Durkin: Combine Prospect Watch -- Safety
By Dan Durkin-
(CBS) There's a saying that there's safety in numbers. In Chicago, the numbers at the safety position have been anything but reassuring. Since the 2009 season, the Bears have gone through 17 different starting combinations on the last line of their defense.
During the Jerry Angelo and Phil Emery years, the position simply wasn't made a big enough priority, and the team suffered the appropriate consequences.
The NFL's become a three-receiver league. Some teams have three receivers who garner the majority of passing targets, while some teams use two receivers and a tight end to spread the ball to. In parallel, the league has experienced a renaissance at the tight end position.
Successful teams have procured bigger and more nimble tight ends to attack the middle of the field -- the largest area for an offense to attack -- against what had become the weaker players in coverage, safeties. To counter this, teams are looking for a different profile at the safety position, finding players who can both cover and fill the box in run support when needed.
Currently, the Bears only have three safeties under contract for next season -- Ryan Mundy, Brock Vereen and Anthony Walters. Clearly, more talent is needed at the position.
Unfortunately for the Bears, this draft class is light on talent at the safety position.
Nonetheless, the defensive backs perform on the field Monday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and here are some prospects to keep an eye on.
Landon Collins (6-foot, 222 pounds, junior, Alabama)
Collins is a classic in-the-box strong safety. He's a solidly built athlete and stout run defender who packs a punch when he meets a ball-carrier. He has light feet for his size and plays with eye discipline, which helps him track the ball and arrive with burst to close.
Collins is a reliable pass defender who's strong enough to stay with tight ends and quick enough to man underneath zones in the slot and flats.
Clearly, Collins was well-coached in college, but he can be redirected by quarterback's eyes or shoulders. In a weak safety class, he's clearly the best prospect who has the potential to be an impact strong safety, ideally suited for a team that plays a lot of single-high looks. He projects as a top-15 selection in April.
Cody Prewitt (6-foot-2, 212 pounds, senior, Ole Miss)
Prewitt primarily played deep for Ole Miss but was also used as a robber underneath. He plays a disciplined game, showing the ability to read his keys and be assignment sound in coverage. He has a willingness to drive downhill in the run game as well.
Prewitt looks like a strong safety and occasionally hits like one, forcing five fumbles in the past three seasons. He's a leader on the field who earned All-American honors in 2013 and was a two-time All-SEC player. He shows range and the ability to drive off his landmark attack the ball, finishing with 12 career interceptions.
Prewitt looks stiff in coverage at times and doesn't posses fluid change-of-direction skills. He isn't a quick-twitch athlete, as he needs a few strides to build momentum. His intangibles and football character combined with his productivity make him an appealing prospect who projects as a late-second or early-third round selection.
Chris Hackett (6-foot-2, 195 pounds, junior, TCU)
Hackett was primarily a single-high free safety at TCU, but he also walked down to the slot on occasion to match inside receivers. He was a three-year starter for the Horned Frogs.
Hackett is a long, lean athlete with good range who plays the ball well in the air. He has a knack for creating turnovers, finished with 12 career interceptions (seven coming last season) and five forced fumbles. While not a big hitter, he tackles low and does a good job of bringing ball-carriers down.
Hackett can be manipulated by quarterbacks. He got caught at times peeking into the backfield or biting on play-action, which forced him to turn his back to the quarterback and chase his assignment. With a wiry frame, he should be able to add some weight and not sacrifice his speed. He projects as a late-second or early-third round selection.
Gerod Holliman (6-foot-2, 213 pounds, redshirt junior, Louisville)
Holliman played free safety for the Cardinals. Holliman didn't see the field much prior to 2014, but he made the most of his 12 starts this past season, racking up 14 interceptions and 17 passes break-ups.
Holliman is adept at reading a quarterback's eyes, showing great instincts to position himself in the move area at the top of a receiver's route stem. He has smooth footwork and fluid hips to swivel and pattern match deep receivers.
On the downside, Holliman is a poor open-field tackler who doesn't wrap up and is easily turned. He has a tendency to loaf in pursuit and can give up when the play has passed him by. His instincts and knack for the ball will certainly intrigue teams, but he projects as a mid-to-late third round prospect.
Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.
