Jonathan Cyprien, S, FL Int'l

[Digital]

miami interchanged it's safeties a lot this season under coyle but when we went to a single high look the vast majority of it was with chris clemons the deep middle defender...jones was up near the los or floating in the intermediate level unless we were in 2 deep primarily...

imo jones played the more strong safety role...but again we play a pretty interchangeable safeties d with coyle

That's exactly right. I'm always surprised that people suggesting their FOTM safety favorites don't see this.

I like Cyprien, he's going to be a player. He reminds me a little of Louis Delmas. But, there are a lot of decent to good safeties in this draft. Amerson is probably going to end up a FS and I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be a good one. Bacarri Rambo is going to be good as well. Lots of big guys from big schools with real athletic ability as well, but those 3 are ones I'd really like to add.

The thing is, the NFL is becoming a nickel-first league, so anyone we add as a safety probably should be a cover guy, because I'm leaving Reshad Jones in even when we go single-safety. So, I'm really more interested in DB's that have good coverage and ballhawking skills. Speed to play the last line of defense, eyes and hands to make the INT's, mind to instantly keep up with the crazy formations, personnel groupings and audibles some of these offenses throw at us, and the sound tackling ability to prevent these running QB's from going to the house. Ideally, it would be nice if he were also a Thumper to dissuade those QB's from running at all, but this list of wants is already pretty dang long, so I'll let Jones set the tone in Thumperland. All of that is hard to find.

I'm not sure Cyprien's cover skills merit him over Clemons and a pick in rounds 1-3. I doubt he'll be available in round 4 or 5, but if he falls, I'm interested. Positionally, I don't see us taking a safety all that high.

[hooshoops]

cover skills are at a premium no doubt in todays nfl...and it's a big reason why kenny vaccaro will be the first safety off the board come april...he's the most proven commodity at it...

[Digital]

cover skills are at a premium no doubt in todays nfl...and it's a big reason why kenny vaccaro will be the first safety off the board come april...he's the most proven commodity at it...

Agreed. These all-star games are really the very best place to showcase your coverage skills too. They don't let the CB's press, so there's a lot of coverage downfield for these safeties to really differentiate themselves. I think guys like Cyprien and Rambo made themselves some money, whereas McDonald letting Manuel drop that TD in over his head probably lost him some.