The San Francisco 49ers held a pre-draft interview with Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler, according to Justin Melo of USA Today's Draft Wire. The Niners were among 16 teams the defender met with as he prepares to be drafted in a couple of weeks.
Mississippi State CB Cameron Dantzler has met virtually with 16 NFL teams.
Full list: #Patriots, #Lions, #Titans, #Jets, #Vikings, #Chiefs, #Browns, #Bears, #Seahawks, #Eagles, #Broncos, #Ravens, #Buccaneers, #Jaguars, #Chargers, #49ers.
No in-person visits due to COVID-19.
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) April 10, 2020
Dantzler played three seasons with the Bulldogs, recording 108 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, five interceptions, 20 passes defensed, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery during his collegiate career.
Pre-draft interviews are being held virtually over video chat software as the NFL continues to observe social distancing. Members of the team staff are conducting these interviews, along with other draft preparations, remotely from their homes. Conversations with draft prospects can't last more than an hour, with no more than three with a single player per week.
The 2020 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-2 and 188-pound Dantzler had a 40-time of 4.64 seconds and a vertical jump of 34.5 inches. Other measurables for Dantzler include an arm length of 30 5/8 inches and hands that measure 9 inches.
Below is the NFL.com draft profile bio on Dantzler:
Dantzler became one of the SEC's top cornerbacks under former MSU defensive backs coach Terrell Buckley, who was a star corner himself with Florida State before moving on to a 13-year career in the NFL. Dantzler, a Louisiana native, was a high school quarterback and defensive back before heading to Starkville. He redshirted the 2016 season before earning a key role as a reserve the following season (25 tackles, two for loss, three pass breakups). His first interception as a collegian was of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson in the TaxSlayer.com Bowl. Dantzler was a 13-game starter as a redshirt sophomore, recording 43 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions, and nine pass breakups. He started just nine games in his junior season but tied for the team lead with two interceptions and eight pass breakups to go along with 40 tackles, two for loss. Dantzler missed three midseason games due to an injury and sat out the team's bowl game to prepare for the draft.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, who compares Dantzler to Al Harris, wrote the following about Dantzler within his scouting report:
Very long, stringy cornerback with surprising strength and a competitive mindset that had quarterbacks looking for easier battles elsewhere. He looks to suffocate and contest the route from start to finish and does an excellent job of maintaining phase in the vertical plane. His cover style will draw attention from NFL game officials early on, but the athleticism and length should allow him to trust his technique. He won't give up many explosive plays through the air, but is a high-risk tackler in run support and needs to do a better job of wrapping and finishing. Dantzler can play in a variety of coverages but is a future starter as a confident press-man corner with early starting potential.
Drae Harris of The Draft Network wrote the following about Dantzler within his scouting report:
Pros: This cornerback has good overall athleticism for the position. His very good length saves him when his technique or his eyes have put him in unfavorable positions. In the run game, he displays good willingness to be the force player in Cloud. In the passing game is where he excels. He will travel with receivers, so he has some experience on both sides. When he bails, he easily opens his hips and runs upfield with receivers. He displays some ball skills, he stays in phase up field and doesn't panic when the balls in the air. Matches up favorably in the red zone and in goal line situations due to his length, skill set and competitiveness. He also projects favorably in zone coverage.
Measurables
Height: 6-2
Weight: 188 lbs.
Arm length: 30 5/8 inches
Hand length: 9 inches
NFL Scouting Combine
40-time: 4.64 seconds
Vertical: 34.5 inches
| College Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | ||||||||
| 2017 | Mississippi State | FR | 9 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||
| 2018 | Mississippi State | SO | 13 | 32 | 11 | 43 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2019 | Mississippi State | JR | 9 | 31 | 9 | 40 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 2 | ||||||||
| Total | Mississippi State | 78 | 30 | 108 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 5 | ||||||||||
