PFW: The Way We Hear it... Reggie Nelson falling?

[JonJon]

I wondered last year why Ko Simpson fell so much, and we didnt take him. I dont think Nelson falls that far though. I am not in the camp that believes we need to draft a safety at all.

Basically the same excuse that some "draft experts"are trying to give to Nelson. They said Ko Simspon poor student grades would keep him from being a star even though he was the dominating force on a South Carolina squad and did damage in the SEC, once again arguably the toughest division in college football.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I wondered last year why Ko Simpson fell so much, and we didnt take him. I dont think Nelson falls that far though. I am not in the camp that believes we need to draft a safety at all.

He was a sophomore when he declared and considered very raw. Many people thought it would take him two to three years to develop into a starter.

 

[jobberone]

There's pretty much no way we're going to pick a player that disappoints me. When you have this many options, it doesn't really matter.

Except for receivers out of the PAC 10. I'm way against that.

I don't expect everyone to whine. The 10%+ will make up for the rest of us.

You can harp all you want- but each one of these questions his smarts. And this has come from the big boys as well as the small time guys. Show me someone even like Kiper or Mayock or any of those guys saying something different. You can squawk all you want about Watching Him Play. My point is that I do not think, from all that I have read from a lot of sources, that he can be the secondary QB we need. You don't want to admit that- fine. I could care less. But unless you got someone saying yes he can run the secondary as the leader....
By the way Clove, Nelson is supposed to play IN PLACE OF WATKINS.

Good post. That's what I'm basing my opinion on, too. This guy looked better than any safety I've seen in awhile. He's a ballhawk which is what we need. He put some heavy hits out there, too. So I don't know where the can't do more than just tackle stuff comes from. However, if he can tackle I'll take that. And I hate Florida BTW. Don't take that personally though.

Even if we assume Nelson can handle the job, I'm opposed to drafting another FS this year. I think Pat Watkins is going to be excellent and he may not even start this year. But long term he could be the guy. Why give up on him so soon? If you spend a 1st round pick on someone he has to play so that leaves Watkins out. Better to invest in an area we know will be a need soon like WR or OL or DE/OLB.

There's nothing wrong with that way of thinking. I do think that Nelson and Meriweather can play the slot or play as a CB in the nickel. But if you think S is covered then I'd say take a CB or elsewhere.

http://www.newerascouting.com/index.php?c=30&a=87

Quotes from New Era Scouting:

Character:Mature young man whose mother lost her battle with cancer in December 2006. Has fathered two children, one who lives in Florida and another who lives in Kansas.

Competitive Nature/Leadership Ability:An intimidating defender with a headhunter mentality. A high-energy, emotional leader on the field.

Football Intelligence:A great student of the game who clearly understands offensive fronts. Outstanding at reading quarterbacks and recognizing the run. Somewhat less than a proficient student and struggled to get into the University of Florida. May need extra reps to learn a complicated playbook.

(Translation: A Smart leader on the football field but probably not so smart in Algebra and Chemistry)

Work Ethic:Recognized as a vocal and energetic presence in the weight room. Showed great determination getting his Associates degree so he could play at Florida.

Agility:A quick-twitch athlete with loose hips and quick feet. Excellent all-around change-of-direction skills.

Ball Skills:His ball skills are absolutely tops among defensive backs. Has the leaping ability and natural hands to create interceptions. Reads and reacts quickly to passes in flight.

Instincts/Recognition:An extremely instinctive defender with great recognition skills. Has outstanding all-around field awareness. Is always around the ball. The very definition of a playmaker. Solid at seeing run plays develop and attacking the proper gap.

Zone Coverage:Dominated Southeastern Conference offenses from his deep zone position. Frequently played in cover-1 and cover-3 type situations. His field vision and closing burst make him a turnover machine. Maintains good depth and has the speed to get sideline-to-sideline from the middle of the field. Demonstrates the ability to play two deep. Intimidating collision hitter over the middle of the field.

General Comments:

Arguably the finest SEC defender in 2006, Reggie Nelson's playmaking ability in the deep middle of the field catapulted Florida's defense to a championship level. Although he is a limited run defender, Nelson's combination of instincts, athletic ability and production make him a viable first round free safety prospect. However, for those same reasons, his greatest value in the NFL might be as a cornerback. While he is going to have to progress as run defender, Nelson can make an immediate impact on defense as a pass defender, playing free safety and defending the slot receiver.



Teams Interested: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans
Reminds You of:
Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens

Another good informative post that mirrors what most people think of the kid.

There are a multiple people I'd be happy with at 22. He's one. There are others. If a player is good enough to be drafted at 22 I'll be happy with him. Even though I have my favorite positions of need.