It's been a long time coming, but here we are! Joseph's Gems 2025. My apologies for the delay, the first Gem was actually going to be an interior offensive lineman; but Aaron Banks crashed that party, so I had to switch it up.

But before we move forward, for any newbies in the house, what's a Gem?

Gems are measured by a select handful of categories:

Size - How they compare amongst traditional NFL counterparts

RAS - Do they possess adequate athleticism to compete at the highest level?

Stats - When on the field did they make plays? 

Competition - How did they do when the lights were the brightest?

All-Star Recognition (New for 2025!) - To follow the recent trend of Packers' Selections, did the prospect receive an invite to an All-Star Game, and how did they perform?

With the added category, I also had to adjust my certifications:

0 out of 5: Coal

1 out of 5: Very Included

2 out of 5: Included

3 out of 5: Slightly Included

4 out of 5: Gem

5 out of 5: Diamond in the Rough!

So for our first Gem, we'll cover Virginia Tech Cornerback Dorian Strong.

Dorian Strong hails from Upper Marlboro, MD where he played both receiver and defensive back at Dr. Henry Wise High School; placing in the Top 50 players across the state. He was a 3-Star athlete who received an offer from Delaware State and Virginia Tech. He was recruited to Blacksburg by Brian Mitchell, who just so happened to have recruited fan favorite Rasul Douglas back during his tenure at West Virginia.

Dorian, cut his teeth early on in the Hokies' defense, getting 10 starts in his sophomore year before cementing himself as a full-time starter and captain as an upperclassman.. Although Head Coach Brent Pry runs primarily a blitz-heavy zone scheme in Blacksburg, Strong played roughly about 48% of his snaps in man coverage, netting an average QBR of just under 50 when targeted. Pry has an affinity for rangy athletes, which General Manager Brian Gutekusnt will appreciate as well. With Strong's length and experience at receiver, he was able to blanket opposing wideouts, earning 2nd Team All-American back in 2023. Unfortunately, the Hokies took a step back defensively in 2024 which resulted in the dismissal of Defensive Coordinator Chris Marve. Even still, Strong was able to garner an All-ACC Honorable Mention in his final season. Despite the Hokies having a losing season, Dorian Strong was still given an invitation to the Senior Bowl paired with a subsequent invite to the 2025 NFL Combine.

What do I love about Dorian Strong? Instincts. Being a former wide receiver can go a long way to being a top-notch shutdown corner, ask Charles Woodson. He's got a little bit of technique issues, but that's something that I believe got worked on at the Senior Bowl and will continue to be improved in a Jeff Hafley defense. I don't think there's anything Strong can't do from a technique perspective concerning man coverage, it's just when you're in a scheme predicated on forcing throws into tight zones you don't necessarily nail the nuances in man every single time. When he is allowed to go heads up with a receiver he plays with a mean streak, looking to mug the offense right at the line, but sometimes that comes back to haunt him if he's up against a true release master. Is he a blazer? No, but he has the maturity to play within himself and not surrender huge plays. He probably needs a full offseason adding bulk to be sufficient against the run, but as a boundary corner, I'm not drafting him to stop the run. Regardless, I never saw him shy away from contact whether it was behind the line or several yards downfield which was further evidenced by his missed tackle rate of 2.9%.

You can watch Dorian's highlights courtesy of the ACC Digital Network here:

Now here's the moment we came here for, is Dorian Strong a Gem?

Size

Strong checked into Indianapolis at 6'1, 185 lbs. If selected he would be the tallest cornerback ever taken by Gutekunst and tied for the 3rd tallest defensive back if you include safeties (Tariq Carpenter, Kitan Oladapo, Vernon Scott). He would also be second to last for weight (Shemar Jean-Charles). We still have the pro days coming up and I will make a necessary edit should he decide to come in a little heavier. The average weight of all corners selected by Gutekunst is 190 lbs, so Strong isn't very far off, I would say gaining 3 lbs while maintaining his athleticism wouldn't be too much to strive for but I'm more than willing to accept him as is. Check.

RAS

Strong did just "okay" at the Combine, and if he wants to make some real move up the board he would be wise to test for the shuttle and the 3-cone at his pro day. Now some might say that this would take him off the Packers' board, but Shemar Jean-Charles who posted a 4.24 RAS was selected in the 5th Round and Kalen King who did a 6.68 was last year's 7th Rounder. I'm not expecting a night-and-day difference but Strong could at least catapult himself into the 7s with a better showing in 2 weeks. No Check

Stats

Over the course of just about 3.5 seasons as a meaningful competitor, Strong snagged 7 interceptions over the course of his career while adding 28 pass breakups. During his stellar 2023 season, he was the second cornerback since 2014 to play 300+ snaps in coverage and surrender less than 10 receptions and 100 yards in a single season, per TDN's Ryan Fowler (I tried to find #1, still looking) That's all I need to see. Check

Competition

Strong played in the ACC and had quality games against the likes of Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Duke, Virginia, and N.C. State. I would have liked to see better outings against Miami, Clemson, and Florida State but the Hokies in general were just outmatched across the board. That being said, he still managed to receive All-ACC Accolades twice. Check

All-Star Recognition

Strong was invited to the Senior Bowl and he balled out. He stood out from Day 1 through to the big game. Check

Certification

So what's our tally?

Size? Check

RAS? No Check

Stats? Check

Competition? Check

All-Star? Check

I certify Virginia Tech's Dorian Strong as a CERTIFIED GEM who should be a steal in the 3rd Round!!!!

Is Dorian Strong a match for the Packers?

The 2023 tape and the Senior Bowl say yes, however, I question if the less-than-desirable RAS slides Dorian down a bit. The Packers signed Nate Hobbs this afternoon and announced that Jaire Alexander will be staying put for now. Add Kesiean Nixon to the mix, and it's safe to say that you have your starting rotation locked in. But I don't think the Packers are done with the position group as there's no guarantee we'll see Eric Stokes back along with Robert Rochell and Kalen King who was stashed on the Practice Squad. Dorian doesn't have the hyper athleticism that Gutekunst normally covets but with this class in particular he may have to defer to the guys who can just "play ball". With all the gambles we've known the Packers for taking at the end of Day 2, Strong presents a solid "floor" that they can certainly work with. He may never be an All-Pro, but he projects as a guy who can come in and contribute immediately as a backup as nickel or boundary. If 2025 was to be Alexander's last season, Gutekunst would need to take at least one or two more shots at the position should he need insurance for 2026 and Strong certainly fits the bill of a guy who should be ready to step into a starter's role sooner than later. 

The first chapter of Gems 2025 is in the books. I look forward to all your comments down below. Stay tuned for part two when we head back to the offensive side of the ball.

#GPG