FS Draft prospect rankings

[Dayton Cowboy]

Not sure that I agree with Thomas Davis at free safety.. does anybody know any details on Fuller?


from NFL Draft Showcase

FREE SAFETIES
March 10, 2005
STOCK RISING:
Patrick Body, Brodney Pool, Josh Bullocks,

ONE TO WATCH:
South Carolina's Jermaine Harris has the size (6'4, 210) to play strong safety but the athletic ability to play free. If he can turn in some good times pre-draft, his stock will rise.

SLEEPERS WATCH:
Alabama A&M's Levernonte Turner has been productive at a smaller level. He has a knack for making plays. James Young of Georgia Southern is a big, athletic guy who has been timed sub-4.4 by GSU's coaches.
photo from National Champs


Name Year School HT WT 40 Round
1 Thomas Davis Junior Georgia 6'1 230 4.55 1
2 Vincent Fuller Senior Virginia Tech 6'2 195 4.30 2-3
3 Josh Bullocks Junior Nebraska 6'0 210 4.53 2-3
4 Brodney Pool Junior Oklahoma 6'3 215 4.55 3
5 James Butler Senior Georgia Tech 6'3 210 4.60 3
6 Oshiomogho Atogwe Senior Stanford 5'11 205 4.60 3-4
7 Gerald Sensabaugh Senior North Carolina 6'2 210 4.49 4
8 Kerry Rhodes Senior Louisville 6'3 211 4.46 5
9 Aaron Fransisco Senior BYU 6'2 205 4.75 5
10 Mario Williams Senior Gardner-Webb 6'2 205 4.48 5-6
11 Sean Considine Senior Iowa 6'0 205 4.55 5-6
12 Jim Leonhard Senior Wisconsin 5'8 183 4.50 5-6
13 Ben Emanuel Senior UCLA 6'3 220 4.56 6
14 Jason Harmon Senior Michigan State 5'11 202 4.53 6
15 Eric Oliver Senior Mississippi 6'2 215 4.54 6-7
16 Marviel Underwood Senior San Diego State 5'11 211 4.45 7
17 James Young Senior Georgia Southern 6'1 204 4.45 7-FA
18 Jermaine Harris Senior South Carolina 6'4 210 4.60 7-FA
19 Mitch Meeuwsen Senior Oregon State 6'3 210 4.57 7-FA
20 Patrick Body Senior Toledo 6'2 201 4.35 7-FA
21 Nick Collins Senior Bethune-Cookman 5'11 193 4.46 7-FA
22 Derrick Ansley Senior Troy 6'1 171 4.50 FA
23 Keon Newson Senior Bowling Green 6'0 184 4.53 FA
24 Lionel Hickenbottom Senior Northern Illinois 5'10 195 4.50 FA
25 Peter Sands Senior Central Florida 6'2 230 4.65 FA
26 Levernonte Turner Senior Alabama A&M 6'2 188 4.55 FA
27 Phillip Geiggar Senior Texas 5'11 205 4.45 FA
28 Josh Smith Senior Navy 6'2 205 4.56 FA
29 Alexis Moreland Senior Southern Illinois 6'1 205 4.51 FA
30 BJ Ward Senior Florida State 6'3 210 4.55 FA
31 Morgan Scalley Senior Utah 5'10 194 4.48 FA
32 TJ Stancil Senior Boston College 6'1 212 4.51 FA
33 Chris Harris Senior Louisiana-Monroe 6'1 204 4.45 FA
34 Travis Pugh Senior Clemson 6'1 195 4.50 FA
35 Michael Hawkins Senior Oklahoma/AFL 6'2 185 4.45 FA
36 Jon Holland Senior Oklahoma State 5'11 185 4.55 FA
37 Cam Newton Senior Furman 6'2 195 4.55 FA
38 Alex Green Senior Duke 6'2 195 4.53 FA
39 Lucas Kurtz Senior Albany 6'3 210 4.65 FA
40 Clayton Smith Senior Dartmouth 6'2 205 4.60 FA

rankings by Allen Trieu

[Dayton Cowboy]

Player Profile

http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/Profiles/fuller.jpg Vincent Fuller


School: Virginia Tech
Position: Free Safety
Class: Senior
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 185lbs
Birthday: 8/3/82
40 Time: 4.35 (estimated)



Positives


- A corner by trade, the 184-pound senior will move over to free safety to use his experience and toughness. He was a solid backup last year making 56 tackles and breaking up seven passes. He's one of the best athletes in the secondary. Fuller has been timed at under 4.35 in the 40 while at Va Tech.

