Cameron Dantzler Makes Up for Lost Time with Bears

Cornerback of interest to Chicago Bears has to convince teams his slow 40 time didn't represent his playing speed, and is doing it by film

The nightmare of all nightmares for NFL draft prospects in this strange year is haunting Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler.

Dantzler turned in a time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine nowhere near what he expected or has shown he's capable of in his past play.

And the coronavirus freeze has wiped out pro days, so he can't make up for the time with a rerun.

Dantzler joined forces with some other prospects at a virtual "pro day" and submitted video evidence to the league of what he's capable of in the 40-yard dash. At the combine, he ran a slow 4.64. The time posted in the video is 4.38, which has to be taken with a rather large grain of salt.

Eventually it will be interesting to see how players like Dantzler or Penn State wide receiver KJ Hamler will be affected by the lack of actual pro days after they had poor combines or couldn't work out in Indianapolis.

In Dantzler's case, NFL teams should have plenty of film from SEC games showing the the skills that allowed him to pick off LSU quarterback Joe Burrow last season on a pass targeted to Ja'Marr Chase.

"I knew it was a one-on-one matchup, and it was in the red zone," Dantzler told reporters at the NFL combine. "In the red zone we split the difference, so I just split the difference and played my man and made a play on the ball."

Chase won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best receiver, but Dantzler held him to five catches for 48 yards. A performance like that can catch any eye and the Bears apparently talked to him in a video interview, according to Bearreport.com

"I knew it was going to be a big game for me," Dantzler said. "Just watching film made it easier for me, his technique, what he likes to do, the routes he likes to run, his leverage. Sometimes his leverage gave up the route."

Dantzler is a technician, but also one who is physical. At 6-foot-2, he has ideal height for a cornerback.

When scouts saw he weighs just 188 pounds, they had to question if he can be physical enough for the NFL at that height/weight ratio. To Dantzler, this is questioning his greatest strength.

"Most corners don’t like to come up and tackle," Dantzler said. "That's something I try to critique in my game because most corners don't like doing it. So I'm trying to be different from any other corner in the draft."

"I try to be different," Dantzler added. "I like to tackle. It's very rare for you to find a corner who likes to tackle."

The Bears lost a cornerback who could tackle when Prince Amukamara was cut after the season. 

Amukamara was 6-foot, 206 pounds and missed only 4.3% and 7% of tackle attempts the last two seasons, according to NFL stat partner Sportradar. So the Bears can use a corner who can cover, but be efficient at tackling.

Most mock drafts have had Dantzler going off the board in the late second round to early third round. For the Bears, this would make Dantzler an ideal target if they were to trade down in Round 2 and acquire more picks.

As for the coverage part, Dantzler has shown he has the skill but he's also had some help along the way. Some of it came from former Lions cornerback Darius "Big Play" Slay, a former Mississippi State standout who has signed in free agency with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Slay came to a camp in Mississippi and worked with Dantzler. They exchange notes regularly now, as often as a few times a week according to Dantzler.

"I reached out to him," Dantzler said. "I watched film of him actually and liked his game. I talked to him about press technique and he taught me a little six-inch step at the tip of my game in college, I'm starting to master it a little bit more. I feel like it bettered my game. Just talking ball with him helps me be a better corner."

Dantzler has been called a bit of a gambler in scouting reports, and he won't deny this label.

"We preach, 'See ball, get ball,' " he said. "I see the ball in the air, I always try to come down with it. I'm hungry to be great. Hungry to get the ball. When I line up against a receiver, know what I'm capable of doing and just play my game."

Dantzler made five career interceptions and recorded 20 passes defensed in 31 games at Mississippi State, so the production, the technique and confidence are there.

The 40 time, it's something Dantzler and others who missed out on the combine or had bad days there will have to live with until draft day. Then they can get the last laugh when games begin again.

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