Darryl Roberts, CB - Marshall - 7th Round #30

[ZMart100]

I like him - very good in coverage needs work in run support.
Good measureables.
 

Running indoors on Field Turf, cornerback Darryl Roberts clocked times of 4.39 and 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, including a 1.48 10-yard split. He also had a 39-inch vertical and 11-1 broad jump. He ran a 4.08 short shuttle and 6.66 3-cone drill, and had 23 bench-press reps.

 
Senior highlights.
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU-H3R4rTUA[/media]
Junior highlights
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEabT_eIe24[/media]

 

[scotian1]

Marshall's bio on Darryl Roberts
http://www.herdzone.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/darryl_roberts_716425.html

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

That guy NEVER gives up a completion! Gotta be a record. STEAL!!!

 

[Super Nomario]

One minus: turns 25 in November. Sorry phragle.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

He looks back for the ball too Much. Bill will have to teach him out of that bad habit.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

All caveats about highlight reels aside, I liked what I saw. Certainly seems to play aggressively and with a good deal of confidence. A willing hitter, too. Interesting player.

 

[Super Nomario]

Is that really a minus? You don't see many guys stay with their teams more than a few years anyways.

I think the issue is that older players might look good on tape because they're 23-year-olds competing with less-physically-mature 19- and 20- year-olds. It's not a death knell, obviously - Vollmer was an older rookie, as was Butler last year. But it's a factor that has to be contextualized when evaluating a prospect.

 

[Phragle]

I think the issue is that older players might look good on tape because they're 23-year-olds competing with less-physically-mature 19- and 20- year-olds. It's not a death knell, obviously - Vollmer was an older rookie, as was Butler last year. But it's a factor that has to be contextualized when evaluating a prospect.

 
That's part of it. Less physically mature, but also less mentally mature. Older prospect have had more experience and time to hone their skills. When comparing a 20 YO to a 23 YO I always wonder what the older prospect looked like when he was 20 and what the younger prospect will look like when he's 23.
 
But it's not a reason why I would dislike Roberts. Age is a lot more important to me in the high and mid rounds than in the UDFA period. Plus I'm just happy to get a CB. 

 

[Super Nomario]

One of the interesting things to me about the Roberts pick - and about the interest in Kevin Johnson - is what it suggests about the style of DB play the Pats plan to play in 2015. Johnson and Roberts both have some press experience, but neither of them are guys who are going to jam the crap out of WR at the LOS and keep them from getting upfield. Johnson played this season at 175 pounds. They seem to want to move away from the Brandon Browner style of play, which is a little odd since they did just win a Super Bowl with it.

 

[mauf]

One of the interesting things to me about the Roberts pick - and about the interest in Kevin Johnson - is what it suggests about the style of DB play the Pats plan to play in 2015. Johnson and Roberts both have some press experience, but neither of them are guys who are going to jam the crap out of WR at the LOS and keep them from getting upfield. Johnson played this season at 175 pounds. They seem to want to move away from the Brandon Browner style of play, which is a little odd since they did just win a Super Bowl with it.

I don't think they want to move away from that system; they're just acknowledging that they won't have the personnel to run it. I think that's why they let Browner go once they were unable to retain Revis.

 

[Super Nomario]

I don't think they want to move away from that system; they're just acknowledging that they won't have the personnel to run it. I think that's why they let Browner go once they were unable to retain Revis.

That was still pretty early in free agency, though. There's no replacing Revis, but they could have kept Browner and tried to add more of a press guy in FA or via the draft.

 

[BarrettsHiddenBall]

That was still pretty early in free agency, though. There's no replacing Revis, but they could have kept Browner and tried to add more of a press guy in FA or via the draft.

I think the idea is that having a press guy like Browner on one side worked because they had Revis shutting down the other side, so if someone got past Browner there was theoretically help available.

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

Is it possible that we're overrating just how good the secondary was in 2014?

They were 12th against the pass by DVOA, with a 84 passer rating against.

In 2013 they were 14th against the pass by DVOA, with a 81 passer rating against.

The secondary made some huge plays (stating the obvious here!) against Baltimore and Seattle, but for periods of those games they were shredded. So, I guess my point is that while we saw a pretty significant upgrade in secondary play the last couple years, they weren't dominant.

Going into this season, they have neither Talib nor Browner/Revis. But, at least on paper, they have improved their pass rush in quality and depth, and relatively inexpensively.

