List of College sateties who became NFL starting cornerbacks

[RayClay]

I should have remembered, Rod Woodson was a free safety coming out of Purdue.

He also played running back and wide receiver.

And cornerback

 

[unoriginal]

Are you saying it's equally likely for a safety to switch to corner as a corner to safety?

In the NFL, I mean. It's fairly commonplace for College or pro corners to switch to safety when moving up a level or getting older IMO.

Yes. I am saying that it is probably equally unlikely that a player will switch from either cornerback or safety in the Pros if they have no collegiate experience at the other position. Here's a guy who did both:

Tyrone Braxton moved from cornerback to strong safety for the Broncos in the mid-90s. Pretty remarkable.

However, at North Dakota State he played both corner and safety, was drafted by Denver as a safety, switched to corner in 1989, then switched back to safety after several knee injuries. So does he count for both or not at all?

 

[RayClay]

Yes. I am saying that it is probably equally unlikely that a player will switch from either cornerback or safety in the Pros if they have no collegiate experience at the other position. Here's a guy who did both:

Really? I'd have to disagree. I don't have the desire or the cyberspace to list every college cornerback that was a step to slow and moved to safety in the pros, so I'll just leave your statement.

 

[unoriginal]

Tyrone Braxton moved from cornerback to strong safety for the Broncos in the mid-90s. Pretty remarkable.

However, at North Dakota State he played both corner and safety, was drafted by Denver as a safety, switched to corner in 1989, then switched back to safety after several knee injuries. So does he count for both or not at all?

An excellent question!

 

[unoriginal]

Really? I'd have to disagree. I don't have the desire or the cyberspace to list every college cornerback that was a step to slow and moved to safety in the pros, so I'll just leave your statement.

Fine, I'll just continue to list college safeties who turned cornerback either in the Pros, or late in college:

Dunta Robinson, like Asante Samuel, moved from strong safety to cornerback his junior year due to injuries at South Carolina.

Nnamdi Asomugha was exclusively a free safety at Cal, and switched between free safety and corner his first few years in the league.

 

[RayClay]

Yes. I am saying that it is probably equally unlikely that a player will switch from either cornerback or safety in the Pros if they have no collegiate experience at the other position. Here's a guy who did both:

Tyrone Braxton moved from cornerback to strong safety for the Broncos in the mid-90s. Pretty remarkable.

However, at North Dakota State he played both corner and safety, was drafted by Denver as a safety, switched to corner in 1989, then switched back to safety after several knee injuries. So does he count for both or not at all?

Meriweather played 4 games at corner and trained at nickle.

If you're listing players that started at corner covering wide receivers (the position vacated by Samuel that people think Meriweather's going to step into) then those athlete's have demonstrated the ability to be a starting corner in college.

The fact that they also played safety is superfluous.

Does Meriweather feel ready to step in at corner to replace Samuel?

His words

The 5-foot-11-inch, 200-pound Meriweather looked like a natural, which was to be expected since that is where he spent most of his career at the University of Miami. Of his 31 collegiate starts, 27 came at safety.

"It felt good being back there, able to see everything, roam, and play how I played in college," he said. "It's a spot I have fun playing."

Meriweather got most of his initial work on the left side behind Randall Gay. He was also immediately inserted into nickel packages as the slot corner.

"When I came here and got put at corner, it was kind of a mind shocker," he said.

Boston Globe, The (MA) - August 31, 2007
Author: Mike Reiss ; GLOBE STAFF

 

[sebman2112]

Meriweather played some nickel for Miami, didn't he? If so, it might not be entirely accurate to pigeonhole him as a strictly a safety.

It is correct to say that Meriweather wasn't simply a college Safety. He played CB more than a couple of times. He actually covered Calvin Johnson in two different games, and held him in check. I used to have the stats in my head (don't feel like looking them up right now), but he didn't give up very many receptions while playing CB. I also remember that Mayock really liked him, and thought he could be a teams 3rd CB in his rookie year.

