NFL Draft
3/25/25
5 min read
Dorian Strong 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Virginia Tech Hokies CB
Height: 6005 (verified)
Weight: 179lbs (verified)
Year: Redshirt Senior
Pro Comparison: Cam Smith
Scouting Overview
Virginia Tech Hokies cornerback Dorian Strong projects as a developmental starter at the NFL level. Strong has good ball skills, length, and physicality to play a variety of different coverage roles on the perimeter.
He is missing the ideal mass to play in the nickel, and his lack of involvement and refinements in defending the run create more of a projection if charging him with playing matchups inside. Strong is at his best playing zone coverage with his eyes in the backfield, where he can leverage multiple routes simultaneously as a deep third defender.
2025 NFL Combine Results
| Position | Name | School | 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Split | Broad Jump | Vertical Jump | 3-Cone Drill | 20-Yard Shuttle | Bench Press |
| CB | Dorian Strong | Virginia Tech | 4.5 | 1.55 | 116 | 36 | 15 |
Positives
- Is a physical player in the contact window and the catch point to disrupt the timing of wide receivers
- Fairly reliable wrap-up tackler with some good hitting power when playing off of contact on the edge
- Effectively uses his eyes to feel route combinations developing and leverage accordingly
Negatives
- Lacks spring with his transitional quickness and can be crossed over if tested with speed and playing in space
- Effectiveness and confidence as a run defender inserting into the core is an unproven commodity
- Possesses only modest vertical speed and can be tested by speedsters who can run through contact windows without interruption
Background
Strong is from Upper Marlboro, MD, and played high school football for Dr. Henry A Wise Jr HS. There, he was a two-way player who played wide receiver and cornerback. Strong also participated in track and field at Wise. He was ranked as a 3-star recruit (247 Sports) and enrolled at Virginia Tech as a member of the 2020 recruiting class.
As a true freshman, Strong played in 11 games with five starts, making significant contributions to the team. He retained his fourth season of eligibility due to the NCAA's COVID-19 policy. In 2021, Strong assumed a full-time starting role, making 10 starts in 13 games. He then started four games in 2022 before missing the rest of the season with an injury.
He enjoyed arguably his best season in college in 2023, starting in 13 games and being named Third Team All-ACC. Strong was once again a full-time starter in 2024, starting 12 games to finish his Virginia Tech career.
To culminate his college career, Strong accepted an invitation to the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl.
Tale Of The Tape
Dorian Strong is an intriguing cornerback prospect who possesses some of the notable traits required to play on the perimeter. As a coverage defender, Strong showcases physicality in the contact window, physicality at the top of the route, and good eyes in zone coverage. This allows him to play as an instinctive player in zone coverages, especially when left to play over the top of routes as a deep third defender.
Strong can be disruptive and simultaneously maintain his leverage over the top of routes, thanks to playing in a side saddle when aligned near the line of scrimmage. However, in these instances, he lacks the necessary fluidity in his hips to open for a sudden change of direction.
As a result, if Strong wants to play a high frequency of man coverage, he will need to play in press and try to work from the trail position as frequently as possible. When operating against the quick game and collisions in press, he showcases good eye discipline to see quarterbacks and anticipate break opportunities on the ball. This allows him to undercut in transition and attack the football before it reaches the receiver over the middle of the field.
Strong will be challenged when operating predominantly in underneath coverages. However, his high-cut stature partly explains why he offers sufficient foot speed and transitional quickness.
When attacking the ball, Strong shows good awareness of the ends of his length. He times up his punch well to attack the hands of receivers. There have been missed opportunities, however. With better hands, he’d have had a number of more converted turnovers.
Against the run, Strong simply stacks the same appeal playing near the line of scrimmage or when charged against closed formations. He is more of a drop-and-cut tackler when pressing the perimeter. He does show good chase-down effort to help prevent explosive plays that hit up the middle for breaking for scores and appeared to save at least two touchdowns throughout the course of the 2024 season with effort downfield.
Strong is capable of thudding with his pads when he has the perimeter to use as an extra defender. Otherwise, he may struggle to consistently shed blocks without growth, some added mass, and a consistent fire to win and claim real estate as a run support player.
Playing Strong in the right areas of the field will be important to getting the best version of him in the pros. He’s an outside-only player and best suited to play from depth, where he can attack top-down and squeeze throwing windows with his size and length.
Asking him to play in isolation or to be a reactive athlete in the intermediate areas of the field will test his transitional quickness. If he is left to play passively underneath, he may concede completions.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Strong projects as a developmental starter in the NFL. His eyes and length make him a strong candidate to play in primarily a Cover-3 zone system. He does not have the ideal transitional quickness to mirror in man coverage unless he is playing press coverage.
Grade: 72.00/100.00, Fourth Round Value
Big Board Rank: 140
Position Rank: CB19
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