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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:39:25 GMT -7
Doing this one a little different. I'm including overall rankings for these players. Will try to focus on top 150 prospects
Draft Network: 1.) Kyle Hamilton (rank 2) 2.) Jaquan Brisker (rank 25) 3.) Daxton Hill (rank 31) 4.) Lewis Cine (rank 69) 5.) Verone McKinley (rank 107) 6.) Nick Cross (rank 123) 7.) Dane Belton (rank 134) 8.) Sterling Weatherford (rank 144) 9.) Reed Blankenship (rank 145)
PFF: 1.) Kyle Hamilton (rank 3) 2.) Lewis Cine (rank 27) 3.) Jaquan Brisker (rank 38) 4.) Kerby Joseph (rank 71) 5.) Verone McKinley (rank 104) 6.) Bryan Cook (rank 112) 7.) Demani Richardson (rank 115) 8.) Smoke Monday (Rank 123) 9.) Sterling Weatherford (rank 136) 10.) Bubba Bolden (rank 143)
Walterfootball: 1.) Kyle Hamilton 2.) Daxton Hill 3.) Jaquan Brisker 4.) Lewis Cine 5.) Bryan Cook 6.) Kerby Joseph 7.) Isaiah Pola-Mola 8.) Brad Hawkins 9.) RJ Roderick 10.) Yusuf Corker
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:39:40 GMT -7
Kyle Hamilton S, Notre Dame
Height: 6-4. Weight: 210.
Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
Draft Network:
Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton might just be the best NFL draft prospect I’ve personally studied since entering into the draft space in 2014. This is a unicorn-caliber player who is physically capable of executing a slew of roles and responsibilities and the Notre Dame program did a terrific job accentuating his versatility and allowing him to shine on all three levels of their defense. Hamilton’s football IQ and instincts are simply on another level, too. He sees the game differently and that allows him to play the game with a rare patience before calling upon elite physical skills to transition and drive to the football. Hamilton’s youth trainer credits him with a 40” vertical, an 11’ broad jump, and ‘the fastest (electronic) 10-yard split I’ve ever timed at my facility’ at the age of 18 when he left for the Irish program. Keep your binoculars handy when you watch him play, he’ll keep you busy searching for him on a play-by-play basis. One game studied featured Hamilton’s first few snaps that involved playing coverage on the punt team, aligning in the nickel and pushing to the flat, driving to deep middle of the field coverage, aligning as a stack player and playing robber, and then aligning as an end man on the line of scrimmage in a pressure look. He’s an elite tackler, offers tremendous range, and allowed his ball skills to shine in 2021 before an injury cut short his season as a junior and cost him the second half of the Irish’s season. NFL teams will have the luxury of plugging him into their secondary and getting an immediate upgrade and an impact player; be it fitting the box from deep alignments, man or zone coverage from the nickel or as a part of pressure packages prowling the line of scrimmage. Hamilton can do it all and should be considered a defensive weapon that is given as many roles as a team can craft for him. He shouldn’t leave the field on defense in any personnel grouping thanks to his IQ and physical versatility and elite size for the safety position. For my money, this is the most physically talented player in the class and, as previously mentioned, is on the short-list for my best prospects since 2014.
Ideal role: Defensive weapon
Scheme tendencies: Creative system that moves players and manufactures personnel advantages in critical down and distance situations
Profootball Network:
Can Hamilton be the first safety selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft since 2017? He certainly has the skill set to join that elite group of early first-round players at the position. Furthermore, I would go as far as to say he is one of the best players in the 2022 NFL Draft class regardless of position. Additionally, the current projected NFL Draft order should ensure a run of defensive players within those first 10 selections. Let’s dig into his scouting report to discover why Hamilton is not only so highly regarded but should transcend traditional positional value. Hamilton has uncommon size for the safety position. At 6’4″ and 219 pounds, he is a physical specimen. There are linebackers playing the game that don’t possess the same size as the Notre Dame safety. In addition to his size, Hamilton has elite length. Both his height and length make him a difficult proposition to throw against. With that coverage radius, he can get his hands up to snag the ball out of the air. He can also use his long levers to reach around opposition receivers to disrupt the ball, knocking it away from their grasp. Hamilton is extremely disruptive at the catch point.
