 pass breakups, one forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries.
2013: Second team all-Southland Conference. Team captain. Played in 11 games, starting 10 at RCB. 37 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, one sack, 4 pass breakups, 2 INTs, one returned for TD.
2012: Played in 9 games, starting 6 at right CB. 18 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 INT (returned for TD).
2011: Redshirted (academic).
2010: Played in 5 games. Special teams / backup corner. No statistics.
Academics: Has been accepted to graduate school. Majored in general studies. Went from academically ineligible his sophomore year to the dean's list and earned Academic Trailblazer Award as most academically improved student-athlete.
Twitter: @CiRockafella (Imoan's tweets are protected!)
Medical
2014: Missed one-plus games due to a bruised spleen.
2013: Missed one game due to injury (undisclosed).
Pro Day Stats
(Not invited to NFL Combine. Times for safeties at the Combine in parentheses)
40-yard dash: 4.61 (4.57)
10-yard split: 1.55
Vertical: 39" (Would have tied for second among safeties. Average was 35")
Broad: 10'0" (9'11")
3-cone: 7.28 (Only one DB at the Combine ran a worse time, but it was Landon Collins. Safeties averaged 7.02)
Shuttle: 4.58 (Easily worse than any DB at the Combine. Safeties averaged 4.21)
Bench: 13 (17)
Scouting Report
Pluses: Feisty, (uh-oh, I smell a Jeff Fisher DB here) confident press-corner who mirrors receivers well off the line and in short areas. Disrupts routes when he gets his hands on his target. Has impressive feet and flips his hips well. Very good change of direction. Very fluid. Good range and recovery speed. Attacks ball aggressively in the air. Good leaper who competes well for contested balls. Showed good footwork, coverage downfield and ability to find the ball at the Senior Bowl. Took advantage of limited opportunities he had with teams usually throwing away from him. Alert in zone coverage. Recognizes route combinations well. Good range and recognition allow him to come off his assignment to make plays. Willing run supporter. Breaks down well in space. Not afraid to challenge blockers and avoids blocks well. Physical and competitive. Special teams experience at gunner and in kick coverage. Hard worker in classroom and on the field. Was projected by some pre-draft as a 3rd-to-4th rounder.
Minuses: Doesn't have the size or long speed to line up outside of the slot. Projects at best to slot corner or safety. Gambler mentality, can be overaggressive trying to jump the ball. Gets fooled by double moves. Gets caught peeking into backfield. Does not stay with his receiver when play breaks down. Can be indecisive in combination coverages. Slow reacting to receiver breaking off route. Uses his hands too much downfield. His anticipation skills disguise his lack of elite burst or extra gear to recover. Better defending throws in front of him than having his back turned to the QB. Late to turn for ball in trail technique. Struggles to get off blocks. More of a wrap-and-drag tackler. Picks and chooses his battles and will make the occasional "business decision".
Fun Facts
Imoan is named for actress/supermodel Iman; their names are pronounced the same. His mom Stephanie liked the name when she saw it during the credits of a movie but, not knowing who Iman was, thought it was a man's name. Not to make fun of Mom - she put off getting heart surgery so she could watch Imoan's senior season of college. Imoan was an all-state kick returner his senior year in high school, returning two kickoffs and 5 punts for TDs.
Really good feature article on Imoan here.
RamView
The Rams' online roster lists Claiborne as a CB, but his Combine performance was more like that of a safety. He'll be limited to the slot if the Rams keep him at corner; if they don't, he'll get the whole other hurdle of having to learn another position. The Rams already have several slot corners who are better athletically, and several free safety candidates experienced there and probably also better athletically. Claiborne's agility is a concern to me and I think he'll have to guard against getting faked out of his boots all training camp. Now, Rodney McLeod, another CB/S tweener with similar size and speed (though much better agility), made the team three years ago as a UDFA, but Claiborne's up against a deeper secondary than 2012's. We'll have to see how he starts out as a slot corner and he'll definitely have to shine on special teams.
Chance of making team: 35%.
Sources: Northwestern State athletics, Waco Tribune, The Town Talk (Alexandria, La.), NFL.com, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Sports Illustrated
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