NFL Draft: Highlights of Top Safety Prospects

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wpr
Preferred Member Topic Starter

10 years ago

Earlier, I provided my rankings for the safety position for the 2014 NFL Draft. Here are highlights of the top-ten players on that list. This should give you a sense of the type of players these prospects are and who the Green Bay Packers could consider come May when they look to draft a

LombardiAve wrote:

video of the top safeties.

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play2win
Senior Member

10 years ago

Thanks for posting that wpr.

I don't know why, but this was the first video I've seen on Jimmy Ward. Sign me up as a fan. Both his and Clinton-Dix's highlight reels are loaded - and you can see the natural ability at work. This is my favorite group of Safeties in this draft:

Pryor
Clinton-Dix
Ward
Bucannon
Reynolds
Dixon

I'm thinking if we could add one or two of these guys to our roster it would make for a much different defense in GB. I'm just a tad concerned about how long these players will last, as the Super Bowl win by SEA highlighted the importance of great S play. Other teams are going to want to jump in and get theirs.

Mucky Tundra
Honored Member

10 years ago

Originally Posted by: play2win

Ah then you'll probably like this video of Jimmy Ward as well

“Nah. I like having the island. It’s pretty cool...not too many visitors”

"I’ve got it." -Aaron Rodgers

play2win
Senior Member

10 years ago

Ah then you'll probably like this video of Jimmy Ward as well

Originally Posted by: Mucky Tundra

I'll say! Wow, was I wrong about this kid. I made the mistake of eliminating him from consideration based on his being less than 6'0'' tall and his level of competition faced at the small school, but I see this kid has just what we need. An instinctual, effective S who can play both the pass and the run equally well. I'll be happy if he is one of Ted's choices.

Ward is pretty damn good in run support and as a tackler. 95 tackles and 7 INTs last year.

However, a big concern has to be a recent surgery to have a screw placed in his foot. Just read that. He's hoping to be cleared before the May 8th draft...

Ward, the top-rated strong safety in this year's class by NFLDraftScout.com who can also play free safety, ran the 40 twice to display his straight-line speed before he soon undergoes surgery to have a screw inserted into his foot.He expects to be cleared to return to the field before the May 8-10 NFL Draft. Ward had 95 tackles and seven interceptions last season, and is considered to be a versatile back-end defender who boasts speed and good instincts despite being relatively small at 5-feet-11 and 193. He was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as a senior, and has even displayed the ability to drop down to handle slot receivers in man coverage. - The Sports Xchange

I don't really want Ted to draft any injured players. None. This may change my opinion a bit. Might be able to do a late round pick should he fall, but so many teams are having him in now for visits. He probably won't last long, even with a screw in his foot.

Mucky Tundra
Honored Member

10 years ago

Then you're really slimming the field down! No Mosley and Nix on your draft lists as well then?

Edit: Worth pointing out as well, in that game vs Florida State Ward is a junior and he stuck around for his senior year.

“Nah. I like having the island. It’s pretty cool...not too many visitors”

"I’ve got it." -Aaron Rodgers

play2win
Senior Member

10 years ago

Originally Posted by: Mucky Tundra

Yeah, I know. The answer is we need healthy players who can contribute immediately. When have we drafted an injured player where it really worked out for us? I cannot recall one - other than Eddie Lacy.

As for top Safeties, I just saw some film on Ryan Shazier out of Ohio State.

This kid is a player. The only knock I can see is he seems small for the NFL at LB, 6-1 237. Granted, there have been smaller successful LBs in the Pros, but they are few and far between.

What I was thinking was I wonder how this kid could project to SS. He has phenomenal speed and football instincts, and shows good ball skills. Imagine how he could help in run support. I wonder if he could pull off an Urlacher in reverse? I bet he could. He could make one hell of a S.

wpr
Preferred Member Topic Starter

10 years ago

Originally Posted by: play2win

yeah there has been so much talk (and will continue to be talk) about the safeties I thought it was nice to have a page that shows the film on the guys.

Naturally it will be their highlights and not a lot of them missing the tackle or getting juked out of their shorts.

As Dakota says, I would not mind it if Hyde is the starting safety but it would be nice if one of the better safeties fell to GB. They are extremely thin back there.

If nothing else it doesn't hurt to have another hard hitting player for ST.

Since both C-D and Pryor will be long gone by 21, I wouldn't mind waiting until the 4th round to take Reynolds or Dixon.

yooperfan
Veteran Member

10 years ago

Talk about thin, IMHO the Packers need to bring in 2 or more safeties and at least 2 should be drafted in rounds 1-3.

luigis
Member

10 years ago

I'm not sold on Jimmy Ward, most of his "plays" come from near the line of scrimmage and he has a strange trend towards not using his hands. I've seen him tackle with his head, shoulders, body, etc. Not sure why.
I'm not saying don't draft him but I would really need to see him operating in the backfield before making a judgment.

I like Ed Reynolds a lot. Clinton Dix and Pryor are probably not the kind of players we need right now.

It all depends on how the draft develops, I think the final decision this year is very dynamic.

Luis

DarkaneRules
Veteran Member

10 years ago

#10

I have a feeling there were be an early run on those main guys. I don't see us drafting safety in the first round. I wouldn't be surprised if we draft someone I hadn't thought about before. It is always a unique experience when it comes to the draft. Very exciting; I love it.

Circular Arguments: They are a heck of an annoyance

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