Dante Trader Jr. S Maryland | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Dante Trader Jr. S Maryland
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/14/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.52 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 09/14/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.52 seconds (67%*) | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 80.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 54.4 | |
| Tackling: |
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77% |
| Run Defense: |
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76% |
| Coverage: |
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70% |
| Zone: |
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72% |
| Man/Press: |
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67% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#202
Position rank:
#41
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| College Games: 38 College Snaps: 1760 | ||
ESPN RATING: 76/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Terrell Smith - Monmouth |
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72% |
| Isaiah Johnson - Arizona State |
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51% |
| Jordan Jones - Rhode Island |
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03% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Trader Jr. grew up in Delaware, winning a state championship at Delmar Senior High School in 2017 before transferring to McDonogh in Maryland. He excelled in both football and lacrosse, ranking as the No. 5 lacrosse player in the Class of 2021. As a three-star recruit, Trader Jr. chose his "dream school" Maryland over other suitors.At Maryland, Trader Jr. quickly became a key contributor in the secondary. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman before earning a starting role as a sophomore in 2022. Over the next two seasons, he started 25 games, racking up 120 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 pass breakups. His junior year saw him finish third on the team with 58 tackles while adding two picks and seven pass breakups.
Off the field, Trader Jr. has shown a penchant for mental acuity, crediting chess for helping strengthen his "brainpower" and seeing parallels between the strategic game and football. He's also been recognized for his academic achievements, earning CSC Academic All-District honors in 2023.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Plus athlete with multi-sport background, translating to fluid backpedal and smooth hip flip in coverage
- Cerebral player who processes quickly, allowing him to jump routes and make plays on the ball
- Sure tackler with good form, rarely whiffs in the open field and limits YAC
- Displays natural feel in zone, consistently finding himself around the ball
- Adequate long speed to carry verticals and not get stacked by receivers
- High character player with plus intangibles, film junkie who sets the tone in the DB room
- Production improved each season, indicating upward trajectory and untapped potential
- Scheme versatile, can play single-high, in the box, or as a big nickel
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tweener size for the position, may struggle to match up with Y-tight ends at the next level
- Mirror-and-match skills in man coverage need work, can lose leverage against shifty slot receivers
- Change of direction is good not great, limits his ability to close on throws from depth
- Lacks the "wow" factor as a hitter, doesn't consistently deliver tone-setting shots over the middle
- Ball production is solid but not elite, needs to convert more PBUs into INTs to be a game-changer
Scouting Report: Summary
A developmental prospect with the tools to contribute in sub-packages early while he refines his skill set. Best fit is in a defense that employs multiple coverage shells and values versatility in the secondary. Can wear multiple hats, aligning as a deep safety, in the box, or over the slot depending on the call.Special teams ace potential from day one, with the mindset and physicality to excel in kick coverage. As he builds his NFL body and sharpens his instincts, could develop into a reliable third safety with spot-start ability. Needs to improve play strength and man coverage technique to unlock his full potential as an every-down player.
Intangibles and work ethic suggest he could outplay his draft position. Chess background hints at the mental processing speed to handle complex NFL coverage schemes. Ceiling is a solid starter in a zone-heavy system, floor is a core special teamer and defensive sub-package player.
How other scouting services rate Dante Trader Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
158.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
38.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.