Film Room: Nasir Addison

Kentucky has gone offense heavy to this point of the recruiting calendar in the class of 2023. That changed on Saturday evening when the Wildcats added its third secondary player.

Irvington (N.J.) High cornerback Nasir Addison committed to Kentucky just a couple of weeks after backing off a commitment to Maryland. The 6-foot-2 prospect also got some interest from Florida State, Ole Miss, and Michigan State. The Wildcats are attempting to add some more size at cornerback and seem to have found that in the Mid-Atlantic.

What will Addison bring to Lexington? Let’s step into the KSR Film Room to find out. This is a raw prospect with not much tape at cornerback, but there appears to be good speed along with the willingness to play with physicality.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 181 pounds, Nasir Addison also shows some good length on tape. That trait can give the defensive back an advantage at the catch point. Addison’s arms allow the cornerback to make some plays on the football.

In press coverage, the length allows Addison to break on the ball and record a pass break-up. The prospect will need improvements in technique, but the length and movement ability give this player a high ceiling.

In Kentucky’s scheme, cornerbacks will oftentimes find themselves playing in off coverage within a zone concept. When that is asked, defenders must have strong play recognition skills and be able to trigger downhill in a hurry to make plays on the football. Nasir Addison has some quick twitch that could allow him to succeed in this design.

When facing some quick game from the offense, Addison does a good job of recognizing the play concept and getting downhill quickly. The cornerback then shows a good attack point with outside leverage that keeps the runner inside. Upon arrival, the defensive back is able to finish the tackle. There is room for improvement, but the ability to recognize and react quickly is a strong skill set to possess.

Again, there are not a ton of cornerback reps on tape. But this kickoff coverage gives you an idea of the speed that Nasir Addison has.

At the top of the screen, Addison hits a solid gear and does a good job of keeping speed as he narrows down his route to get to the runner. Once there, the defender finishes the tackle.

In more ways than one, this is a high-ceiling addition to the Kentucky football program. Nasir Addison is raw as a prospect but does have a track and field background with good play speed and a willingness to tackle with good pad level. Add in the length aspect and there are some tangible traits to believe in.

Development will be needed when the New Jersey product arrives on campus, but there is enough there currently from a physical standpoint to buy some stock now. Kentucky wants to get bigger at cornerback, and the latest commitment will allow them to do that.