Mid round sleepers: CB

[WaterfallJumper]

All right. Season is well underway, and I assume we can all agree that we'd like to see a tall, physical corner added to our squad for next year. That may be a dangerous assumption (OTG might have some words for me!) but I had to kick off this series somewhere. It's been a while since I've posted in the draft forum, but this used to be my exclusive stomping grounds. I figured I'd go back to my roots, and start off the discussion with one of my early binkies, Danzel McDaniel.

It's early, but CBS Sports has him buried in the rankings:

DANZEL MCDANIEL, CB
SCHOOL: KANSAS STATE | CONFERENCE: BIG12
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: SENIOR | HOMETOWN: DOLTON, IL
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1 / 205 LBS.

PROJECTED RANKING 801
OVERALL POSITION 78

My bet? If he tests well, he will challenge for consideration in the first two rounds. Take a gander at him against SEC competition. Needs technique work, but his physicality and size appear top notch.




You know the drill, ladies and gentlemen. Let's see what you've got.

 

[Off The Grid]

No Objection whatsoever, Brother Reamer. In fact, I strongly favor Amazon Corners!!

It's gonna be a long time before I render an opinion on young McDaniel or much at all, I'm afraid. This Year is seeing me changing my TelePhone, my Car, My Job, and my Home, all of which is awesome, but terribly exhausting and time-consuming ~ most especially the long process of mastering the new Job.

But it is tremendous to have you put in an Appearance, Sir. Where've you been hanging out, these days?

 

[BobDigital]

I am not one to care much for tall CBs. I understand the allure of getting a Sherman type but they are so hard to fine. I do like physical ones though.

I have just seen so many CBs be drafted higher then they should be cause they were 6'2 or 6'1 and the 5'10 guys falls and go on to have better careers. Don't get me wrong I like having a tall guy but leaping ability can go a long way to fixing that.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

No Objection whatsoever, Brother Reamer. In fact, I strongly favor Amazon Corners!!

It's gonna be a long time before I render an opinion on young McDaniel or much at all, I'm afraid. This Year is seeing me changing my TelePhone, my Car, My Job, and my Home, all of which is awesome, but terribly exhausting and time-consuming ~ most especially the long process of mastering the new Job.

But it is tremendous to have you put in an Appearance, Sir. Where've you been hanging out, these days?

I've mostly been MIA. My wife and I had our first child a few weeks ago, so this past year has been devoted to preparation for the new guy. We still have to get him some Pats gear, so he can parade around in style (even though we're in Bills country, I've got to represent my original hometown team).

I'm still sifting through a lot of games to find players I like. I'm a long, long way from player rankings or a big board, but I still enjoy the hobby of player evaluation. McDaniel stood out because of how aggressive he was in run support. He's a big, strong player, and the times that he was beat downfield seemed more of a technique deficiency than anything else; he doesn't seem to actually use press much, and he has a weird bail technique where he turns his hips sideways. Not a big fan of that, but he does at least have the makeup speed to get back into the play.

In the last snap in the video I linked, he bites way too hard on a slant, and is burned deep. While that's not the most encouraging, it reminds me almost exactly of a college game that Sherman played. I made the mistake of downgrading him on my board because of his aggressiveness jumping short routes -- which left him vulnerable to down the field passes -- but I think he was still learning technique and how to read offenses. I'm a bit more forgiving, now, because the point of tape is not to "write the book" on a prospect as though he's a finished product, but rather to gain insight into applicable traits that can be translated and cultivated on a professional level.

In short, creative forecasting of talent means that the evaluation process often belongs to the realm of the poets and seers, with whom I'd certainly like to identify.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

I am not one to care much for tall CBs. I understand the allure of getting a Sherman type but they are so hard to fine. I do like physical ones though.

I have just seen so many CBs be drafted higher then they should be cause they were 6'2 or 6'1 and the 5'10 guys falls and go on to have better careers. Don't get me wrong I like having a tall guy but leaping ability can go a long way to fixing that.

Noted. I tend to agree that the premier talents have been shorter, because they tend to be more fluid and coordinated. If Butler, Coleman, Roberts, et al, continue to improve, however, then it seems we're not looking for a #1 corner in the common parlance, but rather for a specific matchup player who can go toe to toe with the super-sized receivers that are so popular these days.

