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SCOUT'S TAKE

Pros: The 5’11” corner is an extremely fluid runner with remarkable closing speed and outstanding leaping ability. McCourty puts his hops to good use by properly timing his jumps and often getting his hands on the football. The scintillating senior is also adept at supporting the run, In fact, McCourty has been well trained in Greg Schiano's Cover-2 scheme to provide containment and shows toughness in taking on ball carriers, although he’ll often have to pull and drag his man to the ground instead of just squaring up and laying the wood.

Cons: The intriguing cover man can stand to improve his overall consistency. But his agility in staying step-for-step with receivers in coverage and his route recognition skills make him a high-upside defender that has the tools to develop into a starting NFL cornerback.

Our View: There’s no doubt that Devin will be following his brother, Jason, to the NFL. But whereas Jason was a sixth-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, Devon has the skill set to be selected in the third or fourth rounds. McCourty’s contributions as a returner and gunner on special teams will only add to his value. The Scarlet Knight is well known for his blocked kicks as well.

2009 Preseason: The 5’10, 190-pound standout cornerback recorded 57 tackles and seven pass break-ups. McCourty is a reliable tackler who finishes his tackles and wraps up his opponents. In addition, his aggressive, physical play is highly attractive to NFL clubs. With his combination of jumping ability, awareness and work ethic, McCourty is poised to be one of the top defensive backs off the board come April.

NEWS

01.30.10 - The former cornerback star and special teams standout for the Scarlet Knights has made an immediate impression during practice this week for Saturday’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Several bloggers in attendance have issued glowing reports about McCourty, with one saying he may even slip into the first round when the NFL Draft starts on April 22. Depending on which mock draft is used, McCourty is projected as a second- or third-round pick, and is ranked among the top five corners in the draft. He brings added value as an established special teams performer. “I think McCourty is not the elite of the elite. He’s not Joe Haden from Florida, maybe Kareem Jackson (Alabama) or Kyle Wilson (Boise State and Piscataway). But I think he’s just a notch below,” said Todd McShay of ESPN. “... I’d be shocked if he fell out of the third round. – Newark Star-Ledger

01.20.10 - McCourty is everything a coach should want in an NFL player and whichever team snags him has a steal of an athlete. He’s no Darrelle Revis in terms of his cover skills — yet — but he shut down Pitt’s Jonathan Baldwin and he’s a freak of an athlete. He offers immense value on special teams, returning a kickoff for a touchdown last season and blocking a school record seven kicks in his career. There are zero questions about the kid’s personal background, an increasingly important attribute in an age where sports media does all it can to mirror TMZ, and he even has the family connection. – The Daily Targum

12.20.09 - Lost in the midst of Rutgers' on-field celebration following its St. Petersburg Bowl victory was Devin McCourty. Free of his shoulder pads after returning from the hospital in the late stages of the victory, McCourty said the eye injury he suffered midway through the first quarter wasn't anything serious. "Just precaution," the fifth-year senior cornerback said. "They sent me to the hospital but I'm all right. It was just something that got into my eye. An eye specialist looked at it. It's nothing serious." – Asbury Park Press

04.09.09 - This season will be McCourty's third straight as a starting cornerback. But unlike in the previous two, he will be surrounded with talented but unproven cornerbacks, players like sophomores David Rowe and Brandon Jones, as well as junior Brandon Bing. "This spring has been about my new role on the team," McCourty TOLD THE Newark Star-Ledger. "Last year, I was a leader on the team, but I felt like I was a co-leader back there with my brother and Courtney (Greene), who played more snaps than I did on the field. So I just felt like I was another guy in charge with them. But this year, I'm the guy with the most experience."