Value Board

One more. This is the Huddle Report. I assume its an amateur site, but I've posted it just because I like the scouting report. What he says seems to resolve some conflicting info, if its true

<<Derrick Strait CB Oklahoma



Strengths
Plays bigger than listed. He is a good tackler, has good speed and for his size, his arms are long. This has come in handy against the big receivers. He is smart and knows how to use the sideline to his advantage. Derrick uses very good technique. He likes to challenge the bigger receivers for the ball and by doing this, gets away with being physical without getting flagged for it. Like I said, he is very smart, which is the strongest part of his game.

Needs to Improve
Derrick has good speed but does lack quickness. The smaller, faster receivers give him the most problems. He is at his best against the taller wide receivers with long strides. Against the fast receivers he loses technique and gets burned really fast. He is slow in his hip flip, which is what causes him to get beat by the small quick/fast receivers. Another
problem that I notice with Derrick is that he has a problem forgetting. He worries the minute he gets beat and he starts to lose confidence. If receivers get a sniff of this in the NFL, they will eat him alive.

Bottom Line
Derrick should have no problems in the NFL. He is very good against the bigger wide receivers and when the smaller receivers are on the field you can bring him inside in the nickel and dime schemes because he is a good tackler with good size. He will get you some picks when he is used this way. Against the bigger possession receivers he might very well shut them down and should limit the ‘run after the catch’ yards because of his size and tackling abilities. If he is used this way, he will gain confidence and not lose confidence after making a mistake. If you are a scout or coach that thinks you are going to put Derrick man for man on Laverneous Coles or Santana Moss or Pete Warrick and expect him to shut them down, I don't think it is going to happen. Derrick will not have the
quickness to stay with that style of receiver. I think he will always have a problem with the receivers who are quick in and out of their breaks. That does not mean that Derrick cannot be successful -- it just means do not expect him to be superman. He is rated high right now, but before it is all said and done he should go in the latter part of the first round. He will be a solid corner and should have a good career in the NFL. The good thing about Derrick is that if he is not as good as he is projected at the corner position, he can be flipped to a safety position because he is a good tackler. He would make an impact for a team at the free safety position, which makes Derrick a very safe pick. He is what I consider a two-fer -- a two position DB.


Drew Boylhart>>

 

Totally agree about the negatives. I'd rather hear about all that than a general description that someone could get from a five second clip of the player. All these guys are quality or else they wouldn't be considered. What they'd need to improve upon, or if that's possible, is what I'm generally most concerned with.

One spot of concern with Strait is the same situation with Rashard. The speed's fine but the short speed/reaction/quickness doesn't team as well. You want to see a guy who can stay with the quicker players, not just be able to hang in there on the big guys, and of the two I'd rather see a guy get a little outmuscled.

Of course, somewhat similar concerns belie Robinson, too, and probably Poole. It's not worth taking a Hall (assuming all would be there, which only one likely will) just because he has speed and can change direction faster.

 

Apparently so. I'm not sure why you're saying don't take Hall in the unlikely event he would be there. I have a friend who's a VT fan, and he says he wouldn't tackle anyone all year before the bowl, and Ive read similar. So I agree.

But at 31, you usually don't get an outstanding prospect. So if they all can't change direction quickly, and usually only the smurfs can, take the one who at least can play zone real well. Strait. Unless an outstanding prospect from another position falls, like Clayton.

 

That's easy. I didn't say "don't take Hall".
My point was, you don't take Hall just because he can stay with the faster receivers in comparison. You've, naturally, gotta weigh the advantages of his speed in short space and in turning the hips against the physical play of the others.

 

We have Manning to match up on the small quick receivers. We could use a big corner to match up to the Keyshawns and Owens type guys.

 

Strait is Howard with Hands, better awareness, and less likely to jump the pump fake. Struggles some in Man to Man, better in zone (more Howard). If he is there at 31 we should not waste any time thinking, just run the card up and select him.

Would be an instant upgrade over Howard, and with Hawkins being an upgrade over Cousin, the corner situation would be better than we have had in years. Also if we can't seem to get a FS worthy of starting, Hawk can start at corner and Strait could start at FS (like Eugene Wilson did for the Pats last year).

 

that's a fair assessment. He's like howard in theory, has to play off the quicker guys. More skills, certainly.

Pasq seems to think that Gamble is falling somewhat.

One position that figures to result in a lot of shuffling on draft boards over the next few weeks is the cornerback spot. But the consensus, at least for now, is that DeAngelo Hall of Virginia Tech and South Carolina's Dunta Robinson have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. That could change, of course, as cornerbacks continue to work out and scouts further scrutinize the key position. But Hall, who ran a blistering 4.35 at the combine, had a scintillating Thursday workout in Blacksburg, with a 39-inch vertical jump, a long jump of 10 feet, 9 inches, and an incredible time of 3.68 seconds in the "short shuttle" drill. Robinson has run quickly, too, and displayed more natural "ball" skills than most of the other prospects. Coming out of the combine, scouts were talking up Ohio State's Chris Gamble as the No. 1 corner prospect, but his campus workout was fairly pedestrian and there's still the fact he has only played one full season at corner. A guy to keep watching is Will Poole of Southern California, who will be a factor and who rates as a consensus first-round pick.

 

Would you agree that it is better to have a rookie corner than a rookie free safety? Corners are on an island so to speak and usually can handle the mental part since they only have one guy to cover usually. The free safety has help assignments, and covers an area rather than a man a lot of the time.

I would like to see us use our first rounder on a corner, if a decent one is there, and bring in a veteran free safety.

 

agree, that's fair. And yeah, I'd much rather have a competent veteran at FS.

I somewhat fear that, with all this talk of Hawkins starting, that such things are true. Competition for nickel might be the best we do at CB. And, of course, that we'll give Branch every shot at starting, which includes not finding a clear-cut veteran to start.

 

After June 1 there should be some decent free safties available cheap. Safety is a position that tends to be undervalued so maybe we will get lucky.