2011 NFL Draft Preview: Safeties

Safeties are my favorite position in football.  You have to have the athleticism to play man or zone coverage, you have to have the physicality to shed blocks and bring down ball carriers that have made it past your linebackers, and you have the intelligence and awareness to recognize what the offense is doing before the play even starts.  (I also played safety so I'm slightly partial to these guys as well.)  There are two main different types of safeties, strong safeties and free safeties.  Strong safeties play closer to the line of scrimmage and are generally better tacklers often being asked to come and help in run support or cover the tight end one on one.  Free safeties tend to be more zone coverage oriented playing toward the very back of the defense and helping their cornerbacks with coverage over the top but serve as the last line of defense against any ball carriers that break past the rest of the defense.  In today's NFL, you have a variety of these two types of safeties playing at a high level.  Some safeties are big bruising strong safety types like Troy Polamalu and LaRon Landry while others are more rangy, fluid free safety types like Ed Reed and Eric Berry.  (I played free safety because I'm a little more rangy and better at recognizing offensive schemes than I am at coming up and piledriving a ball carrier into the ground.)  This year's class has a few good safety prospects but none have yet stood out as transcendent talents.

(The safeties are positioned where the FS and the SS are at the back of the defense.  FS designates free safety and SS designates strong safety.)

1. Rahim Moore (UCLA)
Out of a very weak safety class, Rahim Moore has distinguished himself to be considered the best.  He has favorable size at 6'0" and 202 lbs which will aid him in shadowing larger NFL receivers and attacking more physical NFL running backs.  Moore's talents revolve around his ability to patrol the middle of the field like a centerfielder.  He has excellent range and quickly diagnoses plays allowing him to jump routes and disrupt the timing of the offense.  Great hand-eye coordination make Moore at threat to come up with interceptions on a regular basis causing opposing quarterbacks to shy away from deep throws.  The conglomerate of these skills make Moore a true playmaker in terms of the deep passing game.  He has weak man coverage skills often being beat by shifty slot receivers and he tends to play aggressively leading him to being caught out of position on play action.  He does not have the physicality or bulk to engage ball carriers consistently which might be slightly concerning.  In short, Moore projects as a free safety type with his excellent zone awareness and ball skills.

2. Quinton Carter (Oklahoma)
Out of all the safeties in this upcoming draft, Quinton Carter has the best physical stature.  At 6'1" and 208 lbs, he is big enough to shadow taller receivers but still possesses the bulk to engage aggressive running backs.  Though he is not exceptionally fast, Carter moves fluidly allowing him to stick on shifty slot receivers in man coverage.  He is fantastic at patrolling the deep middle in zone coverage using his play recognition skills to move into position against a play and anticipating routes to disrupt the flow of the play.  While he is not a brutal tackler, Carter takes good angles and can effectively wrap up the ball carrier.  His biggest drawback as a safety is his average vertical which can prevent him from breaking up jump balls against leaping receivers in the mold of Calving Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald.  Carter also struggles at shedding blocks when trying to reach the ball carrier and can often be removed by the picture.  However, his general awareness in terms of play recognition will make Carter a good free safety at the next level.

3. Ahmad Black (Florida)
If you're coming out of high school and want to one day become a great defensive back, be a Gator.  Superstars such as Reggie Nelson, Joe Haden, and Major Wright all refer to the University of Florida as their alma mater.  Though he is not as talented as these former Gators, Ahmad Black still has plenty to offer as an NFL prospect.  At first glance, there is nothing imposing about Black.  He is only 5'10" and 184 lbs, very small for an NFL safety.  He is not lightning fast on the field either and doesn't seem to have much of chance in winning jump balls.  However, Black makes up for his physical shortcomings with intelligence and ball skills.   He notices tendencies of the opposing offense and moves himself into position before the ball is snapped.  Additionally, Black's instincts help him determine where a play is headed.  He breaks on the ball very quickly allowing him to disrupt the passing game and make interceptions.  Despite his small stature, Black excels against the run and refuses to yield yards to the ball carrier.  So while Black lacks prototypical safety size, he has the smarts and the skills to make a difference as a passionate strong safety.

