DRAFT Welcome to New England - Wake Forest CB Karon Prunty (5th round, #171)

[alvinnf]

One of the draft podcasts I listen to (might've been NFL Stock Exchange with Trevor Sikkema and Conor Rogers) talked about him a few weeks ago as a potential FS in NFL

That’s what I think we are seeing here, a special teams add and a safety.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Same here. As long as they’re not a total Karon.

I like the Randy ones.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Very interesting pick. media wise he wasn’t on many radars , his nfl.com draft profile was pretty much empty. But apparently he was on 4 teams top 30 visit list (including us obviously) so thats pretty significant imo.

 

[KCSVEN]

Been researching Prunty a bit, not sure why he ranked so low.
Negatives:
-will be 25 in December.
-Only 192 pounds, light for his weight
-bench press was weak, so strength a question.
-Weak vertical

Positives:
-Top level 3-cone drill, probably one of the best drills to measure corners, especially for agility and hip fluidity
-Second best drill for CB success is 10 yd split, was above average there
-Elite level ball skills
-Above average arm length for a CB
-Steadily improved each year
-PFF rated him 84.8 in coverage, among the best in the nation

He's an outside only corner but also has data that suggests he could also play safety.
This is so much like the panned Craig Woodson pick. Woodson was a higher rated prospect but considered a reach.
Others may say more like the Kobee MInor pick, but Minor had way worse analytics.

His lack strength and weak vertical stand out as negatives but he has a ton of positives. Can't figure out why he was considered such a low prospect. Doesn't make sense.

Historically only about 3 of the guys drafted in the 5th round are making much impact for the team that drafted him. Odds are low in the 5th round anyway, but I don't see any reason he wasn't worth that round.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Belichick would draft a guy in the second round that people didn't have going before the sixth round.

We are talking a pick here at the end of the fifth round. And I have heard people saying that the quality of prospects in this draft is that after the fourth round or so you are basically drafting practice squad quality players and you are just drafting them so they cannot sign with someone else as an undrafted free agent.

That's what I heard as well. You can still find some diamonds in the rough but after the 4th round most should be UDFA's. I do like the Crownover pick though. He could end up being Onwenu's replacement.

 

[manxman2601]

Hopefully the team have seen something they can unlock.

 

[DarrylS]

Can he play safety?? Thought that was a bigger need...
Hope he is a kickass sleeper...

 

[Gator Mike]

Can he play safety?? Thought that was a bigger need...
Hope he is a kickass sleeper...

Hmmm....

 

[Water Boy]

“Prunty” sounds like a British insult.

“What is she like?” “A bit prunty, to be honest.”

The "P" word

 

[Gator Mike]

His lack strength and weak vertical stand out as negatives but he has a ton of positives. Can't figure out why he was considered such a low prospect. Doesn't make sense.

This.

Tests like an above average athlete. Long arms and a decent frame. Performed reasonably well against good competition last year. A little underpowered, but we're talking about a guy who maybe ends up as the 4th corner and plays some Special Teams as a rookie. Lock him in the weight room over the course of the next two summers and hope for the best.

 

[mgteich]

I remember the last time we reached for a pick by a position coach. Of course, that was a 2nd rounder.

 

[mgteich]

Mayo posted about players have ratings differing by 100, depending on who was doing the rating.

We drafted Prunty at 171. He was unrated on some lists. One list had him at 512.

This seems more of a reach than Belichick 2nd round picks of defensive backs. If course, this was a 5th round pick in a very poor draft. As Mayo said, it seems that Wolf was done after Day 2.
=========
I know that rating mean very little (after the draft for our picks). However, what ratings did other find for Prunty?

 

[mgteich]

That’s what I think we are seeing here, a special teams add and a safety.

171 seems early for a player to compete with Pettus.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Belichick would draft a guy in the second round that people didn't have going before the sixth round.

We are talking a pick here at the end of the fifth round. And I have heard people saying that the quality of prospects in this draft is that after the fourth round or so you are basically drafting practice squad quality players and you are just drafting them so they cannot sign with someone else as an undrafted free agent.

Sure seemed that way

That being said, I don't know if I'm just noticing or if this is a new trend, but aside from our top 3 picks, it seems like we favor older seniors with most of our 5th -7th round picks being age 24 like Prunty who will turn 25 before this season is over.

Seems to me that other, younger risks - perhaps the guys BB would take - might have had higher ceilings but we often saw they had low floors. Seems like our late round picks are older, presumably more mature and experienced players that strike me as a better risk than the projects BB would take

For what it's worth there wasn't a single UNC player drafted this year so questionable how good BB's draft eye is even in hindsight

 

[jimnance]

Same here. As long as they’re not a total Karon.

You on a roll,PJ!
Or should I say a bialy?

 

[Family]

That being said, I don't know if I'm just noticing or if this is a new trend, but aside from our top 3 picks, it seems like we favor older seniors with most of our 5th -7th round picks being age 24 like Prunty who will turn 25 before this season is over.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

Catch a marginal talent at his peak.

 

[Grogan14]

I agree the draft was weak after round 4. All the more reason to take shots with lottery tickets in late rounds.
They will regret not taking Uar Bernard. The Eagles will develop him into a stud DE for the price of a very late 7th round pick. Missed opportunity.

 

[DH523]

Sounds like there's some raw physical traits to match up with some solid (if not underwhelming) production throughout his career at 3 schools. I do like that he was productive at multiple schools and at 2 different levels. Looks like he could play either CB or Safety with his size and I like the spotlight on plays on the ball (INT and PBU) tied with his willingness to tackle and get after the QB showing possible scheme versatility.

Kansas (2020): Recorded 26 tackles with 22 solo tackles and a tackle-for-loss, 10 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and an interception…Allowed a 38.5 completion percentage while not giving up a single touchdown throughout the season…Led all freshman in the country with 10 pass breakups.

NC A&T (2022): Recorded 30 tackles with 21 solo tackles…Led the Big South with four interceptions while also adding three pass breakups and 10 pass defenses.

NC A&T (2023): Recorded 43 tackles with 33 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, and a sack, as well as five pass breakups en route to a Third Team All-CAA selection.

NC A&T (2024): Finished the season with 27 tackles with 23 solo tackles and a sack, four pass defenses, and an interception to earn Third Team All-CAA honors.

Wake Forest (2025): Graded as the seventh-best overall defensive player in the conference and T-1st on the team by PFF. Recorded 40 total tackles, an interception, eight pass breakups, a sack, a forced fumble and recovered a fumble… Graded as the second-best pass rusher amongst corners in the ACC.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

That's what I heard as well. You can still find some diamonds in the rough but after the 4th round most should be UDFA's. I do like the Crownover pick though. He could end up being Onwenu's replacement.

He is 6’7”. Is that too tall to play inside. I always here this but not sure if others in the NFL are tall but are IOL

 

[JohnJH]

Adam Randall was snagged by The Ravens just a couple of picks later, The Patriots will regret that.