BTB: Prince Amukamara As A Free Safety?

[CCBoy]

Cowboys 2011 Draft: Prince Amukamara As A Free Safety?
by Dave Halprin on Mar 1, 2011 1:30 PM EST


http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2011...-draft-prince-amukamara-free-safety#storyjump


Could Prince Amukamara solve several issue for the Cowboys?


I ran across a good article about the Dallas Cowboys and their possible draft strategies that I wanted to share with you guys. Why is it a good article? Because the guy being interviewed agrees with me! I kid, but it is a nice Q&A with Dane Brugler, who is a draft guy that lives in Dallas and worked on the committee that brought the Super Bowl to Dallas.

The part he agrees with me on is where he lists the Cowboys primary needs in the draft. Specifically, cornerback, offensive tackle and defensive end. That's been my thinking for a while, although I would stretch cornerback into a general secondary category given my thoughts about safety. With Gerald Sensabaugh being allowed to test free agency and my misgivings about Alan Ball starting at free safety, I think the Cowboys could go either way (cornerback or safety). The problem is there isn't a safety I'd want to jump on with the #9 pick.

But what if you could get both in one?...

 

[CCBoy]

Prince’s 40 Time Answers ‘Concerns’
Posted by rphillips at 3/1/2011 11:46 AM CST on truebluefanclub.com


http://www.truebluefanclub.com/blog...&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest


So much for Prince Amukamara being slow of foot.

This time of year, top NFL Draft prospects get overanalyzed and dissected to the point of absurdity. The latest criticism seeping out of Indianapolis has been Amukamara’s speed, prompting speculation about a move to safety at the next level.

Maybe so, but the star Nebraska cornerback just ran an unofficial 4.37 at the Combine, and a second at 4.44. Good enough...

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Amukamara, IMO, has just OK ball skills. If he's a Strong Safety, that might work but I don't know if he's got the ball skills to be a Free Safety, IDK.

Besides, it's the same issue we've discussed over and over again with Peterson. Why take a guy at 9 if your only going to change his position to one he's never played before?

I think he's a press corner in the NFL. JMO

 

[KJJ]

If the Cowboys draft Amukamara at #9 and try converting him to a FS that would make him project at that position. Amukamara is one of the top players in the draft because of his play at CB and that's position he needs to play. This isn't like converting a down DE in a 4-3 to an OLB in a 3-4.

 

[CCBoy]

It was interesting to note that Amukamara's senior season saw him with no interceptions in the pass-happy Big 12 and there were questions about his lack of speed hurting his playmaking ability.

"I think some people don't know what they're talking about and haven't seen me on film," Amukamara said. "I guess I'll show them on Tuesday."

Some other strong 40 times: Buster Skrine of Tennessee-Chattanooga ran a 4.29, LSU's Patrick Peterson ran a 4.32 and a 4.37, Ohio State's Chimdi Chekwe ran a 4.33. Colordao's Jimmy Smith ran a 4.38 on his first attempt. Texas' Aaron Williams ran a 4.53.


http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/

 

[Chuck 54]

1. We'll never draft a safety that high again
2. We aren't stupid enough to use the #9 pick on a CB and then move him to safety.

3. Peterson is the only CB we'd take that high...look for us to go DL, franchise QB, or move down in the first round for more picks. We can get second tier CBs at the top of rounds 2,3,4.

 

[TD-33]

J.J. Watt as right tackle?

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

1. We'll never draft a safety that high again
2. We aren't stupid enough to use the #9 pick on a CB and then move him to safety.

3. Peterson is the only CB we'd take that high...look for us to go DL, franchise QB, or move down in the first round for more picks. We can get second tier CBs at the top of rounds 2,3,4.

Exactly....

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

If they draft the kid, then the only player they would move to Free Safety would be Terrance Newman (in my very humble opinion, of course).

 

[Doomsday101]

If they draft the kid, then the only player they would move to Free Safety would be Terrance Newman (in my very humble opinion, of course).

I have a feeling if Dallas drafts Peterson or Prince that Newman would likely be gone. It seems like there is this assumption than you can move a CB to safety like interchangeable parts yet the 2 position are quite different. Clearly there have been guys like Lott who made the transition but not all can. If Dallas wants to address S then the best bet is get a safety in the draft or in FA

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I have a feeling if Dallas drafts Peterson or Prince that Newman would likely be gone. It seems like there is this assumption than you can move a CB to safety like interchangeable parts yet the 2 position are quite different. Clearly there have been guys like Lott who made the transition but not all can. If Dallas wants to address S then the best bet is get a safety in the draft or in FA

I don't believe they will go that route with Newman, I just think that Newman (or even Scandrick) would get FS consideration over Prince if they were to draft him and consider a a position shift instead of cuts.

Heck, honestly I would prefer they not go after a DB in the first and try to nab Mathis or Aaron Williams in the second.

