SAFETIES
Malik Hooker, Ohio State, #24
Game Film Evaluated:
Penn State (2016)
Clemson (2016)
Wisconsin (2016)
Summary: Very talented safety who is a natural playmaker in the secondary. He looks to make a play on the ball and not just play the ball, he wants the ball. He attacks the action, not a passive conservative player. He is a striker and looks to make a big hit. He is a tremendous player coming down to fill in the box coming from the secondary. He can turn and run with ease, has fluid hips to help in transition. He is so aggressive, he is vulnerable making false steps. He has a problem taking proper angles consistently, he is way too athletic to be out of position as often as it happens on tape. Average tackler who will miss just throwing the shoulder at someone. Not a good matchup in man coverage, he is best suited in zone and centerfield role. Malik Hooker is a rare complete safety who can fill hard against the run, blitz and make plays behind the line, attack the ball in coverage in either deep half or centerfield. He would be a perfect compliment to a free safety that can match up in man coverage to allow Hooker to attack the run and make plays in centerfield without fear. He is not without flaws due to the poor recognition skills and not taking proper angles to the ball will cause him to give up a big play on occasion. He is a late 1st round grade.
Rayshawn Jenkins, Miami (FL), #26
Game Film Evaluated:
Florida State (2016)
North Carolina (2016)
Summary: Very physical hard hitting safety. He can crash down effectively into the box and fill vs the run. He times blitzes well and will finish to the ball or QB. Solid tackler but he can miss a few especially if he takes a bad angle. He can take a few too many false steps in deep coverage and he likes to guess more than play it safe. He definitely plays the ball and wants to the attack the action, not a conservative player. He did not demonstrate ball skills during the games observed but he attacks the action consistently. He is comfortable in deep coverage or center field and can get to the perimeter. Very solid safety who may not be a playmaker in coverage but he is as solid as it gets and can solidify the position. He can match up well in coverage but will get exposed vs super quick slot receivers or tight ends. Rayshawn Jenkins is a solid strong safety who is not limited or someone would have to be protected on the field. He can handle himself in the box, blitzing and in deep coverage. Second round grade.
Obi Melifonwu, UConn, #20
Game Film Evaluated:
Virginia (2016)
Cincinnati (2016)
Houston (2016)
Summary: Strong safety prospect, good back pedal and has some coverage ability. He is comfortable playing downhill, filling hard against the run and making plays in the box. He closes with good burst. He is not someone to trust in downfield coverage, he fails to locate and make a play on the ball. He doesn’t have the hips to be a plus defender in man coverage. He is capable in deep half coverage and he can get to the perimeter however he fails to locate the ball and make a play on it. He prefers to just blow up the receiver instead of playing the ball. He is vulnerable to counter routes and play action. Obi Melifonwu is an ideal strong safety prospect who fills well against the run and playing in the box, he should be at least average as a cover 2 type safety but needs to learn to read the play quickly to avoid beaten on playaction and double moves. He is a solid tackler and deliver a big hit. Struggles to get off blocks once engaged which he needs to improve to become a threat when blitzing and inside the box. 4th round grade who could carve out a niche role as a big nickel backer early on.
Justin Evans, Texas A&M, #14
Game Film Evaluated:
Alabama (2016)
LSU (2016)
UCLA (2016)
Summary: A tease in the simplest terms. The athleticism and production on the field do not match in the slighest. He is athletic who can crash down into the box with a burst. He can lay the big hit and has plus speed. However he takes poor angles, late to react, does not break down effectively to make the open field tackle nor able to stick in man coverage. He takes false steps too often. He projects as a strong safety but has the look of a free safety however he cannot be trusted in deep coverage. He misses way too many tackles and just does not make the plays he should when in position. The athleticism is there for him to a solid strong safety who can crash the box to stuff the run and play deep half coverage effectively but isn’t him at this point. He will have to work hard to learn when to take risks and how to play within the scheme to match the athleticism he can bring to the position. He might turn into something in a few years but he will have to work at it while making a team as a special teams contributor. 4th round grade.
Jabrill Peppers, Michigan, #5
Game Film Evaluated:
Ohio State (2016)
Wisconsin (2016)
Penn State (2016)
Summary: Elite change of direction ability, he can stop on a dime and explode to full speed right away. Quick short stride. He plays a rover type position at Michigan, lines up at safety who comes down in the box and looks to blitz and just go to the ball without a defined zone or person to cover. He really struggles to get off blocks when coming into the box and cannot beat a offensive lineman. Questionable long speed. He has very good ball skills who can make the difficult catch. He is very aggressive in coverage and looks to jump routes but highly vulnerable to beat deep. He is not someone who can trust as the back safety on an island. Jabrill Peppers is a tremendous college player but he will struggle to become a mainstay on defense in the NFL. Likely a nickel linebacker player and top notch returner. I don’t like his play on defense to cover receivers or even tight ends effectively, can’t crash down and fill vs the run as a strong safety nor he is explosive enough an athlete to play corner in the NFL. Fourth round grade who should be an impact returner and backup in base defense.
Jamal Adams, LSU, #33
Game Film Evaluated:
Alabama (2016)
Texas A&M (2016)
Auburn (2016)
Wisconsin (2016)
Summary: Very talented safety. He has elite burst and can crash down into the box with blistering speed. He can deliver a big hit against a crossing receiver or back in the hole. He is capable of making a difficult INT on the ball. He has some range in coverage to get to the perimeter. He misses way too many tackles and has some stiffness in his hips. He will get targeted in man coverage if left on an island at the next level even against tight ends. Jamal Adams has tremendous athleticism but there is a lot of talent that has yet to make it onto the field in games. He is a strong safety that is a coverage liability and misses far too many tackles when in position. If he can improve his technique in tackling and become at least average in coverage he can earn a job at the next level. If he plays like he did in 2015, he is a impact game changing type strong safety. If he plays like he did in 2016, he is in position to make plays but fails to do so and exposed in coverage. Boom or bust type prospect. Second round grade.