Athletic, versatile, and physical
For a safety of his size, you might expect some trade-off in athletic ability. However, there is none. Hamilton is as athletic as they come. He demonstrates excellent play speed, has incredible fluidity of movement enabling tremendous change of direction, and contains impressive short-area explosion. Hamilton’s athletic profile ensures he can cover the entire field. As a result, he has been used in multiple alignments for the Fighting Irish. His versatility will prove invaluable ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Hamilton can play single-high and two-high safety; he has played in the slot and unleashed on blitz plays. His imposing build allows him to play with extreme physicality in the box. This brings me nicely to the final element of his game. Hamilton is an exceptional tackler. He often demonstrates incredible brute force combined with excellent tackling form. He appears to be a highly academic, high-character player who offers no off-field issues away from the field. Between character and skill set, Hamilton projects to be an early first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, with the potential to be one of the best in the class.
Areas for concern
Although Hamilton presents as a polished prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft, there are some concerns and areas for improvement attached to his scouting report. While these shouldn’t impact his draft stock too significantly, it serves as a reminder that there is rarely such thing as a perfect prospect. While displaying impressive football intelligence, the Notre Dame safety can be prone to bite on screens, play-action, and RPO plays. This is often a result of his aggressive approach to playing the game. Sometimes, less is truly more, and Hamilton could use a more measured approach at times. At present, the biggest concern is his recovery from injury. While everything out of Notre Dame suggests that he could have played in the College Football Playoffs if the Irish had been selected, NFL teams will want to see that there has been no drop-off in his athletic ability following an injury that has kept him away from the game for over six weeks.
Walterfootball: 1/29/22: Hamilton totaled 31 tackles, three interceptions and three passes defended in 2021. A knee injury suffered while tackling USC's Drake London took Hamilton out for rest of the season.
Hamilton is a dynamic playmaker and difference maker. He has phenomenal size, speed and athleticism to go along with instincts and intelligence. With his size and tackling ability, Hamilton is a highly impactful run defender who flies downhill and is capable of being the eighth man in the box. With his speed and range, Hamilton can also be a free safety who locks down the deep part of the field. Hamilton also displays some ability to handle man coverage on tight ends. The only thing he does not look exceptional at is man coverage on slot receivers. Hamilton has the skill set and upside to be one of the best safeties in the NFL.
7/17/21: Hamilton totaled 56 tackles, an interception and six passes broken up in 2020. In 2019, he put together an excellent freshman season for Notre Dame, showing good ball skills with four interceptions and six passes broken up to go along with 41 tackles.
On top of playing well, the 6-foot-4, 216-pounder has upside as well as very good height and length for the position. Hamilton shows the versatility to play free safety or strong safety, to serve as the eighth man in the box, and or to handle man coverage on tight ends. The only role he should not be assigned is playing man on slot receivers, but he is a tough run defender who has excellent instincts in pass coverage. Hamilton has intelligence, good vision, and superb closing speed. He has the potential to be an excellent NFL safety.
