* 2012 Draft Safeties * - New England Patriots Forums

Off The Grid · 03-21-2012, 09:02 PM

Explanation of Colors + Numbers

1 ~ Red = OverRated ~ in my OH so humble opinion!!

2 ~ Purple = Sleeper or Steal or Super Sleeper!!

3 ~ Blue = Bargain ~ Good Value.

4 ~ The first number = Market Value ~ my best guess, based on CBS, Walter, Et Cetera...

5 ~ The second number = FIENDISH Value ~ how I grade them!!

6 ~ These will all be Cut + Pasted from yon Site, so the formats are different.

An Explanation of My Twisted ViewPoint!!

I have no intention or expectation of converting anyone to my view of things, of course. That doesn't happen, anyway: People make up their own minds in their own way...But an explanation is warranted, I think, out of respect to those of you who do me the honor of reading these Works.

***

The line between Strong Safeties and Free Safeties is becoming increasingly blurred, but there are still generalities:

Strong Safeties are of course more oriented towards Run Support, so with them I'll be paying especially close attention Core Strength, Fluidity, and all that goes into that.

Free Safeties are of course more oriented towards Pass Defense, so there I'll be placing emphasis on Verticity.

***

Strong Safeties

Mark Barron ~ 6.1/213 ~ 1st-2nd ~ 2nd-3rd

Starter!! Mark Barron's certainly a Thumper. He brings tremendous Core Strength, Vision, and Explosiveness to the table, making him a Force in both Run Defense and the Short Passing Game.

However, I've got concerns about his Athleticism: his Lateral Agility isn't that impressive in the Running Game, which constricts his Range, nor's his Verticity very spry when he needs to Turn + Burn in the Passing Game.

All in all, he is, in my opinion, a good Safety Prospect, not a great one, and benefited from his surroundings.

As such, I think he's somewhat OverRated!!

Harrison Smith ~ 6.2/213 ~ 2nd-3rd ~ 1st

Beast!! Harrison Smith commands phenomenal Diagnostics+Processing Speed, outstanding Lateral Agility, and spectacular Verticity!!

He Reads + Reacts with lightning speed, constantly getting a jump on almost every play, and then bursts in the right direction to makes things happen.

He boasts excellent Core Strength and Fluidity, as well, and is a reliable tackler.

I believe that Harrison Smith has serious All Pro potential, and is the best Strong Safety in this entire Draft Class. Absolute Steal!!

Tony Dye ~ 6.0/200 ~ UFA ~ 2nd

Stud Horse!! Tony Dye commands an outstanding collection of skills: tremendous Processing Speed, extraordinary Core Strength, impressive Fluidity, and exceptional Verticity on the Turn + Burn.

In short, he's pretty much a complete Strong Safety.

Because of health concerns, his Market Value has sunk all the way to UFA ~ as best I can assess it ~ but he looked terrific on his Pro Day, last week!!

Even if his true Market Value is as high as Day 3, that is still far below what he warrants!! Super Sleeper!!

Free Safeties

George Iloka ~ 6.4/225 ~ 2nd-3rd ~ 4th-5th

Potential Starter!! George Iloka exhibits a decent level of Verticity when he Turns + Burns, but it's not overly impressive, and I can't give him very good grades for Diagnostics or Processing Speed, either.

And I'm not thrilled with his Run Support, either. The Core Strength is there, but the Fluidity is not, and his Diagnostics + Processing Speed are indeed subpar.

All in all, I think he can compete, especially with the weak Safety field that currently populates the NFL.

But he might be more of a Sub Pack Specialist: he's cross-trained as a Corner, and as a Nickel + Dime Man Coverage guy against Tight Ends, he could be pretty effective. But I think he'd really struggle to win and to keep a starting gig. OverRated!!

Markelle Martin ~ 6.1/207 ~ 3rd-4th ~ 3rd-4th

Potential Starter!! Markelle Martin is certainly very fast, makes a big hit from time to time, and shows some definite Savvy out there.

But there isn't much about his Verticity, when he needs to Turn + Burn in Pass Defense, nor in his rather dubious Run Defense, that impresses me.

There's enough Diagnostic Skill, Processing Speed, and Athleticism, though, to say he's got definite starting potential at the next level. Fair Value!!

Trulon Henry ~ 6.0/216 ~ UFA ~ 3rd-4th

Starter!!

