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The 2009 NFL Draft: S Prospects

Next in the multi-part draft breakdown are the safeties. I watch a ton of college football, but I'm not Mel Kiper Jr., so all of these are up for discussion. 

Terribly sorry about not getting this breakdown to y'all sooner. I had this whole post ready to go....and then my laptop crashed. Right before my spring break. For normal people, this wouldn't be a problem. But, I was planning on spending my SB in my hometown writing papers. Anyways, finally got it back today with the recovered documents, so here you all are.

Before I start, does anyone really want me to do the kickers and punters breakdowns? If you do, let me know. Otherwise, it's been fun writing these, and hopefully you got some enjoyment and information from it. Props to GB for helpin me out with some of them.

There are some gems to find in this safety group. They definitely aren't the best or the deepest pool of candidates, but there are some good players nonetheless. I will break down the top three free safeties and strong safeties. Sound off if you think one should be in the other group or vice-versa.

Let's get it started. 

FREE SAFETIES

Louis Delmas, Senior, Western Michigan
Height: 5'11"       Weight: 202 lbs.

Combine: 4.55 (40); 12 reps (bench); 10'6" (broad); 6.67 (three-cone) 

Pros: Great instincts and awareness....good range....team leader with no character concerns....excellent against the run....very fluid athlete. 

Cons: Has to bulk up or he'll get run over at the NFL level....has a lot of experience, but against subpar competition....sometimes seems to avoid contact....struggles in space. 

Bottom line: Delmas is a boom-or-bust prospect. If he can bulk up and gets good coaching, he has the intangibles to be a good NFL player. 

Projected round: Early 2nd 

Star-divide

Sean Smith, Senior, Utah
Height: 6'4"       Weight: 214 lbs.

Combine: 4.53 (40) 

Pros: No durability issues....good instincts....jumping ability and ball skills are elite....dangerous runner after an interception....wraps up in space adequately....can close quickly when blitzing. 

Cons: Won't deliver any huge hits....speed allowed him to eliminate mistakes during college; most likely won't be able to do the same at the NFL level....tight hips don't allow him to drop back quickly....has an inflated sense of worth. 

Bottom line: Out of all the DB's, Smith's stock is skyrocketing due to the combine. He ran better than expected; that combined with his height could intrigue some GM's to pull the trigger. He'll probably line up at safety in the NFL, and bet on him getting off the board in the early-to-mid 2nd

Projected round: Early-to-mid 2nd round 

 Rashad Johnson, Senior, Alabama
Height: 5'11"       Weight: 203 lbs.

Combine: 4.56 (40) 

Pros: Ball skills, jumping ability, and instincts are excellent....fluid hips allow him to drop back quickly....could line up at either CB or FS....team leader with great football IQ....tough overall player. 

Cons: Was arrested outside of a bar in February 2008 for disorderly conduct....measurables are only average....must bulk up....lacks the closing burst....won't help much in terms of run support. 

Bottom line: He's more of a football player than he is an athlete, but he possesses some terrific intangibles. He'd be a player I wouldn't mind seeing Jerry go after. He's a smart football player, good in coverage, and doesn't drop the ball. 

Projected round: Late 2nd - early 3rd 

STRONG SAFETIES 

Patrick Chung, Senior, Oregon
Height: 5'11"      Weight: 212 lbs.
 

Combine: 4.54 (40); 25 reps (bench) 

Pros: Physical player who will deliver the big hit....no character or durability concerns; has good work ethic by all accounts....non-stop motor....great instincts and awareness....great against the run....average ball/jumping skills....fluid hips with a great closing burst. 

Cons: Average speed....sometimes plays too aggressive and runs himself out of plays....must get better at shedding blocks....might struggle with man coverage at the NFL level. 

Bottom line: Chung is a great football player who will only get better with NFL coaching. He played against top competition and was very productive in the process. He'll be off the board by the 3rd

Projected round: Mid-to-late 2nd  

William Moore, Senior, Missouri
Height: 6'0"      Weight: 221 lbs.

