The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart plans on taking full advantage. Hart recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Hart also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, playing man and zone coverage, his NFL comparisons, how he self-scouts, and more. Let's get to know Hart better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Cam Hart: I was in South Bend at school. I was talking to my Godfather who is also my agent. He has a great relationship with Jim Nagy. He had informed me that there had been some conversations about me potentially receiving the invite.
I had already received an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl. I spoke with my agent earlier that morning and he informed me that Jim Nagy was interested in inviting me after my name was brought up during that conversation. Later that day, one of Notre Dame’s recruiting coordinators called me up to his office and handed me the invite. I was so excited.
JM: What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Cam Hart: It was all about the competition and the Senior Bowl’s reputation. Obviously, the Senior Bowl has been dominating the all-star game landscape for years now. The Senior Bowl is producing competition on a yearly basis.
We see the Senior Bowl produce top 32 picks all the time, especially at the skill positions. That’s important for me. I want to compete with the best guys, the best competition. I want to showcase my talents and what I have to offer at the next level. I thought it was important for me to compete against who everyone deems to be the best players in college football. The Senior Bowl gives me the best opportunity to showcase what I’m capable of.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Cam Hart: Honestly, I want to prove that I’m a high-round draft pick. Intangibles-wise, I’m fast and quick enough. I’m smart enough, I have the football IQ necessary to play the game at a high level. I understand football. I want to show that I love this game. My passion for football is going to be on display. I love competing. I’m the ultimate competitor at heart. I want to compete like no other.
JM: How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Cam Hart: I’d say I’m a tenacious, passionate player. I’m smart and disciplined. I’m very athletic, too. I take a savvy approach to playing the cornerback position. I love watching film and dissecting certain routes. I take a unique approach. On the athletic side, I believe I can run with anybody. I’m as strong as anybody. It adds another asset to my game.
JM: We can’t wait to watch you in Mobile. We’re all so excited to see you in person. If you had to give yourself an NFL comp, who would you choose and why?
Cam Hart: I have Jalen Ramsey-like elements to my game. He’s probably still the best cornerback in the game right now. Obviously, Sauce Gardner has come on strong.
I would compare myself to Jalen Ramsey because there’s nothing he can’t do. He can play every position. He can play off coverage, press-man, off-man, he’s really good in zone. He’s very savvy in the way that he disguises his zones. It’s sometimes hard to figure out if he’s in man or zone. I try to take a similar approach.
I play with similar passion as well. I’d like to think my game is similar. Jalen Ramsey has all the intangibles. His size, height, and weight are similar to mine. I believe I’m as fast as him. I’ve always loved Xavier Rhodes as well. Even though he’s a little heavier than me, we have similar play styles, too. Xavier Rhodes and Jalen Ramsey are good comparisons for me.
JM: I love that. Speaking of, is Cam Hart a press-man guy or a zone guy?
Cam Hart: I would say man coverage simply because we played a ton of press-man at Notre Dame. We were a man-heavy team. I can do both, pressman and off-man. I like zone as well. I love switching it up with zone because it allows you to play with more of your eyes and with more freedom. You can make a lot of plays in zone coverage.
We played a lot of man coverage at Notre Dame though. I wouldn’t say I’m tailored to man, though. I can do so much more than that. It’s just what I’m most experienced with. I’ve put a lot of press-man reps on tape.
JM: What can you achieve at the Senior Bowl that you can’t at other pre-draft events?
Cam Hart: I’m excited to showcase up close and personal that I can cover shorter, shiftier receivers. I played in the slot at Notre Dame a little bit this season, but I don’t generally have a ton of tape playing the nickel. I have played there and I’m comfortable. I want to prove that I can cover a shifty 5-foot-9 receiver who gets in and out of his breaks. I’m 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, so those guys have a lower center of gravity than I do. I can still cover a 5-foot-10, 180-pound receiver.
JM: We’re excited to watch you play the nickel. What’s on Cam Hart’s pre-game playlist?
Cam Hart: My pre-game playlist is very chill. I listen to one song before every game and that’s “To Zion” by Lauryn Hill. I listen to that song right before I go out on the field. The hour before the game, it’s very chill. There’s a lot of Kanye West, Drake, and Kid Cudi on that playlist. A few hours before the game, that’s where the hype music comes in. I listen to a lot of Lil’ Herb.
JM: Lauryn Hill right before, I love that. This has been outstanding. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Cam Hart?
Cam Hart: A great week of practice. I want to show what I can do. Of course, I need to stay healthy. I’m looking forward to having great interviews with all 32 teams throughout the week as well. I’m going to soak it up and have a bunch of fun out there.
I think what I can do is already out there on film. The Senior Bowl will complement what I’ve already shown scouts on tape, as well as the NFL Scouting Combine and everything else that happens during the pre-draft process.
Honestly, a successful week highlights my compete level. I’m going to make plays.
