Harrison Smith - Safety - Notre Dame

[patfanken]

Immediately after the season, I felt getting a S early in the draft was an absolute necessity. Now.....not so much.

1. This is not a good safety class to begin with.
2. 3 of the 4 top prospects are more SS types, and what WE lack is a coverage safety with the instincts and speed to actually get to the sideline and help over the top on deep sideline routes.
3. McCourty's promising showing when he played FS in some sub packages make the immediate need a little less pressing
4. The Pats have the cap room and would take a lot of the risk out of improving the safety position by picking up a high end S from this year's FA class (Goldson, Griffith, Nelson). This of course, would make the need to draft a S early less urgent.
5. For those reasons, I would be against using one of the first 5 picks on a S. The only exception to this would be if we picked Trumaine Johnson who is an interesting CB pick (probably in the 2nd) who some think projects to a coverage S

 

[UK_Pat37]

Immediately after the season, I felt getting a S early in the draft was an absolute necessity. Now.....not so much.

1. This is not a good safety class to begin with.
2. 3 of the 4 top prospects are more SS types, and what WE lack is a coverage safety with the instincts and speed to actually get to the sideline and help over the top on deep sideline routes.
3. McCourty's promising showing when he played FS in some sub packages make the immediate need a little less pressing
4. The Pats have the cap room and would take a lot of the risk out of improving the safety position by picking up a high end S from this year's FA class (Goldson, Griffith, Nelson). This of course, would make the need to draft a S early less urgent.
5. For those reasons, I would be against using one of the first 5 picks on a S. The only exception to this would be if we picked Trumaine Johnson who is an interesting CB pick (probably in the 2nd) who some think projects to a coverage S

Agree with this. I hear Goldson is getting the tag though unfortunately so he probably won't be available, which is a shame.

Trumaine Johnson is a guy I'm big on...as is Dennard. Purely because I keep raving on about our need for a versatile corner who can move around the field in our hybrid system and line up at corner and/or safety. Excellent zone player too...if the Pats want to go to a little more man, Dennard is more accomplished. Both have long arms though and can track their man at the hip with quick feet (although Johnson could use his hands better). These guys could improve us as a man team. I wasn't 100% sold on Josh Robinson until his combine so could see a pick like him flourishing. Josh Norman I like too as an underrated prospect...wasn't speedy but has good length and hands as well as ball skills. He and Johnson aren't getting a great deal of love as small school prospects, although Mayock is high on Johnson.

 

[patsfan13]

Pat Kirwan interviewed both Harrison and Iloka He is very impressed with both kids, I really like the sound of Iloka for our needs.

Talk isn't cheap: What I learned from my combine conversations - NFL, NFLDRAFT - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

I got the chance to watch Iloka for a week at the Senior Bowl. He impressed me then, and he impressed me even more when I sat down with him in Indianapolis. He is a very imposing guy as a safety at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. When he starts talking about football, he is even more impressive. Last year the young man played free safety, strong safety, slot corner and in the final three games of the year played corner because of all the injuries

 

[Gronkandez]

GEORGE ILOKA SS, Boise State
2011 GRADE: 6.8 HT: 6-3 WT: 216 Overall rank:50

Impression: Iloka is a tall kid with solid balance for his size and has some natural athleticism and pop. Has experience playing corner and being a physical press coverage man. However, he isn't a guy who can quickly re-direct and close on the football in the deep half. He needs to play with his hands on defenders, but is a more coordinated bigger safety than say Seahawks starter Kam Chancellor and he could start at the next level


George Iloka


HARRISON SMITH SS, Notre Dame
2011 GRADE: 6.4 T HT: 6-2 WT: 214 Overall Rank: 79
Impression: Isn't a guy you want to trust to run with receivers down the field. However, because of his solid natural range and instincts, I can see him getting over the top and making plays in a center field type role as an NFL strong safety

Harrison Smith

Harrison seems to have better instincts and tackling ability. I would say BB values both of those attributes.

Wes Bunting changed his mind and now has Harrison ranked higher than Iloka.

• Finally, Notre Dame SS Harrison Smith jumped Boise State’s safety George Iloka on our board

Check out the NFP


Their board with the overall rankings doesn't seem to reflect this change yet.

 

[DW Toys]

Pat Kirwan interviewed both Harrison and Iloka He is very impressed with both kids, I really like the sound of Iloka for our needs.

Talk isn't cheap: What I learned from my combine conversations - NFL, NFLDRAFT - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Either works for me but here is a sleeper for a Safety with even more versatility and coverage skills.And now there's talk Johnson might have to consider a shift to safety when he joins the NFL ranks later this spring.

He is listed as a CB But he is 6'2" and 204lbs. He is a good tackler and considered a top 5 CB prospect.

Adaptability is in his nature. Trumaine Johnson will play anywhere.

