prospects who compare to Troy Polamalu

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by Woods

Do you know who the higher rated player on our draft board was when we choose Carp? Cromartie?

No, I don't.

Just know it has been stated by Brian Broadus there were higher guys but Carp was a BP pick. Same with Jacob Rogers. He may have mentioned on ESPN103.3 which players they were at some point but he certainly never disclosed the board overall.

[Bob Sacamano]

Originally Posted by jterrell

I have to wonder what is the point of this thread TBH?

I mean Polamalu was a first round pick and will be drafted higher than any 2009 safety. He was a proven guy coming from USC and who had proven he could tackle at a level above ANY safety in this class.

Is it possible one of these guys is as good one day? Extremely unlikely but yes possible.

If one is it will almost certainly be a surprise not some expectation or the guy would go top 10. NFL Defensive player of the year types don't last long.

The guy closest to Polamalu is definitely Delmas. It is because he is the most complete safety according to basically everyone. Polamalu is a complete safety.

[View Full Quote]I honestly could care less if a guy is a hard hitter. That means next to nothing to me. He needs to make plays, be able to cover people and generally put pressure on offenses. If we wanted guys who just hit hard we could have kept RW38 and re-signed Keith Davis. On the 10% of the tackles they make they actually(as opposed to badly missing, get ran by, juked or being out of position) wallop people.

We need someone who can play center field, cover man, read run plays and come up with great form for tackles. We do not need a guy to blow people up and perform little dances.

the point of the thread is who combines Troy's build and style of play

Polamalu is a fast, physical safety who roams around and makes great plays and tackles

the only guy in this class who is a true-form tackler is Chung, I don't know what safety you believe can play man, that isn't your boy Delmas

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by JerryAdvocate

the point of the thread is combining style of play

Polamalu is a fast, physical safety who roams around and makes great plays and tackles

the only guy in this class who is a true-form tackler is Chung, I don't know what safety you believe can play man, that isn't your boy Delmas

Delmas, isn't my boy.

He is simply the highest rated safety on every major draft guide. He is the one they say is complete safety. And he covered man just fine at the Senior Bowl practices. While I understand that wasn't all world WRs there were some good ones and he fared the best in coverage of the safeties. Which is why he is ranked first.

Polamalu was higher rated than all these guys by a huge margin thus there is no prospect that compares to him. Else those guys would be going at 16 as well.

Patrick Chung is an interesting player to me. He is one of the very few SS types I'd not fret over us drafting. But do I think that means he can even sniff much less hold Troy's jock? Not at all.

Chung had 92 tackles and 1 Pick in 08 while Delmas has 110 tackles and 4 picks.

Delmas was listed as riser after Senior Bowl practice and this was his report:

Louis Delmas/S/Western Michigan: Delmas has been the best safety on the field and the feisty defender consistently put himself in a position to make plays on the ball all day. He throws his body around the field in an effort to stop ball handlers and delivered a number of blows that made scouts take notice. Delmas was effective in run defense and against the pass.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ay2/index.html

[Bob Sacamano]

Originally Posted by jterrell

Delmas, isn't my boy.

He is simply the highest rated safety on every major draft guide.

except for on NFLDraftScout

Originally Posted by jterrell

He is the one they say is complete safety. And he covered man just fine at the Senior Bowl practices. While I understand that wasn't all world WRs there were some good ones and he fared the best in coverage of the safeties. Which is why he is ranked first.

and yet after the workouts people like Mayock are still saying that he doesn't look comfortable in man

Originally Posted by jterrell

Polamalu was higher rated than all these guys by a huge margin thus there is no prospect that compares to him. Else those guys would be going at 16 as well.

Patrick Chung is an interesting player to me. He is one of the very few SS types I'd not fret over us drafting. But do I think that means he can even sniff much less hold Troy's jock? Not at all.

I do believe you can compare body-type and style of play, that's really what player comparisons are all about

Originally Posted by jterrell

Chung had 92 tackles and 1 Pick in 08 while Delmas has 110 tackles and 4 picks.

