He was very slow to get over on that early longish TD run. Didn't key on him, but I agree that he doesn't seem to be getting to the ball in general, and that he's been giving up plays, in the second half of the season.
Slimm's 2019 Safeties (underclassman)
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He was very slow to get over on that early longish TD run. Didn't key on him, but I agree that he doesn't seem to be getting to the ball in general, and that he's been giving up plays, in the second half of the season.
The other day I read a blurb on Rob Staton's Seahawks Draft Blog that indicated Deionte Thompson quietly ran a 4.71 at the SPARQ camp.
He certainly looked like a 4.7 guy on that breakaway play by Clemson. No burst or sustained speed at all. Thompson had his head down and was still churning for all he had yet he was being outdistanced easily.
For his sake he really should have given up earlier and not put that lack of speed on display. It wouldn't have been a big deal because his teammates quit a quarter or so later. Besides, as I've mentioned many times I saw Todd Marinovich intentionally avoid Hail Mary throws several times at USC because he was petrified of demonstrating his lack of arm strength.
That 4.71 must have really been concealed if Thompson ever had a grade in the mid to high first round. Safeties have to be ultra elite to be picked in that range.
Pachyderm_Wave
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Deionte Thompson's issues became exposed after Trevon Diggs was injured at CB during the Arkansas game. Savion Smith was inserted into the starting lineup, and Thompson quickly realized he would spend the rest of the season trying to make up for the worst CB I've ever seen take the field for Alabama in 50 years. No exaggeration.
Savion Smith is without question, THE worst cornerback I've ever seen play for Alabama. He ran a 4.7, which is why he couldn't play for LSU before going the JUCO route. No idea how this kid was rated so high as a JUCO prospect. Just an awful, awful football player. Can't run, can't cover, can't tackle, can't shed a stalk block by a WR. This is what Thompson was tasked with making up for. Smith became the focal point of every offense's gameplan from that point forward - whether you were the Citadel or Georgia or Clemson. It didn't matter. Run game and passing game.
In turn, it caused Thompson's own weaknesses to be exposed.
Savion Smith is without question, THE worst cornerback I've ever seen play for Alabama. He ran a 4.7, which is why he couldn't play for LSU before going the JUCO route. No idea how this kid was rated so high as a JUCO prospect. Just an awful, awful football player. Can't run, can't cover, can't tackle, can't shed a stalk block by a WR. This is what Thompson was tasked with making up for. Smith became the focal point of every offense's gameplan from that point forward - whether you were the Citadel or Georgia or Clemson. It didn't matter. Run game and passing game.
In turn, it caused Thompson's own weaknesses to be exposed.
This is the thread with the 4.71 mention of Thompson at SPARQ testing. Date not given. But good draft source...including the blog owner Rob Staton and many of the commenters.
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/the-confusing-and-wonderful-2019-draft
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/the-confusing-and-wonderful-2019-draft
It's true. Btw, for any HS tests, you can Google the players name + espn high school profile, and it should be the top result. I'm sure other Google searches will also work. I'd guess he's more of a 4.60-4.65 guy at this point. Greedy Williams and Julian Love also posted 4.71 40s coming out. Some guys improve a lot, but I doubt many go from 4.7's to 4.4's. Love and Williams should probably run in the 4.5's.
http://www.espn.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/combine/_/id/172789/deionte-thompson
Pachyderm_Wave
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It’s definitely true. He ran a 4.77 in 2015 at 6’1”, 174 pounds. He looks to me like he’s about a 4.65 now, although 20 pounds heavier. You can see it when he’s in chase mode - a mode the coaching staff was able to keep him out of until injury took out the best cornerback.
However, his 20 yard shuttle time (3.98) was in elite category. Also visible all through this tape.
His vertical jump (35.8”) and power throw (37.0) were both approaching elite marks for the position coming out of high school.
But as I mentioned previously, the more concerning thing for me were the constant mental mistakes he was making the second half of the season. Eyes always in the wrong place for the technique he was playing, and getting caught flat footed as receivers got behind him for scores in the most important games.
His lack of speed could no longer be hid with a 4.7 corner (Savion Smith) playing in front of him. Between the two, Alabama had FCS speed making up half their secondary back there. Inexcusable for a program that recruits at the level of Alabama. The results are Jake Fromm looking like Tom Brady, Kyler Murray looking like Russell Wilson, and true freshman Trevor Lawrence looking like Peyton Manning. Not to mention Arkansas hanging 30+ points on you, and the Citadel looking like the ‘95 Cornhuskers.
Bama simply didn’t have all the fast, athletic, talented young 5-star players in the secondary ready to contribute instead. Again, inexcusable. You can’t start two players in the same secondary that slow at Alabama and not expect to pay for it. You will. They did.
The coaches thought it would be ok as long as the mental mistakes weren’t made. But the mental mistakes were made. When that happens, you end up with your slow players exposed in isolated situations. The situations you’re trying to avoid by counting on players to be where they’re supposed to be.
However, his 20 yard shuttle time (3.98) was in elite category. Also visible all through this tape.
His vertical jump (35.8”) and power throw (37.0) were both approaching elite marks for the position coming out of high school.
But as I mentioned previously, the more concerning thing for me were the constant mental mistakes he was making the second half of the season. Eyes always in the wrong place for the technique he was playing, and getting caught flat footed as receivers got behind him for scores in the most important games.
