2021 Cornerback Player Profile - Elijah Molden: University of Washington

By: Tanner Elliott

Elijah Molden
Cornerback
5’10” 190 lbs.
University of Washington

Strengths

• Instincts
  
• Man Coverage
• Tackling
  

 
Elijah Molden has some of the best instincts in this year’s draft class. His ability to read the field and react to the offense is outstanding. He always puts himself in the best position to make not only himself succeed, but also the rest of the defense. His instincts are excellent in both the run and pass games which is rare for a defensive back. His skills in man coverage are also some of the best in this class. Molden is one of the best tackling corners we have seen in a long time. He is not only a reliable tackler, but he can also “lower the boom” on someone if given the chance. This is great to have, as his team can feel confident that if the running back comes his way or if the receiver does catch the ball, the ball carrier won’t get much farther. 

Weaknesses

• One year of high production
• Athleticism

 
Molden only had one huge year of production, which was in 2019. This could be for many reasons, such as players leaving for the draft or transferring so Molden got more opportunities, or a season was cut short (2020 due to the Coronavirus). Molden is not the best athlete on the field by any means. This could be an issue if he goes up against some of the more athletically gifted players in the league, but his technique is good enough to give him a fighting chance.
 
Outlook
 
Molden has the potential to be one of the top slot corners in the NFL very early in his career. At the very least, Molden should be starting or fighting for a starting spot during his rookie season. Expect him to get drafted early in the second round, but don’t be surprised if he finds a way to sneak into the first round. A team may want to trade back into the first round to grab Molden so they don’t miss out on him.