Daxton Hill Free Safety Michigan

[Cowboyny]

Dudes a stud, but I’m not really sure what I’m getting from him as a safety. Everything I’ve seen he’s always playing slot CB so I honestly have no idea what kind of back end safety he is.

I believe he is a good fit for Quinn’s scheme that asks his secondary to play a lot of press coverage across the board. With excellent coverage in the backend it would allow the front to become more aggressive

 

[cnuball21]

I believe he is a good fit for Quinn’s scheme that asks his secondary to play a lot of press coverage across the board. With excellent coverage in the backend it would allow the front to become more aggressive

Well that’s my thing…is he excellent in coverage on the backend? If so I’d love to see the tape.

Everything I’ve watched makes me think I’m watching a slot CB. Too early at 24 unless I’m missing something.

 

[Cowboyny]

Well that’s my thing…is he excellent in coverage on the backend? If so I’d love to see the tape.

Everything I’ve watched makes me think I’m watching a slot CB. Too early at 24 unless I’m missing something.

You know the Cowboy Front Office falls in love with those elite, high scoring sparq athletes. Everything I have read and heard, he is going to test through the roof at the combine. Yes, more of a slot corner at Michigan, but many will envision him as a chess piece in the secondary with those traits. Not worried so much about his lack of size, but rather is lack of ball production.

I believe he will be in consideration for the team's selection and very worthy of the pick. However, more of a wipeout option as have bigger priorities to address. However, you cannot rule him out as this is the type of player our front office always covets, despite his position.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Cowboyny did not say the Cowboys were going to draft Hill. He is just educating us on prospects that the Cowboys will consider taking at 24. The reality is the Cowboys don’t have a free safety on the roster at the moment. A good free safety is one of the most important players on Dan Quinn’s defense. Free safety along with left guard is the most glaring issue at this moment.

There's a point of view that we should look to turning one side of the ball into a positive/elite feature and looking at it objectively we're closer to doing that on Defense....at least we've a strategy under Quinn (unlike KM's and his 'stars').
An outstanding FS, to cover Diggs/Joseph (or Brown) whilst letting Micah (and Gregory) harass the QB into making risky attempts down field looks a decent strategy (and strength) rather than trying to plug the numerous Offensive wows...Moore, you've got the players start coaching them or your out the door and in 2023 we'll get a OC with a remit to tear it down (Zeke, poss Tyron).

 

[Carson]

Well that’s my thing…is he excellent in coverage on the backend? If so I’d love to see the tape.

Everything I’ve watched makes me think I’m watching a slot CB. Too early at 24 unless I’m missing something.

I think he is very much like Logan Ryan. Ryan successfully made the transition later in his career to safety.

I like the versatility of Hill. That we could potentially release Lewis and bring back Hooker on a cheap $1 million dollar deal.

You let Hill play FS on early run downs and move him slot on passing downs.

Eventually you can slide him into FS full time

 

[beware_d-ware]

It's a lazy school-based comparison, but Hill reminds me a lot of Jabril Peppers. Big time athlete with a box-safety game. Jabril sucked as a deep safety in the pros, but he does well when he's played closer to the line of scrimmage.

IMO playing deep safety is a lot like playing linebacker, where instincts and football IQ count for a lot more than height-weight-speed. We've seen how many hyper-athletic Jaylon and Bruce Carter type 'backers in Dallas where 4.4 speed couldn't make up for a late read or a false step. Daxton clearly has some ability as a box defender and man corner, but I need to see some better read-and-react skills from him before I project him to FS. I'm not going to put him back there just because he runs a 4.3.

 

[cnuball21]

You know the Cowboy Front Office falls in love with those elite, high scoring sparq athletes. Everything I have read and heard, he is going to test through the roof at the combine. Yes, more of a slot corner at Michigan, but many will envision him as a chess piece in the secondary with those traits. Not worried so much about his lack of size, but rather is lack of ball production.

I believe he will be in consideration for the team's selection and very worthy of the pick. However, more of a wipeout option as have bigger priorities to address. However, you cannot rule him out as this is the type of player our front office always covets, despite his position.

Yea I have zero concerns about the athleticism and him being a quality slot CB but do you take that kind of player in the 1st? Not sure I would unless I know he can give you a little more on the backend.

 

[Xavier187]

I like him alot In the early 2nd round.

If we do trade Cooper and or Collins I would definitely think he is a DQ guy. Fast middle Deep Safety and can tackle. Might even be a good CB.....

 

[Cowboyny]

Yea I have zero concerns about the athleticism and him being a quality slot CB but do you take that kind of player in the 1st? Not sure I would unless I know he can give you a little more on the backend.

I believe teams will be projecting him to play multiple spots not just slot

 

[Cowboyny]

It's a lazy school-based comparison, but Hill reminds me a lot of Jabril Peppers. Big time athlete with a box-safety game. Jabril sucked as a deep safety in the pros, but he does well when he's played closer to the line of scrimmage.

