One of the major separation points between Fitzpatrick and Cruikshank is that I trust the former to play deep middle zone right away, while I think the latter may need more time to trust his eyes in zone. His mental trigger is not as quick as it is in off man coverage, so the more you play him away from the ball in zone, the more problems you get. However, it is on flashes like this that give me hope he can develop into a true free safety. While in the slot here, he slow plays the tight end and check down, reads the quarterback’s eyes, and chases the vertical down with an excellent range angle. This play not only shows his range and athleticism, but it is also shows how disciplined he is at the catch point. He is not jumping into the receiver for a penalty like some do, but he is patient and under control, timing his strike perfectly when the receiver puts his hands up. Cruikshank may never be a true free safety at the next level, but there is no disputing that he at least has the traits to develop into one, despite his inconsistencies.
No, Dane Cruikshank is not on Minkah Fitzpatrick’s level as a prospect. Fitzpatrick is much more nuanced and NFL-ready as both a zone and run defender because of his reliability and consistency. However, Cruikshank is bigger, more athletic, and in my opinion, even better in man coverage. They can both play nearly every spot in the secondary with their versatility, but the difference is that I trust Fitzpatrick to produce right out of the gates, which is why he is a slam-dunk top 10 grade for me. For Cruikshank, he is in the second round on my board because he still has to develop consistency as a deep defender in zone and open-field tackler, but he has shown flashes of promise in both areas.
