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http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/041110dnsponfldraft-safeties.3cb912e.html
NFL Draft preview: Safeties
05:20 AM CDT on Sunday, April 11, 2010
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@***BANNED-URL***
STRENGTH: 5
WEAK STRONG
You can find safeties in every round of every draft, and 2010 is no different. Al Afalava and Keith Ellison were sixth-round draft picks in 2009 who became season-long starters as rookies.
THE TOP 15
Player School Ht. Wt. Noteworthy
1. Eric Berry * Tennessee 5-11½ 211 14 career interceptions
2. Earl Thomas * Texas 5-10 208 8 interceptions in 2009
3. Taylor Mays * Southern California 6-3 230 4.34 speed in the 40
4. Nate Allen South Florida 6-0½ 207 Started 39 career games
5. Morgan Burnett Georgia Tech 6-1 210 14 career interceptions
6. Chad Jones LSU 6-2 221 MLB draft pick of Astros
7. Reshad Jones Georgia 6-1 214 24 career passes defensed
8. T.J. Ward Oregon 5-10½ 211 Former walk-on
9. Kam Chancellor Virginia Tech 6-3 231 Started 41 career games
10. Major Wright Florida 5-11½ 206 4.47 speed in the 40
11. Darrell Stuckey Kansas 5-11½ 205 295 career tackles
12. Darian Stewart South Carolina 5-11 213 Converted linebacker
13. Larry Asante Nebraska 6-0 212 Degree in economics
14. Ben Burney Colorado 5-10½ 202 4.38 speed in the 40
15. Kurt Coleman Ohio State 5-10 192 9 INTs the last two years
* Potential first-round pick
Spotlight on ... Taylor Mays
College: Southern California
Taylor Mays went to Southern Cal because of the tradition at safety, and he stayed all four years to help foster that tradition.
Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith, Troy Polamalu, Joey Browner, Mark Carrier and Tim McDonald all left Southern Cal as high NFL draft picks and became Pro Bowl safeties. Lott has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Browner and Polamalu were NFL all-decade selections.
"SC safeties bring it," Mays said. "I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted that responsibility. It was important to me."
Mays became an All-American as a sophomore and junior and considered leaving school early to turn pro in 2009. But he opted to return and close his college career as a four-year starter.
"I came back to become a better football player, and I felt I did that," Mays said. "I also came back to help some of the younger guys on the team learn like some of the older guys helped me. That was important to me. I felt that regardless what our record was or how I played this season, I wanted to accomplish those things."
Mays became the first defensive back since Polamalu in 2001 and only the fifth defensive back in school history to lead the team in tackles last season. His 91 tackles were the most by a Trojan since linebacker Lofa Tatupu's 104 in 2004.
The best
Eric Berry, Tennessee
Eric Berry will be a walk-in starter in the NFL. He's started everywhere he's played, first as a freshman at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Ga., and as a freshman at Tennessee. Berry became a two-time All-SEC selection and capped his career with All-America acclaim and the Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football in 2009. He has the size (211 pounds), speed (4.40-second 40) and athleticism (43-inch vertical jump) to become a Pro Bowl safety.
Sleeper
Matt O'Hanlon, Nebraska
A former walk-on, O'Hanlon spent two seasons covering kicks on special teams before earning a starting spot at free safety as a junior. He intercepted five passes as a senior – the most by a Husker since safety Daniel Bullocks in 2004. Bullocks became a second-round pick of the Detroit Lions. O'Hanlon will be a third-day draft pick with value as a special-teamer.
Best of Texas
Earl Thomas, Texas
The Orange, Texas, product led the NCAA with 24 passes defensed in 2009, intercepting eight and breaking up 16 others. He also led the Longhorns with 18 passes broken up in 2008, leading some NFL teams to believe Thomas can play cornerback at the next level. He certainly has the speed with a 4.44 clocking in the 40. He also returns punts.
DRAFT PROJECTION: Top 20
Notable
Leaving early:Of the record 53 underclassmen who filed for early admission to the 2010 NFL draft, six were safeties: Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, Chad and Reshad Jones, Morgan Burnett and Major Wright. But Berry had some help in his decision. He played at Tennessee last season in the defense of Monte Kiffin, a long-time NFL coordinator who won a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kiffin's coaching enabled Berry to round out his game and gave him the confidence he needed to turn pro. "Monte told me I'd be a fool to come back," Berry said.
