tynimiller
Cheesehead
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- May 2, 2012
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These are guys I've pegged as dudes that not enough people are aware of it seems...either getting snubbed on the consensus boards, talks or overshadowed it seems and lost in the shuffle at various positions:
Cole Bishop and Jaden Hicks has been a top5 safety prospects for me all along, BUT unlike the consensus top couple - these guys show the athletic profile to be arguably the first two off the board.
HOWEVER....let's talk about the other Utah safety Sione Vaki or is that running back Sione Vaki. Vaki is just a football player and one that excelled in a dynamic role for the Utes this year and arguably IMO should have waited one more year and built upon what he's put on film. Despite rushing for over 7 yards a carry, chipping in 203 yards receiving on 11 receptions (3 TDs)....he played high level safety2 work in their defense alongside Bishop. Over 300 snaps deep, 175 box and 131 in the slot he illustrated he can do a lot. The only issue with Vaki athletically is he isn't a speed burner, but for a guy likely shifted down covering TEs/RBs and working in the middle his 4.62 he should be okay against most. What I love about Vaki is he is fearless with contact and his running back background shines through with his strength and willingness to be the aggressor. His pursuit and ability to trigger and react downhill is something which you will absolutely see time and time again in games...passes in the flat or quick screens constantly blown up by him. The UCLA and IU games especially the man was having his name called more than the QBs on playcalls it seemed. Keep an eye on Vaki around that early fourth as a time I could see a team take a flyer on him due to his young age and high potential.
A safety no one is talking about it seems that is just lunacy to me is Malik Mustapha from Wake Forest. His Pro Day just happened and while his 40 time is unofficial and I've heard 4.48 - 4.55 so I input just 4.5 flat...however the rest of his testing illustrated he isn't just a dog on the field because he has that motor everyone talks about, but his physical traits are a MASSIVE reason as well! The only trait of his that makes him a touch non-typical for GB is his height however the weight of over 190 seems to be a more prevalent prerequisite and while his height is only 5'10' his length is adequate and that vertical helps illustrate why he plays the ball so well - evening the jump balls more than his height ought to allow. However, why I love Mustapha is his run defense grades and play - this young man is that in the box safety that offensive coordinators have to identify or he will wreck plays to the boundary and squelch middle runs for short gains instead of long consistently. He sinks his hips and hits ball carriers with authority - not a DB with arm style swipe tackling we see too much of.
Truthfully I think he is a fourth round almost third round type guy....some will be shocked by this but I think a team that wants an in the box, run defending safety that has the athletic traits to cover have this guy pegged as a target. Don't be shocked one bit if you see Malik to GB in the third.
Another guy represents that guy that athletic testing doesn't always illustrate the level of the player on the field (just as sometimes it doesn't hide issues on the field). Every time I watched Nebraska or put on film from them the past couple years - Omar Brown caught my eye. Omar in 2021 played high level outside corner primarily with over 87.6% of his snaps at that alignment...PFF graded him at a 83.7 overall (one of the highest corners with over 400 snaps). Injury issue in 2022, and in 2023 they shifted him into the slot/box position with slot taking up 65.2% and box 22.1% of his total defensive snaps. A diverse sufficient athlete with high football IQ. Omar exemplifies the type of football prospect you want to flesh out your roster with on Day3. Likely a strong ST contributor with room to fight for a depth role year one and could even push by their second or third year for a more significant role on the defense.
I see a better slot corner in him than Nixon...but likely would take some time for that to mean putting him in over him however...I could also see Omar shift to play more of a safety role and not a nickle/outside corner as he has at Nebraska. His body type and build + his diverse background make him an exceptional movable piece in the DB room depending how the rest of FA and the front of the draft would go. Keep Omar Brown tucked in the back of your mind as a guy 6th/7th to hear his name called or make him TOP priority UDFA. His RAS varies from a 6.23 as a CB to a 6.78 if ran as a SS.....again sufficient but not elite athleticism but his film backs up his success is not predicated solely on his athletic profile as his only tool if you will.
