Tyler Byrd
#1 Athlete
#35 Overall in ESPN 300
This guy is rangy, athletic and physical. Possesses a strong safety build with wide receiver movement. Is an imposing player in every facet with early bulk and physicality to his frame and style of play. He can flat out run in the open field. Is fast, explosive and has very god feet. Can show a little bit of ankle stiffness at times.
Ball Skills
Balls skills are very strong. He can high point or cradle and he does a nice job of attacking the ball in a crowd. Possesses the hand-eye coordination to be a fulltime offensive player. Will make the difficult catch look easy at times and knows what to do with the ball in his hands on defense. Is very confident when competing for the ball in contested match-ups.
Versatility
This is the area that will be the most difficult to decide for coaches as he is a legitimate candidate in several areas on both sides of the football. He plays everywhere -- corner/safety/nickel on defense and he is an excellent cover teams player in the kicking game. Offensively, he is a wide receiver with the ability to slide in the backfield and be a tailback with the measurables stature to remain there as an option. Plays the game with passion and instincts and we would expect very little learning curve once he settles in at one spot.
Big Play Ability
Offensively, Byrd runs well to threaten you deep and when he gets into the open field he is capable of winning most foot races against top-end defenders. Capable of making multiple defenders miss in space. He shows tremendous feet and the ability to jump cut, plant, stab laterally and create big plays with his legs. Is capable of running right by DBs on pure skill alone. Defensively, he's a ball hawk. Far from just a cover guy, can get off the mark and aggressively come downhill and make the key run stop. Runs the alley without a lot of wasted motion. While he transitions quickly and shows very good plant and drive ability defending underneath routes and limiting underneath production and run after catch, he is also smooth at opening his hips and turning and running to track the deep throw. Shows power as a hitter/tackler and will also make plays on the ball in coverage. Shows tremendous comfort and instincts in any role on defense and may be a best fit as a nickel.
Bottom Line
This guy is a darn good football player. Byrd just has a feel for the game and thrives as a playmaker. Often is the best player on the field in all three phases of the game and gives coaches huge positional options to work with. A premier power five conference prospect in our opinion with early impact upside.
Underclassman Eval
STRENGTHS: Byrd is a smart, fundamentally sound player who makes quick reads and closes fast defensively. Has good hip fluidity in turning to run with receivers downfield and overall transitions cleanly. Does a great job of reading the quarterback when in a zone and will react quickly. Is big and physical with range to play multiple positions. Excellent ball skills and feel for the game. ... AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Is a good tackler but just needs to become more consistent when setting the edge and when wrapping up. Does not always utilize his strong build to his advantage. Man coverage skills need some refinement. ... BOTTOM LINE: Byrd is an athlete that likely projects to the CB or S position. With more experience, he should become a more polished player. Is a very gifted athlete with terrific measurables.
#1 Athlete
#35 Overall in ESPN 300
This guy is rangy, athletic and physical. Possesses a strong safety build with wide receiver movement. Is an imposing player in every facet with early bulk and physicality to his frame and style of play. He can flat out run in the open field. Is fast, explosive and has very god feet. Can show a little bit of ankle stiffness at times.
Ball Skills
Balls skills are very strong. He can high point or cradle and he does a nice job of attacking the ball in a crowd. Possesses the hand-eye coordination to be a fulltime offensive player. Will make the difficult catch look easy at times and knows what to do with the ball in his hands on defense. Is very confident when competing for the ball in contested match-ups.
Versatility
This is the area that will be the most difficult to decide for coaches as he is a legitimate candidate in several areas on both sides of the football. He plays everywhere -- corner/safety/nickel on defense and he is an excellent cover teams player in the kicking game. Offensively, he is a wide receiver with the ability to slide in the backfield and be a tailback with the measurables stature to remain there as an option. Plays the game with passion and instincts and we would expect very little learning curve once he settles in at one spot.
Big Play Ability
Offensively, Byrd runs well to threaten you deep and when he gets into the open field he is capable of winning most foot races against top-end defenders. Capable of making multiple defenders miss in space. He shows tremendous feet and the ability to jump cut, plant, stab laterally and create big plays with his legs. Is capable of running right by DBs on pure skill alone. Defensively, he's a ball hawk. Far from just a cover guy, can get off the mark and aggressively come downhill and make the key run stop. Runs the alley without a lot of wasted motion. While he transitions quickly and shows very good plant and drive ability defending underneath routes and limiting underneath production and run after catch, he is also smooth at opening his hips and turning and running to track the deep throw. Shows power as a hitter/tackler and will also make plays on the ball in coverage. Shows tremendous comfort and instincts in any role on defense and may be a best fit as a nickel.
Bottom Line
This guy is a darn good football player. Byrd just has a feel for the game and thrives as a playmaker. Often is the best player on the field in all three phases of the game and gives coaches huge positional options to work with. A premier power five conference prospect in our opinion with early impact upside.
Underclassman Eval
STRENGTHS: Byrd is a smart, fundamentally sound player who makes quick reads and closes fast defensively. Has good hip fluidity in turning to run with receivers downfield and overall transitions cleanly. Does a great job of reading the quarterback when in a zone and will react quickly. Is big and physical with range to play multiple positions. Excellent ball skills and feel for the game. ... AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Is a good tackler but just needs to become more consistent when setting the edge and when wrapping up. Does not always utilize his strong build to his advantage. Man coverage skills need some refinement. ... BOTTOM LINE: Byrd is an athlete that likely projects to the CB or S position. With more experience, he should become a more polished player. Is a very gifted athlete with terrific measurables.
