Trevard Lindley Scouting Report

When Lindley decided not to go pro after his junior season at Kentucky, this is probably not what he had in mind. The cornerback did not miss a single start since the beginning of his freshman year, but he suffered a high ankle sprain early in 2009 against Alabama and missed the next four contests. Lindley returned to action on November 7 against Eastern Kentucky and the Wildcats promptly went on a three-game winning streak. They ended their regular season with a loss at Tennessee to finish 7-5 (3-5 in the SEC). Despite playing in just eight games, Lindley made 24 solo tackles, was second on the team with seven pass breakups, and he also returned an interception for a touchdown. Still, it was not been an ideal conclusion to a stellar career for Lindley. He was named a Freshman All-American by countless publications in 2006, led the Wildcats in interceptions and pass breakups and finished second in total tackles in 2007, and was a consensus All-SEC First-Team performer in 2008. Lindley has adequate size (he stands 6'0' and 179 pounds), but it is his speed and technique which set the cornerback apart as one of the best in the nation. He has been clocked at 4.40 in the 40-yard-dash and he is almost always in perfect position defending the pass, whether it's against the deep ball or a short route. Lindley's experience is hard to beat, and his durability was never an issue until this season's ankle injury. He has the ability to be a shutdown corner at the next level, but he is not quite as fast nor as physical (especially at the line of scrimmage) as the NFL's best cornerbacks. He also has not done a ton in the offseason to help his draft stock, whereas a host of other players at his position are on the rise. Lindley ran a 4.53 at the combine and times of 4.50 and 4.51 at Kentucky's pro day. That's decent, but not fast enough to make up for a relative lack of size. As such, Lindley will probably slip beyond the third round of the upcoming draft.