Trulon Henry is 27.

5 of those 27 were spent in Prison, because he was convicted for Armed Robbery.

And, guess what?? He just took a bullet at 0325 or so ~ The Hour With No Name ~ sometime between the end of Saturday Night and the beginning of Sunday Morning, on November 12th.

Needless to say, he'll be off many Boards.

He won't be off of mine.

Turns out: In REAL life, sometimes smart people do stupid things. And sometimes good people do bad things.

Anybody reading this will be their own judge, but I would sleep well, placing a bet on Trulon Henry.

Everybody on Wisconsin is behind him 100%. He's a leader, and one they're happy to have.

He's committed to his religion, and he's a family man.

And when he got shot during The Hour That Has No Name ~ he and two others ~ he was a random victim ~ a victim who'd just shown up there to help out a team mate who wanted to get out of there.

They say that which does not kill you makes you stronger. That's only true if you've got a resilient Spirit.

Except that Trulon Henry does.

And I believe that an exceptionally resilient young man has emerged from his travails.

Trulon Henry commands tremendous Diagnostics and Processing Speed, and while he's a bit raw, his Verticity ain't bad, and his Burst is exceptional.

He's also a very effective Run Defender, bringing excellent Core Strength and Fluidity, tremendous Discipline, and remarkable Savvy to the table.

For my money, Trulon Henry is a clear starting caliber Strong Safety prospect, and while I'll back'm off one full Round for his age, he still constitutes an outstanding bargain, in my view. I hope he makes it!! Sleeper!!

Off The Grid · 03-30-2012, 04:26 PM

My Short List

The line between Strong Safeties and Free Safeties is becoming increasingly blurred, but there are still generalities:

Strong Safeties are of course more oriented towards Run Support, so with them I'll be paying especially close attention Core Strength, Fluidity, and all that goes into that.

Free Safeties are of course more oriented towards Pass Defense, so there I'll be placing emphasis on Verticity.

Strong Safeties

Harrison Smith ~ 6.2/213 ~ 2nd-3rd ~ 1st

Beast!! Harrison Smith commands phenomenal Diagnostics+Processing Speed, outstanding Lateral Agility, and spectacular Verticity!!

He Reads + Reacts with lightning speed, constantly getting a jump on almost every play, and then bursts in the right direction to makes things happen.

He boasts excellent Core Strength and Fluidity, as well, and is a reliable tackler.

I believe that Harrison Smith has serious All Pro potential, and is the best Strong Safety in this entire Draft Class. Absolute Steal!!

Tony Dye ~ 6.0/200 ~ UFA ~ 2nd

Stud Horse!! Tony Dye commands an outstanding collection of skills: tremendous Processing Speed, extraordinary Core Strength, impressive Fluidity, and exceptional Verticity on the Turn + Burn.

In short, he's pretty much a complete Strong Safety.

Because of health concerns, his Market Value has sunk all the way to UFA ~ as best I can assess it ~ but he looked terrific on his Pro Day, last week!!

Even if his true Market Value is as high as Day 3, that is still far below what he warrants!! Super Sleeper!!

Free Safeties

Trulon Henry ~ 6.0/216 ~ UFA ~ 3rd-4th

Starter!!

Trulon Henry is 27.

5 of those 27 were spent in Prison, because he was convicted for Armed Robbery.

And, guess what?? He just took a bullet at 0325 or so ~ The Hour With No Name ~ sometime between the end of Saturday Night and the beginning of Sunday Morning, on November 12th.

Needless to say, he'll be off many Boards.

He won't be off of mine.

Turns out: In REAL life, sometimes smart people do stupid things. And sometimes good people do bad things.

Anybody reading this will be their own judge, but I would sleep well, placing a bet on Trulon Henry.

Everybody on Wisconsin is behind him 100%. He's a leader, and one they're happy to have.

He's committed to his religion, and he's a family man.

And when he got shot during The Hour That Has No Name ~ he and two others ~ he was a random victim ~ a victim who'd just shown up there to help out a team mate who wanted to get out of there.

They say that which does not kill you makes you stronger. That's only true if you've got a resilient Spirit.

Except that Trulon Henry does.

And I believe that an exceptionally resilient young man has emerged from his travails.

Trulon Henry commands tremendous Diagnostics and Processing Speed, and while he's a bit raw, his Verticity ain't bad, and his Burst is exceptional.

