S Dante Trader Jr

[cullenbigcstill]

4.65 pro day time might as well be 4.72 combine time. That’s hard to get away with even at safety and in a heavy zone scheme.

Some guys don't test well, so seeing the poor time shouldn't be the deciding factor in assessment....I know you already are aware of that...I mean look at Restrepo, he ran a 4.83 but is Canes all time leading receiver, and he frequently was running away from defenders whether it was acc opponents or sec as in gators game at the swamp....there's no way Restrepo is that slow....4.6 yeah makes sense, 4.83 definitely not.

 

[hoops]

Some guys don't test well, so seeing the poor time shouldn't be the deciding factor in assessment....I know you already are aware of that...I mean look at Restrepo, he ran a 4.83 but is Canes all time leading receiver, and he frequently was running away from defenders whether it was acc opponents or sec as in gators game at the swamp....there's no way Restrepo is that slow....4.6 yeah makes sense, 4.83 definitely not.

Sometimes play speed is different than timed speed. No doubt.

These are 5th and later round picks. Needle in a haystack difference makers. Very few and far between. He’s got a good opportunity cause our safety room looks to be if not one of the worst in the league.

 

[djphinfan]

Some guys don't test well, so seeing the poor time shouldn't be the deciding factor in assessment....I know you already are aware of that...I mean look at Restrepo, he ran a 4.83 but is Canes all time leading receiver, and he frequently was running away from defenders whether it was acc opponents or sec as in gators game at the swamp....there's no way Restrepo is that slow....4.6 yeah makes sense, 4.83 definitely not.

Too bad this regime didn’t believe it

 

[DOLFAN_51]

4.65 pro day time might as well be 4.72 combine time. That’s hard to get away with even at safety and in a heavy zone scheme.

I thought Pro Day times were usually slower. I think it's fairer to say he's probably a 4.59. And even if he's 4.65 that's still faster than Jerry Rice, Anquan Boldin, Kam Chancelor, and within .02 of Larry Fitzgerald, .07 of X, .09 of Antonio Brown, Joe Haden, and Devante Adams. Justin Simmons and Brian Dawkins ran a 4.61. Xavier Mckinney ran 4.63. Ed Reed was 4.57 but he looked like 4.3. Hufanga was 4.61. The point is, if he can play, the time doesn't matter.

 

[hoops]

I thought Pro Day times were usually slower. I think it's fairer to say he's probably a 4.59. And even if he's 4.65 that's still faster than Jerry Rice, Anquan Boldin, Kam Chancelor, and within .02 of Larry Fitzgerald, .07 of X, .09 of Antonio Brown, Joe Haden, and Devante Adams. Justin Simmons and Brian Dawkins ran a 4.61. Xavier Mckinney ran 4.63. Ed Reed was 4.57 but he looked like 4.3. Hufanga was 4.61. The point is, if he can play, the time doesn't matter.

Pro day times are notoriously fast tracks.

 

[DOLFAN_51]

Pro day times are notoriously fast tracks.

But the times are not accurate and depending on whose watch you're using it can vary .05 seconds. Or .08 seconds if you're Milroe.

 

[hoops]

But the times are not accurate and depending on whose watch you're using it can vary .05 seconds. Or .08 seconds if you're Milroe.

My rule of thumb has always been a pro day time is about .05 to .08 slower than an actual combine true time.

That’s why so many guys skip the combine and run on their own fast tracks.

But to each his own that’s just the way a look at it.

 

[dolfanattic5]

 

[dolfan91]

 

[Ray R]

I thought Pro Day times were usually slower. I think it's fairer to say he's probably a 4.59. And even if he's 4.65 that's still faster than Jerry Rice, Anquan Boldin, Kam Chancelor, and within .02 of Larry Fitzgerald, .07 of X, .09 of Antonio Brown, Joe Haden, and Devante Adams. Justin Simmons and Brian Dawkins ran a 4.61. Xavier Mckinney ran 4.63. Ed Reed was 4.57 but he looked like 4.3. Hufanga was 4.61. The point is, if he can play, the time doesn't matter.

Context is everything.
A sprint from a standing start is one thing, but a sudden burst of acceleration once you are moving is another. Especially football, where it is coupled to the movement of other players along with a predetermined route.

 

[cullenbigcstill]

Sometimes play speed is different than timed speed. No doubt.

These are 5th and later round picks. Needle in a haystack difference makers. Very few and far between. He’s got a good opportunity cause our safety room looks to be if not one of the worst in the league.

I'm kind of meh on Trader tbh, and felt he was more of a 7th or priority free agent, and a reach. I see a lesser athlete of Brandon Jones.

I do like how efficient he is at tackling, and takes good angles as well. He's a little small and light for my safety size preferences tbh.

I do however like the Florida CB. I saw him down there in that 180-200 range but didn't pay much attention to him pre-draft....but after looking at him and watching a couple UF games since yesterday, there's a lot to like with him imo.

He plays with an edge, and is physical and very tight in coverage as a starting boundary in the SEC. I've heard he's inconsistent, but who isn't after the first 30-40 picks?

