Julius Brents Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)
School: Kansas State (Senior)
Position: CB
HT: 6’4
WT: 204 lbs
Sideline Prospect Ranking: #53
Julius Brents was a 3-star safety in high school out of Indianapolis. He has all the physical traits to succeed in the secondary. His measurables are noticeable on the field as he uses them in a functional way. He has 34-inch arms, putting him in the 93rd percentile amongst cornerbacks at the cornerbacks. His arm length allows for him to make plays on the ball when the receiver may have a step on him. Brents runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, his athleticism and physical measurables make him a force on the boundary. Brents started his college career at the University of Iowa, where he was apart of one of the top defenses in the country. Before the 2021 season, Brents transferred to Kansas State in order to take on a more consistent role. Brents has been nothing short of a defensive ace for the Wildcats. In both of his seasons in Manhattan, Brents earned All Big 12 honors.
While he has the speed and length to succeed in man coverage, his strength is zone coverage. He has the size to compete at the line of scrimmage with bigger receivers who try to knock cornerbacks back on their heels. He is also big enough to compete at the catch point in order to make a play on the ball. Brents uses his size in a functional way both on the ball and on the ball carrier. He is a willing, aggressive, and consistent tackler, using his long arms to completely wrap up the opponent. He is a rangy defender in zone and the area of the field that he takes up is significantly larger than that of the average boundary cornerback. His experience at safety also provides much sought after positional versatility. Teams may love his tools but only need safeties in their secondary, in which he would be a great fit. He is a great run defender at the cornerback position as the average receiver will not be able to hold a firm anchor in the run game when blocking him. Brents does well to shed blocks and take good angles to the ball.
While Brents has the physical tools to succeed in man coverage, he cannot seem to put it together in that coverage. He has tight hips in transition and when turning to sprint down the field he displays a rocky process and can lose balance, creating separation between him and the receiver. He needs to develop a level of scheme versatility to be a dependable CB1 at the next level.
Julius Brents provides elite athleticism in the secondary and is a rangy defender in zone coverage. His ability to play zone so well and his past experiences project him to be able to play anywhere in the secondary. He will need to be drafted into the right scheme for him, but he could be a difference maker for an NFL defense right away.
Scheme Fit: Zone Coverage
Ideal Role: Safety
Best Team Fits: CIN, IND, LAR
Player Comparison: Tariq Woolen
Player Grade: 79.0
