2007 NFL Draft Player Reviews – CB Daymeion Hughes

The PAC-10 may have the top 2 CBs who are draftable in Cal’s Antoine Cason and Daymeion Hughes. Hughes has all the tools ANY NFL staffer looks for in a CB, size (6’2, 195 ) speed (4.3), a fearless attitude, and a short memory. He is a midfielder plain and simple.

Hughes is currently a midseason All-American by SI.com and CBS Sportsline and ranks second in the nation with seven interceptions so far this season. Hughes is second all-time at Cal with 14 interceptions and he caught his seventh interception of the season against Washington, catching a key pass in the end zone, and also broke up a pass and had six tackles on the day. He collected his sixth interception of the season against Washington State to go with three tackles and a pass breakup. Hughes had four tackles against Oregon while limiting Jason Williams to just 66 receiving yards (he had entered the game at 115.5 per game). Hughes recorded four tackles with a pair of interrupted passes against Oregon State, and returned an interception for a touchdown against Arizona State (his fourth career INT return for a TD and second this year). Hughes added a second interception against the Sun Devils (his third career two-INT game) as he led the team with 11 tackles. Daymeion returned an interception for a 30-yard touchdown against Portland State, and Hughes caught two interceptions against Minnesota while he also had six tackles and a pass breakup. He recorded five tackles against Tennessee as the Volunteers rarely threw at him. A preseason All-American from eight different publications, including ESPN.com First Team All-America and Playboy, and he’s on the Watch List for three different national awards.

In 2005 he led the PAC-10 Conference with 17 passes defensed, including 12 breakups while ranking second in the league with five interceptions and ranked 16th nationally in that category. Hughes finished fourth on the team with 62 tackles. Hughes also returned all five of his interceptions for 159 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown run at Washington. Hughes had two interceptions in Arizona’s shutout and a 59-yard interception return at New Mexico State and his interception against BYU on the Cougars’ final possession clinched Cal’s Las Vegas Bowl win. Hughes had a season-high 10 tackles and broke up two passes against top-ranked USC, followed with a blocked kick and recorded a quarterback sack against Washington State. He forced a fumble against Stanford.

In 2004, Hughes started at cornerback off Harrison Smith as a sophomore, starting in 11 of Cal’s 12 games. The club’s 12th leading tackler with 26 stops, including 21 unassisted, tied for second on the team in passing separated by six. Hughes starred in the Big Game vs. Stanford, breaking up four passes and recording a pair of solo tackles, also broke passes at Air Force and Oregon State. He scored four-tackle games three times, in Air Force vs. Arizona State and in the Holiday Bowl vs. Texas Tech.

As a freshman, he was the Bears’ most productive true freshman, starting five games at cornerback and tying for the team lead with two interceptions. He had 30 tackles (25 solo) and recovered a fumble while playing in all 14 games. His first career interception of his came against Oregon State, a pick that returned 72 yards for a touchdown, and his second interception came against Washington at the Cal 6-yard line, preventing a possible Husky scoring drive. Hughes was credited with three tackles in the Insight Bowl against Virginia Tech. Hughes was the recipient of the Bob Simmons
Awarded as the most valuable freshman on the team.

Coming out of Crenshaw High School, Hughes was ranked 79th on California’s Top 100 list and 41st on the Nationwide list of athletes. He was named to the SuperPrep All-Far West team and the Prep Star All-West team after a senior season that produced impressive stats on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 600 yards and had 720 receiving yards, scored a combined 15 touchdowns his senior year, and also recorded 48 tackles and 10 interceptions as a defensive back in 2002. Hughes made the Los Angeles Times All-Region Team and was named the Coliseum. League Player of the Year. He also voted runner-up for Southern California High School Player of the Year and Long Beach Press-Telegram Best of the West Honorable Mention. Hughes was ranked the 11th best cornerback in the West by PacWest/TheInsiders.com, and as a junior, he earned all-league, all-city honors after rushing for more than 1,500 yards and adding another 520 receiving yards. Hughes also had 49 tackles, five interceptions and two sacks as a defensive back. Hughes competed for two years in basketball and track and one season in tennis.

He majors in arts practices at Cal and is the leader of his high school. His parents, Ronald and Catana, call him by his nickname, Dantè.

I see Hughes in the same vein as Cason, as Cason’s 1b to 1a when it comes to CB this year. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Hughes is a proven playmaker who can take down half the field. If I had to compare him to anyone, he would be a more physical Champ Bailey. Bailey’s coverage skills were more NFL-ready (when the Redskins drafted him No. 7 overall) than Hughes’s, but Hughes has the ability to be THAT KIND of player.