Detroit Lions Draft Prospects: Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma
By Zac Snyder
Fans following along with #MockThree on twitter will recognize Jamell Flemming as one of two corners we selected for the Lions near the top of the third round. We did some trading down to acquire additional mid-round picks and found ourselves with the ability to double-down on cornerbacks with Coastal Carolina’s Josh Norman and Oklahoma’s Jamell Fleming.
Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 206 lbs
Arm Length: 31 1/4″
Hand Size: 9 1/2″
20 Yard Shuttle: 3.97 seconds
3 Cone Drill: 6.71 seconds
40 Yard Dash: 4.53 seconds
60 Yard Shuttle: 10.75 seconds
Bench Press: 23.0 reps
Broad Jump: 125.0″
Vertical Jump: 34.0″
Watch his combine workout here
NFL Mocks breaks down Fleming’s game into pros and cons like this:
"Pros:Instinctive and makes a lot of plays on the football (doesn’t always catch them, or catch them cleanly)…Has been a very productive special teams player and that could continue at the next level…plays faster than he’ll probably time…plus hips to turn and run…willing run supporter (though not a great tackler)…does a good job of stripping the football…is built like a safety…has improved his strength since last year…back pedals wellCons:Doesn’t possess elite straight line speed…good, not great height….doesn’t catch the football as well as you’d like…overagressive"
We know cornerback is a need for the Lions but as a third round pick in #MockThree, did the Lions “get” good value? For the most part, the answer is yes. Most of the draft sites peg Jamell Fleming’s overall rank in the draft class somewhere in the 40s to 70 range with ESPN being a bit of an outlier with him at 108th overall. Outside of ESPN, that puts Fleming as one of the ten best cornerbacks in this draft.
Jamell Fleming isn’t the type of corner that will wow you with an elite trait but he is solid across the board. He has average height for a cornerback and a slightly thicker build but maintains average status in the speed department. Reading through scouting reports seems to suggest that Fleming is not as raw as some other corners that will likely be drafted around him but that his ceiling might be a bit lower.
The loss of Eric Wright to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers via free agency hurts most in run support as he was the Lions best tackling corner a year ago. Fleming has shown himself to be a willing and able tackler at Oklahoma.
Some reports note that while he reads the quarterback’s eyes well, he has as tendency to get caught peeking in the backfield. However, he displays good awareness of the field overall in reading and reacting to plays.
Even if the Lions choose to use their first round pick on a cornerback it wouldn’t be out of the question to pick up another later on and Jamell Fleming is the type of guy that would fit in nicely. He can play man and zone coverage and seems to fit the “do everything” profile the Lions want in their corners.
Fleming’s playmaking skills have improved; here is an example from last year’s Red River Rivalry game against Texas:
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