Which safety would you prefer?

[chefbear65]

Brooks doesn't jump off the film in any one area nor does his athletic ability. Solid 2-3 round prospect. I'd take ward over him all day.
Way more polished.

I kindly beg to differ with your first statement. I think he has the best combination of timed speed and functional game speed of anyone out of this crop of safeties. I'm interested in your thought process though, what lead you to believe he doesn't display upper echelon athleticism at safety?

I thought he popped right off the tape. He's hard to follow during a game sometimes because FSU moved him around A LOT. As I said in my previous post he spent the beginning of his collegiate career at corner, playing mostly in the slot in sub packages. I'm not sure how much you follow FSU but they've had quite a few NFL caliber players in their secondary these last few years (decades even but that's not relevant to what I'm talking about). He wouldn't have been over the slot if he didn't possess the quickness to do so, college attacks would have exploited that aggressively until he was taken off the field. Its not like they didn't have other guys looking for playing time.

He also spent some time returning kicks. Again, on a team with the sort of top flight speedsters that FSU has year in, year out I don't think he'd even get an opportunity if he didn't possess enough speed to take it the distance on a kick/punt.

That's all beating around the bush though, he's a safety so let's see what he's done there. I hate to point anyone to highlight videos as they just show a prospects big play turnout over multiple seasons, vs varying levels of competition but there's not much else publically available. Especially so when it comes to free safeties, if a FS isn't making a play or supporting a player making a tackle then he ideally shouldn't be seen from the broadcast angle at all. Still watching his highlights will give you a taste of the sort of playmaking he's capabable of. If you prefer there are some individual game tapes for him on YouTube though, I know I've seen at least the FSU vs NC state tape of him on there. Not a bad game for seeing him "pop" off the tape.

Many of the defended passes and interceptions came on throws that few safeties in this class would be able to get into position for no matter actually completing the play. He's not sitting under ducks like a punt returner, he's locating the football and using his ability to get there just in time to make the play. One could say that poor instincts are putting him in a bad position and he ends up making a wow play that could've looked easier but safeties that lean on their athletic ability to get them into position usually don't end up finishing those plays. He looks like a great player making great plays because he's great not an athlete making athletic plays because he has to just to get by.

 

[WindyCity]

I like Brooks, good athletic ability and he use to play CB. But he also profiles to me as a solid starter and maybe not a ton more.

I like a lot of what I see from Jimmie Ward, but I worry about whether he will hold up at safety, he is about average size for a CB and we would be asking him to take a lot of punishment.

 

[Runruffshod75]

Ha ha in the first or Brooks in the second.

 

[pseudonym]

Really close with HHCD/Pryor, but I said HHCD. I think they are two fairly different players, with HHCD being more of a ball hawk and Pryor being more of a beast vs. the run game, better tackler.

I do like Ward, Bucannon and Brooks in the 2nd. I THINK one of them should be there at #51.

I think HHCD will be gone at #14, and I prefer Donald over a safety there. Might even take Hageman there, or trade back a few to take the big guy.

Any of these five would be upgrades.

 

[Sagbear]

I'm a fan of Brooks also but like any prospect he has his flaws. He is still getting used to playing safety and he needs to improve his tackling. Thats why Ward is rated higher than Brooks for me, because despite size hes a good open field tackler.

 

[GBlaze08]

I can't answer this one straight up as to me it depends on who is still available in the first, as there are a few people that I would take over safety if still there. That being said, the short answer is:

1st Round: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
2nd Round: Deone Bucannon

 

[Raskolnikov]

I don't think this guy gets talked about enough.

[video=youtube;JxQpOuEC_5c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxQpOuEC_5c[/video]

 

[modo]

I can't answer this one straight up as to me it depends on who is still available in the first, as there are a few people that I would take over safety if still there. That being said, the short answer is:

1st Round: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
2nd Round: Deone Bucannon

you'd better get a S and DT instead of 2 safeties

 

[bearlythere]

If we go for safety in the 1st: Clinton-Dix, Pryor (in that order)

If we go for safety in the 2nd: Brooks, Bailey (in that order)

I don't think any of the other players are capable of being difference makers at the FS position; SS, perhaps, but quality run defending safeties can be found in later rounds.

 

[GBlaze08]

you'd better get a S and DT instead of 2 safeties

I did not mean to get 2 safeties. The first and second round were to indicate who I would take in either round. As I said earlier, depends on who else is on the board as to whether or not I would take a safety in the first. Maybe that was a bit unclear. I was doing a few things at once and kept getting interrupted.

 

[ZenBear34]

pryor is the best safety in this class. i want him or donald at 14.

i think clinton-dix is closer to the 2nd tier then most analysts have him. i like all those safeties in the 2nd though.