He mentioned Ramsey as a guy he watches and models game after, and clearly you can see it. In no way am I saying he's Ramsey or the athlete, but in the way he sticks his face mask into confrontation of a play, how he blitzed and bats passes off the blitz, and how he is more than a willing tackler.

I'm not saying he loves to tackle and a hitter, but he surely isn't shy and will make desired plays in wrapping up and bringing down most ball carriers anywhere on the field.

23 PBU's shows ball awareness, I love the instinctual player who get pbu's, if his INTs and pbu's were low, he'd be just a guy out there covering.

He's a stopper, and has good size at 6' 196 and 4.49...as a mid 5th that's a pretty solid get tbh, he immediately has a chance here with how our CB depth is currently.

At first I didn't like the pick, but once I got over it and looked at him I came away impressed and certainly understand the selection and I'm excited to see his development.

 

[The Goat]

Dante Trader Jr. Safety Maryland | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Rating: 78.0 Rank: #43 Forty: 4.52 A developmental prospect with the tools to contribute in sub-packages early while he refines his skill set. Best fit is in a defense that employs multipl...

www.nfldraftbuzz.com

All y'all sniveling and whining about this dude should just watch him rather than fixating on his workout numbers.

Trader Jr. grew up in Delaware, winning a state championship at Delmar Senior High School in 2017 before transferring to McDonogh in Maryland. He excelled in both football and lacrosse, ranking as the No. 5 lacrosse player in the Class of 2021. As a three-star recruit, Trader Jr. chose his "dream school" Maryland over other suitors.

At Maryland, Trader Jr. quickly became a key contributor in the secondary. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman before earning a starting role as a sophomore in 2022. Over the next two seasons, he started 25 games, racking up 120 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 pass breakups. His junior year saw him finish third on the team with 58 tackles while adding two picks and seven pass breakups.

Off the field, Trader Jr. has shown a penchant for mental acuity, crediting chess for helping strengthen his "brainpower" and seeing parallels between the strategic game and football. He's also been recognized for his academic achievements, earning CSC Academic All-District honors in 2023.

Scouting Report: Strengths​

• Plus athlete with multi-sport background, translating to fluid backpedal and smooth hip flip in coverage
• Cerebral player who processes quickly, allowing him to jump routes and make plays on the ball
• Sure tackler with good form, rarely whiffs in the open field and limits YAC
• Displays natural feel in zone, consistently finding himself around the ball
• Adequate long speed to carry verticals and not get stacked by receivers
• High character player with plus intangibles, film junkie who sets the tone in the DB room
• Production improved each season, indicating upward trajectory and untapped potential
• Scheme versatile, can play single-high, in the box, or as a big nickel

Scouting Report: Weaknesses​

• Tweener size for the position, may struggle to match up with Y-tight ends at the next level
• Mirror-and-match skills in man coverage need work, can lose leverage against shifty slot receivers
• Change of direction is good not great, limits his ability to close on throws from depth
• Lacks the "wow" factor as a hitter, doesn't consistently deliver tone-setting shots over the middle
• Ball production is solid but not elite, needs to convert more PBUs into INTs to be a game-changer

Scouting Report: Summary​

A developmental prospect with the tools to contribute in sub-packages early while he refines his skill set. Best fit is in a defense that employs multiple coverage shells and values versatility in the secondary. Can wear multiple hats, aligning as a deep safety, in the box, or over the slot depending on the call.

Special teams ace potential from day one, with the mindset and physicality to excel in kick coverage. As he builds his NFL body and sharpens his instincts, could develop into a reliable third safety with spot-start ability. Needs to improve play strength and man coverage technique to unlock his full potential as an every-down player.

Intangibles and work ethic suggest he could outplay his draft position. Chess background hints at the mental processing speed to handle complex NFL coverage schemes. Ceiling is a solid starter in a zone-heavy system, floor is a core special teamer and defensive sub-package player.

I love rooting for kids like this. In the end, it often turns out that they simply don't have enough athletic talent to stick in the league. Hopefully that isn't the case here.

 

[DOLFAN_51]

Context is everything.
A sprint from a standing start is one thing, but a sudden burst of acceleration once you are moving is another. Especially football, where it is coupled to the movement of other players along with a predetermined route.

This is where Trader excels if you watch the tape. His change of direction and “playing speed” are good. He is very instinctive and has short area quickness.

 

[MrClean]

The more I watch Dante Trader the more I like. He plays way faster than 4.65. That’s for Damn sure.

Likely not indicative of his actual speed. He pulled a hamstring running that 4.65 at his Pro Day.

 

[MrClean]

I love rooting for kids like this. In the end, it often turns out that they simply don't have enough athletic talent to stick in the league. Hopefully that isn't the case here.

Something else I was thinking of with Trader...before we traded 116 to the Texans, we could have stood pat and taken the much more ballyhooed Billy Bowman or Lathan Ransom at that point. It appears Grier was targeting Trader and calculated he could get him in the 5th. So he took the chance to gain an extra 3rd next year, figuring he could still get the safety this year they wanted. Even assuming that to be the case, I'd have rather seen him use 116 on another OL. Mbow, Frazier, or Rivers.