Editor's Note: Each week Mel Kiper Jr. will highlight one of the intriguing "sleeper" prospects available for the 2001 NFL Draft.
COREY HALL -- DB -- APPALACHIAN ST.
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| Appalachian State defensive back Corey Hall is a likely candidate for a free-safety job in the NFL. |
Corey Hall has been a four-year starter in the secondary for the Mountaineers, working at free safety his first three seasons before shifting to a cornerback spot this year.
In the NFL, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder will be looking to compete for a job at free safety, combining excellent range with the ability to aggressively stop the run. He'll clock in the 4.47 range, shows good feet, smooth hips and is a quality natural athlete.
As a junior in 1999 working at free safety, he recorded 115 tackles while grabbing five interceptions. A noteworthy effort that year came against Auburn when he showed that he could have been a key performer in the deep patrol at just about any major college program.
This season, he's been operating primarily on the corner, although he moved back to free safety this past week when facing defending Division I-AA champions and current No. 1-ranked Georgia Southern's spread offense that features a potent ground game. Appalachian State lost that game 34-28, dropping them from No. 5 to No. 8 in the rankings.
This week against Wofford, they are not sure yet whether Hall will operate at cornerback or free safety. For the year, through six games, he has totaled 35 tackles (23 solos) and intercepted two passes (with four pass breakups). The interceptions both came in the last two games against Furman and Georgia Southern.
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Hall is a Division I-AA prospect who could land in the fourth or fifth round of the NFL draft. ” |
Once in the NFL, Hall will have to add around 20 pounds to his angular frame, figuring to operate at 210 pounds once he participates in a structured weight-training program. With Hall, his ball skills, big-play ability, athleticism and toughness make him a Division I-AA prospect who could ultimately land somewhere in the second day of the draft.
If things work out ideally for Hall in the months leading up to the draft, I wouldn't be surprised if his name were called in the fourth or fifth round.
Rest assured he has piqued the interest of NFL scouts with his outstanding performance during the latter stages of his college career with the Mountaineers.