Cole Bishop and Jaden Hicks has been a top5 safety prospects for me all along, BUT unlike the consensus top couple - these guys show the athletic profile to be arguably the first two off the board.
HOWEVER....let's talk about the other Utah safety Sione Vaki or is that running back Sione Vaki. Vaki is just a football player and one that excelled in a dynamic role for the Utes this year and arguably IMO should have waited one more year and built upon what he's put on film. Despite rushing for over 7 yards a carry, chipping in 203 yards receiving on 11 receptions (3 TDs)....he played high level safety2 work in their defense alongside Bishop. Over 300 snaps deep, 175 box and 131 in the slot he illustrated he can do a lot. The only issue with Vaki athletically is he isn't a speed burner, but for a guy likely shifted down covering TEs/RBs and working in the middle his 4.62 he should be okay against most. What I love about Vaki is he is fearless with contact and his running back background shines through with his strength and willingness to be the aggressor. His pursuit and ability to trigger and react downhill is something which you will absolutely see time and time again in games...passes in the flat or quick screens constantly blown up by him. The UCLA and IU games especially the man was having his name called more than the QBs on playcalls it seemed. Keep an eye on Vaki around that early fourth as a time I could see a team take a flyer on him due to his young age and high potential.
A safety no one is talking about it seems that is just lunacy to me is Malik Mustapha from Wake Forest. His Pro Day just happened and while his 40 time is unofficial and I've heard 4.48 - 4.55 so I input just 4.5 flat...however the rest of his testing illustrated he isn't just a dog on the field because he has that motor everyone talks about, but his physical traits are a MASSIVE reason as well! The only trait of his that makes him a touch non-typical for GB is his height however the weight of over 190 seems to be a more prevalent prerequisite and while his height is only 5'10' his length is adequate and that vertical helps illustrate why he plays the ball so well - evening the jump balls more than his height ought to allow. However, why I love Mustapha is his run defense grades and play - this young man is that in the box safety that offensive coordinators have to identify or he will wreck plays to the boundary and squelch middle runs for short gains instead of long consistently. He sinks his hips and hits ball carriers with authority - not a DB with arm style swipe tackling we see too much of.
Truthfully I think he is a fourth round almost third round type guy....some will be shocked by this but I think a team that wants an in the box, run defending safety that has the athletic traits to cover have this guy pegged as a target. Don't be shocked one bit if you see Malik to GB in the third.
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Another guy represents that guy that athletic testing doesn't always illustrate the level of the player on the field (just as sometimes it doesn't hide issues on the field). Every time I watched Nebraska or put on film from them the past couple years - Omar Brown caught my eye. Omar in 2021 played high level outside corner primarily with over 87.6% of his snaps at that alignment...PFF graded him at a 83.7 overall (one of the highest corners with over 400 snaps). Injury issue in 2022, and in 2023 they shifted him into the slot/box position with slot taking up 65.2% and box 22.1% of his total defensive snaps. A diverse sufficient athlete with high football IQ. Omar exemplifies the type of football prospect you want to flesh out your roster with on Day3. Likely a strong ST contributor with room to fight for a depth role year one and could even push by their second or third year for a more significant role on the defense.
I see a better slot corner in him than Nixon...but likely would take some time for that to mean putting him in over him however...I could also see Omar shift to play more of a safety role and not a nickle/outside corner as he has at Nebraska. His body type and build + his diverse background make him an exceptional movable piece in the DB room depending how the rest of FA and the front of the draft would go. Keep Omar Brown tucked in the back of your mind as a guy 6th/7th to hear his name called or make him TOP priority UDFA. His RAS varies from a 6.23 as a CB to a 6.78 if ran as a SS.....again sufficient but not elite athleticism but his film backs up his success is not predicated solely on his athletic profile as his only tool if you will.
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