Combine: 4.53 (40) 

Pros: Physical player who delivers the big hit....great size and bulk....good range....run support is top-notch....good ball skills....great closing speed....team leader with excellent work ethic and character. 

Cons: Durability questions....sometimes takes too long to diagnose plays....hips aren't as fluid as some of the other prospects....plays too aggressive at times, which makes him miss tackles. 

Bottom line: I believe Moore can play both the free and strong safety positions at the NFL level. He will be drafted before Chung, but I dropped him because I've seen him misdiagnose plays too often. If he puts in hours at the film room, he'll be a great NFL safety. Since some of the big names at safety didn't come out this year (Rolle, Mays), the chances of a team over-reaching early in the draft to get him are high.  

Projected round: Late 1st - mid 2nd  

Chip Vaughn, Senior, Wake Forest
Height: 6'1"      Weight: 221 lbs.

Combine: 4.51 (40) 

Pros: Great size and bulk....good physical tackler....tough kid who plays with a mean streak....terrific against the run....smart football player who diagnoses plays quickly. 

Cons: Speed and quickness are average....struggles at times matching up against wideouts....stiff hips....hands are average 

Bottom line: He's great against the run but struggles in pass protection. Tough player that has great football IQ; because of his problems against the pass, he'll slip into the 3rd or 4th rounds. 

Projected round: Mid 3rd - mid 4th  

1 recs  |  Comment 24 comments |

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Would love to grab Sean Smith...

even in the 2nd round. I know I keep saying WR in the 2nd round, but after a year, they’d probably try to convert him anyhow… :)

I also like Rashad Johnson… and your breakdown is very accurate. He is great in pass coverage, but will need to become more physical in the tackling department. But, he has great play-making abilities.

Wrecked this post.

what they you use lame AOL speak

by Dane Noble on Mar 19, 2009 10:18 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

We legitimately could grab Smith in the 2nd

However, that involves us trading down to the end of the 1st or really early 2nd….and I already know your reaction to that :)

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Mar 20, 2009 1:05 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Great analysis!

I’d like to see Delmas first and foremost, but the Bears probably won’t be in position to grab him. That leaves Smith and Moore in my opinion; I don’t think JA and Lovie want an off the field problem with Johnson. Plus, he’s not good in run-support.

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on Mar 19, 2009 10:30 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Delmas would be great

Moore needs to hit the film room and Smith needs more coaching on the field. Both will be fine as long as they work hard to address their weaknesses.

Frankly, one of the reasons I really like Johnson is because he’s solid in pass support. Our whole damn defense is built on stopping the run…..after watching our safeties bumble their way to a terrible NFL rank, I’m ready to see a safety be a solid coverage guy.

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Mar 20, 2009 1:03 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Good job as usual

I agree on Willie Moore. He has all the tools, no doubt, but there were too many times when he REALLY missed the play, got fooled or misread the routes and got Mizzou burned (Mizzou fan here).

BTW as far as I am concerned, you can skip the kickers and punters. We need neither, nor will we draft either.

by sabbath999 on Mar 19, 2009 11:05 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

10-4 fella

I didn’t think anyone would have a problem with me skipping them. I’ll be starting a top-75 players list and I’m sure GB and I will be doing some mocks prior to the draft.