I know I'm not breaking any new ground here, but it seems likely that they decided that they couldn't commit the resources necessary to retain Revis/Browner without hurting the team in other areas, and by focusing on improving the pass rush and changing to coverage schemes that do not require top end talent, they could get similar overall results against the pass while staying level or improving elsewhere (pass pro and run defense in particular).

 

[Super Nomario]

Is it possible that we're overrating just how good the secondary was in 2014?

They were 12th against the pass by DVOA, with a 84 passer rating against.

In 2013 they were 14th against the pass by DVOA, with a 81 passer rating against.

The secondary made some huge plays (stating the obvious here!) against Baltimore and Seattle, but for periods of those games they were shredded. So, I guess my point is that while we saw a pretty significant upgrade in secondary play the last couple years, they weren't dominant.

Going into this season, they have neither Talib nor Browner/Revis. But, at least on paper, they have improved their pass rush in quality and depth, and relatively inexpensively.

I know I'm not breaking any new ground here, but it seems likely that they decided that they couldn't commit the resources necessary to retain Revis/Browner without hurting the team in other areas, and by focusing on improving the pass rush and changing to coverage schemes that do not require top end talent, they could get similar overall results against the pass while staying level or improving elsewhere (pass pro and run defense in particular).

I think you're partially correct. The pass defense in 2014 was not, on the whole, a lot better than the pass defense in 2013, but the pass defense encompasses more than just the secondary. The pass rush was worse in 2014, particularly when Chandler Jones was out (he went from playing 98% of snaps in 2013 to 58% in 2014, and his sacks dropped off from 11.5 to 6.0), dropping from 48 sacks and a 7.5% sack rate to 40 and 6.5%. I'm not a huge fan of DVOA but it's worth noting how the passing D breaks down to get the results you're seeing. The 2013 team was below-average at defending WR by DVOA (16th vs #1s, 29th vs #2s, 21st vs other) but good at defending TEs (13th). Last year they were much better at defending WR by DVOA (7th vs #1 WR, 17th vs #2, 7th vs other) but lousy at defending TEs (30th). I think it would be accurate to see the secondary was clearly better in 2014, but the pass defense was similar - which, as you note, provides hope that in 2015 the secondary can be worse but the pass defense about the same, if the pass rush and coverage on TEs improves.

 

[bakahump]

My son was the youngest in his class (Sept 28th Bday.....october 1st cutoff).  He struggled the first 3 or 4 months.  After talking with the teachers and guidance staff they made the point
"He is 10-20% behind in physical and mental growth compared to some of his classmates.  Thats not anything against him.  Its that he is 60 months old and his classmates are 70 months old.  Thats a huge difference."
 
Had never occured to me in that persepective.  5yos was 5yos.   6 was 6.
 
Probably not quit that linear (or dramatic)  especially at 22 or 24 compared to 20 and 22.....but certainly worth considering when the "maturity" idea comes up.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

I think you're partially correct. The pass defense in 2014 was not, on the whole, a lot better than the pass defense in 2013, but the pass defense encompasses more than just the secondary. The pass rush was worse in 2014, particularly when Chandler Jones was out (he went from playing 98% of snaps in 2013 to 58% in 2014, and his sacks dropped off from 11.5 to 6.0), dropping from 48 sacks and a 7.5% sack rate to 40 and 6.5%. I'm not a huge fan of DVOA but it's worth noting how the passing D breaks down to get the results you're seeing. The 2013 team was below-average at defending WR by DVOA (16th vs #1s, 29th vs #2s, 21st vs other) but good at defending TEs (13th). Last year they were much better at defending WR by DVOA (7th vs #1 WR, 17th vs #2, 7th vs other) but lousy at defending TEs (30th). I think it would be accurate to see the secondary was clearly better in 2014, but the pass defense was similar - which, as you note, provides hope that in 2015 the secondary can be worse but the pass defense about the same, if the pass rush and coverage on TEs improves.

 
Yup.  Its also worth noting that a fair number of those 40 sacks were generated either by blitzing the ILBs (Hightower and Collins had 10 between them) or, by my hazy recollection at least, as coverage sacks.  I'd like to see data on the number of sacks teams generate within 3 or 3.5 seconds while rushing four or less men.  I would not be surprised if we were near the bottom of the NFL on that metric last year.