2011 NFL Draft Preview: Cornerbacks

They can be either the most electric players or the most boring players on a defense and still be considered elite. Some cornerbacks make interception after interception throughout a season while other cornerbacks simply stick to their man like glue forcing the quarterback to find other options downfield.  Like all defensive backs, cornerbacks must have great speed and agility to stay with their man as well as possess the athleticism to break up a pass and the ball skills to close in on an errant throw.  Cornerbacks play both man and zone in various schemes and are primarily involved in coverage.  However, cornerbacks must have the tackling technique and the physicality to stop any outside runs or bring down a receiver who gets the ball.

1. Patrick Peterson (LSU)
This guy is a physical freak.  Patrick Peterson is 6'0" and 219 lbs but still clocks in at 4.34 in his 40 yard dash.  His tremendous speed and agility have allowed him to excel as both a cornerback and a punt returner on the college level and will translate to covering both speedy receivers like DeSean Jackson and physical receivers like Calvin Johnson.  Peterson has the awareness and explosion to stay with his receiver in man coverage and also possesses the instincts and intuition to be effective in a zone heavy scheme.  He is an especially physical cornerback using his hands violently to disrupt timing routes in press coverage though he does struggle to shed blocks in terms of run support.  Peterson's most remarkable attributes are his body control and his ball skills.  These are displayed on regular basis during his punt returns but also when he makes fantastic interceptions.  This talent forces quarterbacks to be wary when throwing in his direction.  But Peterson's athleticism has made him cocky to a certain degree.  He tends to play routes very aggressively and can get fooled by play action or burned by double moves.  Despite this lack of concentration, Peterson's physical tools make him one of the best cornerback prospects of all time. 

2. Prince Amukamara (Nebraska)
Though he cannot make the spectacular plays that have put Patrick Peterson on highlight reels in draft rooms across the nation, Prince Amukamara is still considered an elite cornerback.  He has great size at 6'0" and 206 lbs which will allow him to more effectively cover larger NFL receivers like Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald.  He has a modest 40 time of 4.43, and though he does have better agility than straight line speed, he still does not possess the elite fluidity of other cornerbacks like Charles Woodson or Darnelle Revis.  Amukamara is a larger cornerback that uses his strength to outmuscle receivers while possessing sound tackling technique to come up in run support.  However, what separates Amukamara from other cornerbacks is his intelligence on the field.  He reads the offense well and is rarely caught out of position when the ball is snapped.  Additionally, he is able to diagnose plays quickly without being too aggressive and leaving his man wide open.  This makes Amukamara an especially attractive option for any team come draft day.

3. Aaron Williams (Texas)
 After Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara, there is a sizable drop in cornerback talent but this does not mean that the rest are bad prospects.  Actually some of the other cornerbacks like Aaron Williams are very good prospects but don't possess the elite athleticism or football IQ that the top two cornerbacks do.  Williams is 6'0" and 204 lbs making him another large cornerback in this year's draft.  Because his straight line speed is rather lacking, he has to play with sound positioning and works to quickly recognize routes.  Williams has quick feet to help him mirror agile receivers and possesses the ball skills to get in between larger receivers and the ball to make interceptions.  While he tackles consistently, Williams does not have the physicality to shed blocks in run support and can be over aggressive in pursuit.  He also plays coverage very aggressively, leaving him susceptible to play action.  But overall, Williams possesses the size and skills to be a solid cornerback at the next level.

2011 NFL Draft Preview: Middle Linebackers

Back in the days of bruising fullbacks and the "three yards and a cloud of dust" philosophy, the middle linebacker was the most important player on the defense.  It was his job to not only tackle the ball carrier, but to impose his will on anyone who dared to come in his vicinity.  Greats such Dick Butkus and Mike Singletary made names for themselves for their aggressive, hard-hitting style of play.  While the middle linebacker is no longer the undisputed king of the defense, he is still one of the most integral positions on the team.

