Explosive and aggressive are two qualities that NFL coaches would love to see in their cornerbacks. Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon is just that. Witherspoon, born in Pensacola, Florida on 11 December 2000, is a beast despite his size. In Witherspoon, the 2023 NFL draft class has a lightning quick, instinctive type of player who is not one to shy away from hard hits. With his overall speed and acceleration, Devon is rarely behind the receiver and is in good positions to bat away the ball.
The speedy corner was a late entry to the game of football as he only started playing in his Junior year of high school. Born in Pensacola, Florida, he attended Pine Forest High School in the same city. In his Senior year, he was already the Defensive Player of the Year for the Pensacola News Journal with contributions of 74 tackles, 7 interceptions and 2 touchdowns.
After graduating from Pine Forest High School, Witherspoon attended the University of Illinois. Each year was a learning curve for the hard hitter, but he constantly showed improvement on the field. In 2022, he was targeted 63 times and allowed only 22 receptions. Moreover, he gave away no touchdowns in the entire year and added 3 interceptions and 14 passes defended.
Most NFL experts have Devon Witherspoon in their list of top 3 cornerbacks in this year’s draft. It will be interesting to see where he lands and at which spot he is taken. But, there is no doubt, whichever team selects Devon Witherspoon, will add a tough cornerback to their roster.
How tall is Devon Witherspoon?
Devon Witherspoon is one of the shorter cornerbacks in football. He stands at 5 feet 11 1/2 inches (1.83 mts) in height. Due to his comparatively less height than the average NFL receiver, who is 6 feet 1 or 6 feet 2, Devon could struggle with balls that are over the top of the head. In addition, once he falls behind, it is difficult for him to catch up with his shorter strides. In that case, it will be interesting to see if he can fit in man-to-man defense in the league.
Devon Witherspoon’s Weight
Devon Witherspoon is listed as 181 lbs (82 kgs). He has a weight to balance his movements. Sudden changes in direction or quick cuts inside can be dealt with easily. Even though he weighs only 181 lbs, he tackles like a bigger and stronger player. As a cornerback, Devon has the ideal weight to maintain ground with the receivers.
Devon Witherspoon’s Age
Devon Witherspoon was born in December 2000, meaning he is currently 22 years old. A Senior at Illinois University, Witherspoon has entered the draft this year and should have graduated before the start of the 2023 season.
Devon Witherspoon’s Wingspan
The average wingspan of an NFL corner is around 75.5 inches. Devon’s wingspan falls between 73 - 74 inches which means it is on the smaller side. A smaller wingspan could cause problems when reaching for the ball. Balls away from the body could potentially make it harder to defend for Witherspoon. In order to combat this, the speedy cornerback will have to be in a better position at all times to be an effective pass disrupter in the NFL.
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