CB Review

[Thatkidbob]

This guy explains the issues with Collins better than I can.

That was a great breakdown.

Thanks for that, X!

 

[NeonDeion21]

I avoided reading the reviews while doing this in an attempt to not be biased. I'm curious to go back and compare this with the draft media reviews.

Trae Waynes
Fast and quick. Can be physical but has thin build. Effort in tackling and getting off blocks is inconsistent. Make a surprising number of mistakes in both pass and run defense. Got tricked up with rub routes and WRs crossing paths. Seemed to lose concentration or awareness in run defense resulting in some big plays. Will often transition from back peddle too early. NFL receivers with key on that and can get CBs out of position with good cuts/route-running.

- A little too grabby for me. I worry about CBs whose natural instinct is to grab.

Byron Jones
Super athletic with good size, arm length and jumping ability to play the contested throws against big receivers. Not polished but played Safety for a big portion of his college career. Might have issue with small jitter-bug type receivers. Despite lack of polish, seems to be a smart player.

- Agreed. High character guy too.

Marcus Peters
Likes to play up in the WRs face. Emotional on the field. Effort in run defense and tackling is often lacking. He can stay right on receivers with tight coverage and is good at preventing contested type catches. He will get too physical/grabby down-field at times. I can see him being a guy that would prefer to play man defense. Another guy that will transition from back peddle early, before the receiver makes his cut. Gives me a Mike Jenkins vibe.

- Not sure he fits our defense. I actually like his attitude.

Kevin Johnson
High effort player. Quick and agile. Probably the best back peddle and has nice transition out of back peddle. Is patient to stay in peddle until receiver commits to their move. Thin build with thin legs. Needs to get stronger. Good effort tackling and in run defense. Is more polished and has better awareness than most of the other in this draft. Decent job turning head on deep passes. Could probably cover the slot. Will likely be good against small and medium sized receivers but could struggle with the big receivers, especially on contested throws.

- Awfully skinny. Plays with a lot of emotion.

Eric Rowe
I'll review him here on his games at CB. Give good effort to fight through blocks and tackle in the running game. Surprisingly good in transition/change of direction. Good at defending jump ball type contested throws. Can turn an run with WRs and will usually get his head turned on the deep throws. Good awareness and appears to be a smart player. Good size at 6-1, 205 with decent arm length. He is the 5th best CB on the list for me and I might consider moving him even higher.

- My favorite CB. Knows how to use his length. I really like him in Dallas' scheme.

PJ Williams
Also a notch below the top 4 in athletic ability. Slow/stiff in transition. Will get beat off the line often. Gives up a lot of catches where he had tight coverage. Has good physicality and does not shy away from contact. Good speed.

- I don't have a feeling either way towards him.

Quinten Rollins
Surprisingly good considering he only played football for 1 year. Quick feet and quick transition/hip-turn. Solid built and decent physicality. Better than average body control to stay on receivers without interfering. Good hands for INTs. Deep speed is the big problem. He got beat in college purely due to a lack of deep speed. Physically, looks like an ideal zone CB. Safety is an option but he's going to need time to develop.

- Will be 24 this year. I like him in the 3rd round.

Josh Shaw
Looks the part with rock solid muscular build. Oddly seemed more physical and intense at CB than at Safety. Was a big hitter in some games/plays but not in others. In game footage transition/hip-turn appeared limited but in the combine workouts it looked really good. I think it’s more about a lack of technique/experience at CB more than a physical limitation. Back peddle needs work also. Good size at 6-0, 201 with good arm length. Moving around from CB to Safety probably limited his development at either. Obviously missing 2014 was a big limitation as well. Overall I think he can be a decent CB with the size to matchup with bigger receivers but might be even better as a Safety.

- Good kid, made a bad mistake. I don't see the deep speed.

Steven Nelson
Scrappy high energy player. Will not shy away from contact with good effort in run defense. Good quickness. Maybe some tightness in back peddle transition / hip-turn. Lack of length/size is the biggest issue. He is solid at 197 but at 5-10 with short arms he is limited. He reminds me of Scandrick but his frame is probably smaller than Scandrick and he does not have that kind of deep speed. Punt Returner.

