Tracking the Draft Prospects: Strong Safety

mascho

mascho

Kane is Able
SoSH Member
Nov 30, 2007
14,952
Silver Spring, Maryland
Time to look forward.
 
Solicited suggestions in the Draft Thread about having dedicated threads to a few positions that the Patriots might need to address in the draft.  So far we have TE/OL/DL.  Open to more.  
 
Here is a list of the SSs available in the draft.  Is there a Gregory upgrade among them?  I'll admit I don't have a read on any of these guys yet.  Hard to find good tape on these guys, but I'm looking.
 
ElcaballitoMVP

ElcaballitoMVP

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 19, 2008
3,937
 

ElcaballitoMVP said:
Another guy I'd consider for the secondary, albeit not a CB, is FS Calvin Pryor from Louisville. 
 
He has experience as a FS in college, but is strong in run support. Due to questions about how fast he'll run, he may be better suited for SS. With his ability to play against the run and his experience in coverage, he could give the Pats an upgrade over Gregory/Wilson. His hard hitting is being compared to last year's rookies DJ Swearinger and Jon Cyprien and has the size to match up against TE's (6'2, 205). I'm not sure if this position is enough of a need to justify using a 1st round pick, which is what it likely will take to get Pryor, but he would be a nice compliment to McCourty. 

 
Click to expand...
 
Moving this over from the CB thread. 

I think Clinton-Dix is the first safety off the board, but he's more of a true FS. Pryor is a guy who can come down and play in the box against the run and has the size to cover TE's. He doesn't have a lot of experience in man coverage, but he'd give the team the ability to mix up their looks in the secondary being able to play in a 2 deep safety look with McCourty or leaving DMC by himself in a 1 deep safety look with Pryor in the box to stop the run. 
 
He's currently projected around the end of the first round. I'm not sure the Pats should use a 1st on a SS, with other positions more pressing, but this is the guy I like if they go in this direction. 
 
Eck'sSneakyCheese

Eck'sSneakyCheese

Member
SoSH Member
May 11, 2011
10,399
NH
Later round pick: Jacques Washington 6'0" 220 lb FS Iowa State. Listed as a FS but plays like a SS. I think he would pair really well with DMC.
 
From NFL Draft Scout:
 


12/12/13 - 2013 ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM (COACHES): DB Jacques Washington, Iowa State, Sr., Owasso, Okla./Owasso...Washington, a native of Owasso, Okla., was second in the Big 12 in tackles per game at 9.9. Washington, who picked off a pair of passes in ISU’s come-from-behind win at West Virginia in the season finale, ended his career with 311 tackles ranking 15th all-time in school history. - Iowa State football
 
Washington has added over 30 pounds since arriving in Ames and has developed into an enforcing striker against the run with his closing burst and short-area power. He is widely known as a class clown in the locker room but is all business on the football field, playing with an aggressive, violent mentality when he smells blood. Washington uses his speed to cover a large area, but he has room to improve his timing and anticipation against the pass. With Jake Knott and A.J. Klein now competing for roster spots in the NFL, Washington takes over as the heart of the Cyclones' defense. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com
Click to expand...
 
lambeau

lambeau

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 7, 2010
1,175
Connecticut
Ryan Shazier may be available at pick #29 because at 6'2"220 he's a bit light at LB--but at safety? Quick, blitzes, hits, ran a 40 in 4.47 (Talib 4.44, McCourty 4.41).
 
I'm only thinking first round because there might be really good value in the 3rd round  for OL (Richburg, Bitonio) and DL (Attaochu, Easely).
 
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/steelers-nfl-draft-prospects-scouting-video-2014/2014/1/4/5272924/2014-nfl-draft-prospects-linebacker-ryan-shazier-film-video-scouting-report-breakdown
 
EDIT: Turns out this idea was already out there:
 
http://www.nepatriotsdraft.com/2014/02/legion-of-boom-2014-prospects-who-fit-the-super-bowl-champs-prototype.html
 
Super Nomario

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,015
Mansfield MA
Some "big safety" options:
 
Mo Alexander, Utah St - 6'1", 220 lbs, "big, physical, converted linebacker" - late-round option
Dion Bailey, USC - 6'0", 201 lbs, "best shot in the pros could come as a nickel safety/linebacker" - late-round option
Deone Buchanan, Washington St - 6'1", 211 lbs, "Has an old-school mentality -- likes contact and is a physical tackler (seeks to punish the ball carrier)." - 2nd-3rd round option
Craig Loston, LSU - 5'11", 217 lbs, "tough, sacrifices his body and will deliver some jarring hits" - 3rd-4th round option
Calvin Pryor, Louisville - 5'11", 207 lbs, "physical, lights-out hitter" - 1st-round option
 
I'm not necessarily sold that the Pats need an Adrian Wilson type to accompany McCourty, but these are some options if they do want to go that direction. I wouldn't be surprised if they use a 1st-rounder on a safety or totally ignore the position. Buchanan and Bailey ran really good 3-cones. Daniel Sorensen from BYU, who I almost put on this list, is more of a Gregory-type tweener but dominated the 3-cone - he actually had the best time of any player at any position. Sorensen, Bailey, and Loston ran bad 40s (4.65+); Buchanan ran a sub-4.5.
 
SMU_Sox

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2009
8,920
Dallas
I love Pryor ' s game. He's definitely prone to being over aggressive though. But for every bad play he makes there are 2 to 3 incredible ones. I also think he'd be good at covering slower targets like a TE or RB and isn't intimidated by size mismatches. He can physically jam larger receivers too. Sure, his coverage game needs some work but I really like his upside a lot
 
Super Nomario

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,015
Mansfield MA
SMU_Sox said:
I love Pryor ' s game. He's definitely prone to being over aggressive though. But for every bad play he makes there are 2 to 3 incredible ones. I also think he'd be good at covering slower targets like a TE or RB and isn't intimidated by size mismatches. He can physically jam larger receivers too. Sure, his coverage game needs some work but I really like his upside a lot
Click to expand...
And he's probably the most ready S they could draft. The more I think about it, the more I think cutting Gregory points to a veteran replacement, not another draft pick. Why throw a 3rd or 4th round pick at the solution? What guarantee is it that that will upgrade what they have?
 
Strong safety has pretty diverse responsibilities (can cover deep in a 2-shell, cover underneath zones, cover man on TE, back, or slot receiver, blitz, provide run support in a LB-type role, etc.). That's pretty tough for a rookie to pick up. And Belichick has tended to go for veterans at the position in the past (Harrison, Gregory, and Wilson are three examples), while even high rookie picks like Meriweather and Chung played sparingly as rookies.
 
Super Nomario

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,015
Mansfield MA
Terrence Brooks, Florida State - an option rounds 2-3. At 5'11" 198, size is just average, and his 7.35 3-cone was poor, but he ran a 4.42 40 and is an aggressive hitter. He also projects as a very good special teams player. He came to FSU as a corner and has the range to play deep. He's not an in-the-box tonesetter, but he might be a guy who fits with how they used Gregory last year, playing a lot of robber, filling in run support, and occasionally playing deep in cover-2 looks or if they want McCourty matching up underneath.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RABIB7an9V0
 
Super Nomario

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,015
Mansfield MA
Some Twitter buzz on Wisconsin's Dezmen Southward, who was invited to the Combine but wasn't cleared due to a (maybe scary) neck issue.
 
He dominated his Pro Day: running in the 4.42 at 6'1" 212 lbs with a 42" vertical.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc7JQlvQgj8
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom