The last safety drafted in the top ten was Mark Barron in 2012. It is quite an odd fact, because one would think that the NFL passes on offense so much that safety would be of the utmost importance. Teams are starting to realize this, and in this years draft, there could be two safeties drafted in the top ten and as many as five in the first round. The best safety in this class is arguably Jamal Adams, one of the finest products LSU the DBU has produced yet. Here's why:
Measurables:
Height- 6'1''
Weight- 211 lbs
Year:
Junior (21)
2016 stat line:
76 tackles (42 solo), 7.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT, 4 PD, 1 FF
Pros: Jamal Adams will be one of the most feared NFL players the second he steps on the field. He delivers some bone-rattling hits and punishes ball carriers. He has great size for an in the box safety and nobody is too big for him to tackle. He has excellent instincts as well. He reads running plays like a linebacker and can quickly diagnose play action passes. In coverage, Adams can cover mano y mano or can cover in the zone. He has very good ball skills and has made some tough interceptions and pass deflections in his career. On top of all this, Adams is a renowned leader and was the alpha dog of the Tigers defense.
Cons: Adams sometimes misses tackles because he is going for the big hit rather than the technique tackle. He also struggles in man coverage versus small, quick wide receivers. He gets a little too handsy in coverage and will get flagged in the pros.
Pro Comparison: Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs
Jamal Adams is Eric Berry's clone. Eric Berry can play in the box and annihilate ball carriers. He can also drop into man or zone coverage and has great ball skills. Jamal Adams has the potential to come into the league and be an all-pro like Berry is.
3 teams that could use him: The Bears need to fix their weak secondary, so drafting Jamal Adams to lead the rebuild would make sense. With an up and coming front-7, watch out for the Chicago defense. Jonathan Cyprien racked up tons of tackles for the Jaguars last season, but he is a free agent and Adams is way more talented. The Titans are very close to being contenders for the AFC title, and drafting Adams with the 5th pick could take an already stingy defense to the next level.
Conclusion: Jamal Adams is a physical safety with leadership and instincts. He will be a day one stud and is a top ten lock.
All stats from www.sports-reference.com
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