(In a 4-3 defense, there is only one middle linebacker who are positioned between the two outside linebackers and behind the two defensive tackles.)

(In a 3-4 defense, there are two middle linebackers who are positioned between the two outside linebackers and on either side of the nose tackle.)

1. Martez Wilson (Illinois)

Martez Wilson is certainly the most physically gifted of all the linebacker prospects entering this year's draft.  He is 6'4" and 250 lbs, meaning he has great height on a solid frame.  Wilson also moves very quickly as evidenced by his 4.49 time in the 40.  He started his career as a defensive end so he could be a problem on a middle linebacker blitz.  But his greatest attribute is his sideline-to-sideline range which helps him follow plays and track down the ball carrier quickly.  His inadequacies in both zone and man coverage must be corrected to become a more dominant linebacker but Wilson does have the physical tools to accomplish this.

2. Greg Jones (Michigan State)

Without a doubt, Greg Jones possesses the best awareness out of this group of linebackers.  Despite only being 6'0" and 241 lbs, he compensates for his lack of measurables through his range across the field and his relentlessness in pursuing the ball carrier.  Jones has fantastic tackling technique and is not afraid to lay the lumber on his oppenents.  While he is fantastic in zone coverage, Jones does not possess the speed to stay with quicker receivers in man coverage.  Additionally, he is often overwhelmed by blockers when the play goes directly up the middle.  Still Jones's fantastic intangibles outweigh these shortcomings.

3. Quan Sturdivant (North Carolina)

Fantastic cover skills and a knack for quickly reading plays makes Quan Sturdivant stand out as a linebacker in this year's draft.  He has a great 40 time at 4.50 and demonstrates that speed on the field by quickly attacking ball carriers and covering faster receivers and backs in the passing game.  Sturdivant also uses great tackling technique to stop the ball carrier in his tracks.  However, his 6'1", 241 lbs frame does not match well when blockers are coming straight at him and he is quickly brushed aside.  Additionally, Sturdivant plays so aggressively that he is susceptible to play fakes and misdirection, often leaving him in the wrong position.  Yet, Sturdivant exciting and dynamic style of play will definitely warrant him being drafted in the early rounds.

2011 NFL Draft Preview: 4-3 Outside Linebackers

4-3 Outside Linebackers are probably the most athletic type of linebacker on the field at any time.  They are required to drop into deeper zones than their 3-4 counterparts, cover faster slot receivers man-to-man, control the edge of the defense to prevent running backs from turning the corner, and occasionally blitzing through any of the gaps to create additional pressure on the quarterback.  Outside linebackers must be strong enough to tackle bruising running backs but fleet-footed enough to cover scat backs coming out of the backfield.  Let's now delve into the position that made many football players stars here at Linebacker U.

 The Outside Linebackers are the players designated by S (strong side) and W (weak side).  They are positioned on either side of the M (middle) linebacker.

1. Akeem Ayers (UCLA)

Ayers has all the physical talent in the world.  His 6'3" and 254lbs frame, moves quite smoothly for a person of his size.  He has a muscular build and uses his unparalleled athleticism to roam sideline to sideline making plays.  Ayers has the range to make great plays on the ball resulting in incompletions and interceptions and he isn't afraid to lay the lumber on someone.  However, he has inconsistent tackling technique and sometimes doesn't seem very motivated on the field.  But his physical talents will immediately attract scouts hoping to draft an athletic linebacker.

2. Bruce Carter (UNC)
UNC really got hammered last year with NCAA infractions but here is one player who emerged unscathed.  Carter is a fast, aggressive prospect who quickly moves despite being 6'2" and 241lbs.  He has great discipline and quickly locates the ball carrier often making plays in the backfield.  Carter is versatile too and effortlessly drops into coverage and possesses the agility to cover smaller, quicker receivers and backs.  His biggest drawback is his lack of pass rushing moves but Carter will easily be chosen early on because of his great record.