"When I say anywhere on the field, I mean water boy, I mean receiver, cornerback, safety, lineman," he said. "Whatever you need me to do, I'm going to do it."

In the next eight weeks, in the hyperanalyzed lead-up to the NFL draft, Johnson will garner significant attention, an intriguing prospect currently slotted in the mid-second- to mid-third-round range. He's a two-time Walter Camp All-America with impressive size (6-2, 204 pounds), speed and instincts. He also started 46 games during his college career.

Yet his ability and his willingness to try multiple positions makes him the kind of prospect Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman and head coach Leslie Frazier will take an extra long look at. Said Spielman: "With the passing game that's in the NFL right now, especially in our division, you almost have to have safeties who have coverage skills that can make plays in the passing game."

BB loves versatility like swapping McCourty back and forth. He has got long arms and more Safety speed, than CB 4.4 speed.

The guy I want to add because we would need one more Safety is wait on Adrian Wilson who has a $6.5m CAP number. If they let him go, one second later he should be on a plane to N.E. 33 or not. The guy was ranked as the second best cover S in the NFL last season.

Another interesting player is Reggie Nelson. Many thought the Bengals should have franchised him. He was a flop his first few years in JAX but has Blossomed.

TCKL

85

SCK

2.0

FF

2

INT

4

DW Toys

 

[JMC00]

They should just use their two 2nd rounders on Smith and Iloka. Which could solve the depth at Safety issue.

Get a DE/OLB with the 27th and either Dennard or a DT with the 31st.

 

[Sciz]

Iloka is not a good player. Has the body, but not the movement skills.

 

[patsfan13]

Iloka is not a good player. Has the body, but not the movement skills.

Pat Kirwan disagrees with your assessment.

 

[patsderoer]

Pat Kirwan disagrees with your assessment.

But the combine agility numbers agree with him. Iloka had 7.03 cone, 13 out of 17 safeties who did the 3-cone. H Smith was first among safeties in the 3-cone with 6.63.
Here is Iloka giving up a 80-yard TD in the first play on this vid.
George Iloka vs. San Diego State (2011) - YouTube
His poor agility is displayed in man coverage, when the receiver gets free from him at 1.41 and 1.49 in the vid.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Pat Kirwan disagrees with your assessment.

He's as stiff as a rock. If you want a safety with coverage issues, get this guy. We already ahve one in Chung. We value 3 cone drills immensely....can't see the Pats taking him with those results unless he absolutely wows scouts in a visit.

 

[patsderoer]

Found another safety with a very good 3-cone time who was not invited to the combine. Brian Peters from Northwestern had a 6.69 3-cone (which would had tied him for second at the combine, behind H Smith) and a 4.6 40 at his Pro Day. He also has good size at 6'3" and 215.

College career 12 INT, 23 passes defended, 13 TFL, 300 TT, 6 FF, 5 FR and 1 sack. Chosen 2011 All-Big Ten first team by the media.

Brian Peters: 2012 NFL Draft Prospect - YouTube

 

[rdf63]

Found another safety with a very good 3-cone time who was not invited to the combine. Brian Peters from Northwestern had a 6.69 3-cone (which would had tied him for second at the combine, behind H Smith) and a 4.6 40 at his Pro Day. He also has good size at 6'3" and 215.

College career 12 INT, 23 passes defended, 13 TFL, 300 TT, 6 FF, 5 FR and 1 sack. Chosen 2011 All-Big Ten first team by the media.

Brian Peters: 2012 NFL Draft Prospect - YouTube

Peters could be a steal in the draft for the Pats in the 3rd or 4th round. He has the tools and size to play in the NFL and the Pats may be looking to draft two safeties in the draft depending on who they obtain in the FA market. Imagine Brian Peters and Mark Barron playing for the Pats. I thing the Pats will get a FA cornerback and also rebuild the safety position because Chung is a good player but oft-injured as well. The Pats need 3 not 2 solid safeties.

 

[rdf63]

Found another safety with a very good 3-cone time who was not invited to the combine. Brian Peters from Northwestern had a 6.69 3-cone (which would had tied him for second at the combine, behind H Smith) and a 4.6 40 at his Pro Day. He also has good size at 6'3" and 215.

College career 12 INT, 23 passes defended, 13 TFL, 300 TT, 6 FF, 5 FR and 1 sack. Chosen 2011 All-Big Ten first team by the media.

Brian Peters: 2012 NFL Draft Prospect - YouTube

Peters could be a steal in the draft for the Pats in the 3rd or 4th round. He has the tools and size to play in the NFL and the Pats may be looking to draft two safeties in the draft depending on who they obtain in the FA market. Imagine Brian Peters and Mark Barron playing for the Pats. I thing the Pats will get a FA cornerback and also rebuild the safety position because Chung is a good player but oft-injured as well. The Pats need 3 not 2 solid safeties.