Walking tall:Nebraska's Matt O'Hanlon isn't the only walk-on safety in this draft. T.J. Ward of Oregon, Cody Grimm of Virginia Tech and Jonathan Amaya of Nevada also arrived on campus without scholarships and developed into pro prospects. Ward started two seasons and Amaya four, leading the Wolfpack in tackles as a junior and senior. Grimm started one season at linebacker and earned All-ACC acclaim. He projects as a safety in the NFL because of a lack of size.
Air raid: With the NFL game going more and more to the pass, the pros are looking less for run-support types and more for safeties who can make plays on the ball. "Cover safety" has become a buzz word this draft season. No one on this safety board covers like Berry, who played some nickel corner for Tennessee in 2009. He got his hands on 44 passes in his three-year career, intercepting 14 passes and breaking up 30 others. Here's the scorecard of the best pass defenders on the safety board:
Safety School Int PBU PD
Eric Berry Tennessee 14 30 44
Earl Thomas Texas 10 33 43
Jeromy Miles Massachusetts 9 23 32
Kurt Coleman Ohio State 9 22 31
Kendrick Lewis Mississippi State 6 24 30
Shann Schillinger Montana 10 19 29
Morgan Burnett Georgia Tech 14 13 27
Barry Church Toledo 9 18 27
Robert Johnson Utah 13 13 26
Jordan Lake Baylor 6 20 26
Taylor Mays Southern California 5 21 26
Darrell Stuckey Kansas 8 18 26
Family matters:Cody Grimm is the son of Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm, who will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer for his blocking career with the Washington Commanders. Colorado's Ben Burney is the son of Jacob Burney, the defensive line coach of the Commanders, and Colorado State's Klint Kubiak is the son of Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak.
Passing fancy: Berry was an All-America quarterback, Kyle McCarty of Notre Dame and Shann Schillinger of Montana both all-state quarterbacks, and Nate Allen, Morgan Burnett and Kam Chancellor were high school quarterbacks before settling in at safety in college. "In high school, you tend to put your best athlete and playmaker at quarterback," McCarthy said. "Our high school was no different. We didn't throw it around too much. In high school, you want the ball in your quarterback's hands every play."
NFL Draft preview: Safeties
05:20 AM CDT on Sunday, April 11, 2010
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@***BANNED-URL***
STRENGTH: 5
WEAK STRONG
You can find safeties in every round of every draft, and 2010 is no different. Al Afalava and Keith Ellison were sixth-round draft picks in 2009 who became season-long starters as rookies.
THE TOP 15
Player School Ht. Wt. Noteworthy
1. Eric Berry * Tennessee 5-11½ 211 14 career interceptions
2. Earl Thomas * Texas 5-10 208 8 interceptions in 2009
3. Taylor Mays * Southern California 6-3 230 4.34 speed in the 40
4. Nate Allen South Florida 6-0½ 207 Started 39 career games
5. Morgan Burnett Georgia Tech 6-1 210 14 career interceptions
6. Chad Jones LSU 6-2 221 MLB draft pick of Astros
7. Reshad Jones Georgia 6-1 214 24 career passes defensed
8. T.J. Ward Oregon 5-10½ 211 Former walk-on
9. Kam Chancellor Virginia Tech 6-3 231 Started 41 career games
10. Major Wright Florida 5-11½ 206 4.47 speed in the 40
11. Darrell Stuckey Kansas 5-11½ 205 295 career tackles
12. Darian Stewart South Carolina 5-11 213 Converted linebacker
13. Larry Asante Nebraska 6-0 212 Degree in economics
14. Ben Burney Colorado 5-10½ 202 4.38 speed in the 40
15. Kurt Coleman Ohio State 5-10 192 9 INTs the last two years
* Potential first-round pick
Spotlight on ... Taylor Mays
College: Southern California
Taylor Mays went to Southern Cal because of the tradition at safety, and he stayed all four years to help foster that tradition.
Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith, Troy Polamalu, Joey Browner, Mark Carrier and Tim McDonald all left Southern Cal as high NFL draft picks and became Pro Bowl safeties. Lott has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Browner and Polamalu were NFL all-decade selections.
"SC safeties bring it," Mays said. "I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted that responsibility. It was important to me."
Mays became an All-American as a sophomore and junior and considered leaving school early to turn pro in 2009. But he opted to return and close his college career as a four-year starter.