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't believe they will go that route with Newman, I just think that Newman (or even Scandrick) would get FS consideration over Prince if they were to draft him and consider a a position shift instead of cuts.

Heck, honestly I would prefer they not go after a DB in the first and try to nab Mathis or Aaron Williams in the second.

Given Newman contract and should we take a CB that high in the draft I think something would have to give. As for Newman at safety he is not a safety and that would be a big contract putting a guy who has 0 experiance at that position.

My view is nothing personal against Newman I like him and if we do go a different direction in the draft I would be happy to keep Newman at CB

 

[KJJ]

I have a feeling if Dallas drafts Peterson or Prince that Newman would likely be gone. It seems like there is this assumption than you can move a CB to safety like interchangeable parts yet the 2 position are quite different. Clearly there have been guys like Lott who made the transition but not all can. If Dallas wants to address S then the best bet is get a safety in the draft or in FA

The positions are different and Lott and Rod Woodson were all pro corners years before they made the switch to safety.

It would be a major mistake drafting one of the top corners in the draft and attempt to convert them to a FS before they've even acclimated themselves to the NFL at corner.

If a team drafts a corner with the intention of converting them to a safety they usually don't do it with a top 10 pick they do it with a corner they select later in the draft.

I remember the Cowboys tried converting Randy While to LB his rookie year and he struggled mightily until they finally moved him back to his natural position on the DL.

 

[tomson75]

Newman isn't going anywhere....first round CB or not.

That would be a monumentally stupid move for this team.

 

[Doomsday101]

The positions are different and Lott and Rod Woodson were all pro corners years before they made the switch to safety.

It would be a major mistake drafting one of the top corners in the draft and attempt to convert them to a FS before they've even acclimated themselves to the NFL at corner.

If a team drafts a corner with the intention of switching them to safety they usually don't do it with a top 10 pick they do it with a corner they select later in the draft.

I remember the Cowboys tried converting Randy While to LB his rookie year and he struggled mightily until they finally moved him back to his natural position on the DL.

I agree. I don't have anything against Peterson or Prince should we draft them to one day be moved to the safety spot if the coaches feel they are capable of making the transition but I don't think you draft a CB that high and move them to safety day 1. I would much rather see Dallas get a true safety in FA or the draft than to try converting a high draft pick.

Dallas did draft Woodson who was a LB in college to safety and that worked out great but Woodson was not a high 1st rd selection and quite honestly there are more similarities with LB and safety than CB and safety

 

[KJJ]

Newman isn't going anywhere....first round CB or not.

That would be a monumentally stupid move for this team.

I don't think Newman would go anywhere either because at the least the Cowboys would need him for depth and a rookie corner even a top 10 corner might not be ready to play immediately.

Having Newman gives the team some veteran depth and also allows the team to bring a young corner along slowly until they're ready.

Any young corner is going to get tested and if they're not ready they could lose their confidence. Corners are allowed to jam receivers all the way down the field in college so the transition to the NFL can take awhile.

 

[Doomsday101]

Newman isn't going anywhere....first round CB or not.

That would be a monumentally stupid move for this team.

Keeping a 1st rd pick in Jenkins, getting a high pick in Prince or Peterson and keeping Newman and his large contract is what would force that to happen. The Cap that will end up being put in place will have alot to do with what the Cowboys will or will not do same for every other team out there.

 

[tomson75]

Keeping a 1st rd pick in Jenkins, getting a high pick in Prince or Peterson and keeping Newman and his large contract is what would force that to happen. The Cap that will end up being put in place will have alot to do with what the Cowboys will or will not do same for every other team out there.

It would not force that to happen, and Newman's contract isn't that large for a CB....despite what the experts on this forum keep saying.

The cap will obviously effect what every team in the league does....but in any scenario, dumping your best CB is usually considered stupid. You don't go into a season relying on a rookie CB.

Newman's contract is not nearly as prohibitive as fans are suggesting.

 

[Doomsday101]

It would not force that to happen, and Newman's contract isn't that large for a CB....despite what the experts on this forum keep saying.

The cap will obviously effect what every team in the league does....but in any scenario, dumping your best CB is usually considered stupid. You don't go into a season relying on a rookie CB.

Newman's contract is not nearly as prohibitive as fans are suggesting.

That is your opinion, It is very common to see high drafted CB starting day 1 Newman himself started day 1. I would love to keep every guy but you don't pay that kind of money to a backup player and if Prince or Peterson is drafted they will not be sitting on the bench.

 

[KJJ]

That is your opinion, It is very common to see high drafted CB starting day 1 Newman himself started day 1. I would love to keep every guy but you don't pay that kind of money to a backup player and if Prince or Peterson is drafted they will not be sitting on the bench.

The Cowboys had nothing at corner when they drafted Newman so he had to play plus I think (could be wrong) the rule prohibiting corners from jamming receivers after 5 yards wasn't adopted yet.

Playing corner in the NFL has gotten more difficult with all the passing teams do and with the 3-4 WR sets we see now compared to several years ago.