Fortunately, we’ve got plenty of insight into how GM Bill likes to draft the safety position.
Some of it coming fromMcCourty himself in an interviewthis week.
“You need a guy that can tackle well in the open field.
You’re going to be in tough situations,” McCourty said.
A guy who can really go sideline to sideline.
He’s going straight to that safety.
…
“A guy maybe between 190 to 205 (pounds) that can really run well.
Good ball skills and shows an ability to possibly play in center field.”
“A 4.7 tough guy can’t play for us.”
The more man-to-man ability the better.
The traditional run-stuffing strong safety “is not what we need.”
A big corner who can play inside would be ideal.
That too sounds like McCourty.
But the size, speed, range, toughness and so on?
That stuff usually shows up on tape.
Unfortunately, it’s a crapshoot.
On the upside, this is an above average year to be shopping for safety help.
In terms of depth, if not stacked at the top with game-changers.
A lot of sites list him as a corner.
He didn’t exact blow everyone’s stopwatches away at the Indianapolis Kennel Club.
And yet for all that, he’s unquestionably Best in Show this year.
He’s just one of those guys who plays bigger.
As opposed to just 25 of them deep on the back end.
And shouldn’t last past the top half of the 1st round.
Last year he had over 100 snaps at deep safety, and another 100 in the box.
But he’s aggressive when it comes to planting his feet and coming downhill or moving laterally.
From that centerfield position, he did manage six interceptions and nine passes broken up for his career.
Which doesn’t seem so good.
From “sideline to sideline,” as McCourty made reference to.
That raises a lot of doubts and has Battle all over the various draft boards.
He’s got that Combo Platter of run support and coverage skills you look for.
With a side of sub-4.50 speed.
And Browner never had Skinner’s speed.
But he’s not considered much of a man coverage guy.
More that sideline to sideline pop in we’ve already disgusted.
Probably because of the second tier competition he faced, he’s an eye of the beholder prospect.
Some praise him for his high football IQ and ability to anticipate plays and jump throwing lanes.
Others claim his instincts are questionable and he’s not much of a playmaker.
This is one of the highest ceiling/lowest floor prospects in the entire draft.
He’s another who’s created some dissent among the Draft Pundit Glitterati class.
Robinson is a hyper-competitor who uses his explosiveness to fly to the ball from all over the formation.
Instead, he’ll be a steal.
1 tackle prospect Peter Skoronski.
He’s not particularly fast.
And until he came on last season, wasn’t particularly drawing interest.
With 15 games played, over 800 snaps.
A second national title.
And a team captaincy.
He relies more on intelligence and instincts than he does athleticism.
But experience, success, leadership and football IQ are the Patriots favorite kinds of intangibles.
And Smith possesses them more than any other safety in his class.
Plus he went to Georgia and he’ll come cheap.
But then again, he wasn’t even a safety until late in his second season.
And since there’s no Rutgers guys in this, I’m going to sayBattlewould be the ideal fit.
I just don’t see them looking for a safety as high as he’ll come off the board.
Whom the Patriots Will Draft: Robinson.There’s a reason they liked him enough to schedule a private workout.
Make that several reasons.
He plays with a massive attitude, mixed with intelligence.
He’s a punishing tackler.
And just as an added bonus, on Day 3 they take a flyer onSmith.
To help fill the void of McCourty’s intangibles.
Earlier previews:
Wide receiver
Offensive tackle
Tight end
Edge
