Taboo to draft a safety early? Not anymore
What has amazed me about many NFL teams in years past is the penchant for passing on quality safeties early in round one. Last year, Oakland (Michael Huff) and Buffalo (Donte Whitner) selected back-to-back safeties in the top 10, but that was an aberration and not the norm. It seems like the premium on safeties has been as valuable to some teams as the backup fullback.
However, review the safeties of recent Super Bowl teams: Rodney Harrison (Patriots, ’03 and ’04), Brian Dawkins (Eagles, ’04), Troy Polamalu (Steelers, ’05) and Bob Sanders (Colts, ’06). That list doesn’t even include the versatile Ed Reed (Ravens). Give a defensive coordinator a heat-seeking missile like Reed or Polamalu, and watch his game plan go from cautionary to destructive. This might be a stretch, but I’m willing to bet that having a complete player at safety – that is, one that is fast, smart, instinctive, and plays the run as well as the pass – will be as important in the near future as a competent quarterback.
With that said, there is no shortage of safeties in this year’s draft. At the head of it all is LaRon Landry from LSU, who had a remarkable workout at the combine. Questioned mostly for his coverage skills and top-end speed, Landry ran a 4.35 40, essentially raising his stock higher than Disney’s. Given his overall play making ability, many make a solid argument that Florida’s Reggie Nelson is a better prospect. However, I don’t think he is as NFL-ready at this point as Landry is. Other prospects include: Brandon Meriweather (Miami), Michael Griffin (Texas) and Eric Weddle (Utah). The sleeper might be Sabby Piscitelli (Oregon State), who is strong, athletic and fast for a 224-pound safety. He is a little stiff in his movement, but would be a great value in rounds 4-7.
Great point made here, although it also is predicated that the defensive system being utilized by a team values the “versitile/heat-seeking” type of safety as much as you say.
There’s absoluely nothing wrong with having guys like Ed Reed or Polamalu, they’re absolute game-changers, but I think a lot of GMs & coaching staffs in this league still think they can get by with an average ability laden safety (See Dexter Jackson, Superbowl XXXVII MVP, Buccaneers). This is just as good an example of a defensive SYSTEM going to work for you, more so than the ability of the PLAYER.
Bottom line, however……Landry tore it up, and I personally thought Merriweather looked more athletic in his running style, ball skills & quickness in & out of his breaks during ball drills at the combine than Reggie Nelson.
For the “sleeper” type of guys, how can you NOT love Eric Weddle?! This kid is not the most physically gifted but a pure playmaker & intelligent enough to make smart plays (and not swing helmets as weapons…..ehemmm Merriweather).
Lastly, great call on Sabby Piscitelli, on paper his numbers & size are unreal but I haven’t seen any of his game tape yet, but he looked more agile & had better footwork than I expected when I saw his field drills at the combine. I think the footwork is there, just perhaps not the looseness in the hips you’d see from the more athletic safties in the draft class like Nelson, Griffen, Merriweather, etc. Some reviews I’ve read on Sabby says despite his size & ability he plays fairly soft which is a bummer b/c he could lay some lumber with his potential.
D Fresh,
That is an excellent point about the defensive system and how these safeties fit in. You’re absolutely right in that, a guy can have all the intangibles, but if he has Ronald McDonald designing the schemes, it doesn’t matter. I think you bring up an interesting point about Jackson too – whom I forgot to mention – as well as teams thinking they can fit a safety into their system instead of designing a scheme around his abilities.
There is a reason why these safeties are so productive, and a lot has to do with guys like Romeo Crennel, Rex Ryan, Dick LeBeau, Jim Johnson and Ron Meeks designing the schemes come Sunday. Part of my point was, if a team can acquire a player like Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu or Brian Dawkins, a coach scheme his entire game plan to fit around that safeties’ talents. I think we’re going to start seeing a lot more of these types of all-around safeties as teams begin to value them more in the draft.
As far as Weddle, he is just an all-out football player. He played multiple positions at Utah, including safety, running back, corner and even the gunner on special teams. He might not be the most talented DB in the draft, but he’ll certainly be ready to play every week. As you alluded to D Fresh, how could you not like a guy like that? He’ll be a great special teams contributor, and maybe even a fill-in starter from time to time.
We’ll obviously have to see how sleepers like Piscitelli, Weddle and Wyoming’s John Wendeling turn out.
Excellent post.
AS