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Slimm's 2019 Safeties (underclassman)

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1. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson / Florida / 5'11", 210

2. Amani Hooker / Iowa / 5'11", 210

3. Taylor Rapp / Washington / 6’0”, 208

4. Deionte Thompson / Alabama / 6'1", 195

5. Malik Gant / Marshall / 6'0", 209

6. Mike Bell / Fresno St. / 6'3", 210
 
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Having a tough time projecting a position for Gardner in the NFL ... which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Misses too many easy tackles. I think Florida planned on using him at corner but had to put him at S out of need. He looks like a hell of an athlete so I'm making an early prediction of corner at the next level but if he keeps learning the position and cleans up his sloppy tackling he could be a nice chess piece for a savvy coach. Ability to create turnovers is a +.

Flashes all the time but it goes both ways. Keep developing and he could be very rich in the next few years.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
Early, but this Safety group looks weaker than 2017 and 2018 - though I like some of the Seniors.
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True free safeties arent easy to come by, and Nigel Warrior is on his way to becoming an elite free safety. Jeremy Pruitt is going to be even better for him.

I watched his dad Dale Carter play for Tennessee and went on to be a heck of a pro in the NFL at cornerback. Warrior has elite burst, instincts, range and angles. I watched him get better and better last season.

Impresses the heck out of me I know that.
 
Deionte Thompson looks to be the rangiest safety I've seen in quite some time. He made some similar plays on film in the National Championship game against Georgia that displayed such range it almost tricked your eye - but on the interception vs Louisville Saturday night, he showed it again. He was several yards inside the hash when the ball was thrown from a strong armed quarterback - and got all the way over to the sideline to make the pick in the endzone when the ball was just inside the 30 yard line.

Also the most physical safety in the country. Thompson's combination of elite range and physicality have the makings of a top 10-15 pick.
 
James Wiggins should be draft eligible as I believe he redshirted in 2016. If that's the case he easily falls onto this list, IMO.

Fast, agile, explosive, strong, dynamic player. Has the most solo tackles on the team, plus 2 interceptions, some TFLs, good looking kick returner too.

Great kid, learning a lot from Jon Tenuta, who was the DC at Georgia Tech back in the Chan Gailey days. Coached some pretty good DB play out of guys like Anthony Harris, Maurice Canady, Quin Blanding, and Demetrious Nicholson at Virginia.

 
ckparrothead said:
James Wiggins should be draft eligible as I believe he redshirted in 2016. If that's the case he easily falls onto this list, IMO.

Fast, agile, explosive, strong, dynamic player. Has the most solo tackles on the team, plus 2 interceptions, some TFLs, good looking kick returner too.

Great kid, learning a lot from Jon Tenuta, who was the DC at Georgia Tech back in the Chan Gailey days. Coached some pretty good DB play out of guys like Anthony Harris, Maurice Canady, Quin Blanding, and Demetrious Nicholson at Virginia.

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I considered adding him a few weeks ago. Absolutely he belongs. Although I was keeping him stashed away for my underclassman safeties next year. Didn't believe he would declare this year, but that could change.

I don't know how everybody evaluates safeties, but I'll say this - I don't care how much range a safety has, or how fast he is, or how good his ball skills are.

If you can't make one on one tackles in space, you cannot be a starter.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
I considered adding him a few weeks ago. Absolutely he belongs. Although I was keeping him stashed away for my underclassman safeties next year. Didn't believe he would declare this year, but that could change.

I don't know how everybody evaluates safeties, but I'll say this - I don't care how much range a safety has, or how fast he is, or how good his ball skills are.

If you can't make one on one tackles in space, you cannot be a starter.
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#2 on your list has some issues with that last sentence. He's a tough one to evaluate. Ultimate boom or bust. So much fun to watch but has to work on the fundamentals. I'm still not entirely sold on him being a safety.
 
BobDole said:
#2 on your list has some issues with that last sentence. He's a tough one to evaluate. Ultimate boom or bust. So much fun to watch but has to work on the fundamentals. I'm still not entirely sold on him being a safety.
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Yeah I think he's a nickel corner in the NFL. I like his man coverage skills and ability to mirror - be physical at the catch point.

He's not a safety in the NFL. He's a safety here because that's the position he plays for Florida.

You're usually a little too hard on Gator players though, Bob. Unless it's Tim Tebow.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
Yeah I think he's a nickel corner in the NFL. I like his man coverage skills and ability to mirror - be physical at the catch point.

He's not a safety in the NFL. He's a safety here because that's the position he plays for Florida.

You're usually a little too hard on Gator players though, Bob. Unless it's Tim Tebow.
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To be fair, the ones I'm hard on typically struggle in the NFL.

You had to go take a trip in the way back machine for the Tebow burn, which is totally deserved. I definitely learned from that experience ... and stay away from QBs because of it.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
I considered adding him a few weeks ago. Absolutely he belongs. Although I was keeping him stashed away for my underclassman safeties next year. Didn't believe he would declare this year, but that could change.

I don't know how everybody evaluates safeties, but I'll say this - I don't care how much range a safety has, or how fast he is, or how good his ball skills are.

If you can't make one on one tackles in space, you cannot be a starter.
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And thus A.J. Westbrook falling down the board as fast as he can run. Which is really fast.
 
The issue you have to fix with Deionte Thompson is eye discipline. He gets caught with his eyes in the backfield when they're not supposed to be - leads to big plays. It's because he knows his range is rare.

Against Georgia, he's lined up in man coverage in the slot over Isaac Nauta, gets caught with his eyes in the backfield and Fromm hits Nauta for a big gain. You should never let your eyes be in the backfield at any point when in man coverage. Mental mistakes like this are what gets you beat.

Kyler Murray hit Rambo for a 50 yard score in the Orange Bowl due to Thompson once again having his eyes where they're not supposed to be. This time he's patrolling the deep middle and gets caught flat footed looking in the backfield at Murray. Receiver runs right by him and the ball goes right over the top of him.

It drives me absolutely crazy.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
The issue you have to fix with Deionte Thompson is eye discipline. He gets caught with his eyes in the backfield when they're not supposed to be - leads to big plays. It's because he knows his range is rare.

Against Georgia, he's lined up in man coverage in the slot over Isaac Nauta, gets caught with his eyes in the backfield and Fromm hits Nauta for a big gain. You should never let your eyes be in the backfield at any point when in man coverage. Mental mistakes like this are what gets you beat.

Kyler Murray hit Rambo for a 50 yard score in the Orange Bowl due to Thompson once again having his eyes where they're not supposed to be. This time he's patrolling the deep middle and gets caught flat footed looking in the backfield at Murray. Receiver runs right by him and the ball goes right over the top of him.

It drives me absolutely crazy.
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He's very talented, but I think the top-10 talk is unwarranted.
 
Deionte Thompson again caught flatfooted again with his eyes in the wrong place as he just lets the WR run past him. His play has gotten worse with every game since around mid season. Looks like he runs about a 4.65 when he has to chase a receiver down. Either he's been playing hurt, or I've overrated him.
 
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