In saying that, I'll also say that I want Brandon at FS, and think he's going to be an elite FS with development. I don't think he'd be an elite NFL CB, but he can help out there if needed. Again, I personally hope he's not needed at CB as I think he'll develop into a better Safety.

 

[RayClay]

Fine, I'll just continue to list college safeties who turned cornerback either in the Pros, or late in college:

Dunta Robinson, like Asante Samuel, moved from strong safety to cornerback his junior year due to injuries at South Carolina.

Nnamdi Asomugha was exclusively a free safety at Cal, and switched between free safety and corner his first few years in the league.

If you're listing players who demonstrated ability to play either position in college, you're missing the point, but go ahead if you want.

As I mentioned, it seems Woodson was good enough to start at 4 positions in college. If you want to only argue with the thread title, go ahead (there are a limited amount of qualifications and explanations I can put in a thread title).

 

[RayClay]

It is correct to say that Meriweather wasn't simply a college Safety. He played CB more than a couple of times. He actually covered Calvin Johnson in two different games, and held him in check. I used to have the stats in my head (don't feel like looking them up right now), but he didn't give up very many receptions while playing CB. I also remember that Mayock really liked him, and thought he could be a teams 3rd CB in his rookie year.

In saying that, I'll also say that I want Brandon at FS, and think he's going to be an elite FS with development. I don't think he'd be an elite NFL CB, but he can help out there if needed. Again, I personally hope he's not needed at CB as I think he'll develop into a better Safety.

4 starts, according to Reiss.

 

[sebman2112]

4 starts, according to Reiss.

Yes, four starts. He played CB in more than four games though, and two of the times he played CB was against Calvin Johnson. Trust me, I loved the kid coming out of college, and had all the stats in my head (at one point, lol), so I'm pretty sure I know what he did, or didn't do in college. In any case, I want him at FS.

 

[ATippett56]

Meriweather looked lousy at cornerback in preseason. Please stop pretending Brandon Meriweather will be a cornerback in the NFL.

 

[RayClay]

Yes, four starts. He played CB in more than four games though, and two of the times he played CB was against Calvin Johnson. Trust me, I loved the kid coming out of college, and had all the stats in my head (at one point, lol), so I'm pretty sure I know what he did, or didn't do in college. In any case, I want him at FS.

I quoted an interview (a few post ago) after they switched him back in August. You may believe he can be a starting cornerback in the NFL, but he doesn't seem to.

 

[NE39]

This is a silly exercise.

A DB who can play either position is a DB. You are classifying guys as either S or CB exclusively. A DB is a DB, and he has skills that fit a particular position.

There are guys who have the skills to play either position. There are CB who can play in a cover-2 scheme that don't have great man-to-man cover skills. There are S that aren't big hitters but do a great job in coverage. Depending on the scheme, they are a better fit in one position or another.

Brandon Meriweather is probably most comfortable at S. However, he is versatile enough that he might be able to play some CB if needed, as he did when at Miami. If he is called upon to do that, I'm sure the coaching staff will put in him a position to best utilize his skills. They probably aren't going to be blitz-happy and leave him out on an island, instead they are going to provide S help and have him do things he can do.

The fact that Meriweather has the versatility that he might be able to drop down and help us at CB is a plus. Instead of classifying him as a S, just call him a DB, like other guys who could switch between one or the other and get the job done. Like Gary Baxter.

 

[fnordcircle]

Man...I thought we were through with this nonsense with Eugene off of the team. Every year we're going to hear about Meriweather playing at corner and every year he's going to play FS/Nickel.

 

[unoriginal]

If you're listing players who demonstrated ability to play either position in college, you're missing the point, but go ahead if you want.

As I mentioned, it seems Woodson was good enough to start at 4 positions in college. If you want to only argue with the thread title, go ahead (there are a limited amount of qualifications and explanations I can put in a thread title).

Well, I'm also arguing with your first post, and I have to say, I like it a lot better than this Meriweather-specific crap. Talking about NFL history is interesting. Talking about what Meriweather may or may not do seems pointless.

