Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame (Senior)

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Strengths :

  • Size
  • Athletic
  • Press Skills
  • Click and close ability in zone coverage
  • Excellent at forcing fumbles

Weaknesses :

  • Route recognition
  • Eye discipline
  • Reactions in off-man coverage
  • Tracking the ball with his back to the play

TTProfil

 

Cam Hart has an ideal height for his position along with a good length that give him an optimal build. 
He has a good acceleration and a very good top end speed for his size.
Although he flashes physicality in all aspects of the game, his muscle mass is not optimal even though it remains good for his build.

Technically, he is generally good; his neutral backpedal is smooth but occasionally a bit high due to his long length.
He has good footwork, his hips are quite fluid, and he is capable of smooth transitions. Sometimes it may seem like he has issues with fluidity, but it's not due to his agility or footwork; rather, it's because of his lack of understanding of WR routes, which sometimes makes him slow to react. This becomes noticeable quickly given his large build.

In press coverage, he shows flashes of promise, thanks to his good footwork and, most importantly, his patience. He's able to consistently mirror the receiver's footwork during the release.
I would have liked to see more techniques tailored to his arm length. He needs to improve his trail technique (placing an arm on the receiver's numbers and pushing him towards the sideline) or his ability to jab.

In off-man coverage, it's a bit more complicated. He struggles to stay focused on the QB's eyes and recognize the routes of opposing WRs, making him susceptible to changes of direction or double moves.
He really needs to improve in this area; it's his biggest weakness, and fortunately, his recovery speed(the ability to catch up to the receiver due to good speed) is good enough so he can correct his mistakes.

In zone coverage, he's very comfortable thanks to his click-and-close ability and his closing speed (The speed at which the defender moves from point A to point B to reduce the distance between himself and the ball carrier)This allows him to undercut the ball trajectories.
He has good communication skills and the ability to be a leader in the backfield, positioning his teammates or adjusting assignments.

Although he has good reads and tracking of the ball in zone coverage, when he's back to the play, he struggles to turn around to have a real chance of intercepting the ball. His ball tracking when facing away from the play is average, which leads to him being grabby. Against explosive NFL receivers, he might draw flags if he doesn't improve in this area.
He has long arms and a good catch radius, with solid hands. There's room for improvement in this area to be more decisive.

Hart is a solid contributor against the run, but he didn't show the dominance I expected from him. His disengagement from blocks isn't optimal as he doesn't seem to give 100%, even though he manages to gain the advantage with his long arms.
He is a good tackler with solid technique, and he really excels at playing the ball to try to force turnovers (3 forced fumbles in 2023).

Cam Hart is an intriguing prospect due to his physique and ability to play in press coverage and zone coverage.
He can play both on the outside and on the inside, and I believe there's a possibility for him to contribute as a safety as well.
I assess Cam Hart as a fourth-round prospect, but I could see him going in the third round depending on what he shows at the Senior Bowl and if he confirms his athletic qualities at the combine.

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