3. Mason Foster (Washington)
You have to admire how Foster managed to still make great plays despite playing on an abyssal Washington defense.  He has great size at 6'1" and 245 lbs and moves very fast toward ball carriers.  His instincts aren't comparable to any other linebackers in this class as he quickly identifies his target but still possesses the discipline to not be caught out of position.  Foster has great tackling technique and effectively brings down ball carriers yet he can be asked to cover man-to-man even smaller receivers.  While he has difficulty shedding blocks and is not a pass rusher, Foster's skill has a hard hitting, rangy linebacker will attract many 4-3 defenses.

2011 NFL Draft Preview: 3-4 Outside Linebackers

The 3-4 defense revolves around the talent of its outside linebackers.  They must have the speed and strength to effectively rush the quarterback while maintaining the awareness and athleticism to drop into coverage.  An outside linebacker must possess these qualities to help his team set up exotic blitz packages that the 3-4 is built around.

3-4 Outside Linebackers:

1. Von Miller
And this one isn't even close.  Miller is so much better than any of the other 3-4 outside linebacker prospects.  The 2011 Butkus winner has the size at 6'3" and 246 lbs and he can flat out run.  He is a sackmaster demonstrated by his relentless pursuit of the quarterback through his arsenal of rushing moves, violent uses of hands to disengage offensive lineman, and his explosive burst to quickly turn the corner.  Miller is also physical in the running game using sound tackling and patient reads to diagnose where the ball carrier will go.  His skills in man coverage slightly lacking but Miller has athleticism to quickly make up for these deficiencies.

2. Justin Houston
This guy reminds me of a freight train coming at you.  He is huge for a linebacker at 6'3" and 270lbs and plays like it too.  Houston played both rush linebacker and defensive end during his tenure at Georgia so he can effectively disrupt the passing game from both positions.  His explosiveness in combination with the power of his bull rush is a nightmare for any offensive tackle but he possesses the athleticism for more finessed moves.  Houston also uses sound tackling technique to overwhelm the ball carrier but he does tend to over pursue.  In addition, he lacks experience in dropping back into a consistent basis but Houston will undoubtedly be one of the top prospects come draft day.

3. Sam Acho
You have to love this guy.  He played for an underachieving Texas squad last season yet still managed to make the highlight reels on a consistent basis.  He is stout at 6'2" and 262lbs and uses his bulk to smother the run.  Acho uses the strength of his upper body to bull rush offensive lineman and uses leverage to his advantage.  He has great tackling technique for a prospect who mostly played defensive end during his time at Texas and shows the drive to succeed that you want from a developing player.  Acho's inexperience in dropping into coverage could hurt his draft stock and he lacks the explosive punch that makes scouts drool.  Nevertheless, his work ethic and honorable character will guarantee that Acho will have someone calling his name come April. 

2011 NFL Draft Preview: 3-4 Nose Tackles

They're big. They're strong.  And they're often ugly.  They have one job.  Take up as much space as possible.  When watching the highlight reels, rarely to the make the top plays but they are some of the most important players of any defense.  The nose tackle is the least glamorous job in all of football.  On every snap, you are tasked with occupying multiple blockers and rarely to you get an opportunity to make a play on the ball carrier.  Let's take a look at this draft's top big uglies.

3-4 Nose Tackles

1. Phil Taylor
At 6'3" and 334 lbs, Taylor is an imposing physical specimen.  His size alone allows him to anchor the defensive line and take on double teams freeing up his teammates to chase the quarterback or close on the ball carrier.  In addition, his strength and explosion make him a force to be reckoned with against the run as he consistently out muscles opposing linemen to disrupt running lanes.  While Taylor's stamina is a concerning because of his tendency to become worn out as games drag on, he will be an effective anchor for any team who drafts him.

 (He doesn't make many plays but man does he take up space.)