Bubba Baker, Washington, #32
Game Film Evaluated:
USC (2016)
Stanford (2016)
Stanford (2016)
Arizona (2016)
Summary: Undersized player but plays physical. Attacks the ball, does not play conservative at all. His lack of height hurts him when taking on blockers, making a play on the ball and squaring up to make tackles, he has to go low or comes up empty. He is comfortable in coverage and should be an adequate match up in man coverage and covers a lot of ground in deep coverage as a safety. Bubba Baker is a good college player who is limited at the next level but he can carve out a nice role as a nickel corner, free safety or nickel safety when teams are in obvious passing situations. He gives tremendous effort on the field and brings an aggressive style of play. The kind of guy who doesn’t look physically like a player but he might surprise some people when he makes a team as a back up player and continues to improve as a professional. I like him best as a nickel corner or free safety, especially a corner that likes to blitz and want their corners to be aggressive tacklers. 3rd round grade.
Marcus Williams, Utah, #20
Game Film Evaluated:
Arizona State (2016)
BYU (2016)
Summary: Smooth smart safety, good form tackler. Has good range and can cover the deep half. Struggles to locate the ball and make a play on it. Most comfortable in zone coverage and making plays in front of him. Breaks down well in space and can make the tackle in space one on one. Struggles to turn and run downfield in man coverage, has tightness in his hips. He is very strong when he tackles, he can strike violently. Takes poor angles to the ball. Marcus Williams is a solid safety prospect, not as talented as some but he does a lot of things well that translate well to the next level. He locates the ball quickly and finds himself in good position consistently and will finish the play. He is not comfortable in man coverage and will struggle to make plays on the ball. He projects to be a quality strong safety matched up next to a good free safety. Good player with flaws but 3rd round grade.
Marcus Maye, Florida, #20
Game Film Evaluated:
Vanderbilt (2016)
ECU (2015)
South Carolina (2015)
Summary: Sits on a lot of underneath routes, over aggressive. Athletic safety who can close with good speed. He can crash down from deep coverage into the box effectively. He is athletic to be able to stick in coverage but technique is poor. He doesn’t display good ball skills on tape. Not a striker but he can bring the player down effectively. Marcus Maye is an athletic safety who has the potential to be a starting safety but he hasn’t shown it on the field consistently. He is over aggressive sitting on underneath routes which makes him vulnerable to counter moves. He doesn’t attack the ball effectively despite the plus athleticism. He plays a passive game but the ability is there to be something more. He has the ability to crash into the box against the run, cover tight ends effectively in man coverage and be adequate in deep coverage. However that player has yet to show up on the field enough. The question is whether or not it will ever show up. 4th round grade with good potential.
Jadar Johnson, Clemson, #18
Game Film Evaluated:
Virginia Tech (2016)
Troy (2016)
Ohio State (2016)
Summary: Comfortable in coverage, he can handle himself in man coverage. Excellent speed and he can keep up with fast receivers. Athletically gifted to be able to run with any receiver downfield, has some flexibility to translate into man coverage. He has good straight line speed but he had difficulty getting to the sideline in deep half coverage. He is adequate tackler and can take proper angles to the ball. Jadar Johnson is a interesting prospect, he projects to a free safety type prospect who is not a ballhawk type but he can cover effectively to prevent the pass from being thrown. He can match up well against most receivers in coverage, undersized quick receivers will give him trouble. He is a 4th round grade and someone who would be a ideal safety to bring onto the field in nickel in obvious passing situations in place of the run stuffing strong safety.
Tedric Thompson, Colorado, #9
Game Film Evaluated:
Michigan (2016)
Utah (2016)
UCLA (2016)
Stanford (2016)
Washington (2016)
Summary: Impressive ball skills, he looks to jump routes and make a play on the ball. Not a conservative type safety at all. Good range and will get his hands on passes. He has very impressive burst who can get to the sideline when in deep half coverage and he anticipates well to get into proper position. He will drop INTs on occassion, his hands are average but he gets more opportunities than most safeties and corners. He had difficulty locating the ball vs Washington. Tedric Thompson is a supremely talented cover safety who is a playmaker when the ball is in the air. He looks to attack the ball and although he will come up empty at times, he will create game changing plays which are highly coveted. He is an adequate tackler and not overly physical in the run game. He is capable of playing man coverage on occasion but he is at his best in center field and in deep half. 2nd round grade.
Desmond King, Iowa, #14
Game Film Evaluated:
Penn State (2016)
Purdue (2016)
Nebraska (2016)
Summary: Short compact frame who lacks long deep speed. He has quick feet and is comfortable on underneath, playing zone and off man coverage. He struggles to turn and run effectively or flipping his hips to run downfield. He is a good returner but not overly dynamic. He is not a playmaker and he will drop the INT more often than he catches one. Desmond King needs to make a position change to make it in the NFL or go to a zone heavy scheme primarily in cover 2. However he is not enough physical enough at the line to redirect receivers nor aggressive enough in run support. I think he needs to change to safety to earn a job in the NFL but even as a safety, I don’t see a playmaker or someone who can effectively transition quickly. I think he is an average safety in the NFL and would be a below average corner. He needs to improve his tackling, become more comfortable attacking the ball in the air and hauling in the INT when in position. 4th round grade.
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