He's also a very effective Run Defender, bringing excellent Core Strength and Fluidity, tremendous Discipline, and remarkable Savvy to the table.

For my money, Trulon Henry is a clear starting caliber Strong Safety prospect, and while I'll back'm off one full Round for his age, he still constitutes an outstanding bargain, in my view. I hope he makes it!! Sleeper!!

Notes

1 ~ Full Disclosure: I don't place much emphasis on this position right now. I believe that Pat Chung is about to launch a MONSTER Campaign, once he returns to his natural position ~ Strong Safety ~ but on the other hand, I think that the position in and of itself has limited usefulness in today's NFL.

2 ~ I likewise have my doubts about Free Safety. Frankly, I'd just as soon send out 4 or 5 CornerBacks on each and every play, and be done with it. I'm not kidding!!

3 ~ So, much as I like these three guys, I wouldn't pursue any'f'm. I just offer them for consideration.

manxman2601 · 03-31-2012, 01:48 AM

Sorry Grid but I don't see it with Harrison Smith. I see someone who is meh in all areas of the game. That's not altogether a bad thing - he does everything OK but there's little from his tape that really stands out. Anything higher than a late second would be a reach for him I feel. What really puts me off giving him a higher grade is his bland tackling - he's not a hard hitter by any means. I'd rank him as the fifth best safety in the class (including conversion prospects). All scouting is subjective and I respect your opinion a great deal so I'm not trying to rubbish your views, just that I don't see what you see in him.

***patsinthesnow*** · 03-31-2012, 09:17 AM

OTG, thoughts on Brandon Taylor, S, LSU, who seems to be flying up boards?

everlong · 03-31-2012, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manxman2601

Sorry Grid but I don't see it with Harrison Smith. I see someone who is meh in all areas of the game. That's not altogether a bad thing - he does everything OK but there's little from his tape that really stands out. Anything higher than a late second would be a reach for him I feel. What really puts me off giving him a higher grade is his bland tackling - he's not a hard hitter by any means. I'd rank him as the fifth best safety in the class (including conversion prospects). All scouting is subjective and I respect your opinion a great deal so I'm not trying to rubbish your views, just that I don't see what you see in him.

I have to agree. I re watched him this morning to see what I'm missing with all the love he's been getting on this board and I still don't see it. He also offers no scheme flexibility because I just cannot see him being able to drop down and cover man to man on a TE and a slot receiver is right out.

VrabelJr · 03-31-2012, 12:05 PM

Brandon Taylor and Markelle Martin are the only safeties I'm interested in when you weigh value, where we can pick them, and using our higher picks to get more talented players relative to their position.

Off The Grid · 04-02-2012, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patsinthesnow

OTG, thoughts on Brandon Taylor, S, LSU, who seems to be flying up boards?

I like'm!! Kinda raw and inconsistent, but flashes real athleticism.

I don't personally covet any of these guys for our team. I'd rather go with a slew of CornerBacks!!

But that's me. You could do a LOT worse than Taylor, who has real Upside.

conway · 04-13-2012, 07:24 AM

I read Iloka occasionally got benched for being a hothead and even got in shouting matches with the head coach on the sideline. Red flag. I liked what I read about Taylor. Locker room leader. He's my new favorite at the position. Pick 2B, perhaps.

zimmy · 04-13-2012, 08:03 AM

I like Brandon Taylor. He's pretty athletic with good range and could be a decent cover safety. From what I have seen, however, he is an inconsistent tackler and doesn't wrap up. He likes to go for a big hit and I've seen him give up big plays around the line of scrimmage because of it. He is a leader though. I wouldn't mind him in the late 3rd but no higher.

The guy I really like is Dequan Menzie a few rounds later. He improved his 40 time at his pro day and could make the switch to safety. He played the star position at Alabama and could come in and compete for time at nickle corner straight away. He also looks to be around the ball a lot and a sure tackler, which is always something Bill likes. He doesn't allow many YAC. I would love him in the 5-6th round but I hear he is moving up too.

To go back to OTG's rankings though. I would love Barron at 27 or 31, but he won't be there anymore and I'm not sure the value is there for a trade up.

***patsinthesnow*** · 04-18-2012, 03:39 PM

Mike Reiss is stealing your stuff OTG!

10 possible Pats: Tony Dye - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston