2014 ORDW Draft Profile: CB Antone Exum - Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Profile

Name:  Antone Exum

Position:  Cornerback

Class:  RS Senior

Height:  6'-1"

Weight:  224 lbs.

Date of Birth:  2/27/91

High School:  Deep Run

Hometown:   Glen Allen, Va.

Hokie Career:

2013 RS Senior:  N/A  (Coming back from torn ACL, lateral and medial meniscus and suffered a bone fracture in his right knee while playing pickup basketball on campus this past January. He is hopeful to play Alabama in the teams first game, but it is possible he misses that game and more.)

2012 RS Junior: An All-ACC Second-Team honoree at corner as selected by both the media and coaches … Earned honorable mention All-America honors from SI.com … Earned SI.com all-bowl team honors after being named MVP of the Russell Athletic Bowl … Started all 13 games … Played over 900 plays, logging 835 at corner and 72 more on special teams … Recorded 48 tackles, including 1.5 for loss … Led the team with five interceptions … Also had 16 pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … Made his first start at corner in the season-opening win over Georgia Tech … Made nine tackles and intercepted one pass at Pittsburgh … Had four tackles and an interception against Bowling Green … Broke up a pass and made three tackles against Cincinnati … Had four tackles and two break-ups at North Carolina … Made six tackles against Duke … Broke up a pass and made five tackles at Clemson … Broke up four passes and made two tackles at Miami … Made it back-to-back games with four pass break-ups, while also forcing a fumble and making five tackles against Florida State … Made two tackles, adding an interception and pass break-up at Boston College … Helped set up Tech’s game-winning drive with a 12-yard interception return in the final minutes against Virginia, finishing the game with five tackles … Returned an interception 32 yards in the win over Rutgers in the Russell Athletic Bowl … Suffered a torn ACL and lateral meniscus of his right knee in January of 2013 … Was unable to participate in off-season workouts and spring drills.

2011 RS Sophomore: An honorable mention All-ACC selection at safety ... Started all 14 games, including 11 at free safety and three at rover ... Played over 850 snaps on defense and 42 on special teams ... Led the team with 89 tackles ... Added five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception on the season ... Also had 10 pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery ... Had three tackles, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in the season opening win over Appalachian State ... Registered three tackles and two pass breakups at East Carolina ... Contributed three tackles in the win over Arkansas State ... Returned his first career interception 36 yards and contributed three tackles with a breakup at Marshall ... Posted 10 tackles and two breakups in the Clemson game ... Led the team with 10 more tackles, including six solo in the win over Miami ... Racked up eight tackles, a sack for seven lost yards, a breakup and a hurry in the win at Wake Forest ... Forced a fumble and tied for the team lead with seven tackles against Boston College ... Added three pass breakups ... Tallied four stops and a breakup at Duke ... Contributed two tackles, including half a tackle for loss at Georgia Tech ... Had a big game against UNC with 12 tackles ... Also forced a key fumble at the Tech 5-yard line late in the first quarter to halt a Tar Heel drive ... Tied for the team lead with 10 tackles at Virginia ... Again posted double-digit tackles with 10, including two for losses against Clemson in the ACC Championship Game … Had four tackles, including half a sack, in the Sugar Bowl against Michigan … Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the spring testing … Moved to cornerback during the spring … Was given the Don Williams TEAM UNITED Award, presented to the defensive player who puts the team first during spring workouts.

2010 RS Freshman: Played in all 14 games with five starts … Worked at free safety but was moved around in the nickel defense … Saw some starting time on special teams during the first half of the season … Had 45 tackles and a team-high nine pass breakups for the season … Had a tackle and broke up a pass in his debut against Boise State … Saw special teams duty in the JMU game … Started in the ECU game and was in on 10 tackles … Posted six tackles at BC … Played 60 downs on defense against NC State, breaking up four passes and making three tackles … Had three tackles and two breakups in the Central Michigan game … Collected four tackles, including one for a loss, during the Wake Forest game … Started and played 70 snaps against Duke, garnering seven tackles and a break up … Started at UNC and collected three tackles and three QB hurries during 39 plays … Played 28 snaps at Miami and was in on a pair of tackles … Had two tackles, a pass breakup and caused a fumble in the Virginia game … Contributed three tackles during the win over Florida State … Was an Iron Hokie in the weight room over the off-season … Switched to rover for spring practice … Posted five tackles, two behind the line, and broke up a pass during the final full scrimmage of the spring … Had a tackle for loss and two total tackles in the Maroon-White game to go with a fumble recovery.

2009 Freshman: Redshirted as a free safety during the fall … His 385-pound front squat was tops among defensive backs during off-season testing … Also had a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump on the way to Iron Hokie honors … Was in on nine tackles during Tech’s first major scrimmage of spring practice … Posted four tackles and broke up three passes during the spring Maroon-White game.

2012 RS Junior Highlights:



2011 RS Sophomore Highlights:

Strengths (+):

Exum shines in man-to-man coverage.  He has enough long speed to usually cover receivers downfield and enough length to deflect passes anywhere around his man.  Very hands-on in coverage and was called at least twice for pass interference that should have been no calls.  Has good length and size (6'-1" 224lbs.) for the postition moving forward.

Weaknesses (-):

Exum has quite a few problems with his game that can be fixed and others that are unlikely.  The thing that stood out the most from watching him was a lack of urgency to close on the WR in zone coverage and RB on run plays.  His play on running downs also shows poor angles, bad form tackling, and an almost reluctance to attack the run game.  This seeming lack of physicality is also glaring against bigger/taller receivers particuarly in his attempts to press at the line.  This lack of physicality is disappointing given his length and size as he should be exerting his will on WRs and dominating them at the line of scrimmage.  Doesn't offer enough punch and will too often let the receiver get the inside edge on slant routes because he won't attack his man at the line.  Needs to make sure his hands-on approach to coverage stays under control or he will have yellow flags raining down on him in the NFL.  Doesn't show the ability to back pedal as he usually opens up right away or just turns and runs with WR.  Despite the tight coverage he shows in man coverage he rarely went for the interception and would settle for the tipping passes.

Raiders Outlook:

As a Virginia Tech alumni it pains me to say that I hope the Raiders would pass on Exum in 2014 unless he's able to greatly improve upon his zone coverage,his run defense, and overall game. A corner of his size should play much more physical than he does and the lack of that in his game makes me think HC Dennis Allen would not be too interested anyway. If you have read any of my DB breakdowns you know that I love guys that show off a "playmaking gene" -- guys that are constantly forcing turnovers and constantly around the ball -- and Exum just doesn't seem to possess that. His limited ability or training in backpedaling is worrisome given strength in man coverage as well. With the season quickly approaching we will see if Exum is able to improve in any of these areas before the 2014 draft. After taking Hayden in the 1st round this past year I think Reggie McKenzie could very easily pass on a corner in the top 100 (Rounds 1-3) unless Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter have terrible seasons and the other young guys fail to develop.