Alphonso Hodge CB Miami(OH)
 

Alphonso Hodge
Position: Cornerback
College: Miami of Ohio
Height: 5-11
Weight: 203
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Analysis | Injury Report | Agility | High School | Personal

OVERVIEW

A true shutdown cornerback, Hodge started his last 27 games for the RedHawks. He was not only the strongest defensive back on the team, but also the fastest player in the Mid-American Conference, boasting a 4.36 clocking in the 40-yard dash.

Hodge was a first-team all-league, all-district and all-state selection as a senior at Saint Edward (Cleveland) High. He earned three letters as a defensive back and tailback for the Eagles and was honored as the team's 1999 MVP.

Hodge redshirted in 2000 at Miami and saw action in seven games during the 2001 campaign, earning a starting assignment against Hawaii. He finished his freshman year with eight tackles and two pass deflections. Hodge started the first seven games of the 2002 season, producing 30 tackles (20 solo) with a pair of sacks and seven pass breakups.

He was a second-team All-Mid American Conference choice in 2003, starting every game. Hodge came up with 47 tackles (27 solo), a sack, three fumble recoveries and nine pass breakups. Hodge allowed only three touchdown catches in 2004, as he made a career-high 52 tackles (41 solo). He developed into a force at the line of scrimmage, registering five sacks and seven stops for losses. He also deflected six passes in his final season with the RedHawks.

In 46 games, Hodge totaled 147 tackles (103 solo) with eight sacks for minus-48 yards, 10 stops for losses of 51 yards, three fumble recoveries and 24 pass deflections.

ANALYSIS

Positives: Well-built athlete with thick shoulders and biceps, good bubble, knotted calves and large hands … Has natural feet and can flip his hips, generating good explosion in attempts to run to the ball … Uses his hands with force to press and jam the receivers at the line of scrimmage … Shows excellent range and crispness cutting out of his breaks and has the top-end speed to immediately recover … Times his leaps well going up for the ball and has the strength to fill the rush lanes … Opens his hips and shows smooth feet in his backpedal … Very effective using the trail technique in man coverage … Quick out of his breaks and has a good feel for zone coverage, as he can cover ground quickly on the turn and run … Good worker in the weight room who has the strength to match up well against tight ends and fullbacks blocking in the short area.

Negatives: Does not always show quick read and diagnose skills, lacking awareness mostly on running plays … Slow to digest the play and by the time he locates the ball, he is a step behind the play and then takes bad angles in attempts to compensate in pursuit … Has good strength, but will not shock or jolt blockers coming up in run support, as he tends to take only passive swipes … Seemed hesitant to stick his head in the pile until 2004 … More of a grab-down tackler who can miss in the open when he tries to arm tackle … Lacks natural hands (zero interceptions) and has problems tracking the ball over his shoulder.

INJURY REPORT

2003 -- Saw limited action vs. Central Florida (Oct. 28) and Bowling Green (Dec. 04) due to a high ankle sprain.

AGILITY

4.36 in the 40-yard dash … 345-pound bench press … 510-pound squat … 330-power clean … 35½-inch vertical jump … 31-inch arm length … 9 ¾-inch hands … Right-handed.

HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Saint Edward (Cleveland) High, playing football for coach John Gibbeons … First-team all-league, all-district and all-state selection as a senior … Earned three varsity letters as a defensive back and tailback for the Eagles … Honored as Saint Edward's 1999 team MVP.

PERSONAL

Sports Organization major … Son of Alfred and the late Renee Hodge … Born May 30, 1982 … Resides in Bedford, Ohio.

Did we just draft another Bartee?

Strong and fast. I like it.

I think ESPN fucked up. Isn't that the pick we swapped with MIami? I think Miami picked that dude.

I was thinking the same thing. Please Surtain...teach these guys some skills!

Here's an interview...

http://www.nfldraftworld.com/alphonsohodgeinterview.htm


Miami-Ohio isn’t known for producing big-time NFL talents. In fact, only three RedHawks have been drafted in the last five years and only two have been first round picks in the entire history of the draft. Recently I had time to talk to Alphonso Hodge, a cornerback at Miami-Ohio. He is someone I have been impressed with ever since watching the team’s game tape in 2002. Scroll down to see how Alphonso answered my questions…



Name: Alphonso Hodge

Position: Cornerback

School: Miami-Ohio

Jersey Number: 9

Height: 5’11

Weight: 208

40: 4.40



Editor’s Notes: One name you may want to remember for the 2005 Draft is Alphonso Hodge. Not a lot of people are talking about him now, but he’s someone who will start to turn heads this fall and right into spring workouts and all-star games. When I went back to Alphonso’s tape this week, I noticed a few things scouts will like. No, it wasn’t his big hits or his interceptions like you may think, but his discipline on the field as a corner. With a big senior season, Alphonso could land in the first day of the 2005 Draft.