Background:
Interview with Mike Tirico
Highlights:
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:39:56 GMT -7
Jaquan Brisker S, Penn State Height: 6-1. Weight: 203. Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
The Draft Network:
Penn State Safety Jaquan Brisker would, in most classes, be considered a strong bet for SAF1 on the positional rankings. This is a well-rounded player who has made the most of his time in Happy Valley to develop himself into a “do it all” defender on the back end of the Lions’ defense. A JUCO transfer from Lackawanna College, Brisker entered the 2021 season with a small sample size as a starting player for Penn State but plenty of bright flashes—those bright flashes sustained themselves game over game and week over week, steadily building one of the most consistent and impressive film resumes in the Big Ten for this past season. Brisker has excellent anatomical length and is a member of The Athletic’s annual CFB Freaks list courtesy of Bruce Feldman—he’s been credited with a 35’5” triple jump and a 10’7” standing broad jump this past summer. Brisker is a leader on the Lions’ defense as well, offering energetic play in all phases of the position. From an alignment standpoint, Brisker has injected enthusiasm in his ability to play in all roles. He’s manned the high post in middle of the field closed coverage in the Lions’ Cover 3 shell, but has made appearances on the B-level in subpackages, including in some short-yardage situations and in the red zone to take advantage of his length, hitting power, and ability to blow up blocks. Brisker has also shown the ability to play in the slot and handle some man-to-man assignments as well, meaning he’s going to appeal to multiple coverage roles and should have a fit within just about every defensive system going forward. Brisker’s increased ball production is something to be excited about and he’s made a lot of his big plays in big moments on the field—none better than the game-sealing interception in the red zone against Wisconsin to open the season. That play encapsulates a lot of what Brisker brings to the table as a cerebral defender, as his anticipation and recognition allowed him to start on the opposite hash and work into the MOF to undercut the throw and seal a win in the final minutes for Penn State. This would be an exciting addition to any secondary in need of versatility and game-changing plays.
Ideal role: Starting free safety (in a defense with interchangeable safety roles)
Scheme tendencies: Multiple coverage shells, aggressive blitz approach, and high usage of nickel personnel with shadowing assignments in man coverage.
Profootball Network:
Safety is a relatively thankless position. It’s not quite at the level of the offensive line, but there is an element of particular precariousness on the back end. It can be very easy to make a little mistake that ends up costing the defense 6 points. The fragile nature of the safety’s responsibility fazes out replacement-level players. But by the same virtue, it rewards those who are up to the challenge. In his short time at Penn State, Brisker has proven he’s up to the challenge. The Penn State S has developed into one of the top playmakers in the Big Ten this year, and he could leverage his performance into a selection on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft — or maybe even Day 1
Jaquan Brisker’s athletic profile
There’s no shortage of athletes in the 2022 NFL Draft’s safety group. However, Brisker might be one of the best of the bunch. He’s not quite at the level of a Kyle Hamilton or a Daxton Hill, but he still brings quite a bit to the table. At 6’1″, 204 pounds, Brisker has a long, compact frame. And within that frame, he has many of the desired athletic traits. Brisker is a twitchy athlete who can change directions quickly. He’s an exceptionally smooth mover with loose hips and light feet. Additionally, he’s a great lateral athlete. The Penn State product can sink his hips into direction changes and divert course with little delay. Brisker has shown he can flip his hips while backpedaling as well.
If that’s not enough, Brisker has great long speed and full-field range for his size. He can cover ground quickly with energetic strides. He can chase down plays in pursuit, even from angles that aren’t ideal. It also helps that Brisker accelerates extremely quickly. He possesses a torrid initial burst, and when he keys in on plays, he explodes toward the ball. Putting his athletic traits together, Brisker is a very versatile defender. He can line up in single-high, two-high, or in the slot. His combination of size, burst, and fluidity allows him to match up with almost anyone. The Penn State safety can match smaller receivers, as well as blanket tight ends up the seam.
Execution beyond the physical traits
Brisker’s physical traits pop off the screen, but his polish beyond that foundation is what generates true excitement for his NFL projection. In coverage, Brisker’s adept mental traits are on display most often. The Penn State S has great awareness. He sees the field well and knows when to pass off routes and track other receivers. Beyond that, Brisker follows the quarterback’s eyes, but he’s also aware of the space around him. He doesn’t get tunnel vision, and that instinctive awareness makes him very adaptable as a player. Brisker does a good job identifying routes, and he can anticipate proper positioning and manipulate route leverage. He generally does a good job spacing himself against 2-on-1’s downfield as well. Going further, Brisker can identify rollouts and swing out to the side. He can magnetize to wheel and seam routes, mirroring receivers. He’s able to flip his hips and launch into those lanes, then quickly transition from pursuit to coverage. Closer to the line, Brisker also shows promise. He is combative against blocks in run defense, and he’s shown he can proactively use his length to disengage. The Nittany Lions star is willing to fill in run defense and sift through congestion to make stops. And once he has a clear lane to the runner, he brings an intense closing burst at the tackle point. He’s shown he can wrap up as well Among other things, Brisker is an urgent, high-energy player who’s always active on the back end. He’s willing to use his physicality in press coverage to disrupt route progressions. He also has visible vertical athleticism and ball skills — deriving from his days as a high school wide receiver. Brisker can track the ball in the air and convert on momentum-changing plays.
