CB, UCF
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Class: rs-Senior
Every year there are a couple of players who seem to slip under the radar in the draft. This year is no different and one of those players is UCF corner Tay Gowan. Gowan began his collegiate career at Miami (OH), before going to JUCO. He transferred to the Knights in 2019 and had an excellent season, before opting out in 2020. He might not be one of the biggest names in draft circles right now, but there is no doubting his talent and potential.
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Strengths
Whilst we didn’t get to see him in 2020, Gowan’s numbers in 2019 were elite. He allowed a 40 per cent completion rate on his 50 targets, giving up just 274 yards. His 0.69 yards allowed per coverage snap was comparable to the likes of Caleb Farley and Patrick Surtain. Gowan also displayed his ballhawking potential, with nine forced incompletions. He allowed just 13 first downs and gave up a passer rating of just 54.9.
Gowan possesses the ideal combination of length and athleticism to be a success in the NFL. He aligned almost exclusively as a boundary corner for UCF in 2019, with plenty of experience in press coverage. Gowan has the length to cause problems at the line and does a great job of disrupting receivers’ routes. This was evident when he shut down Stanford’s Simi Fehoko in 2019, not allowing a single reception on his three targets.
Gowan also offers elite quickness and long speed. He is a tremendous athlete, who should run a sub 4.4 40-yard dash at UCF’s Pro Day in April. He won’t get beaten deep and he has more than enough juice to hold up against quicker receivers. His change of direction ability is excellent and he possesses some of the best closing burst in the 2021 class.
One of the things I really like about Gowan is his scheme versatility. He offers the length and quickness to play comfortably in man coverage. UCF often used him in this role in 2019 to great success and Gowan is capable of working on an island. He also projects as an excellent zone corner. Gowan possesses some of the best instincts you will see from a defensive back in this class and this allowed to make some great plays on the ball last season. His fluid hips and smooth movement skills also give him the ability to play both press and off coverage to a high level.
Weaknesses
The biggest concern with Gowan is his limited sample size. His tape was elite in 2019, but we haven’t seen much of him. Gowan was a JUCO transfer ahead of the 2019 season and opted out of the 2020 season over concerns for his new-born daughter’s health. In total, he has played just 429 coverage snaps of FBS football. As a redshirt senior he is also an older prospect, and will be 23 in his rookie season.
The other question mark will be his frame. When we last saw Gowan play, he was 6’2″ and 185 lbs. Whilst he played above his weight in college, teams may have concerns about how he will hold up against bigger and more physical receivers in the NFL. If he is going translate his success as a sticky man corner to the next level he will have to add some more weight to his frame.
Bottom Line
Gowan is easily one of the more underrated prospects in this class. Whilst his sample size is limited, his tools and production are rare. He offers legitimate speed and possesses some of the best instincts in the 2021 cornerback class. With the versatility to play well in a man or zone-heavy scheme, Gowan is one of the better defensive backs in this year’s class.
Big Board Rank: #58
Positional Rank: #8
