Cole Bishop – Safety – 21 years old – Junior – Utah
Height: 1m88
Weight: 93 kg
2023 stats: 11 games, 60 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumbles covered, 2 interceptions, 3 passes defended
Estimated position in the draft: 2nd-3rd round
NFL Comparison: Harrison Smith
Cole Bishop is not a player who makes noise. The noise that we often hear about him is the impact that puts his opponent at the level of the tackles. Captain for 2 seasons at the University of Utah, he played 36 university matches, showing great consistency.
Two-time champion of the late conference Pac-12, he arrives in the NFL with experience. Playing mainly in the position of strong safety during his university period, he was used more in coverage during the 2023 season. Which made him a complete player before arriving in the NFL.
Strong points
- Versatile
- Timing of tackles
- Instincts
In zone, individually, deep, in the box, Cole Bishop was used everywhere during his college career. The player knows how to do everything, even if his natural position is going to be in the box in a Cover 2 or in a deep system in Cover 3.
Among his qualities, we can note a large volume of play when it comes to defending the race. He is always well placed, and always makes sure he is close to the player in possession of the ball. The NFL team that takes him will have with him a potential decisive player (playmaker), with good game intelligence.
Ultimately, Cole Bishop has excellent instincts. He plays so hard that sometimes you can blame his lack of discipline. In any case, he is a player full of determination, and who often sets an example for his teammates. It's not for nothing that he has been one of the captains of his team for 2 years.
Weak points
- Speed
- Tackle technique
- Man-to-man coverage
Cole Bishop is not the most athletic of this vintage. For a safety, his lack of speed can be prohibitive. It could become difficult for him to keep up with more seasoned tight ends or lightning-fast receivers. Even though he has a good understanding of the game and is of average height, his athletic potential seems limited.
Which means that on the cover, it is sometimes on alternating current. If an NFL team asks him to cover in the deep zone, Cole Bishop will know how to read the quarterback's eyes and be patient. On the other hand, in man-to-man play, he could suffer against stronger and livelier players due to his lack of athletic qualities.
Although he has good instincts and is a perfectly decent tackler, Bishop could be even more accurate in this area. Certainly, last year, he only missed 9 tackles. But, against running plays, he's going to have to have better technique to tackle the attacker. He has the technique to get rid of the defenders' block. On the other hand, Bishop will have to do better in finishing his tackles, too often with his shoulder forward.
Possible destinations
Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints
The NFL team that selects Cole Bishop could first use him on special teams thanks to his experience in the tackling area and his instincts. Thanks to his versatility, he could be used in the future as a 3rd safety in a deep coverage defensive scheme.
Little by little, the safety will become tougher. Thus, he could be used in a defensive role in the box (strong safety). The 5 teams mentioned could complete their safety squad by adding an intelligent player. Full of will, he missed very few matches during his university career.
