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Thread: 2013 NFL Draft: Steelers Draft Prospects by Position - Safety

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    2013 NFL Draft: Steelers Draft Prospects by Position - Safety

    2013 NFL Draft: Steelers Draft Prospects by Position - Safety

    By seton hall and steelers on Jan 15



    The Steelers have been blessed by some of the best safety play in the league over the past five or so years, with two pro bowl caliber starting safeties in Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu. However, both Clark and Polamalu are aging and while backup safety Will Allen played incredibly well in replacement of Polamalu, the Steelers could use a new, young safety to become the next star of the defense.

    First Round Options:

    Kenny Vaccaro, free safety, Texas - Vaccaro, at 6-foot-1, 218 pounds, has great size for an NFL free safety. He has shown over the course of his career to have the ability to come up and cover slot receivers with great ease. He was a three year starter at Texas and got better each year. This year, he totaled 96 tackles, two interceptions, 3.5 tackles for a loss, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He is not an elite ballhawk but he is a great safety prospect who could start immediately if needed but would likely play on special teams and in nickel packages as a rookie. He is projected as a top 20 pick.

    Matt Elam, strong safety, Florida - Elam, at just 5-foot-10, 202 pounds, is much smaller than Vaccaro but he is a great athlete. He is a two year starter for Florida. This year, he had 76 tackles and four interceptions but he was best playing around the line of scrimmage, getting 11 tackles for a loss and two sacks. He has unbelievable instincts, great closing speed, and is ruthless in the run game. He reminds me a lot of Polamalu in his prime and could be available at pick 17. He is projected currently as a top 25 pick.

    Tony Jefferson, free safety, Oklahoma - Jefferson, at 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, was a highly rated recruit coming out of high school and he has started in all three of his years at Oklahoma. This year, he had 119 tackles, two interceptions, 3.5 tackles for a loss, and half a sack. He is a player who relies on his instincts to make the right read in the running game and plays very much like current Steelers safety Ryan Clark.

    Second Round Options:

    Eric Reid, free safety, LSU - Reid, at 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, is a big-bodied safety but he does not play to his size. He played mostly center field in his two years as an LSU starter and is rarely around the line of scrimmage. He has great athleticism and makes good reads on passing plays. This year, he had 91 tackles, two interceptions, and one tackle for a loss. He could rise to the late first round but his lack of splash plays will likely keep him in round two.

    Phillip Thomas, free safety, Fresno State - Thomas, a 6-foot-1, 215 pound safety is an absolute ball hawk. This year, he amassed eight interceptions, three of which he returned for a touchdown, 84 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, and four sacks. However, he did all of this playing against lower competition. He is a good athlete with huge upside and he could rise to a top 40 pick by draft time.

    Mid Round Options:

    Robert Lester, strong safety, Alabama - Lester is a rare player in that he started for three years at Alabama. He also is one of a few players ever to win three national championships. His best year ever was his sophomore season, when he intercepted eight passes. This year, he played all right at times and awful at others, totaling 48 tackles, four interceptions, 3.5 tackles for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. He seems to lack elite speed but plays the game smart and is usually in the right spot. However, he does not appear to be great in run support. He is projected as a third or fourth round pick.

    Shawn Williams, strong safety, Georgia - Williams, at 6-foot-1, 217 pounds, is a third to fourth round prospect with some upside. He is a good athlete that totaled 98 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, and one sack this year. He plays around the line of scrimmage a lot and is good in the run game but he struggles at times with reading play action. He has given up a few too many big plays this year. However, a lot of his problems seem to be in technique and that could be coached by Steelers star coach Carnell Lake.

    Duke Williams, strong safety, Nevada - Williams, at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, is a great athlete who thrives when using his instincts. He is a little small and does not do much form tackling and therefore, he misses a few too many tackles. However, this year, he did total 105 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, and three forced fumbles. When he hits you, he is going to hurt you. He is projected as a third to fourth round pick and with proper coaching, he could become a star.

    Bacarri Rambo, free safety, Georgia - Rambo, at 6-foot-0, 210 pounds, is an athletic safety who still has to learn the position. This year, he had 73 tackles, three interceptions, one tackle for a loss, and one sack. He has pretty poor technique and that causes him to miss a couple tackles and give up some big plays, but again, if anyone can coach him up, it is Carnell Lake. However, he has had problems with the law in the past and that might take him off the Steelers radar. He is projected as a third to fourth round pick.

    T.J. McDonald, free safety, USC - McDonald is a big safety at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and he is a good athlete. He had an incredible junior season and would have been a first round pick last year had he declared but he struggled a lot this year. He was exposed as someone who mis-reads a lot of routes and bites on double moves often. However, despite having an "awful" year, he totaled 119 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions, and a sack. He needs a lot of work on his technique, but you could do a lot worse with a third or fourth round pick.

    [URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/1/15/3876242/2013-nfl-draft-mock-steelers-position-depth-safety[/URL]
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

    Gloat gloat gloat


    Boom........

    Hahahahahahaha

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiiansteel View Post

    Bacarri Rambo, free safety, Georgia - Rambo, at 6-foot-0, 210 pounds, is an athletic safety who still has to learn the position. This year, he had 73 tackles, three interceptions, one tackle for a loss, and one sack. He has pretty poor technique and that causes him to miss a couple tackles and give up some big plays, but again, if anyone can coach him up, it is Carnell Lake. However, he has had problems with the law in the past and that might take him off the Steelers radar. He is projected as a third to fourth round pick.