Areas for improvement
Overall, Brisker is a very well-rounded 2022 NFL Draft prospect. He’s a great athlete with good processing ability and play pace. You can only poke so many holes in those kinds of profiles. Nevertheless, the Penn State safety can still strive for greater operational consistency. Most notably, Brisker can react faster as he sometimes gets caught watching. He can be more consistent anticipating separation downfield. Safeties have to be pre-emptive at times when timing their hip transitions. Furthermore, Brisker sometimes creates too big a cushion between himself and routes. He can bite on quick moves at the stem and fall a step behind. Thus, he can be more consistent in maintaining close spacing on the back end. Moving forward, Brisker can sometimes get baited away from plays by misdirections. While he generally keys in on the ball well, he can be more consistent there. In a similar vein, the Nittany Lions S sometimes overshoots tackling angles coming downhill. He can also be a bit late to disengage in run defense. And while he’s solid as a tackler, he can be more consistent. Finally, while Brisker is an excellent athlete, there are times where he can be slightly more efficient as a mover. His weight transfers can be smoother at times. He gets flat-footed on occasion when changing directions. Moreover, Brisker can widen his stride lengths in the open field to cover more ground.
Walterfootball: 1/29/22: Brisker is a talented player with speed, instincts and versatility, plus he is willing to get physical. He recorded 43 tackles, two interceptions and four passes broken up in 2021. Brisker has a tendency to get banged up and receives more attention from trainers than NFL teams like to see.
7/17/21: In 2020, Brisker flashed at times for the Nittany Lions while recording 57 tackles, four passes defended and an interception. He totaled 31 tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended in 2019. Brisker projects as a free safety for the NFL, and he has a good skill set for the next level. With his size, speed and athleticism, Brisker could be a riser over the 2021 season.
Highlights:
Workout:
Breakdown
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:40:09 GMT -7
Daxton Hill S/CB, Michigan Height: 6-0. Weight: 192. Projected 40 Time: 4.6.
Draft Network:
Daxton Hill is a versatile defender who has been very productive throughout his three-year tenure with the Wolverines. A highly touted recruit with NFL bloodlines, Hill stepped on campus with big expectations and has certainly lived up to them. Hill will align at various roles in the Michigan defense but he does his best work playing single-high safety or as a nickel defender in the slot. He is a smooth and efficient mover in coverage and has very good straight-line speed. In zone coverage, Hill flashes excellent eyes, instincts, and awareness to peel off his zone and locate the ball and make a play. He has good short-area quickness and closing burst to make plays on the football or tackle anything completed in front of him. Hill flashes good range playing single-high and can make plays red line to red line. While Hill has good overall athleticism to be an effective man cover player both playing high safety and in the slot, he can get lazy in his transitions and can be slow to open up and run, leaving separation between him and the receiver. Additionally, while Hill is tough and ultra-competitive both in the passing game and in run support, his lack of size and strength leave him at a disadvantage at the catch point as well as playing in the box.
Ideal Role: Starting free safety with the ability to play nickel
Scheme Fit: Cover 1 or Cover 3
Profootball Network: The numbers don’t always adequately reflect a player’s pace on the field. Some players appear faster or slower than their athletic times. Nevertheless, athletic testing numbers often provide a solid baseline to base one’s expectations. And the expectations couldn’t be much higher for Hill. In a league full of elite athletes, Hill might be as elite as it gets. The Michigan S had the highest SPARQ rating in the 2019 recruiting class. Among other things, he logged a 4.3 40-yard dash and a 43-inch vertical, as well as a 4.13 20-yard shuttle. Hill no doubt has rare athletic capabilities, but do they show up on the field, and does he use them effectively?