- This seems to be the kind of CB that Rod likes. Played really well against good competition.

Jalen Collins
Definitely a notch below the top 4 in athletic ability. A little stiff in transition. Good size with solid build. Needs work on technique.

- Not the RKG at all.

Ronald Darby
Gives good effort to fight through blocks and play run defense. Is fast in straight line but appears stiff in transition/change of direction (the dreaded "tight hips". Rarely plays from a back peddle. Almost always turns to run (hip turn) from his first step. Got burned a few times when receivers took advantage of his hip positioning. He would have his hip to the inside and the receiver cut to the outside and Darby would just twist up like a pretzel and completely lose the receiver. Will need work against contested jump ball type throws.

- I like everything about him until the ball is in the air.

Good work, X. I inserted some of my thoughts.

 

[texbumthelife]

Man, I am trying, I am really trying, but other than being high character I don't see "it" with Jones. There is a good player there to work with, but at 27 he just doesn't have the potential I see in Peters or Johnson. He doesn't seem to have the instincts and just seems to consistently be in "react" mode. Like he's not a natural fit. Could be his lack of experience. After our debates I have watched everything I can on him and all of it was underwhelming.

I am trying though, I am really trying.

 

[DFWJC]

I've heard that Johnson already added 8 lbs of muscle since December. Is that true?

 

[texbumthelife]

I've heard that Johnson already added 8 lbs of muscle since December. Is that true?

I usually don't worry about these kids coming out slender. For the most part they grow into their bodies. Put him with Dez and we're good. haha

 

[Macnalty]

This guy explains the issues with Collins better than I can.

Collins is not as bad as this video made him out to be and his overall season play dilutes this somewhat, the drug test though...
Nice review of that game, I came away more impressed with Cooper, wow just a real pro in college. J Collins because he went to LSU/sec got lots of my media attention, he for some reason missed out on lots of games when he was not injured and younger guys played ahead of him. The drug test failures put this into focus as to what was happening.
I am in agreement he cannot cover like the top 5 who can put a blanket on a good not great receiver, however playing against Cooper is the exception not the rule. I am old enough to know that a great player can make a good player look mediocre and no doubt he looks less than par in this game. Here is where we agree, he is not going to cover Odell Beckham, Desean Jackson, Garcon, Victor Cruz, or C Johnson by himself. He is going to throw a Richard Sherman size body in conjunction with another CB to provide some second thoughts. I really believe in the second rd like you said the top five will be gone, at best Collins will be there as a viable choice, at pick 60 you get warts. Another viable CB choice would be about 4" shorter and possibly recovering from an injury. I understand measurables are not everything but think of your reaction which you talk about Senquez Golson who has top 4 cover ability.
Is he the CB I dream we get in this draft? No, but I think he is on the menu near the top. The drug test failures are a huge red flag.
The question will probably be for CB at pick 60, PJ Williams vs Jalen Collins if we are lucky? It gets depressing if all you look at are the negatives sometimes and these two have buckets full.
Love this discussion of the CB's.

 

[xwalker]

Collins is a walking talking example of how "length" is so overrated these days.

I'm not sure I understand that.

If your not good, your not good. Having length is not going to make a player great if he does not have the other attributes.

Good work, X. I inserted some of my thoughts.

Rowe at #27?

 

[NeonDeion21]

I'm not sure I understand that.

If your not good, your not good. Having length is not going to make a player great if he does not have the other attributes.


Rowe at #27?

 

[xwalker]

I can't see your response, just the quote.

 

[Alexander]

I'm not sure I understand that.

If your not good, your not good. Having length is not going to make a player great if he does not have the other attributes.?

Length is overrated is what I am saying. You see a lot of not so good CBs get overrated by pundits because they are over six foot and you see shorter more skilled CBs get less publicity.

 

[NeonDeion21]

I can't see your response, just the quote.

Sorry. Yes I would take Eric Rowe at #27.