 

[manxman2601]

All right. Season is well underway, and I assume we can all agree that we'd like to see a tall, physical corner added to our squad for next year. That may be a dangerous assumption (OTG might have some words for me!) but I had to kick off this series somewhere. It's been a while since I've posted in the draft forum, but this used to be my exclusive stomping grounds. I figured I'd go back to my roots, and start off the discussion with one of my early binkies, Danzel McDaniel.

It's early, but CBS Sports has him buried in the rankings:

DANZEL MCDANIEL, CB
SCHOOL: KANSAS STATE | CONFERENCE: BIG12
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: SENIOR | HOMETOWN: DOLTON, IL
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1 / 205 LBS.

PROJECTED RANKING 801
OVERALL POSITION 78

My bet? If he tests well, he will challenge for consideration in the first two rounds. Take a gander at him against SEC competition. Needs technique work, but his physicality and size appear top notch.




You know the drill, ladies and gentlemen. Let's see what you've got.

Interesting guy. Love how he plays with abandon in run support, albeit with a little too much abandon. One sad note, apparently he's out for the rest of the year. Shame because I'd have liked to see him more in press-man.

 

[manxman2601]

Eric Murray is my early favourite CB. 6-0, 195lbs. Plays a lot in press man. Here's a quote from his DB coach:

He's a good tackler, he's a great blitzer, he's a tremendous special-teams player, he's very, very good in press coverage to the point where a lot of times a play will just break down. There are a lot of times that he doesn't show up in a play, but he's a big part of our success in it because of what he does for us in the style of football we play.

In the first game of the above against TCU, Murray goes up against Kolby Listenbee who, according to this report is the fastest player in CFB.

 

[manxman2601]

the other guy that impressed me is Iowa's Desmond King. Loved his physicality and willingness in run support in this video.



King has 6 INTs this year.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Manx! How's it going, man? I can always count on you to come through with the goods. I'll have to watch these more thoroughly when I'm home from work.

 

[manxman2601]

Manx! How's it going, man? I can always count on you to come through with the goods. I'll have to watch these more thoroughly when I'm home from work.

Great thanks, but finding it hard to get motivated for the draft as of yet, partly because this forum is so quiet. We need to get this party started. You up for it

 

[Off The Grid]

No Objection whatsoever, Brother Reamer. In fact, I strongly favor Amazon Corners!!

It's gonna be a long time before I render an opinion on young McDaniel or much at all, I'm afraid. This Year is seeing me changing my TelePhone, my Car, My Job, and my Home, all of which is awesome, but terribly exhausting and time-consuming ~ most especially the long process of mastering the new Job.

But it is tremendous to have you put in an Appearance, Sir. Where've you been hanging out, these days?

I've mostly been MIA. My wife and I had our first child a few weeks ago, so this past year has been devoted to preparation for the new guy. We still have to get him some Pats gear, so he can parade around in style (even though we're in Bills country, I've got to represent my original hometown team).

I'm still sifting through a lot of games to find players I like. I'm a long, long way from player rankings or a big board, but I still enjoy the hobby of player evaluation. McDaniel stood out because of how aggressive he was in run support. He's a big, strong player, and the times that he was beat downfield seemed more of a technique deficiency than anything else; he doesn't seem to actually use press much, and he has a weird bail technique where he turns his hips sideways. Not a big fan of that, but he does at least have the makeup speed to get back into the play.

In the last snap in the video I linked, he bites way too hard on a slant, and is burned deep. While that's not the most encouraging, it reminds me almost exactly of a college game that Sherman played. I made the mistake of downgrading him on my board because of his aggressiveness jumping short routes -- which left him vulnerable to down the field passes -- but I think he was still learning technique and how to read offenses. I'm a bit more forgiving, now, because the point of tape is not to "write the book" on a prospect as though he's a finished product, but rather to gain insight into applicable traits that can be translated and cultivated on a professional level.

In short, creative forecasting of talent means that the evaluation process often belongs to the realm of the poets and seers, with whom I'd certainly like to identify.

As you do, Sir...As you do.