Daxton Hill’s athletic profile
Hill’s athletic numbers hint at otherworldly dynamism, and he lives up to that on tape. When Hill plays at full speed, he moves at a pace that few can match. Expectedly, the Michigan product has elite explosiveness and pursuit speed. These qualities combine into impressive range, both downfield and side to side. Hill is an extremely twitchy athlete who possesses ample amounts of constant potential energy. He has the athleticism to quickly adjust his angles in tight spaces, and his speed and explosiveness allow him to make up ground when he reacts late. The Michigan S shows off intense closing burst at the tackle point, and his impressive proportional length allows him to handle one-on-one situations. Beyond his speed and explosiveness, Hill is also exceptionally fluid. He’s extremely smooth and quick transitioning out of his backpedal. He can flip his hips and explode in an instant. This hip fluidity shows up downfield, where he’s shown he can flip and stick to receivers with ease. Hill can be an eraser in the deep third, but his combination of explosiveness and fluidity is also conducive to success in the box.
Execution beyond the physical traits
The operational part of Hill’s game is still a work in progress. However, the Michigan S has shown some promising flashes of awareness, steady mechanics, and other intangibles. First and foremost, Hill doesn’t play slow. He utilizes the full extent of his athleticism more often than not, and he’s also fairly aggressive. He’s shown physicality at the route stem on more than one occasion, and he has a willingness to engage ball carriers. Hill possesses a containment mentality as a tackler and doesn’t throw himself around recklessly. In space, Hill also has some appeal. He flashes quick recognition ability and strong instincts when scanning the gaps in run defense. Hill’s shown he can key in on a quarterback’s eyes and decode his next course of action in real-time. Additionally, Hill has smooth footwork at the line. He maintains steady leverage before turning his hips. Finally, Hill has a great deal of versatility already. His athleticism affords him much of this flexibility. Nonetheless, Hill has shown he can handle roles in single-high, two-high, or the slot.
Areas for improvement
As exciting as Hill’s physical skill set is, the Michigan S has plenty to improve in 2021. Mentally, he’s shown promising flashes, but he’s still fairly inconsistent in that area. He can be more consistent following the quarterback’s eyes, and he doesn’t always act on the information his own eyes give him. Hill can sometimes be indecisive and late to react in zone coverage, and his diagnosing skills can improve on the back end. In addition to his recognition, Hill can also find a better balance between patience and aggressiveness, which should come with further mental refinement. Hill can easily be baited and led astray by misdirection plays. He doesn’t always take the best angles in pursuit and sometimes plays himself off-balance. In that same vein, Hill can overshoot tackling angles coming downhill. Moreover, Hill has trouble deconstructing blocks in run defense. His frame doesn’t carry much force into contact situations, and his inconsistency disengaging can render him inert on some plays. Furthermore, Hill can be more disruptive at the catch point. He can maintain better spacing in single-high coverage as well.
Walterfootball:
1/29/22: Hill flashed some nice ability over the past few seasons for the Wolverines. Hill's best trait for the NFL is his ability to line up and cover slot receivers. His quickness, flexibility and fluid athleticism allow him to line up at the line of scrimmage or pick receivers up in off-man coverage. The tape of Hill as a safety is not as impressive compared to when he plays nickel corner. In 2021, Hill recorded 69 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes broken up. In 2019, he had 36 tackles, an interception and three passes defended. Hill was even better in the shortened 2020 season, recording 45 tackles, an interception and four passes broken up.
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:40:21 GMT -7
Lewis Cine S, Georgia Height: 6-1. Weight: 200. Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
Draft Network:
Lewis Cine is a 3rd year Junior who has aligned as the single-high middle-field defender and has also aligned in split-safety looks. Lewis is a good athlete with good straight-line speed, agility, and range of motion. In the passing game, his versatility is his strongest attribute. He has moments of dropping down in the slot and playing in the overhang. He could afford to make more plays in the passing game and has left plays on the field, in this regard. In the run game, he is a violent, physical hitter. He comes downhill with authority and demonstrates physical toughness as a run defender. He aggressively runs the alley and shows up with physicality. He has been hit with targeting penalties in the past but has been better in this aspect in 2021. On passing downs, he may be best-suited playing as a linebacker in sub-packages where he can use his athleticism to blitz and affect the passer.