Weaknesses


- Must step up and become a solid performer in the secondary. This will be his first season at safety, so it’s a make or break year. Fuller could also benefit from a weight gain. At 184 pounds, he is a light safety.

Overall Analysis


- A former cornerback, Vincent Fuller appears to be one of the better coverage safeties available in the 2005 NFL Draft. Fuller practiced at free safety and cornerback during his redshirt season in 2000 and saw some action as a reserve in 2001. Fuller was a cornerback during his sophomore and junior seasons, starting in 7 contests and recording 5 interceptions over the course of those 2 seasons. He moved to free safety as a senior and recorded 46 tackles, 3 interceptions and 4 pass breakups during the regular season. Fuller has a good size/speed combination and does a nice job in both man and zone coverages. However, he’s still far from a finished project and may be a bit more of an athlete rather than a football player at this point in time. I would currently rate Fuller as a day one prospect based on his upside potential, but he’ll need to have solid post-season workouts to maintain that type of grade.

Reminds You Of:


- Eugene Wilson

[playit12]

I don't like some of those rankings. For instance I thought James Butler was way too rough to be considered the 5th best prospect. I also thought there were a number of prospects (Fox for instance) that are really only being looked at for FS not CB and are improperly placed. Personally I think the first or second best FS prospect is Marlin Jackson. I know he could go as a CB, but his skills are much better utilized at the FS, where he could be a true Ed Reed type game changer.

I'll take either Marlin at the end of the first (trade down not at #20) or I'll take Bullocks in the second or early third. If we want to wait till the second day we can grab Considine, Fox, or Butler. The first two might be ready to start while Butler has more upside when he learns the position.

I'm not against Pool, I just haven't seen much tape of him. Same with Fuller.

[jbsg02]

A day 2 pick that interests me is Junior Rosegreen.

[Dayton Cowboy]

I don't like some of those rankings. For instance I thought James Butler was way too rough to be considered the 5th best prospect. I also thought there were a number of prospects (Fox for instance) that are really only being looked at for FS not CB and are improperly placed. Personally I think the first or second best FS prospect is Marlin Jackson. I know he could go as a CB, but his skills are much better utilized at the FS, where he could be a true Ed Reed type game changer.

I'll take either Marlin at the end of the first (trade down not at #20) or I'll take Bullocks in the second or early third. If we want to wait till the second day we can grab Considine, Fox, or Butler. The first two might be ready to start while Butler has more upside when he learns the position.

I'm not against Pool, I just haven't seen much tape of him. Same with Fuller.

I'm with you on Jackson.. I'd like to pick up Jackson.. but I dont think that he really wants to play safety.. I wouldn't want to either if I can get paid cornerback $$$. And I really think he's one of the top 5 corners out there too.
I dont know anything about Considine or Butler, though I had heard some good things about the later. I did see Dustin Fox a lot at Ohio State. I think he does make a better free safety than a corner. I think he'd cover pretty well as a Free Safety.. At corner his coverage was more along the lines of the moans and groans everyone was giving T-new grief about..

[InmanRoshi]

Word is Marlin Jackson really had an impressive workout that answered a lot of concerns about athletic ability, and might be considered a top 20 pick again as a cornerback.

I like Gerald Sensabaugh as a 4th.

I'm not really frantic about the FS position, as long as we add playmakers elsewhere at more critical positions. If we got Darren Howard and DJ/Merriman at #11 to fill linebacker/nickel blitzer, I'm more than happy with Pete Hunter or Davis filling in next year at FS. They won't need to be spectacular, just not a liability.