His lack of speed could no longer be hid with a 4.7 corner (Savion Smith) playing in front of him. Between the two, Alabama had FCS speed making up half their secondary back there. Inexcusable for a program that recruits at the level of Alabama. The results are Jake Fromm looking like Tom Brady, Kyler Murray looking like Russell Wilson, and true freshman Trevor Lawrence looking like Peyton Manning. Not to mention Arkansas hanging 30+ points on you, and the Citadel looking like the ‘95 Cornhuskers.
Bama simply didn’t have all the fast, athletic, talented young 5-star players in the secondary ready to contribute instead. Again, inexcusable. You can’t start two players in the same secondary that slow at Alabama and not expect to pay for it. You will. They did.
The coaches thought it would be ok as long as the mental mistakes weren’t made. But the mental mistakes were made. When that happens, you end up with your slow players exposed in isolated situations. The situations you’re trying to avoid by counting on players to be where they’re supposed to be.
ckparrothead
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I am absolutely convinced that Marshall S Malik Gant is an NFL player. I respect Doc Holliday's eye for underrated talent and I think he found another one.
Watching him, I am absolutely floored by his trigger, zero hesitation, full-on tackling prowess. He is 100 mph constantly, with a hair trigger.
I wish all the DBs that I watch had this sort of approach in the open.
Entertaining as hell.
He looks small to me even though Sports Xchange has him 6005 and 200 lbs (which is actually good height for the position). I wonder if he'll measure that way.
Team's 2nd leading tackler and you can easily see how. Had 2 interceptions, 8 PBUs, 8.0 TFLs to go with his 94 tackles.
It's no wonder PFF was grading him so damned high during the season:
Watching him, I am absolutely floored by his trigger, zero hesitation, full-on tackling prowess. He is 100 mph constantly, with a hair trigger.
I wish all the DBs that I watch had this sort of approach in the open.
Entertaining as hell.
He looks small to me even though Sports Xchange has him 6005 and 200 lbs (which is actually good height for the position). I wonder if he'll measure that way.
Team's 2nd leading tackler and you can easily see how. Had 2 interceptions, 8 PBUs, 8.0 TFLs to go with his 94 tackles.
It's no wonder PFF was grading him so damned high during the season:
Pachyderm_Wave
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Reads his run/pass key extremely well. He's keying that offensive tackle to his side in order to determine run/pass. He's picked up on a little secret a surprising number of safeties don't know. I learned that from Dyer Carlisle many years ago. I hadn't really looked at the kid much yet. I may be way behind on this kid.
What do you think about the corner #3 Chris Jackson for 2020? I have him in my top 10 Senior corners for next year.
ckparrothead
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Chris Jackson #3 stood out a few times when I was watching Malik Gant.
But on isolation I end up with two questions that are so basic I almost feel silly for asking, but they are 1) how fast is he actually, and 2) what exactly is he?
The latter question I ask because he's clearly a zone guy, but it's not as if he's gonna impress you with the way he comes up and hits as a zone guy closing on the ball. He's got good hands to rip the ball away for a fumble. But I don't end up seeing him breaking on the ball in two deep zone, and then I see him letting up the underneath catches in three deep zone.
And you have to wonder about his discipline sometimes, as well:
He's not really a press man corner. I wouldn't say he's physical enough. He could play soft shoe or catch. But he's pretty easily blocked in the ground game, so there are issues there as well.
But if you're getting onto man coverage, you've got to contend with his work on bigger players, like the fade TD to Travis Fulgham of ODU, or above that sluggo TD to Eric Kumah of VT, the seam to USF TE Mitchell Wilcox, or again Eric Kumah on the drag route carrying Jackson piggyback...
I think you're left sort of making a DNA argument about him, because of his swivel, his plant and drive, especially his hands. Always a fair argument to make as these are all young, developing players.
But then that's where I get back to the very basics of size, strength, and speed. If he comes out fast like a Darryl Roberts that will help. If he gets a lot stronger, that will help too.
But on isolation I end up with two questions that are so basic I almost feel silly for asking, but they are 1) how fast is he actually, and 2) what exactly is he?
The latter question I ask because he's clearly a zone guy, but it's not as if he's gonna impress you with the way he comes up and hits as a zone guy closing on the ball. He's got good hands to rip the ball away for a fumble. But I don't end up seeing him breaking on the ball in two deep zone, and then I see him letting up the underneath catches in three deep zone.
And you have to wonder about his discipline sometimes, as well:
He's not really a press man corner. I wouldn't say he's physical enough. He could play soft shoe or catch. But he's pretty easily blocked in the ground game, so there are issues there as well.
But if you're getting onto man coverage, you've got to contend with his work on bigger players, like the fade TD to Travis Fulgham of ODU, or above that sluggo TD to Eric Kumah of VT, the seam to USF TE Mitchell Wilcox, or again Eric Kumah on the drag route carrying Jackson piggyback...
I think you're left sort of making a DNA argument about him, because of his swivel, his plant and drive, especially his hands. Always a fair argument to make as these are all young, developing players.
But then that's where I get back to the very basics of size, strength, and speed. If he comes out fast like a Darryl Roberts that will help. If he gets a lot stronger, that will help too.
HeavenCent
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Surprised to learn that Amani Hooker won’t turn 21 until August. He’s a very intriguing prospect. Sounds like a target for Day 2.