NFL Draft: Three Team Fits for Florida Gators CB Kaiir Elam
Free agency is set to kick off next week, and once the ink dries on contracts for veteran players across the league, teams will turn their attention to the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft.
Several Florida Gators are expected to hear their names called in the selection ceremony, and to preview the event, AllGators is breaking down team fits for each UF prospect.
We'll begin with the Gators' prospect who is nearly guaranteed to be drafted first, cornerback Kaiir Elam.
Following a three-year career at Florida where he started 26 games and posted 79 tackles, six interceptions, 26 defended passes and a fumble recovery, the 6-foot-1.5, 191-pound corner is viewed as a first-round caliber player. Elam validated that theory with an impressive NFL Combine performance, clocking a 4.39-second 40-yard dash.
However, projections tend to place him later in the first round as he missed some time during the 2021 season with an injury. Therefore, his team fits listed below all fall within the late first-round range.
Arizona Cardinals (Pick No. 23)
Could a reunion of Florida corners be in store? That would be the case if Arizona selected Elam, as he would pair with Marco Wilson as the Cardinals' starting outside cornerbacks. The 2021 fourth-round selection immediately emerged as a starter in Arizona last year, which points to the team's lack of star power and depth at the position — an upgrade opposite of Wilson is necessary this offseason.
The Cardinals' passing defense was far from bad in 2021 despite the weakness at cornerback, in fact the unit ranked No. 7 in the NFL in yards allowed through the air per game. However, Arizona ranked in the bottom half of the league in interceptions created with 13, and only five were recorded by cornerbacks — four of which were tallied by slot corner Byron Murphy.
Arizona needs another playmaker at corner in order to become a serious playoff contender instead of being a one-and-done team as it was in 2021. Elam surely fits the mold.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Pick No. 27)
From a player prototype perspective, the Buccaneers are one of if not Elam's best fit in this entire draft. That being said, the Bucs' roster has been depleted this offseason with over two dozen free agents and the retirements of quarterback Tom Brady and guard Ali Marpet, so Tampa Bay will have plenty of needs to address and only one first-round pick to fill them.
The Bucs appear ready to let star cornerback Carlton Davis III test the market next week, a questionable move that makes their need for cornerback depth even greater as they may now be in need of a starter. Tampa is also on track to lose most of its running backs, tight ends, and starting offensive line to free agency (and retirement) this offseason, so it will be tough for the Bucs to sign a starting-caliber corner in the coming days.
Hence, Elam makes perfect sense at pick No. 27. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles prefers long and physical man-coverage corners on the outside of his scheme, making Elam an ideal fit.
Kansas City Chiefs (Pick No. 30)
Kansas City was our projection for Elam in our Gators-centric mock draft posted earlier this week, so it's only fitting that the Chiefs made this list.
As seen in recent years, the Chiefs paired one of the NFL's best passing offenses (No. 4 in the league) with one of its worst pass defenses (No. 27) in 2021. As if upgrades weren't needed already at cornerback, Kansas City is set to lose a starter in Charvarius Ward to free agency this week. And, to make matters worse, the Chiefs currently possess negative cap space, so a cornerback upgrade via free agency is unlikely.
If Elam falls this far in the first round, Kansas City would be wise to sprint to the podium to select him. Like Tampa Bay, Elam is a scheme fit in Steve Spagnuolo's defense due to the physical nature of his coverage skills.
Honorable mention: Buffalo Bills (Pick No. 25), Cincinnati Bengals (Pick No. 31), Detroit Lions (Pick No. 32)
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