[Hoov]

Word is Marlin Jackson really had an impressive workout that answered a lot of concerns about athletic ability, and might be considered a top 20 pick again as a cornerback.

I like Gerald Sensabaugh as a 4th.

I'm not really frantic about the FS position, as long as we add playmakers elsewhere at more critical positions. If we got Darren Howard and DJ/Merriman at #11 to fill linebacker/nickel blitzer, I'm more than happy with Pete Hunter or Davis filling in next year at FS. They won't need to be spectacular, just not a liability.

Agree !! don't want to see the cowboys take a FS until day 2. Don't want to see them overpay for whats left in FA for safety. Lets get a good pass rush, that will take pressure off entire secondary. At least Hunter and Davis know system, they should be competent for now.

[silverbear]

The only first day free safeties that I'd be interested in are Vincent Fuller and Josh Bullocks... I'm looking for a DB with some speed and range... that's why I've just recently dropped James Butler off my wish list-- a 4.6 40 just won't cut it for a FS, they have to have SOME straight line speed...

But late in the draft, from the 6th round on, there are a slew of prospects that I find intriguing:

James Young, Georgia Southern
Jermaine Harris, South Carolina... a 6-4 DB intrigues me...
Patrick Body, Toledo... legit sub-4.4 second 40 speed...
Peter Sands, Central Florida... a 230 pound FS (might ultimately switch to OLB)...

Even if the Boys were successful in nabbing Fuller or Bullocks, I could make an argument for drafting one of those 4 late in the draft, too...

[jbsg02]

I wouldn't mind Pool or Bullocks in round 2

[lkelly]

Player Profile

http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/Profiles/fuller.jpg Vincent Fuller

40 Time: 4.35 (estimated)


40 Time: 4.35 (running on the 39 yard VT track)
40 Time: 4.5 (running everywhere else in the world)

[dwmyers]

I dont know anything about Considine or Butler, though I had heard some good things about the later.

I like Butler, but he's slipping in the draft. Considine, for what it's worth, was in the Senior Bowl and making a ton of tackles. His Wonderlic is high, he seems to have some in-game skills, I have no clue how good his coverage is. Considine might be a decent mid round pick.

Some excellent Cowboys teams had a FA handling free safety, I don't think it's a position that needs a really high draft choice thrown at it.

[mlubbering]

what do you guys think of ronald bartell of howard? I think most project him as a corner, but at 6-2 200 he may have the size to slide over to safety. He looked fairly impressive at the combine and senior bowl.

[dwmyers]

what do you guys think of ronald bartell of howard? I think most project him as a corner, but at 6-2 200 he may have the size to slide over to safety. He looked fairly impressive at the combine and senior bowl.

The story I hear is that Bartell was such a bad CB in Senior Bowl practices they moved him to safety in the Senior Bowl. He's very fast, but probably a project, though he might make a very good safety someday.

David.

[Gaede]

OJ Atogwe-capable of both spots...A little short, but hits a ton and can cover

NFL.com (http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2005/atogwe_oshiomogho)

http://images.nfl.com/images/draft/2005/mugs/atogwe_oshiomogho.jpg

Positives: Has broad shoulders, long arms, narrow hips, good bubble and knotted calves … Fluid and sudden athlete who excels as a centerfielder in coverage … Smooth in his backpedal, staying low in his pads to turn easily coming out of his backpedal … Has the acceleration to cover ground quickly and has the balance and speed to stay on a slot receiver in upfield action … Very disciplined in zone coverage, doing a good job of reading the receiver's double moves and keeping the action in front of him … Tracks the ball well and shows explosion and proper wrap-up technique to make forceful tackles in the open … Gets his head on the right side to maintain eye contact on the ball in deep routes … Has the hand strength to get a good push off blocks and the agility to sift through trash, find the clear lane and string plays out … Has adequate lateral agility and takes good angles to compensate for a lack of top-end speed in pursuit … Shows small, but natural and soft hands to compete for the ball in the air … Attacks the ball aggressively and will generally be successful in trying to separate ball carriers from the ball (seven fumble recoveries, 11 forced fumbles in three years).

