2010 NFL Draft Preview: Joe Haden

The early rounds in the 2010 NFL draft are filled with quality players on the defensive side of the ball. While the big names on the defensive lines have garnered most of the media attention, cornerback Joe Haden might turn out to be the steal of the first round.

Joe Haden's Strengths

Haden is your man if you are looking for the cornerback in the 2010 NFL draft with the best cover skills. His performance at the collegiate level was one of the reasons why the Florida Gators had one of the top rated defenses.

In college, Haden showed the burst speed necessary to keep up with the wide receivers of the SEC. Though Haden does like to be aggressive and gamble to make a big play, he has great hands to back it up which he showed in 2009 when he hauled in 4 interceptions.

Joe Haden's Weaknesses

No matter what NFL teams say, they are not going to ignore the slow speed he ran during the NFL combine. Though our attention is drawn to the 4.57 speed in the 40 yard dash, NFL owners will be wondering if it was because of a lack of preparation.

Another area where Haden needs to improve upon is his reaction time. In college he was able to use his speed to catch up to receivers if they broke his coverage. He will find that harder to do at the next level.

Though there might be some concern about his overall size, 5'11" and 195 lbs, Haden hopes to continue the trend of smaller cornerbacks like Darrelle Revis finding success in the NFL.

Joe Haden will be drafted by the Houston Texans

The secondary unit of the Texans took a hit when they lost cornerback Dunta Robinson to the Atlanta Falcons.

They will be looking to fill the position of the right cornerback spot and Haden would be the perfect choice.

There would be no surprise if the Texans traded up to select Haden and help solidify their defense.

Joe Haden's success at the NFL level will not be determined for a few years, long after many have forgotten his 40 time at the 2010 NFL combine.

Resources

CBS Sports.com

Scout.com