NFL Draft: Standout defensive players from the 2017 Senior Bowl
By Dan Dahlke
Ralph’s Standout Defensive Backs
Lorenzo Jerome, St. Francis: The rangy safety from little ole Saint Francis University mixed it up with the big boys and earned the respect of several NFL representatives in attendance.
In practice drills, he showcased his coverage chops by staying tight with an opposing tight end and getting his hand in front of the pass catcher to slap the ball away.
On game day, he recorded two interceptions with the first occurring on a Josh Dobbs misthrow late in the first-quarter where Jerome exhibited great awareness along with the ability to track the ball in the air.
On his second pickoff, the small-school revelation read quarterback Antonio Pipkin’s eyes and put himself in position to register his second turnover by leaping up for the pass in the end zone.
However, his best play arguably took place on a Josh Reynolds end-around in which Jerome wasn’t fooled by the misdirection and closely pursued the wide receiver from behind and forced him to cough up the ball.
That particular sequence was proof that the 5-foot-11 safety has the ability to attack the line of scrimmage by coming downhill.
Jerome projects as a centerfielder type that can cover lots of ground, but also displays the toughness and overall competitive drive to make pass catchers fight for every ball that he can get to.
The one-time high school quarterback is also quite a weapon as a return man on kickoffs and punts. Over the years, he’s shown fearlessness and vision in that role.
But while Jerome has the speed to cover opponents deep, one has to wonder if his size will be a hindrance in terms of how he might match up versus NFL tight ends.
Expect the pride of Sunrise, FL to be selected anywhere from rounds three through five, although that projection might be conservative if he tears things up at the NFL Combine in March.
Cameron Sutton, Tennessee: The 5-foot-11, 186-pound defensive back lined up at corner and safety in Mobile and acquitted himself well at both positions.
For one, he looked very capable in man coverage by consistently being physical at the line and often putting himself in position to undercut the receiver which is a testament to his anticipatory skills.
As a safety, Sutton demonstrated his range to cover the field from sideline to sideline.
But while versatility is a valuable trait, there is more of a need for corners that can cancel out wideouts in man coverage—a definite area of strength for Sutton.
In addition to jabbing his man off the line in press coverage, the former three-star recruit from Jonesboro, GA possesses the ability to turn with receivers due to his fluid hips.
Moreover, Sutton is very adept at tracking deep passes and making plays on balls at their highest point.
His combination of confidence, athletic ability and attention to detail in the film room allow him to play with the awareness to turn his head when the ball is coming toward him which is great way to avoid pass-interference calls.
The 22-year-old cover man also boasts three touchdowns as a punt returner during his time in Knoxville.
So what’s preventing this multi-skilled defender from being a first-round pick?
Mainly his size given the fact that that he isn’t very sturdy at a weight that’s well under 200 pounds. Furthermore, the preseason All-SEC selection missed time in 2016 with a fractured ankle.
Sutton can also improve in run support, as he’ll occasionally miss tackles by dropping his head and leading with his shoulder.
Tre’ Davious White, LSU: While those covering the Senior Bowl on the NFL Network often proclaimed O.J. Howard as the first player to be selected in this year’s draft, the truth is there is a higher demand for lockdown corners than there are for pass-catching tight ends—no matter how big and talented he may be.
White has long been projected as a first-round pick and did nothing but confirm his standing in Mobile.
During practice sessions, No. 18 applied tight coverage throughout, including on one rep where he stuck with Ryan Switzer all the way through his route and even turned his head around before the ball’s arrival.
Scouts surely made note of White’s length, quick feet and overall confidence in playing his position.
From a technique standpoint, the four-year starter maintains a low and balanced backpedal with the ability to turn with his man down the field.
White can also be physical at the line of scrimmage by disrupting the man facing him.
Those that doubt his ability to lock up quality receivers may want to look up the job he did on Amari Cooper in an SEC showdown versus Alabama in 2014.
Success didn’t come easy to the first-team All-SEC pick in that he struggled mightily as a freshman in Baton Rouge before he ascended to being one of the top cover corners in the nation.
White doesn’t have elite speed, but his sharp instincts allow him to achieve proper positioning.
The 22-year-old’s aggressive nature can make him a little too grabby at times which is the one area of concern with this potential star-in-the-making.
Rasul Douglas, West Virginia: If you want to watch an entertaining highlight reel, go look up Douglas, who is among the most aggressive corners in pass coverage and gets his hands on lots of balls as a result.
Blessed with great length at 6-foot-2 with 32 1/8” arms, the former West Virginia Mountaineer finished his week of practices with a bang by putting some of his best attributes on grand display on Day 3.
In a one-on-one drill, Douglas did a tremendous job in staying with an opponent in his route and using his instincts to break on the ball and dive in front of his man to break up the pass.
His physical coverage against Darboh by getting his hands on the Big-Ten receiver was also a welcome sight given the fact that press coverage isn’t his best quality.
The New Jersey native is more of a bail technique defender that specializes in reading the quarterback’s movements and breaking on slants as well as sideline routes.
In terms of ball skills, Douglas not only gets to a lot of balls, but he tucks them away for interceptions. He, in fact, led the nation in that category with eight in his senior year.
He has a receiver’s mentality when the ball is in the air and believes it’s just as much his property and as it is the offensive player’s. That style of play makes him very effective in defending jump balls.
Douglas’ technique needs a bit of refinement since he tends to stay high in his backpedal which often leads to balance issues for many cornerbacks.
Some teams will look at this prospect’s size and disruptive gambler’s approach and envision the next Richard Sherman.
Douglas’ performance at the NFL Scouting Combine in March may tell the tale of how high he will go in the draft.
There are lots of GMs that want to see him test well.
Dan’s Standout Defensive Backs
John Johnson, Boston College: Both of my standout defensive backs for the week come at the safety position. Admittedly, Johnson wasn’t on my draft radar prior to Senior Bowl week, and I thought every little of it when I saw him on the accepted invites list.
However, the former Boston College defensive back looked really impressive in one-on-one drills and team periods. He moved like a cornerback in space, while showcasing top tier cover ability.
Johnson really helped his draft stock in Mobile. He made several plays in coverage throughout the week and showed excellent range and ball skills defending the back end. He also made a nice tackle in punt coverage in Saturday’s game, showing his versatility.
Teams will also like his size (6-1, 205) and ability to move smoothly in space, as well as his ability to hold up in man coverage. He should make a strong case for the middle rounds of the draft.
Obi Melifonwu, UConn: From a physical standpoint, there may have not been a more impressive player in Mobile than safety Melifonwu. Weighing in at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, the former Husky defensive back was the talk of Mobile throughout the week.
Repeatedly during team periods in practice Melifonwu stormed downhill and met backs at the line of scrimmage in run support. He shows an assertiveness against the run that makes him an excellent box safety. In Saturday’s game, he recorded three tackles and a forced fumble.
Melifonwu also did well in coverage drills during practice. While he’s not best in man coverage, he does have the field awareness and ball skills to make plays dropping in zone.
His height and length also help him when defending tight ends down the seam or bigger receivers on the boundary.
The UConn product certainly got the attention of scouts with his week down in Mobile. Considering his rare measurables and athleticism, he could rise up draft boards in the coming months, especially if he tests well at the Combine.