 

[crystalline]

One of the interesting things to me about the Roberts pick - and about the interest in Kevin Johnson - is what it suggests about the style of DB play the Pats plan to play in 2015. Johnson and Roberts both have some press experience, but neither of them are guys who are going to jam the crap out of WR at the LOS and keep them from getting upfield. Johnson played this season at 175 pounds. They seem to want to move away from the Brandon Browner style of play, which is a little odd since they did just win a Super Bowl with it.

Do I rememember correctly that the coaches benched Browner after a penalty in the playoffs? Was that against the Ravens?

If so that might suggest they didn't like his style much last year either, and would like to get away from pressing.

 

[tims4wins]

Do I rememember correctly that the coaches benched Browner after a penalty in the playoffs? Was that against the Ravens?

If so that might suggest they didn't like his style much last year either, and would like to get away from pressing.

 
Browner got hurt against the Ravens and didn't return to the game

 

[Super Nomario]

Do I rememember correctly that the coaches benched Browner after a penalty in the playoffs? Was that against the Ravens?

If so that might suggest they didn't like his style much last year either, and would like to get away from pressing.

He also got benched in the Indy game for Logan Ryan - injury was a factor there, but Indy was also a bad matchup in terms of personnel.
 
I have a full profile of Darryl Roberts up on ITP: http://insidethepylon.com/nfl/nfl-draft/2015/05/05/meet-patriots-draftee-darryl-roberts/
 
I like his coverage skills, but he is pretty soft in the run game, something he will need to improve to make the team:
 

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

I wouldn't call that soft as much as I'd call it horrid technique.
 
Get low and wrap up you big dummy.

 

[Devizier]

That was still pretty early in free agency, though. There's no replacing Revis, but they could have kept Browner and tried to add more of a press guy in FA or via the draft.

 
Has to be money, right?

 

[BarrettsHiddenBall]

 
Has to be money, right?

I don't think so, no. Again, Browner works if you have a 'shut-down' corner on one side so that the rest of the defensive backfield is available to help if the WR gets past Browner. Without a Revis or Talib (let alone in conjunction with another Browner-style CB) you don't have that luxury and he'll either get exposed or give up a ton of penalties.

 

[Super Nomario]

Good reviews for Roberts today in camp:
 
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/the_blitz/2015/08/day_11_patriots_practice_player_of_the_day_darryl_roberts:

The seventh-round draft pick broke up an eye-popping four passes today and now has a team-high 10 breakups in camp.
 

 
http://www.patspulpit.com/2015/8/11/9132863/patriots-8-11-practice-notes-tom-brady-absent-jimmy-garoppolo-struggles

 

[Ale Xander]

We have oursselves a defensive Troy Brown?
 
/knocks on wood

 

[Stitch01]

Dreaming, but would be incredible if after all the high draft capital spent on cornerbacks the Pats solidified the position long-term with a Butler/Roberts combo.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Dreaming, but would be incredible if after all the high draft capital spent on cornerbacks the Pats solidified the position long-term with a Butler/Roberts combo.

 
Besides McCourty, it's certainly a low bar to clear. All secondary picks from 2009-2014:
 

 
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=2009&year_max=2015&type=&round_min=1&round_max=30&slot_min=1&slot_max=500&league_id=&team_id=nwe&pos_new=db&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all&order_by=

 

[Super Nomario]

Roberts left last night with an injury, but before that I was really encouraged. He tackled well - a weak point for him in college - and played everywhere, on both sides on D and on special teams. 
 
Mark Daniels ‏@MarkDanielsPJ  1h1 hour ago
Darryl Roberts injured his hand/wrist last night, per source. He went for x-rays to see the extent of the damage. That's all I know for now.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

X-posting from another thread:
 

@jeffphowe Not locks, but Harper, Lewis, Andrews, Kline have all helped themselves. Roberts is a lock if the wrist is OK 

 

[jsinger121]

 

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss  31s32 seconds ago
Per @caplannfl and me: #Patriots rookie CB Darryl Roberts (7th round, Marshall) has significant wrist injury that could threaten his season.

 
 
Looking like IR

 

[Super Nomario]

Pats cut Jimmy Jean and currently have just 7 CB on the roster. Maybe a good sign for Roberts?

 

[jsinger121]

Pats cut Jimmy Jean and currently have just 7 CB on the roster. Maybe a good sign for Roberts?

 
Doubt it right now. Roberts likely may have to go on IR but they don't want to expose him to waivers right now. They will put him on IR at the end of camp likely.