Delmas was listed as riser after Senior Bowl practice and this was his report:

Louis Delmas/S/Western Michigan: Delmas has been the best safety on the field and the feisty defender consistently put himself in a position to make plays on the ball all day. He throws his body around the field in an effort to stop ball handlers and delivered a number of blows that made scouts take notice. Delmas was effective in run defense and against the pass.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ay2/index.html

that's nice, I just don't like the idea that we're going to have 2 centerfielders with questionable tackling skills at safety, and despite the praise of his instincts, he scored right above Vince Young on the Wonderlic

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by JerryAdvocate

except for on NFLDraftScout



and yet after the workouts people like Mayock are still saying that he doesn't look comfortable in man



I do believe you can compare body-type and style of play, that's really what player comparisons are all about



that's nice, I just don't like the idea that we're going to have 2 centerfielders with questionable tackling skills at safety, and despite the praise of his instincts, he scored right above Vince Young on the Wonderlic

ROFL. NFL Draft Scout rates Delmas one spot below Chung at 49 and 50.
They could be right but it's not a typical rating.

Wonderlic??? At safety... wow that is reaching. How did Drew Henson's 42 help him?

And again the stats showed Delmas MADE MORE TACKLES than Chung and then he was quoted as being the BEST Safety at the Senior Bowl practices where he tackled quite well not questionably.

I have no problem with folks rating Chung slightly higher, they are probably close. But Delmas had a better Senior Bowl and a better senior season. Delmas has played CORNERBACK in college. He also looked much smoother to me in coverage drills at the combine.

The NFL is going to safeties who can cover because the NFL is going to Tight Ends who are 250 pound pass catching machines. If a guy can't cover they isolate and abuse him: see RW38 but also know it wasn't just RW38 that ate that abuse.

Ken Hamlin is noted as being a hard hitter. Not some schlep who can't tackle.
Yes, he looked bad the last few games but that was probably because he hadn't had any contact in practice in weeks and was injured. But we were down like 4 safeties and he had to go anyway.

[Bob Sacamano]

Originally Posted by jterrell

ROFL. NFL Draft Scout rates Delmas one spot below Chung at 49 and 50.
They could be right but it's not a typical rating.

still, that's one site where Delmas isn't the top rated safety

Originally Posted by jterrell

Wonderlic??? At safety... wow that is reaching. How did Drew Henson's 42 help him?

to be fair to me, I did disclaim that statement, but you'd expect a guy who is supposed to be so smart to score a little higher than a 14

it could explain why he's susceptible to biting

Originally Posted by jterrell

And again the stats showed Delmas MADE MORE TACKLES than Chung and then he was quoted as being the BEST Safety at the Senior Bowl practices where he tackled quite well not questionably.

I have no problem with folks rating Chung slightly higher, they are probably close. But Delmas had a better Senior Bowl and a better senior season. Delmas has played CORNERBACK in college. He also looked much smoother to me in coverage drills at the combine.

1st of all, Delmas played at a lower level of competition
and 2nd of all, Chung also had a great Senior Bowl, "looking smooth for his position in drills and able to play in the box without fear", and then he followed it up looking great in safety drills at his Pro Day

Chung is a guy who can cover, in fact Oregon had him line up as a corner in some packages, and be a force against the run

none of these safeties, except for maybe David Bruton is going to develop into a guy who can cover both TEs and WRs

Originally Posted by jterrell

The NFL is going to safeties who can cover because the NFL is going to Tight Ends who are 250 pound pass catching machines. If a guy can't cover they isolate and abuse him: see RW38 but also know it wasn't just RW38 that ate that abuse.

yes, safeties need to cover, but Delmas isn't big enough to cover TEs, isn't a natural covering receivers, he's a zone-safety/centerfielder, we have one already

Originally Posted by jterrell

Ken Hamlin is noted as being a hard hitter. Not some schlep who can't tackle.
Yes, he looked bad the last few games but that was probably because he hadn't had any contact in practice in weeks and was injured. But we were down like 4 safeties and he had to go anyway.

he looked bad tackling all year, taking poor angles and going for the shoulder pads

there's a reason this slow, physical guy is playing free safety instead of strong safety

[BAT]

Delmas actually reminds me of Ken Hamlin. Watch the youtube highlights, they are both very aggressive and like to throw their shoulders into their tackles (poor wrap up) to create big blowups, problem is they also miss tackles like that.

Difference is that Hamlin appears bigger and tackles higher (Delmas likes to go for the ankles/knees).

Bruton may have the 40 time to match up w/WRs but his back pedal and transition SUCKS. Al Afalava had a similar 40 to Bruton (better than both Chung & Delmas), is more physical and could be better in coverage (not used in that capacity very much at Ore St). I like his value.