TJ Tampa Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: Iowa State

Class: Senior

Position: CB

HT: 6’1

WT: 189 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #72

Background: TJ Tampa was a 3-star recruit out of St Petersburg, Florida. He was not recruited as a defensive back, rather a wide receiver/athlete. Tampa attended Lakewood High School and was lightly recruited. Tampa won the 2020 Pinellas County Athlete of the Year. While he was recruited to be a receiver, Tampa was still a stud at the cornerback position for Lakewood. On top of being a versatile football player, Tampa was all an All-County selection in basketball two years in a row. The athletic corner chose to play for Iowa State over Georgia, Cincinnati, Rutgers, and others.

College: As a freshman, Tampa was used on the special teams unit and was a reserve defensive back for the Cyclones. His 2nd season was his first opportunity to make an impact in the secondary. He played in every game and registered three pass breakups on the season. In 2022, Tampa started every game and made the All-Big 12 Second Team. He recorded a team best 9 pass breakups. TJ Tampa only gave up a QB rating of 54.8 when targeted in 2023 and had 6 pass breakups with 2 interceptions. He continued to prove himself to be one of the better cornerbacks in the Big 12.

Strengths: Tampa is a lanky cornerback with a long frame to drape over receivers. Tampa is a willing and effective tackler in the secondary. His frame allows him to wrap up ball carriers from a variety of angles. His long arms and strides also mean he covers a lot of ground. He is most effective in zone coverage, where he can shut down an entire area of the field. He has incredible reaction skills and can arrive at the intended target at the same time as the football. Whether it is Cover 2 or Cover 3, he has fantastic instincts in coverage. He clogs passing lanes outside the numbers and in the shallow areas of the field. When he gets his hands on the football, chances are high that he can create a turnover. He is a magnet for the football and is always in the right spot at the right time when in zone. He has fluid hips and can get low in his backpedal while sitting back in his zone.

Weaknesses: His man coverage skills are not on par with his zone coverage instincts. He is a little stiff in man coverage and is susceptible to double moves at the top of the route. He does not have the ankle flexion to cut hard with the best route runners in the country, which allows his opponents to create separation rather easily. He gets low in zone, but that all goes away once he is asked to line up in press man coverage. He seems to be completely wrapped up in trying to stick to his man, causing his technique to get sloppy.

Scheme Fit: Zone Coverage

Ideal Role: Boundary CB

Best Team Fits: ATL, DAL, JAX

Player Comparison: Riley Moss

Player Grade: 79.4