Ideal Role: Safety and core special teamer
Scheme Fit: Any defensive scheme
Profootball Network: As with the running back position, safety is often perceived as an undervalued position in the NFL. However, when you consider what the modern safety is asked to do, there are less difficult positions to play. Multiple alignments, multiple assignments, and the ability to impact the game in numerous ways require an impressively diverse skill set. No one in the 2022 NFL Draft class achieves that as well as Kyle Hamilton. Yet, Cine’s scouting report reveals that he too has many of the attributes required to play the game at an NFL level. Let’s begin the Georgia safety’s scouting report with his physical appearance. At 6’1″, Cine has the requisite size for the position. Furthermore, he appears to possess impressive functional length. It’s no good being a tall safety if you have shorter arms that can’t impact the passing game. Cine ticks the boxes here. Additionally, he’s added 15 pounds between his sophomore and junior seasons. That is huge for a player whose physicality is the calling card of his game. Cine is a violent downhill hitter who puts his entire being behind every tackle. His hits shook multiple players at 185 pounds, so at 200 pounds, there may not be a man who can withstand his impact.
More than just a physical, hard-hitting threat
As you can imagine from a physical, violent, safety, Cine excels in the ground game. Much like on a night out on the town, you don’t want to meet him in the alley. It’s unlikely to end well for the offense when he explodes through the gap to a ball carrier. However, he’s more than just a physical threat in the run game. Cine shows excellent ability to diagnose plays against the run, reading the offense, and putting himself in a position to succeed. “Diagnose and destroy” should be the Georgia safety’s motto. In coverage, Cine demonstrates incredible click-and-close ability. He covers the ground with insane athletic ability, arriving on the scene to make a play on the ball or man. Cine changes direction well, allowing him to stay close to his opponent in man coverage. Furthermore, he has the long speed to stay with some of the fastest wide receivers in college football. Finally, and notably from an NFL Draft perspective, Cine displays leadership and versatility. The Georgia safety is one of the most experienced players in their secondary this season. He can often be seen directing his teammates on the field. From a versatility standpoint, he has aligned as both a single-high and split-field safety. Cine has also been used as a cornerback in the slot and tasked with blitzing off the edge occasionally.
Areas for improvement
With the start of Cine’s scouting report, you could be forgiven for thinking he’s the perfect NFL Draft prospect. However, there is no such thing. Like any player coming out of college, there are areas for improvement for the Georgia safety. Cine does his best work with the ball in front of him. When the ball is behind him in coverage, however, he can be guilty of failing to get his head around. As a result, he is unaware of where the ball is, and therefore, unable to make a play. Ball tracking is the most significant area that he needs to improve through his junior season. While he diagnoses and scrapes well in the run game, improvements are to be made in coverage. He doesn’t routinely do a good job of navigating traffic in coverage. As a result, he can be late to make a play in the passing game.
Walterfootball: 1/29/22: Cine was a valuable defender for the Bulldogs in 2021, locking down the deep middle of the field. He totaled 73 tackles, an interception and nine passes batted. As a sophomore in 2020, Cine had 52 tackles and three passes broken up. Cine has a good skill set with upside, and some sources think he could be a nice value on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Highlights
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:42:19 GMT -7
Verone McKinley S, Oregon State Height: 5-11. Weight: 194
Draft Network:
Verone McKinley III is a redshirt junior safety for the Ducks defense who has aligned both to the field and boundary. He's a good athlete, showing good agility and short-area quickness in coverage. In the run game, he has good tackling efficiency on the perimeter with receivers, easily limiting extra yardage upon contact. Against bigger running backs, he could be more effective as a sure wrap-up tackler. In the passing game, he is excellent due to his instincts and high-level ball skills. He understands route combinations and easily adjusts with motion, showing his high-level football IQ. This allows him to play the down and distance in situational football while using the coverage as protection. His range is sufficient and projects to be most effective in two-deep looks. He can cover in the slot in short stretches but this may not be a strength in the NFL. However, he is a playmaker at the position with ball skills.