IMO playing deep safety is a lot like playing linebacker, where instincts and football IQ count for a lot more than height-weight-speed. We've seen how many hyper-athletic Jaylon and Bruce Carter type 'backers in Dallas where 4.4 speed couldn't make up for a late read or a false step. Daxton clearly has some ability as a box defender and man corner, but I need to see some better read-and-react skills from him before I project him to FS. I'm not going to put him back there just because he runs a 4.3.

Instincts are the key for both linebacker and safety

 

[baltcowboy]

I believe teams will be projecting him to play multiple spots not just slot

Hill could be a free safety like Parsons was as a linebacker. Like Parsons, Hill has great speed and talent to be special. If Daxton had better ball skills, he would be a top 10 pick. Well worth the 24th pick in my opinion.

 

[DoctorChicken]

I like Hill a lot, but #24 might be slightly rich for him. Does he have the capability of being the rangey FS we need?

 

[Malhavoc]

Hill could be a free safety like Parsons was as a linebacker. Like Parsons, Hill has great speed and talent to be special. If Daxton had better ball skills, he would be a top 10 pick. Well worth the 24th pick in my opinion.

Apples and Oranges. Parsons was without question the best defensive player in the draft. And he had the production to support it. Parsons had elite athleticism and an elite skill set. Hill has elite athleticism but his instincts and ball skills as a FS is very questionable. Is he going to be an Earl Thomas, Honey badger type ? I don’t see it. Very good prospect but no way I take him at 24.

 

[baltcowboy]

Apples and Oranges. Parsons was without question the best defensive player in the draft. And he had the production to support it. Parsons had elite athleticism and an elite skill set. Hill has elite athleticism but his instincts and ball skills as a FS is very questionable. Is he going to be an Earl Thomas, Honey badger type ? I don’t see it. Very good prospect but no way I take him at 24.

Parsons was not considered the best defensive prospect in the last draft. He was the third defensive player drafted and the Cowboys traded back and still got him. This board and all talking heads except for Shannon Sharpe was killing our pick. Even the Cowboys draft show was upset we drafted Parsons. A quality safety at pick 24 would be a home run draft choice. I think he will be in consideration depending who is there at 24. I would draft Hill over the 3rd best interior linemen or 5th best offensive tackle.

 

[Malhavoc]

Parsons was not considered the best defensive prospect in the last draft. He was the third defensive player drafted and the Cowboys traded back and still got him. This board and all talking heads except for Shannon Sharpe was killing our pick. Even the Cowboys draft show was upset we drafted Parsons. A quality safety at pick 24 would be a home run draft choice. I think he will be in consideration depending who is there at 24. I would draft Hill over the 3rd best interior linemen or 5th best offensive tackle.

He was the highest defensive player on our board. We were going to ignore that and take 1 of the 2 corners. Parsons is an elite athlete with elite production. Go look at what he did his late year he played. Hill has never even played a high volume at FS ? We have seen nothing to indicate he has elite ball skills or FS traits. I think this is all moot because I don’t see any scenario playing out where this team takes Hill at 24. But we’ll see.

 

[baltcowboy]

He was the highest defensive player on our board. We were going to ignore that and take 1 of the 2 corners. Parsons is an elite athlete with elite production. Go look at what he did his late year he played. Hill has never even played a high volume at FS ? We have seen nothing to indicate he has elite ball skills or FS traits. I think this is all moot because I don’t see any scenario playing out where this team takes Hill at 24. But we’ll see.

Truth about who we will pick. The Cowboys probably have not put their board together yet. I am just not getting pigeon holed like we did last season. Parsons was hurt because he sat out his junior year and only played middle linebacker as a sophomore. Hill is a good football player and would improve our defense immediately.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

It's a lazy school-based comparison, but Hill reminds me a lot of Jabril Peppers. Big time athlete with a box-safety game. Jabril sucked as a deep safety in the pros, but he does well when he's played closer to the line of scrimmage.

IMO playing deep safety is a lot like playing linebacker, where instincts and football IQ count for a lot more than height-weight-speed. We've seen how many hyper-athletic Jaylon and Bruce Carter type 'backers in Dallas where 4.4 speed couldn't make up for a late read or a false step. Daxton clearly has some ability as a box defender and man corner, but I need to see some better read-and-react skills from him before I project him to FS. I'm not going to put him back there just because he runs a 4.3.

I think there’s some truth to what you’re saying about FS instincts, et cetera, but the comparison to Jabril Peppers is ill fitting.

Michigan effectively used Peppers as a rush linebacker in sorta the same role FSU played Ramsey one of his years in the STAR safety/rover role near the LOS where he racked up tons of TFL.

That’s not the way Michigan used Hill.

While Hill didn’t spend a lot of time playing deep safety he did line up on receivers and play in coverage.