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2008 Draft Prospects: Safeties
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Prospect rankings · Risers/Fallers · Mock drafts · History · Draft Tracker
TSX · Offense · Defense · Special Teams
Defensive Ends · Defensive Tackles · Inside Linebackers · Outside Linebackers · Cornerbacks · Safeties
Clark Judge ranks the top five defensive prospects at each position.
| 1. Kenny Phillips, Miami |
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| Agility Tests: |
| 40-yard dash: 4.48 |
Bench press: 225 lbs (19 times) |
Vertical jump: 32.5" |
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| The skinny: He's the best at this position. A three-year starter, Phillips can play either safety position and offers special teams play as a punt returner. He has great ball skills, with six interceptions (16 in his career), three fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns last season, and he has great natural ability. Despite a history of injuries, he could be a top 20 pick. |
| 2. Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State |
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| Agility Tests: |
| 40-yard dash: 4.41 |
Bench press: 225 lbs (27 times) |
Vertical jump: 32" |
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| The skinny: He's been flying up the board since the combine. He has good size, is fast and instinctive. The Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, he had six interceptions and set a Sun Belt record with 142 yards in returns, including one for a touchdown. He's also the league's career tackling leader, a sure sign how effective he is in run support. |
| 3. DaJuan Morgan, North Carolina State |
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| Agility Tests: |
| 40-yard dash: 4.56 |
Bench press: 225 lbs (21 times) |
Vertical jump: 37.5" |
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| The skinny: A one-year starter, he led the Wolfpack in tackles last season and added three interceptions. Named second-team All-ACC, Morgan has the skills you look for at the position: He's fast, strong, explosive and tackles well. Plus, he helped himself with a 37-1/2-inch lead at his Pro Day. If there's a question it's his inexperience. As a one-year starter, no one is sure how good he can be. |
| 4. Thomas Decoud, California |
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| Agility Tests: |
| 40-yard dash: 4.5 |
Bench press: 225 lbs (9 times) |
Vertical jump: 35.2" |
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| The skinny: A free safety who was the Bears' defensive captain, he led the team with a career-high 116 tackles -- including at least 10 each in at least six games. Run support is no problem; playing the pass could be, even though he began his career as a cornerback. He doesn't have top-end speed, but Decoud plays fast and is a special teams asset. He blocked six kicks in his career. |
| 5. Tyvon Branch, Connecticut |
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| Agility Tests: |
| 40-yard dash: 4.31 |
Bench press: 225 lbs (19 times) |
Vertical jump: 38" |
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| The skinny: It's hard to get past Branch's 4.31 at the combine, the second fastest 40 there, and his versatility. He played cornerback and safety in college and is a reliable open-field tackler. But it's his special teams contributions that make him especially attractive to the pros. He returned two kickoffs for TDs last season and averaged 28.9 yards per return. |
| Player on the rise: |
| Arkansas State's Johnson. One GM I contacted put him ahead of Phillips. He likes his size and speed and ability to track down ballcarriers. A tackling machine, Johnson was remarkably consistent breaking to the ball. Plus, he can serve as a return specialist. |
| Player on the decline: |
| Simeon Castille, Alabama. An All-SEC choice as a cornerback, he doesn't have the speed to play the position at the next level. Scouts see him more as a free safety, and he was initially projected by some people to go high. Not so fast. He's strictly a second-day pick, largely because he will be asked to play a position he hasn’t tried. |
| Sleeper |
| Jamie Silva, Boston College. OK, so he doesn't have great size and is slow. All he does is make tackles. He led the nation's leading defense against the run with a career-high 115 stops and has outstanding hands, smarts and good instincts. He also excels at covering kicks. |
| Overrated |
| Marcus Griffin, Texas. An All-Big 12 choice and a second-team All-Big 12 Academic selection, Griffin should be a second-day choice. Reason: He doesn’t have great speed and could use better ball skills. In 36 career games, he had one interception. The brother of Michael, Griffin can be beaten in deep coverage and doesn't have the acceleration to catch up. |
| Position analysis: |
| One of the worst groups of safeties in years. Phillips is a legitimate first-round consideration, with Arkansas State's Johnson possible as a late-first or early second-round consideration; after that it's anyone's guess where these guys go. Phillips is not Ed Reed -- at least not yet -- but at least two coaches I spoke to think he could be a big-time star in the NFL. Not a good year to fill out your roster in the middle of the secondary. |
| Talk Back |
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Oct 12, 2006
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April 27, 2008 6:51 pm
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If anyone saw his story during the draft then you know him being drafted was a life or death situation. (If he doesn't get drafted then he's heading to Iraq) He gets to play football and represent Army in the NFL.
