I believe we have no positions of need [some could use improvement] on this team unless a CB, especially an outside CB, gets hurt [a safety can fill in the slot in a pinch]. I only studied that draft position group, hoping 1 or 2 outside CBs would be BAP in earlier rounds. Ashamedly I uttered on the Randall Pick, “who’s that douchebag?” Good news is the last time I said that, we drafted Jordy.
I watched the Oregon State game and outside of a few splash plays, Randall was not very good, I got scared, thought Ted Thompson was getting ready to be named GM of Vikings LOL. DR was better in Stanford, ND and USC games. I read he played OCB, at Mesa CC and could only dig up a highlight video. He looked like a shut down CB both in zone, in man and press [looked really good in press] and was Deon Sanders on returns. He played some WR and high-pointed one ball beautifully. Of course, Elmer Fud can look good in a highlight film and obviously the competition is not D-1.
I decided to review those ASU games for skills an OCB would possess.
When a receiver approached, DR looked really natural in his back peddle and seamless in flipping hips to run w/ the receiver. When the receiver would stop/start or cut; DR routinely had great balance and position to stick w/ him. And remember on the outside the sideline limits a WR’s cutting options; in the slot no such luxury exists. What was exceptional is after flipping and running w/a receiver he is unbelievable at locating and tracking the ball. Also, his reaction to tipped passes and coming off his man to knock down the balls and/or help out tackling receivers he’s not covering is outstanding as well. And he looked good high pointing the ball on a few plays [once he misjudged the ball]. What this means is he possesses a hard to spot, impossible to teach, critical CB trait: a 6th sense, a feel of where the receiver is when he's looking in the QB's eyes.
Fair question: Who ever heard of converting a college S to an NFL CB? I am 100% certain this guy would have been an outstanding college CB, so the conversion though rare is very believable in this case.
I believe it when His coach said that DR only played safety because of need and his football acumen on being the “QB of the defense.” He took one for the team like CM3 did at ILB. At DR’s pro day w/ Packers there [pretending to be looking at Jalen Strong, LOL], he did mostly CB workouts. Obviously, Joe Whitt watched him live or on tape at that pro day; Senior Bowl practices doing CB and safety position drills; playing OCB in ASU’s spring game; at an ASU practice; etc. Ted Thompson likes secondary guys that are versatile and then Whitt can coach up the specific position techniques. And having experience at safety and being the QB of D, will help DR learn the CB position, and learn it fast, he'll instinctively know where his safeties are supposed to be for help. Obviously DR is very coachable. I assure all of you Joe Whitt believes he can coach this kid up into a 1st Rnd CB [or he wouldn’t have been picked as a safety].
Now, who thinks their smarter than Joe?