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Mar 20, 2009 1:00 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Funny how Vaughn ran the fastest 40

but the con report says speed is average. I think some players do a lot of work on the track sprints and it doesn’t translate to the field during games. I think there are some pretty decent SS prospects late in the draft that could turn out just as well as these much more publicized guys. Two 3rd round FS prospects to watch are: Sherrod Martin and David Bruton; should the Bears need to use their 2nd rounder on a different positionOT, WR anyone?).

by gillrowdy on Mar 19, 2009 11:19 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Louis Delas no elite competition

And the picture is him diving at the feet of Ball State’s MiQuale Lewis! Come on now! Haha just joking.

by GallopingGhost on Mar 19, 2009 11:20 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Ball State

Ball State was ranked 15th when Western Michigan played them last year. And as a four year starter Delmas in 2008 played Nebraska, Illinois, 2007 they played West Virginia, Indiana, Mizzou, and Iowa, in 2006 they played Indiana, Virginia, Florida State, and Cincinnati, I know it’s not Murderers row and I’m not saying he performed well in those games. What I’m saying is I like the kid and there’s plenty of tape on him against top talent. And the experts who get to see those tapes list him as a top prospect if not the top FS prospect so he can’t be all bad. Doesn’t he sound like somebody Lovie and J.A. fall in love with? I know Western Michigan isn’t in Louisiana (duh) but he sounds like a gem in the rough that Lovie likes.

by Hurricanes becoming Bears on Mar 19, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I agree.

And I go to Ball State btw, so I was just saying we were really good and Western nearly beat some of those good teams this year and were nearly ranked too.

by GallopingGhost on Mar 19, 2009 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ahh, I see

I didn’t mean to make it seem like I was jumping on you with that comment. I just like this Delmas kid and try to pimp him every opportunity I get. The sad thing is Chifan probably spent some time looking for pics to make them all look cool and that was the best one for Delmas. Looks like hes about to whiff hard.

by Hurricanes becoming Bears on Mar 19, 2009 2:05 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

That's true

I spent about 5 seconds looking for pictures. That was the best picture out of the first ten.

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Mar 19, 2009 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Anything that makes Ball State look good

This was probably from the 45-22 drubbing we put on the Broncos. Then we choked in our next two games. Ugh. But yeah that Delmas kid is pretty good.

by GallopingGhost on Mar 19, 2009 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Can we draft two safeties?

Every safety on our roster sucks.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that.

We know it's the most valuable position on the football team. We've gone through so many scenarios at that position we can write a book, moreso on what not do."

-- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
.

by SackMan on Mar 19, 2009 2:21 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I like him... but's been injured A LOT

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that.

We know it's the most valuable position on the football team. We've gone through so many scenarios at that position we can write a book, moreso on what not do."

-- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
.

by SackMan on Mar 19, 2009 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I already did

Steltz

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that.

We know it's the most valuable position on the football team. We've gone through so many scenarios at that position we can write a book, moreso on what not do."

-- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
.

by SackMan on Mar 19, 2009 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

LOL

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Mar 19, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

mmmmm Crow

OH! STEWIE!! GET OUT THE WAY BOY! GET OUT THE WAY!
-Stacey King

by ifuwannacrownem on Mar 19, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I like Smith

but I’ve seen some mocks that have him going late in the first round. I’ve liked Johnson for awhile. The whole “character issues” thing was basically him pushing a security guard who was escorting one of his friends out of a bar. Definitely not acceptable, but not on the same level as having a car full of guns, sniffing cocaine in the bathroom, or getting a DUI while driving a boat. He’d be a good pick if Smith isn’t there for us. Two former SEC safeties playing side-by-side? Imagine the possibilities.

"I'm thinking about getting metal legs. It's a risky operation, but it'll be worth it."

by Acreman20 on Mar 19, 2009 4:18 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

While safety is a concern

I don’t really feel like there is one out there this year that will be a huge improvement over anything the Bears already have. Whoever is drafted in the first three or so rounds needs to be and I just don’t feel like the nee/skill ratio is there for us picking these guys

Great post

by wennington4 on Mar 19, 2009 11:54 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I just think we're really bad at drafting/evaluating safeties.

It’s mind boggling, considering how important the position is to Lovie’s defense. The only pick they got right was Chris Harris. Then, they mis-evaluated him and traded him away.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that.

We know it's the most valuable position on the football team. We've gone through so many scenarios at that position we can write a book, moreso on what not do."

-- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
.

by SackMan on Mar 20, 2009 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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