Good luck to you sir.
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Reputation:87
Level:All-Star
Since:Sep 30, 2006
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May 9, 2008 8:30 am
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6' 4" 290 lb. Defensive tackles are one of the most envied types of players in the league. Even though he was a D-2 player, ithink the Steelers got a great pick up in signing him as a free agent. Even as a rookie I wouldn't be suprised to see him adding depth to the infamously ferocious Steeler defense.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Oct 24, 2007
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April 27, 2008 6:50 pm
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Glad to see that Hawaii's talent was exposed during the butt-kickin put on them by the SEC. They were exposed for what they aren't......good......when they finally played a real team. Colt will never amount to a thing and where are all the WR's they claimed were gonna go so high? Only one player was drafted from Hawaii. When will they learn that playing a high school schedu
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Dec 20, 2006
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April 28, 2008 2:11 pm
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Brennan against Washington: 42 out of 50 for 442 yard with 5 TDs and no ints. I don't care a what level you are playing, those are difficult stats to put up. He did that fairly regularly. The game before was not as good. He played Boise St. and went 40 out of 53 for 495 yards, 5 TDs, 2 ints, and he also ran for one TD. This guy could be a real 6th round steal.&n
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Aug 20, 2006
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April 27, 2008 12:33 am
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They had a very good Day 1. Felix Jones, RB (Arkansas) is the perfect compliment to Marion Barber. Jones is a roadrunner. Mike Jenkins, CB (South Florida) is a cover CB with good hands and decent size. Martellus Bennett, TE (Texas A&M) makes sense because they trade Fasano to Miami and like running two TE sets. But I would have liked to see them trade up to get one of the big WR's
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 20, 2007
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April 27, 2008 5:42 pm
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I'm just wondering why no teams are picking these guys. These were 3rd round prospects. Any thoughts?
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Nov 26, 2007
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April 22, 2008 4:25 pm
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Hey... the Bengals deserve a break with the malcontent "85"... Sedrick Ellis is a future ALL-PRO and is perfect to improve the "D" in the 'Natti...
For Carson Palmer's sake.... Bengals TAKE Sedrick if he is there at #9!!!!
Fight ON!!
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Aug 11, 2006
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April 29, 2008 4:18 pm
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I cannot understand why the Vikings or Bears did not go for Henne or Brohm. I guess Tavares and Grossman are the answers for both teams???? Not that they would play next year but they both lasted to the second round. Maybe the Vikings think they got a steal in Booty?. I doubt it.
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 22, 2006
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April 27, 2008 4:05 pm
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I believe this is one of the best off seasons for detroit in a long time. We didn't go after the high profiled guys and chose some tough players with good heads on their shoulders. Sure we may have been able to trade down further for Gosder, but why chance it. We really bolstered our offense, while picking up some defensive players that will play over some guys already "on" the team. It will b
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Feb 26, 2008
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April 26, 2008 8:21 pm
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(POLL)
Who will have a bigger impact in his Rookie season
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Oct 22, 2007
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April 26, 2008 4:19 pm
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Buffalo will be the best team in the NFL in a couple of years. They have some great young talent, not to mention the yongest team in the league.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 10, 2006
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April 26, 2008 5:15 pm
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They needed a quarterback, and they got the best one there...
Ryan is overrated, and the Falcons will soon see why.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Nov 29, 2006
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April 28, 2008 9:33 am
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Draftees per conference members :
3.40 - P10
2.92 - SEC
2.75 - ACC
2.55 - B10
2.42 - B12
2.38 - BEC
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