"I came back to become a better football player, and I felt I did that," Mays said. "I also came back to help some of the younger guys on the team learn like some of the older guys helped me. That was important to me. I felt that regardless what our record was or how I played this season, I wanted to accomplish those things."
Mays became the first defensive back since Polamalu in 2001 and only the fifth defensive back in school history to lead the team in tackles last season. His 91 tackles were the most by a Trojan since linebacker Lofa Tatupu's 104 in 2004.
The best
Eric Berry, Tennessee
Eric Berry will be a walk-in starter in the NFL. He's started everywhere he's played, first as a freshman at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Ga., and as a freshman at Tennessee. Berry became a two-time All-SEC selection and capped his career with All-America acclaim and the Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in college football in 2009. He has the size (211 pounds), speed (4.40-second 40) and athleticism (43-inch vertical jump) to become a Pro Bowl safety.
Sleeper
Matt O'Hanlon, Nebraska
A former walk-on, O'Hanlon spent two seasons covering kicks on special teams before earning a starting spot at free safety as a junior. He intercepted five passes as a senior – the most by a Husker since safety Daniel Bullocks in 2004. Bullocks became a second-round pick of the Detroit Lions. O'Hanlon will be a third-day draft pick with value as a special-teamer.
Best of Texas
Earl Thomas, Texas
The Orange, Texas, product led the NCAA with 24 passes defensed in 2009, intercepting eight and breaking up 16 others. He also led the Longhorns with 18 passes broken up in 2008, leading some NFL teams to believe Thomas can play cornerback at the next level. He certainly has the speed with a 4.44 clocking in the 40. He also returns punts.
DRAFT PROJECTION: Top 20
Notable
Leaving early:Of the record 53 underclassmen who filed for early admission to the 2010 NFL draft, six were safeties: Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, Chad and Reshad Jones, Morgan Burnett and Major Wright. But Berry had some help in his decision. He played at Tennessee last season in the defense of Monte Kiffin, a long-time NFL coordinator who won a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kiffin's coaching enabled Berry to round out his game and gave him the confidence he needed to turn pro. "Monte told me I'd be a fool to come back," Berry said.
Walking tall:Nebraska's Matt O'Hanlon isn't the only walk-on safety in this draft. T.J. Ward of Oregon, Cody Grimm of Virginia Tech and Jonathan Amaya of Nevada also arrived on campus without scholarships and developed into pro prospects. Ward started two seasons and Amaya four, leading the Wolfpack in tackles as a junior and senior. Grimm started one season at linebacker and earned All-ACC acclaim. He projects as a safety in the NFL because of a lack of size.
Air raid: With the NFL game going more and more to the pass, the pros are looking less for run-support types and more for safeties who can make plays on the ball. "Cover safety" has become a buzz word this draft season. No one on this safety board covers like Berry, who played some nickel corner for Tennessee in 2009. He got his hands on 44 passes in his three-year career, intercepting 14 passes and breaking up 30 others. Here's the scorecard of the best pass defenders on the safety board:
Safety School Int PBU PD
Eric Berry Tennessee 14 30 44
Earl Thomas Texas 10 33 43
Jeromy Miles Massachusetts 9 23 32
Kurt Coleman Ohio State 9 22 31
Kendrick Lewis Mississippi State 6 24 30
Shann Schillinger Montana 10 19 29
Morgan Burnett Georgia Tech 14 13 27
Barry Church Toledo 9 18 27
Robert Johnson Utah 13 13 26
Jordan Lake Baylor 6 20 26
Taylor Mays Southern California 5 21 26
Darrell Stuckey Kansas 8 18 26
Family matters:Cody Grimm is the son of Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm, who will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer for his blocking career with the Washington Commanders. Colorado's Ben Burney is the son of Jacob Burney, the defensive line coach of the Commanders, and Colorado State's Klint Kubiak is the son of Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak.
Passing fancy: Berry was an All-America quarterback, Kyle McCarty of Notre Dame and Shann Schillinger of Montana both all-state quarterbacks, and Nate Allen, Morgan Burnett and Kam Chancellor were high school quarterbacks before settling in at safety in college. "In high school, you tend to put your best athlete and playmaker at quarterback," McCarthy said. "Our high school was no different. We didn't throw it around too much. In high school, you want the ball in your quarterback's hands every play."
DAL @ GB
