Jaden Hicks 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Next up on the docket to receive their 2024 NFL Draft profile is Washington State’s Jaden Hicks. Hicks is one of the bigger Safeties in the class (6’3, 215 lbs) and his versatility should play into his favor when it comes to his draft stock, but there are a handful of things to clean up. What does his draft profile look like? Let’s talk about it.
Hicks, a former three-star recruit out of Bishop Gorman, hardly played in his freshman year before becoming a starter for his final two seasons. Over that time, Hicks totaled 151 tackles, ten pass break-ups, three and a half sacks, and three interceptions. His QB rating when targeted his sophomore year was 126, but last season was nearly cut in half, down to 75.5.
The biggest thing going for Jaden Hicks is that he can play all over the field. He can line up deep, in the box, as a blitzer you name it. High IQ player, very knowledgeable of zone schemes, and can diagnose a play quickly. Effective in zone coverage, uses fluid hips to flip around well, and can roll downhill. Hicks is more than willing to mix it up in run defense. I touched on the frame before, but that is going to make some NFL teams drool.
We didn’t see him run at the NFL Combine, but at his Pro Day, he posted a 4.5 40-yard dash time. Some teams might have had concerns about his play speed but I think that eased some of those. He’s a willing tackler but struggles at times in the open field. You can’t line him up against those quick slot receivers as well, as the timing and route knowledge aren’t there yet. Feels like a big-time special teamer to start as he learns.
Jaden Hicks has a fair amount of upside and potential to be tapped into. You can’t teach size, and he’s got NFL size for the position. Hicks gets a third-round grade in the 2024 NFL Draft. This Safety class has some nice sleepers, and I believe he could be a player that falls into a team’s lap and they will be thankful for it.
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