But I will note that in all of this several names of decent to very good NFL corners have come out - Eric Warfield, Nnamdi Asomugha, Brian Williams, Carnell Lake, Lester Hayes (someone said, I don't know) - who had minimal exposure (less than Meriweather) to the corner position early but started later on a Pro Level. And many other guys have emerged with the same or more exposure than Meriweather who also did it. Yet you're doing your best to dismiss them and move beyond that argument.

Additionally, do we know if these any of these guys switched between corner or safety during Spring Drills or in high school or on JV or whatever, or if the drills they ran in the Pros or in college were combined with the corners or separate from them? No. But you want to draw a fine line between safeties + tweeners, and "pure" corners to save your point. Fine.

So, what is your point? What has this thread been reduced to since the original post? "Meriweather isn't ready to replace Samuel"? Who the hell wants to debate that? Has anyone on this board seen Meriweather practice? How the hell would we know? I mean, you're right, he's probably not, but not for any real reason other than he's a 2nd year player who'd have to negotiate a position change in one offseason. Almost all the players mentioned in this thread, either corner-safety or safety-corner, took several years to get their wits about them. Hell, most "pure" positional players take several years to get their wits about them.

I encourage others to continue posting safeties-turned-corner (and also corners-turned-safety). I for one find that stuff interesting.

 

[unoriginal]

This is a silly exercise.

A DB who can play either position is a DB. You are classifying guys as either S or CB exclusively. A DB is a DB, and he has skills that fit a particular position.

There are guys who have the skills to play either position. There are CB who can play in a cover-2 scheme that don't have great man-to-man cover skills. There are S that aren't big hitters but do a great job in coverage. Depending on the scheme, they are a better fit in one position or another.

Brandon Meriweather is probably most comfortable at S. However, he is versatile enough that he might be able to play some CB if needed, as he did when at Miami. If he is called upon to do that, I'm sure the coaching staff will put in him a position to best utilize his skills. They probably aren't going to be blitz-happy and leave him out on an island, instead they are going to provide S help and have him do things he can do.

The fact that Meriweather has the versatility that he might be able to drop down and help us at CB is a plus. Instead of classifying him as a S, just call him a DB, like other guys who could switch between one or the other and get the job done. Like Gary Baxter.

Thank you.

 

[RayClay]

This is a silly exercise.

A DB who can play either position is a DB. You are classifying guys as either S or CB exclusively. A DB is a DB, and he has skills that fit a particular position.

There are guys who have the skills to play either position. There are CB who can play in a cover-2 scheme that don't have great man-to-man cover skills. There are S that aren't big hitters but do a great job in coverage. Depending on the scheme, they are a better fit in one position or another.

Brandon Meriweather is probably most comfortable at S. However, he is versatile enough that he might be able to play some CB if needed, as he did when at Miami. If he is called upon to do that, I'm sure the coaching staff will put in him a position to best utilize his skills. They probably aren't going to be blitz-happy and leave him out on an island, instead they are going to provide S help and have him do things he can do.

The fact that Meriweather has the versatility that he might be able to drop down and help us at CB is a plus. Instead of classifying him as a S, just call him a DB, like other guys who could switch between one or the other and get the job done. Like Gary Baxter.

I agree.

That doesn't mean every time we pick up a back up safety "Meriweathers going to be the starting corner".

He'll probably play nickel like Sanders did. And they do switch safeties and corners in some schemes.

He's not replacing Asante.

 

[sebman2112]

I quoted an interview (a few post ago) after they switched him back in August. You may believe he can be a starting cornerback in the NFL, but he doesn't seem to.

Huh? I said I want him at Safety, and that he'll make a better Safety than CB.

You're misreading my point, sorry.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Tebucky Jon......


O wait i cant think of any either.

Tebucky Jones - "A true press corner"

 

[RayClay]

Huh? I said I want him at Safety, and that he'll make a better Safety than CB.

You're misreading my point, sorry.

I started this thread just because so many posters think Meriweather is going to step in as the starting cornerback. Of course he's quick and versatile. But he's primarily a safety.

Interesting thread.

Definitely some players excelled at both safety and corner in college and the pros, but he seems to be most comfortable at safety.