2. Jerrell Powe
Keeping with the current theme of size matters is our next prospect, Mr. Powe.  A true heavyweight at 6'2" and 335 lbs, he manages to dominate the line of scrimmage with his power.  Powe clogs running lanes by forcing opposing lineman to double team him every play so Powe's teammates can come up and make plays on the ball carrier.  In addition to his running stopping abilities, Powe uses the bull rush to force his way toward the quarterback and shows surprisingly good tackling technique.  Like most nose tackles, endurance is a big question mark but most NFL teams will like what they see from Powe on the field.

(Looks he has talents beyond playing football.)

(Isn't this attractive or what?)

3. Kenrick Ellis
A giant among men.  Standing 6'5" and weighing an incredible 346 lbs, Ellis is a true behemoth.  He is first and foremost a run stopper, as he dominates the middle of the line by eating up space and using brute force to man handle offensive lines.  Ellis knows a few pass rushing moves that he uses to collapse the pocket and create havoc in the backfield.  Where he fails to score excellent marks are maneuverability and play recognition as he has trouble changing direction and can be fooled by crisp play fakes.  Aside from these faults, Ellis is an interesting prospect that has the size to dominate at the NFL level.

(Couldn't find a vid but this is a good pic showing his size.)

2011 NFL Draft Preview : 3-4 Defensive Ends

Anymore the NFL is split between teams that run 4-3 defenses and teams that run 3-4 defenses.  Each defense has its own strengths and weaknesses and requires unique personnel.  A standout defensive end in 4-3 will not necessarily be a star 3-4 defensive end.  The 3-4 requires defensive ends to be slightly larger and better against the run than their 4-3 counterparts.

3-4 Defensive Ends

1. Marcell Dareus
3-4 defenses are hard to find in the collegiate ranks.  3-4 defenses that are run successfully are even more difficult to find.  But Nick Saban has managed to work wonders with his 3-4 defense during his short tenure at Alabama.  And Dareus has been integral to that success for the past two seasons.  His 6'3", 303 lbs frame creates incredible power which he uses to collapse the edge of the offensive line.  Dareus's strengths pertain to run stopping but he also manages to rush the passer with success.  Using quick moves and burst, Dareus closes on opposing quarterbacks in a relentless style.  While his stamina could be improved, Dareus will definitely find himself in top 10 contention for the upcoming draft.

(First he crushes Colt McCoy, and now he smashes Kirk Cousins.  Who's next?  Peyton Manning?)

2. Cameron Heyward
As the son of NFL great, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, great things are expected from this former Ohio State defensive lineman.  The younger Heyward has been incredibly versatile throughout his collegiate career playing every position on the defensive line rotating between end and tackle on a regular basis.  Blessed with fantastic measurables at 6'5" and 288 lbs, Heyward explodes off the ball and violently engages opposing lineman quickly forcing them on their heels.  Aggressive hand moves and solid leverage help him shed blocks to crush opposing rushing attacks and relentlessly pursue quarterbacks.  Heyward has faced issues with inconsistency throughout his career but his incredible upside makes him a bona fide first round prospect.

(Heyward is not just a run stopper or a pass rusher.  He can play zone coverage too... or at least as well as B.J. Raji.)

3. J.J. Watt
In Wisconsin, Watt is synonymous with monster.  Playing defensive tackle his sophomore year and defensive end his junior year, Watt has proven his versatility across the defensive front.  Standing 6'6" and weighing 279 lbs, Watt is lethal combination of size and speed.  He is strong against the run and the pass using his quick burst to blow past offensive lineman and powerful hands to get unblocked.  Even when Watt doesn't reach his target, he can still disrupt plays by knocking down passes or funneling runs toward his teammates.  Watt does have issues when pursuing ball carriers in space due to lack of lateral movement but his non-stop motor guarantees his selection in the first round.

(J.J. Watt's constant pressure in the Ohio State backfield was integral to the Wisconsin's upset of the AP #1 team.)