Ideal Role: Safety, primarily in two-deep looks.
Scheme Fit: Ideally suited in a heavy zone scheme but versatile enough to do it all.
Profootball Network:
Competing for attention coming out of Oregon this season is no easy task. With Kayvon Thibodeaux on a collision course with a top-five selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, he casts a shadow from which it can be difficult to creep out. Furthermore, in a competitive safety class headlined by Kyle Hamilton, establishing yourself among the elite is difficult. And yet, McKinley has been able to establish himself as an impressive NFL Draft prospect in his own right this season. He capped off his college football career with the most productive campaign to date. However, discovering NFL talent is more than a box score scouting exercise. Thankfully, McKinley’s scouting report provides translatable skills to help him succeed at the next level. The most impressive element of McKinley’s scouting report is his football intelligence. The Oregon safety is a clear student of the game. He showcases excellent ability to read the field, impressing in zone coverage with his foresight to understand route concepts. He showcases good eye discipline and is rarely misled from his assignment. His experience playing a number of alignments is a testament to his ability to understand the game at a high level. His college production has been a byproduct of his football intelligence. However, it’s also a result of impressive ball skills. There is an almost wide receiver-esque nature to McKinley’s game. The Oregon safety showcases excellent ball tracking and impressive body control at the catch point. His catch technique is exceptional, and he routinely makes acrobatic grabs that would put even the most talented pass catchers to shame.
Intelligence, ball skills make McKinley an impressive coverage safety
The intelligence and balls skills allow McKinley to patrol the secondary with impressive effectiveness. This is helped by a decent athletic profile that allows him to be rangy from a single high alignment. This athleticism is also evident in terms of his click-and-close ability. There are multiple examples on tape of the Oregon safety closing downhill with excellent burst. This also allows him to demonstrate man coverage ability that should help him cement an early role. While he’s lauded for his coverage ability, McKinley is also proficient as a run defender. His intelligence allows him to sniff out the ball carrier, and he tackles with impressive form in the open field. Although he won’t wow you in the same way Georgia’s Lewis Cine might, he’s still able to come downhill and blow up the run. In addition to the abilities described above, McKinley’s scouting report evidences leadership qualities that will prove alluring at the NFL level. Furthermore, the Oregon safety possesses special teams experience that will help him make an immediate impact in the league. At present, McKinley should provide excellent value as an early-to-mid-third round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. In the latest Pro Football Network Big Board update, he was the 81st overall prospect. Furthermore, he was the sixth-ranked safety in the class.
Areas for improvement
McKinley’s scouting report showcases a player who could be considered a third-round talent in the 2022 NFL Draft. His mix of intelligence, exceptional ball skills, and leadership make him an alluring prospect. However, there are areas of his scouting report that could limit his stock at the next level. While size isn’t everything, at 5’11” and 194 pounds, McKinley might be considered undersized by NFL teams. Although he has showcased the ability to come downhill and make an impact, he doesn’t hit with the same ferocity as some of his peers. Additionally, his size and average length will make it difficult for him to disengage from blockers in the run game. McKinley has demonstrated some athletic ability during his Oregon career. He has excellent footwork that is particularly apparent in man coverage. However, he isn’t an elite athlete by any stretch of the imagination. That lack of pure sideline-to-sideline speed may limit his role at the next level.
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 7, 2022 9:43:29 GMT -7
Brian Cook S, Cincinnati
Height: 6-2. Weight: 195.
Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
Draft Network:
A native of Cincinnati, Bryan Cook began his college career at Howard where he played from 2017 to 2018 before transferring to the Bearcats’ program. Cook served as a backup behind an outstanding pair of safeties and patiently waited his turn to start—which came in 2021 and he fared well. Aligning as a one-high safety, split zones, in the box, and from the slot, Cook’s versatility shined in 2021 and he was among the many tone-setters for an outstanding Bearcats’ defense. His best moments come when he can key, diagnose, trigger, and play forward. He is an outstanding tackler that does well to play off contact and take precisely calculated pursuit angles. In coverage, he mostly does well to stay leveraged but he’s more of a reactive than anticipatory player. His ball production has only been modest despite showcasing good technique and timing when he has chances to make a play on the football, but his lack of anticipation skills didn’t present many opportunities to get the ball. With that said, he concedes very little in coverage. Cook could develop into a reliable starter, but 2021 was the first year of his career that he logged more than 220 snaps on the defensive side of the football and his feel for coverage is still a work in progress. Cook has the makings of a standout special teamer that offers versatility and developmental appeal at safety.
Ideal Role: Developmental split-zone safety
Walterfootball:
1/29/22: In his fifth season, things came together for Cook, who was a tough safety for the Bearcats after transferring into the program. Cook is a solid run defender with the ability to tackle and be the eighth man in the box. His ball production was decent in the passing game as a senior, but it would help him to show diverse coverage skills at the Senior Bowl. In 2021, Cook recorded 96 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and nine passes defended.
Highlights (Language warning)
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Post by devongent on Feb 9, 2022 2:23:39 GMT -7
Jaquan Brisker S, Penn State Height: 6-1. Weight: 203. Projected 40 Time: 4.55. The first prospect to review and a great resume. Watching his training video then his feet are incredibly quick and fluid (Should he give up this sport then he has a great career ahead as a dancer on the stage!). I like him. The only unknown (as talked about in the last video) is does he posses high end/ elite speed? If so, he really is the full package. He's bigger and heavier than Budda and he can go man-to-man in the slot. In nickel packages we could use three safeties Baker-Thompson-Brisker. Isaiah Simmons would need to be used more in an attacking role. It could all well mesh together providing Byron Murphy can handle the outside full time. Also, it would allow us to reconsider how best to deploy Budda, both for the best of the team and his personal longevity in the game.
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 9, 2022 4:42:56 GMT -7
When I watch Hamilton, I can't help thinking that Simmons should be a safety. We're already subbing him out of running plays at LB.
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Post by End Zone on Feb 9, 2022 5:10:13 GMT -7
When I watch Hamilton, I can't help thinking that Simmons should be a Safety. We're already subbing him out of running plays at LB. If Steve Keim picks the the next LB Luke Kuechly (6'3", 240 lbs) in the 2022 Draft, I'm definitely good with moving LB Simmons (6'4") into the Cardinals Safety job full-time. Simmons played Safety at Clemson. So, he knows the Safety job well. However, Simmons doing the Safety job well at the NFL level is another matter. He seems a slow learner at ILB today. If Simmons moves to Safety, then what does HC Kliff Kingsbury do with S Budda Baker (5'10", 190 lbs, 26 years old)? I think BB will fully recovery from the season-ending concussion at the Rams/Cardinals playoffs game. But there is better and needed work for BB at the CB spot, if BB wants that job. In the deep backfield, BB won't get hurt stuffing gigantic RBs and TE's. Budda Baker's Cardinals career also will last a lot longer.
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Post by cardinalsins on Feb 10, 2022 14:26:54 GMT -7
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Post by Chirpn’time on Feb 10, 2022 17:26:39 GMT -7
Bubba Bolden, S, Miami
Height-Weight: 6 foot 3, 204 pounds (school measurements)
2020 statistics: 74 tackles (50 solo), three pass breakups, one sack, five forced fumbles, and two interceptions
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Post by End Zone on Feb 11, 2022 4:51:59 GMT -7
Bubba Bolden, S, Miami Height-Weight: 6 foot 3, 204 pounds (school measurements) 2020 statistics: 74 tackles (50 solo), three pass breakups, one sack, five forced fumbles, and two interceptions Another Bubba! Can't have enough Bubba's. Cardinals can't have enough Safeties either.
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Post by cardinalsins on Mar 6, 2022 19:39:38 GMT -7
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