Could Derwin James fall to our pick?

[CalPolyTechnique]

I'm really surprised by the lack of hype on this player. MAybe it's too early but a lot of mocks and top100 rankings don't have him in the top 15. I'm very surprised by this.

IMO he has more upside then Fitzpatrick and is a true ballhawk. This would be a huge upgrade in our secondary is he somehow slides to pick 19.

I have him easily as a top 10 player.

He's a true ballhawk?

You're making the mistake of going g of draft prognostication a from before the season even started.

That said, I was going to start a thread about being a better version of Barry Church that would provide us a real presence at strong safety.

 

[Alexander]

He's a true ballhawk?

This phrase is closing in on "shutdown cornerback" for me.

These kinds of safeties are like unicorns anymore.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

He had a very poor final season based on what was expected from him. The hype was sky high after his freshman year, then he played this year and fell a little short of all-world. He did get used kind of funny by the Seminoles staff in his defense.

To be fair to him... The whole team fell short of expectations.

 

[beware_d-ware]

James's draft stock is tough to pin down. He has all the physical talent in the world, but his sophomore season was lost and he didn't play as well as a junior as he did as a freshman.

I think he'll get picked over pretty good during the pre-draft process. He might emerge as a top 10 pick, he might fall to the end of the first. It's tough to say right now.

 

[Cattle_Rancher]

I like the kid but doubt Jerry will take him he doesn’t seem to like taking safeties in the first. I think the pick will be LB, WR, or D-line. If by some chance Lawrence gets away can promise it will be DE.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I like Derwin; I think he can be the versatile and tough (emphasis) strong safety the team tried to make Byron Jones be but clearly isn't.

I also think he will be within range of where we select in the 1st.

 

[Sydla]

I like Derwin; I think he can be the versatile and tough (emphasis) strong safety the team tried to make Byron Jones be but clearly isn't.

I also think he will be within range of where we select in the 1st.

Agreed.

Preferably I am big on beefing up the front seven at this point. So I am looking at guys like Payne, Vita, Bryan, Hurst maybe even Landry or some of the DEs that might be around at that point along with Evans and some others at LB. You are seeing teams in the playoffs succeed with dominant defensive fronts - Jax, Philly, Vikes.

But James would be a guy I'd think long and hard about if he slid to us.

 

[visionary]

I'm really surprised by the lack of hype on this player. MAybe it's too early but a lot of mocks and top100 rankings don't have him in the top 15. I'm very surprised by this.

IMO he has more upside then Fitzpatrick and is a true ballhawk. This would be a huge upgrade in our secondary is he somehow slides to pick 19.

I have him easily as a top 10 player.

Team draft boards will have players ranked a lot different than websites
Also it's very early, as teams evaluate these players and these websites hear from them the player rankings will change
He's a really really good player and if he's there you take him

 

[visionary]

Agreed.

Preferably I am big on beefing up the front seven at this point. So I am looking at guys like Payne, Vita, Bryan, Hurst maybe even Landry or some of the DEs that might be around at that point along with Evans and some others at LB. You are seeing teams in the playoffs succeed with dominant defensive fronts - Jax, Philly, Vikes.

But James would be a guy I'd think long and hard about if he slid to us.

I agree and am a huge proponent of front 7 but a great safety can have a big impact on the defense and an impact 1T is more likely to be available in rd 2 or in FA than an impact safety but I'd be fine with the best DL, LB or safety in rd 1