Negatives: Lacks ideal size, but can compensate with power … Good playmaker, but sometimes plays too conservative, as if he is afraid that he will pay for it if he gambles … A step slow at times to read and react to the run, as he does not show suddenness in attacking the line … Needs to do a better job of opening his hips, as his stiffness in that area slows his change of direction … Fails to plant and drive when trying to change direction in the open, gathering himself before making his break … Inconsistent playing off blocks … Does not have that second gear needed to recover when beaten in man coverage.

[VThokie7]

Fuller had a good season at Free Safety for Va Tech this past season. Another plus on him that the scouting report didn't mention is he is good on special teams as well.

[fishspill]

Keep him on your list, Silverbear. He's run 4.49-4.55. The combine scout page has him at 4.51.

Link (http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/combine.php?&sortorder=LastN&order=ASC)

In my bordom I have compiled the stats for these top guys over the past 2 years (stats from team websites, ? = info incomplete):

Thomas Davis
25 games 219 tackles (146 solo) 7.5 sacks 13 TFL 5 FF 1 RF 2 Int 6 PBU 16 QBH

Vincent Fuller (Va Tech's stat stuff is odd, did what I could)
26 games 107 tackles (57 solo) 1 TFL 1 FF 4 Int 4 PBU (?)

Josh Bullocks
24 games 112 tackles (66 solo) 2 TFL 12 Int 14 PBU 4 QBH 1 BK

Brodney Pool
27 games 160 tackles (106 solo) 2 Sacks 14 TFL 1 FF 1 FR 9 Int 15 PBU 1 QBH 2 BK

James Butler
25 games 210 tackles (112 solo) 8.5 TFL 4 FF 7 Int 10 PBU 2 BK

Oshiomogho Atogwe
22 games 167 tackles (100 solo) 9 TFL 9 FF 6 FR 6 Int 15 PBU

TFL = Tackles for loss
FF = Forced fumbles
FR = Fumbles recovered
PBU = Passes broken up
QBH = Quarterback hurries
BK = Blocked kicks

If you find info to the contrary, well just screw me then.

[InmanRoshi]

I like Gerald Sensabaugh as a 4th.


And right on cue, NFL.com reports that the Cowboys brought their secondary assitant Mike MacIntyre to attend the UNC workout.

Check out that 46 inch vertical.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/members/ratings/profile.php?pyid=3477

[BigWillie]

I'm going to dispute that 46 inch vertical as a misprint. They're very few people in the world who have that high a vertical leap. It's in the David Thompson category.

[InmanRoshi]

I'm going to dispute that 46 inch vertical as a misprint. They're very few people in the world who have that high a vertical leap. It's in the David Thompson category.

I thought the same thing when I first saw it, but I've seen it on two seperate sources

From Scouts, Inc

Gerald Sensabaugh had one of the best showings from the safety class. Sensabaugh is a late bloomer who finished his career at North Carolina after spending time early on at Eastern Tennessee State. He showed up in terrific shape at 6-0½, 214 pounds and ran an excellent 40 time (4.49) for his size. Sensabaugh, who once blocked three kicks in one game at ETSU, also had one of the best vertical jumps of the week, reaching 46 inches.

He set the UNC record by jumping a 41.5 in offseason testing last spring when he transfered from Eastern Tennessee State, and now he's had 12 months in a Div.I caliber weight and agility training.

[BigWillie]

I remember the guy pretty well since ETSU is just down in Johnson City. He transferred to UNC for the simple reason ETSU couldn't financially support the football program anymore and had to fold. But I would figure with the revenue the basketball program is bringing in being in two of the last three NCAA tournaments, and having one of the best players in the lower levels of NCAA it wouldn't be that much of a strain.

