Juan Thornhill, CB/S, Virginia
Experience: Senior | Age: 22?
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 210 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Second Round
NFL Comparison: Adrian Amos
Bio
Thornhill came to Virginia rated as a three-star recruit. Thornhill started as a sophomore and Junior at corner, before moving to safety as a Senior. He led UVA with 98 tackles in 2018.
Stats
Athletic Traits (Pre-Combine)
@Juan_Thornhill was cleared for take off this morning posting a Vertical Jump of 40.5" and a blazing 6.59sec (2 times) in his 3-cone. @UVAFootball
— Shawn Griswold (@UVAStrength) July 26, 2018
The Film
Two of Virginia safety Juan Thornhill’s six interceptions came against Miami. Here is one of them. Has both corner and safety experience. Should be one of the better players at #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/5eeA01Rwge
— Durst (@DurstNFLDraft) January 8, 2019
Juan Thornhill definitely has ball skills. Can play press or off coverage. Deep 1/3, single high, cover two pic.twitter.com/0BtRAEEMJ1
— Durst (@DurstNFLDraft) January 17, 2019
More UVa Juan Thornhill with a PBU that lead to a pick. Mixed results while playing corner in 2015-2017. pic.twitter.com/t9FBd5F2Dh
— Durst (@DurstNFLDraft) January 17, 2019
Strengths
- An experienced, savvy player, and a smooth athlete.
- Able to find the ball, with 26 passes defended, including thirteen interceptions in his career.
- Instincts and vision serve him well in zone coverage.
- Anticipates and mirrors routes well in man coverage.
- Durable. Missed only one game the past three seasons.
- Frequently lined up in press-man as a junior and experience as a corner gives him the versatility at the next level.
- As a safety, Thornhill can play as a single-high, cover-two, quarters, etc.
- Has the physical traits to lineup with flexed tight ends and big-bodied possession receivers.
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Weaknesses
- Inconsistent making a play on the ball in the air.
- Not an intimidating striker as a tackler.
- May not have elite make-up speed to compensate for false steps.
- Sometimes he bit on double moves when playing corner, and could be exposed in the NFL if he is too aggressive.
- Quicker slot receivers, would likely be a difficult match-up for Thornhill.
- Does not profile well as a box safety.
What Others Are Saying
Draft analyst, Fran Duffy compares Thornhill to Eddie Jackson
"I’ve been a fan of Juan Thornhill for a long time, going back to his sophomore season as a corner that the coaching staff talked about potentially moving to safety. That discussion continued into his junior year until injuries forced him to stay outside. Finally, in his senior season, the 6-1, 212-pounder slid inside for good and has been a playmaker for the Cavaliers all season long. The ball-hawking safety was an impact player for the UVA defense, and the way he patrols the secondary reminds me of another former corner who made the transition to the back end midway through his college career – Chicago Bears safety and former Alabama star Eddie Jackson. I like Thornhill a lot, and view him as a player who could hear his name called in the first round next spring."
Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy came away impressed, noting his "disciplined zone integrity, good anticipation, and secure hands (an underrated trait for a defensive back)." He also notes that he’s a quality defender in the box against the run, something you don’t see a lot of from rangy safeties. "NFL teams are very enticed by Thornhill’s skill-set as a safety and would even want to see him rep as an outside cornerback in a Senior Bowl environment," writes Nagy. "If he continues to excel in his high/low safety role and displays adequate cover skills as a cornerback, Thornhill could become a favorite of many teams come draft time."
GBN Report - In today’s NFL, where the criteria for S play has turned from head-hunter to coverage guy, it is always worth watching when you find a S, who has previously played CB.
Tony Pauline - Thornhill, a player who entered the season with middle round grades and someone we spoke highly of during our UVa preview, has been impressive (as a senior). Thornhill is a nice sized defensive back with a physical nature to his game. He’s stout defending the run and offers solid ball skills. Solid pre-draft workouts could push Thornhill into the third round.
My Thoughts
Thornhill has experience at both safety and cornerback positions, giving him a lot of position flexibility entering the NFL.
In 2018, Virginia’s Quin Blanding, despite being a former 5-star recruit and four year starter went undrafted He was not along, as Oklahoma’s Steven Parker, Georgia’s Dominque Sanders, and Ohio State’s Damon Webb also failed to be selected. The theme, big hitters with poor athleticism are being devalued by the NFL. If you can’t cover, the NFL has little use for you.
Fortunately, Thornhill excels in coverage from a variety of techniques. He has a natural feel for spacing in zone coverage, while also effective in man coverage where his length and physicality can be smothering.
The Chicago Bears have a great tandem, in Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson, each of whom spent part of their collegiate career at corner. I think Thornhill can provide a similar skill set to the Panthers' back end. If he has a good week at the Senior Bowl and does well at the NFL Combine, he could sneak into the top-50 at the NFL Draft.