Safety Prospect: Craig Loston, LSU

[casmith07]

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 212 lbs.

2014 Senior Bowl participant
2013 Second Team All-SEC (AP)
2013 All-Bowl Team (ESPN)
2012 All-SEC Second Team (AP)
2012 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week (vs. Miss. State)

Loston is a smart player. Footwork and fundamentals will need a little work. I would project him more as a Strong Safety prospect than a Free Safety, but he's certainly not afraid to supper the run. Hard hitter that plays downhill. Takes a little more time to diagnose a play than he'll be able to get away with in the NFL, so that'll need some improvement. Very fast - good hands. Plays the ball well and forces fumbles. 7 INTs for his career with over 150 return yards. Had a 100-yard pick six in 2012.

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Current round projection on CBS Sports has him in the 3-4 range. Film doesn't lie, though, and this guy can play. He has also stated one of his goals is to improve his one-on-one coverage. He will be at the combine.

I would not be upset whatsoever with taking this guy in the 3rd round, possibly the 2nd if his combine bears it out.

 

[casmith07]

I've got a few more threads coming soon, hopefully for some more pet cats -- Viliami Moala, the man-beast DT from Cal-Berkeley, and another one for Dion Bailey, the S from Southern Cal.

I figured I would start with the SEC since a ton of my picks/watching has been Pac-12 this year, and mostly DBs (as usual).

 

[SportsGuru80]

No more LSU players for me...

 

[strasscat]

I dont like him but, I really didn't like Eric Reid last year, and he ended being the best rookie safety of 2013 ( Vaccaro and Matthieu were just as good but played a lot of slot corner)
So what the hell do I know ?.

 

[texbumthelife]

I dont like him but, I really didn't like Eric Reid last year, and he ended being the best rookie safety of 2013 ( Vaccaro and Matthieu were just as good but played a lot of slot corner)
So what the hell do I know ?.

Vacarro was worlds better than Reid. If I am not mistaken, Reid didn't even start to begin the season and was still rotating with another safety several weeks in. His play was very sporadic and uneven.

Im not knocking the guy, I think he is going to be a good safety, but Vacarro was much better as a rookie.

 

[casmith07]

Vacarro was worlds better than Reid. If I am not mistaken, Reid didn't even start to begin the season and was still rotating with another safety several weeks in. His play was very sporadic and uneven.

Im not knocking the guy, I think he is going to be a good safety, but Vacarro was much better as a rookie.

No, Eric Reid was arguably the best safety in last year's rookie class. He's a big reason with that pass rush in SF that their secondary wasn't straight up god awful.

 

[texbumthelife]

No, Eric Reid was arguably the best safety in last year's rookie class. He's a big reason with that pass rush in SF that their secondary wasn't straight up god awful.

"Arguably"

Obviously I disagree with you. Haha. One of my best friends lives in 9ers country and we talked a lot about him at the beginning of the season. Through the first fews weeks there were a lot of doubts he would even start this year. He came on strong towards the end, but his play was scattered.

 

[texbumthelife]

And all this said, Loston isn't half the player Reid was or half the play maker Matthieu was.

Whats weird is until recently LSU players had historically not made very good pros--for whatever reason. Now it is turning into somewhat of a DB hot bed.

I still don't think Loston serves as an upgrade to anything on the roster though.

 

[texbumthelife]

Just talked to my buddy again.

He said the issue with him not playing was injuries and concussions. Thats why people didn't know if he would start. He also said there seemed to be a lot of communication issues early on between Reid and Whitner.

From what I saw and have read, it's really a toss up between Vacarro and Reid.

 

[KDM256]

Reid started 16 games had 77 tackles , 11 pass def and 4 ints
Vacarro played 14 games 62 tackles, 7 pass def and 1 int

I always thought Reid was the Safety Prospect going into last years draft and the stats kinda reflect that IMO.

Far as Loston goes, he had an okay career (nothing special) at LSU but I didn't think he lived up to the 5star hype coming out of high school and pretty sure LSU fans can agree. I would take Loston in the 4th round due to the fact he has pretty good measurables and came from a pretty good program especially if the Cowboys missed on Clinton Dix or Pryor inthe early rounds

 

[casmith07]

Reid started 16 games had 77 tackles , 11 pass def and 4 ints
Vacarro played 14 games 62 tackles, 7 pass def and 1 int

I always thought Reid was the Safety Prospect going into last years draft and the stats kinda reflect that IMO.

Far as Loston goes, he had an okay career (nothing special) at LSU but I didn't think he lived up to the 5star hype coming out of high school and pretty sure LSU fans can agree. I would take Loston in the 4th round due to the fact he has pretty good measurables and came from a pretty good program especially if the Cowboys missed on Clinton Dix or Pryor inthe early rounds

Loston is not Eric Reid, but he's closer to Eric Reid than Barry Church is.

 

[DuDa]

Loston is not Eric Reid, but he's closer to Eric Reid than Barry Church is.

lol, I'm sorry but you are wrong all over the place. Eric Reid played on the 2nd best defense in the league and was able to make a few plays. He also got torched a bunch as most rookie DB's do. Barry Church might be one of the best open field tacklers in the league and plays like his hair is on fire. Church is a very good SS but fans don't see that because they see the entire defense getting torched.

Oh on Loston, that dude is a terrible player. He reacts to plays so late and his technique is terrible. Unless he has a crazy combine, he might go undrafted.

 

[casmith07]

lol, I'm sorry but you are wrong all over the place. Eric Reid played on the 2nd best defense in the league and was able to make a few plays. He also got torched a bunch as most rookie DB's do. Barry Church might be one of the best open field tacklers in the league and plays like his hair is on fire. Church is a very good SS but fans don't see that because they see the entire defense getting torched.

Oh on Loston, that dude is a terrible player. He reacts to plays so late and his technique is terrible. Unless he has a crazy combine, he might go undrafted.

You're wrong.

 

[DuDa]

You're wrong.

I will gladly admit I was wrong if he becomes a good player in the next few years but I don't see it based off what I saw.

 

[casmith07]

I will gladly admit I was wrong if he becomes a good player in the next few years but I don't see it based off what I saw.

It's an unknown. People thought Ryan Leaf would become a good player. You're way wrong on Eric Reid, though.

 

[SportsGuru80]

Loston is horrible... I would take the kid from FSU Terrence Brooks over him any day of the week.

 

[DuDa]

It's an unknown. People thought Ryan Leaf would become a good player. You're way wrong on Eric Reid, though.

Don't get me wrong here, Reid has tons potential but he's pretty raw right now. He's just a run hit guy like Church is but I think Church is better right now.

 

[DuDa]

Loston is horrible... I would take the kid from FSU Terrence Brooks over him any day of the week.

Yes please!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I keep seeing folks pimping these SS-types... how about a true FS-type? I'd take someone a little smaller but runs a sub 4.5 forty and can cover a slot receiver.