    The best free safety in this draft. He is big hitter and goes for the knock out a lot so on occasion yes he can miss a tackle here or there, however....

    16 INT's, 34 PD's, and 6 FF's over his college career tells you about his cover skills as well as where he is in regards to where the ball is.

    But as mention his mistake may take him off the Steelers board.
    Steelers 2015 Draft???....Go Freak! As in....

    1-Bernardrick McKinney MLB Mississippi State 6 ft 5 250 4.5 40 yard dash

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    I like Vaccaro the most out of all of them, with rainey and his recent issues I think if a prospect has any off field issue they won't consider that player. Rainey had them and they won't get burnt again.

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    Quote Originally Posted by supersteeler View Post
    I like Vaccaro the most out of all of them, with rainey and his recent issues I think if a prospect has any off field issue they won't consider that player. Rainey had them and they won't get burnt again.
    Vaccaro is good in man coverage on TEs and most WRs. He is physical and very athletic. That is impressive. What I don't understand is that scouts seem to overlook that he is a very spotty tackler and regularly whiffs (like most of the Texas defense). Also, and this is difficult to tell on TV, it seems like he does not have elite instincts/centerfielder skills when working the back half. He is often slow to react imho.
    Even if Bill Belichick was getting an atomic wedgie, his face would look exactly the same.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dee Dub View Post
    The best free safety in this draft. He is big hitter and goes for the knock out a lot so on occasion yes he can miss a tackle here or there, however....

    16 INT's, 34 PD's, and 6 FF's over his college career tells you about his cover skills as well as where he is in regards to where the ball is.

    But as mention his mistake may take him off the Steelers board.
    If he falls to the 4th grab him. I really don't like with Vacarro that they say, "He isn't an elite ball hawk." For a team lacking in pics, we can't afford a high pick on a guy who isn't an elite ball hawk. We need him to be, desperately.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiiansteel View Post
    2013 NFL Draft: Steelers Draft Prospects by Position - Safety

    By seton hall and steelers on Jan 15


    [URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/1/15/3876242/2013-nfl-draft-mock-steelers-position-depth-safety[/URL]
    Screw these guys. They have little to no knowledge. How do you leave D.J. Swearinger off of this list? He has experience at corner and safety.

    The guy is ferocious and will be taken in the second round depending on how he runs.
    Here comes the BOOM!

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    Screw these guys. They have little to no knowledge. How do you leave D.J. Swearinger off of this list? He has experience at corner and safety.

    The guy is ferocious and will be taken in the second round depending on how he runs.
    First thing I thought of when I saw the list. I think D.J. is in the running for best safety in the draft
    1. CB – Marcus Peters – Washington – 6/190
    2. OG – Josue Matias – Florida State – 6-6/320
    3. OLB – Geneo Grissom – Oklahoma – 6-4/250
    4. DL – Ellis McCarthy – UCLA – 6-5/330
    5. TE – Jeff Heurman – Ohio State – 6-5/255
    6. FS – Adrian Amos – Penn State – 6/200
    7. DT – Terry Williams – East Carolina – 6-1/340

    UDFA
    DB – Justin Cox – Mississippi St. – 6-2/190
    OLB – Davis Tull – Chattanooga – 6-2/242

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    Screw these guys. They have little to no knowledge. How do you leave D.J. Swearinger off of this list? He has experience at corner and safety.

    The guy is ferocious and will be taken in the second round depending on how he runs.
    D.J. Swearinger may have just taken himself off some lists himself. He no-showed the Senior Bowl but worse than that he canceled within 72 hours. They do not like that. Not good.
    Steelers 2015 Draft???....Go Freak! As in....

    1-Bernardrick McKinney MLB Mississippi State 6 ft 5 250 4.5 40 yard dash

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dee Dub View Post
    D.J. Swearinger may have just taken himself off some lists himself. He no-showed the Senior Bowl but worse than that he canceled within 72 hours. They do not like that. Not good.
    I read that Swearinger pulled out due to injury. Is it really that big of a deal if it is an injury compared to not wanting to participate?
    1. CB – Marcus Peters – Washington – 6/190
    2. OG – Josue Matias – Florida State – 6-6/320
    3. OLB – Geneo Grissom – Oklahoma – 6-4/250
    4. DL – Ellis McCarthy – UCLA – 6-5/330
    5. TE – Jeff Heurman – Ohio State – 6-5/255
    6. FS – Adrian Amos – Penn State – 6/200
    7. DT – Terry Williams – East Carolina – 6-1/340

    UDFA
    DB – Justin Cox – Mississippi St. – 6-2/190
    OLB – Davis Tull – Chattanooga – 6-2/242

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by focosteeler View Post
    I read that Swearinger pulled out due to injury. Is it really that big of a deal if it is an injury compared to not wanting to participate?
    That is not what they said yesterday. And for what ever reason he waited till 3 days before the Senior Bowl week to inform he wasn't coming. Not good.
    Steelers 2015 Draft???....Go Freak! As in....

    1-Bernardrick McKinney MLB Mississippi State 6 ft 5 250 4.5 40 yard dash

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