NFLDW: Just to start, can you give me your current height, weight, 40, vertical, bench press, and squat?



Alphonso Hodge: I’m 5’11, 208 lbs. I was timed at 4.35 by my coaches, but the pro scouts had me at 4.40. My vertical was a 36. Bench was 355. Squat was 515.



NFLDW: What other schools were you recruited by coming out of high school?



AH: Michigan, Iowa, and all of the MAC schools. I had letters from just about everybody.



NFLDW: What made you choose Miami-Ohio over those schools?



AH: Well, I was originally going to go to Michigan, but I had some problems with my test results and Miami (Ohio) was one of the only schools that stuck with me.



NFLDW: How about before college, did you play other sports in high school?



AH: Yeah, I wrestled my 10th grade year and ran track also.



NFLDW: What are your goals for the upcoming season?



AH: The team goal is to win the MAC championship and bowl game. Individually, I would like to eliminate the pass interference calls I had last year and make more big plays. I want to try to get my hands on the ball a little more and just shut down every receiver I go up against.



NFLDW: What other players on your team should the world know about?



AH: Darrell Hunter, the other corner on the other side of me. He’s a young guy. He is developing good. He has 4.29 speed. He’ll be one to watch for. Martin Nance, of course, he’s already at the top of all of the charts. 6’4, 210 receiver. Caught for 1,500 yards last year. He was 2nd team All-MAC. Larry Burt, he’s a very athletic defensive tackle. He’s a big, fast, agile guy. I’ve seen him do backflips. Terna Nande, he’s a freak. He’s from Africa and may be the strongest person I’ve ever seen face to face. I’ve watched him do 225, forty times and he’s only a sophomore. That’s just ridiculous and he runs a 4.48. Matt Pusateri, he’s a great college player. But, his speed will mess him up because he only runs a 4.7 or 4.8, but he’s still a gamer. We have a lot of other young guys. Ryne Robertson was a 3rd team All-American. He was 2nd in the country in punt returns. Once Mike Larkin leaves and he gets the starting role and the go-to-guy he’ll become really good. In a couple years he’ll be one to watch for too.



NFLDW: Who is the best player you’ve ever played with or against?



AH: Freshman year I went against Ashley Lelie on Hawaii. He’s with the Denver Broncos now.



NFLDW: Who were your favorite athletes growing up as a kid?



AH: Deion Sanders, Eric Metcalf, Jerry Rice, and Randall Cunningham.



NFLDW: What do you consider your three biggest strengths and weaknesses as a cornerback?



AH: I feel that I’m one of the better one-on-one guys in the league and over the country. I feel I’m good in man-to-man and in zone. I could cover a lot of the field because of my speed. Also my strength and size, because I press a lot and get physical with the receiver. One of my weaknesses is ball awareness because on deep balls I tend to panic and not look back. That’s where I got the three pass interference calls last year. Just not adjusting to the ball has been a problem.



NFLDW: Knowing that football won’t be an option forever, what are your plans when your career is finished?



AH: I’d like to be a physical trainer. My major is physical therapy and exercise science. So I’d like to run a business like Chip Smith in Atlanta, where they train players in their pre-draft workouts. Even if I could I would love to work in a hospital and help rehab people that have been in car accidents or something.



NFLDW: Alright to finish off make your case right now, why should NFL personnel pick you in the NFL Draft?



AH: Because I’m going to give them my all. I leave it all on the field and will always do a little extra. Also because of my leadership role. Ever since my sophomore year, I’ve been one of the guys people could follow. And also because I’m just a shut down corner. If anyone needs a man-to-man shut down corner, I’m one of the guys they should choose.

We're going after guys with funny names in day 2.

Craphonso and Alphonso and Boomer

Bartee was a safety, this guy is a pure corner.

No, nfl.com has it the same way. He's all ours. :)

I actually love the fact that this kid recognizes his weakness and admits to it. That tells me he knows what he needs to work on. Hopefully the repetition of an NFL camp will help him improve in this area.

What happened to us swapping picks with Miami? This should have been Miami's pick.

Crap!!

Crap and Al

This pick is listed as being one we got from Detroit. For what, I have no idea. We gave Miami the 26th pick, which we got for Green Bay for our DE trade last year.

Whatever it takes to get rid of Bartee.

Yeah, that worked wonders w/ Bartee :shake:

Wait, maybe Bartee hasn't recognized the fact he has Frankenstein bolts in his neck preventing him from playing the ball...ever.