NFL Draft Profile: Storm Duck, Defensive Back, North Carolina Tar Heels
In this story:
#29
Pos: S
Ht: 6004
Wt: 205
40: 4.46
DOB: 12/15/2000
Hometown: Boiling Springs, SC
High School: Boiling Springs
Eligibility: 2023
Storm Duck
UNC Tar Heels
One-Liner:
More than just a name, Storm Duck is a productive cornerback in the ACC that could make it on his own as a zone cornerback in the NFL.
Evaluation:
Prototypical outside cornerback size, Duck has the intangibles to stick there in the NFL. Straight speed is solid and doesn’t lose foot races downfield on nine routes. Played a lot of cover three and quarters at North Carolina. Looks very comfortable sitting in coverage and gaining depth. Keeps his eyes on the quarterback and reacts to the ball well. Breaks hard on short routes and does a great job limiting yards after the catch. In run support, Duck is a willing tackler that knows how to wrap up. Tallied a good amount of pass break-ups and interceptions in 370 coverage snaps. Missed 10 games in the 2020 season due to injury. Lacks smooth movement skills to mirror receivers in man coverage. Stays a bit too high when changing direction and isn’t able to flip his hips well enough. In his backpedal, Duck has a hard time planting his foot and driving on passes immediately, takes an extra step or two to get downhill. At the line of scrimmage, Duck isn’t the most physical corner, needs to use his hands better and know receivers off their route. Gave up a couple of catches to bigger, stronger receivers on back-shoulder throws. His lack of physicality leads to him getting outmuscled at the top of the route. Besides having one of the greatest names in college football, Storm Duck has become a difference-maker in the UNC secondary. Becoming a starter early on his freshman year, Duck has done more than enough to win that job. Coming off injury this year, there’s a lot to prove for Duck and if he can show that he can win in the NFL too. Right now, he projects as more of a 3rd or 4th guy on a depth chart that specializes as a zone corner.
Grade:
5th Round
Background:
From Boiling Springs, South Carolina and graduated from Boiling Springs high school. Three-star recruit in the 2019 class, Duck has interest from mostly Group of Five schools before committing to UNC. Made nine starts his freshman season, tallying 33 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 5 pass breakups. Only played in two games in 2020 before missing the season due to injury. Brown talked about Duck this summer, “The biggest thing he’s got to do is stay healthy,” Brown said. “He is healthy now and he’ll be ready when we start. But he missed all of last fall, except for a game and a half. You have to stay healthy to play this game. That’s his only concern. He’ll be (an NFL) draft choice if he can stay healthy.”
