NFL Draft Profile: Safety Juan Thornhill of Virginia

Today we take a closer look at Virginia safety Juan Thornhill and examine how he can be a great fit in the 49ers secondary.

Greetings Faithful! We are back with another scouting report. Today it’s a closer look at Virginia product, safety Juan Thornhill. There has been a lot of debate as to if the San Francisco 49ers should select a safety in the second or third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. If you are for selecting a safety then who is your guy?

Today we are going to take a closer look at one of the higher ranked safeties this draft class has to offer in Juan Thornhill.

Combine Results:

Thornhill participated in the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, and broad jump. He was one inch short of the NFL Combine vertical jump record (see video below!). However, he elected to skip the 3-cone, as well as the 20 and 60-yard shuttles.

40 Yard Dash: 4.42
Bench Press: 21 Reps
Vertical Jump: 44.0” (Highest amongst ALL graded prospects at the Combine)
Broad Jump: 141.0”

Measurables:

Height: 6 feet
Weight: 205 pounds
Hands: 8 ¾”
Arms: 31 1/8”

Summary:

Juan Thornhill earned his way into the national spotlight by the time the draft process went full swing in the lead-up to April. Thornhill has a great frame and size for the position as well as the wingspan that scouts and evaluators seek for at the next level. A former cornerback before switching to safety, Thornhill also possesses that natural ballhawk mentality on the playing field.

Has a strong knowledge of route combos and when adding that with his ability to anticipate where the pass is going, gives Thornhill an early advantage on making a play. Plays well in coverage and man to man along the outside. Will often crowd receivers and out-hustle and work them for every pass thrown in his direction.

On film, Thornhill plays an aggressive and physical brand of football, often cutting receivers off of their routes. He forces receivers onto an island, and isolates his opponent, taking them out of the play. He has a rangy center-fielder’s ability to cover a lot of ground both vertically and horizontally.

I like his initial burst and quick trigger to challenge receivers on a multitude of routes. In addition to receivers, Thornhill has the ability to line up over the slot and matchup with tight ends as well. Thornhill has the athleticism and physical strength to cleanly finish tackles in the open field.

Runs with urgency and will often stay stride for stride, even on longer, deep routes. Makes, closing the distance look effortless, and runs fluidly through his hips.

Thornhill demonstrated growth each season at Virginia, saving his best for last, earning first-team all-conference honors and leading Virginia with 98 total tackles, 6 interceptions, while also recording 4.5 tackles for a loss, and 7 passes broken up.

In other words, Thornhill is entering the NFL on a high note, where I expect the continuous growth and maturity as he transitions to the pro level.

Is Thornhill a fit for the 49ers?

By all accounts, he is certainly a fit. There will be those that say his hands are too small for what the team is seeking; however, Thornhill more than makes up for his smallish hands with his big-play and game changing abilities. What I really love about Thornhill is his range and ability to serve as insurance for all cornerbacks on the field. I also love his cornerback traits and ballhawk mentality. His anticipation on where the play will occur and subsequent break-up or even interception a big plus for a team that is in desperate need of creating more turnovers. Thornhill demonstrated his ability to tackle in the open field and prevent receivers from creating additional yards after the reception throughout his film. If the 49ers are interested in Thornhill’s services then a day two pick will need to be invested. At the moment Thornhill looks like he is projected to go somewhere in the middle of round two. So, trading back or trading up into the second round will be necessary in order to acquire Thornhill’s services. If a safety is the target, Thornhill would be a great choice!

What are your thoughts on Juan Thornhill? Would you invest a day two pick to select the safety out of Virginia?