But that's a story for a different day.

In any case, Sensabaugh was never brought up as one of those freak athletes, even in his time spent at ETSU.

Although Sensabaugh, IIRC, was an All-ACC performer this past year, and if he were putting up freakish (and those are EXTREMELY freakish) he would skyrocket up the charts into the 1st-2nd round range without question. But seeing as how you haven't heard his name in the same breath as the freak athletes like Fabian Washington, Shawne Merriman, Alex Barron, etc., who have put up some unbelievable times/numbers in workouts, you would figure you could hear his name as well.

[InmanRoshi]

Thanks for the info. I don't remember watching him play, but I think he's an intriguing guy. I think its impressive that he was a Div II All American and then stepped into UNC for one year and became their best defender. It leads me to believe that he's got pretty good instincts, and isn't just a great athlete. and I've also read that he's a bit of a gamer who had his best game of the season against Miami.


According to NFL.com, here are his numbers from the UNC Pro Day.

Sensabaugh (6-0½, 211) stood on his numbers from the combine. He did do a 3.96 short shuttle, a 10.54 long shuttle, a 6.81 three-cone drill and no reps.

That short shuttle time would be excellent for a cornerback. The best 3 cone drill run by a safety at the combine was 6.93, so he pretty much obliterated that (Bullocks ran a 7.08).

[BigWillie]

Oh, but don't get me wrong, UNC fans rave about him and how he improved their lackluster secondary this past year. I only caught him in one game this past year (the UVA game) and he didn't really do anything that stood out to me. But just going off comments UNC fans have, they love the guy.

To make the jump from DII (and a horrible DII program at that) to an ACC program and become a leader of their defense should speak volumes about the type of player he is, regardless of any 40 time, vertical leap, 20 yard shuttle or whatever. It's just when you have someone in the 46 inch vertical range and you don't hear about it anywhere, it has to make you scratch your head because that's world class athlete type numbers.

If those numbers are actually fact (which I still cannot believe) I would definetely give the guy a look in the 4th-5th round range if he were there. The guy would come with plenty of upside considering he played at an awful program for most of his college years and still became an impact player at a big D1 school.

[warrior3]

I asked this in soemthing else because i didnt know where to put it but someone with access to scouting reports please put one on here of Jim Leonhard FS from Wisconsin

[silverbear]

I asked this in soemthing else because i didnt know where to put it but someone with access to scouting reports please put one on here of Jim Leonhard FS from Wisconsin

He's awfully short, like 5-8...

[warrior3]

i know but i live in wisconsin so this might be biased but i thought he was a pretty good ballhawk

[warrior3]

and hes amazing at returning punts

[Silverstar]

I know Hunter got injured, but all the more reason he'll make the switch from CB to FS.

Can any of these guys beat out Pete Hunter in training camp?


Think about it...

[royhitshard]

Most likely not, but they would be great to have.

[playit12]

I know Hunter got injured, but all the more reason he'll make the switch from CB to FS.

Can any of these guys beat out Pete Hunter in training camp?


Think about it...

Hunter doesn't exactly have great fundamentals. He gets turned around and doesn't swivel his hips as fast as he needs too. Also in coverage he doesn't always have a great feel for ball location. I think Bullocks, Jackson, or Pool could certainly challenge for the starting spot. Butler and a few other would probably have to sit a year and learn. Guys like Fox could immediately jump to the number 2 spot, and could start in a pinch, but probably don't have the physical tools to beat Hunter out.

[InmanRoshi]

Hunters ability, or lack thereof, to play FS will be dependant on his tackling ability.

Tackling has suddenly become an unnecessary trait in a free safety on this board, which has basically taken the free safety position and transformed it into a 3rd cornerback, but that particular position is the last line of defense. Once the ball carrier gets past the free safety, its paydirt. I bet the first time Clinton Portis takes a 15 yard run and turns into a 80 uncontested scamper into the endzone because of a poor tackle, suddenly the free safety will be someone who does a little bit more than sits back and waits for the pick.