2009 Draft--Defensive Backs Rated for Denver Broncos

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 4:30 PM MST in 2009 NFL Draft - Denver Broncos

In trying to sort out which defensive backs to select for inclusion in the ranking chart, I have had to look at how McDaniels and Nolan are likely to use their DBs. To this end the focus here is on good to great tacklers, zone over man-coverage characteristics, and physical, intimidating presences.

There are a number of quality DBs in this draft of the more "finesse" variety, especially in the CB group. Though they are very talented, for the most part they aren't included here. Exceptions could be Malcolm Jenkins and Mike Mickens, who both have excellent man-coverage characteristics. However, they tend to execute with a more-physical attitude than is expected from man corners, much like our own Champ Bailey, and so I have happily included them in these rankings.

What do I mean by the characteristics I have outlined for these rankings above? Tackling should speak for itself, but I put a priority on powerful tacklers, guys with significant lower-body strength and the ability to dominate another player. For the Physical quality, I am looking for players who aren't afraid to get dirty, are willing and happy to get involved in run support and to battle at the line of scrimmage with WRs. DBs who can disrupt plays early by messing up receiver routes should hold more value for a D-Line and pass rush in progress, buying those parts of the team valuable seconds to establish trench superiority and get penetration. In turn, this should come back to the DBs in spades by creating up-front pressure to relieve the pressure in back. And when it comes to zone-over-man characteristics, we are looking at less athletic reliance and more instinctual or intellectual reliance, which should help drive costs down in the draft.

Let's check out the rankings:

CB--Malcolm Jenkins

1st

Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State: This guy has a little of everything. Where he matches up best for Denver is his physical style of play around the line. He is strong and able to dictate to receivers what kind of routes they can run, effectively dominating his side of the field. He has excellent range on top of this, which gives him the versatility needed to cover a deep third or half, just like a free safety, something he has experience doing. His versatility and toughness can't be beat amongst defensive backs in this year's draft, and his talent make him a rare find at any position.

CB--Vontae Davis

1st

Vontae Davis, Illinois: Ideal size for the position, Davis doesn't consistently add up to the sum of his parts. While he is an aggressive and physical tackler, he isn't nearly physical enough with receivers in their routes. Despite his ability to find the ball, he doesn't make nearly as many plays as he gets himself in position to make. He does have the versatility to be moved to a safety-type role, but despite his strength he isn't a sure tackler. While many will look at his tangibles and want to lay claim to his "upside" and potential, I say Denver should be wary of his under-production, and look elsewhere early.

SS--Patrick Chung

2nd

Patrick Chung, Oregon: If Denver is willing to overlook deep speed in a DB, Chung could be a tremendous value to them. With experience at corner, FS, SS and even returning kicks, he brings a consistent, well-rounded package to the table along with some of the best tackling in the nation. While he is a bit too aggressive to step immediately into a FS role in the NFL, he still has the range to eventually be a safe bet at the position, and could perform admirably as a SS. His sure tackling is complemented by his explosive power, which makes even solid, wrap-up tackles from him a pretty good hitting experience. Very aggressive in coverage, fights for the ball, but too willing to put his hands on the receiver, and may need to get more disciplined in that and other areas. Shows solid leadership characteristics and a love of the game. An excellent prospect.

CB--Coye Francies

2nd

Coye Francies, San Jose State: A very thin, quick player, he lacks any kind of lower-body power or explosiveness, but is still a very consistent tackler. He also has great vision and watches the field well, including as a kick returner, where he averaged over 22 yards per return. Good hands and understanding of when to time his jumps and breaks. Is successful when playing physical, tight coverages, which could make him an asset, but can't rely on getting his hands on receivers in the NFL. Very smart about taking proper angles and breaking down before a tackle, which helps him make stops. All in all a safe prospect who needs to add some bulk to take his game to the next level.

FS--Louis Delmas

2nd-3rd

Louis Delmas, Western Michigan: Not the best size, which shows up noticeably when he is taking on and avoiding blockers. Fails to get into blockers and discard them, and is often driven away from or out of the play in attempts to go around. Despite this he has somewhat of the reputation as a powerful hitter. He has leadership capability and is a very secure wrap-up tackler who knows how to take down bigger guys and smaller guys alike. He has good range and gets himself in a good position to make plays in coverage, but can be pulled up with a play-action. All in all a good prospect with a questionable level of competition and inconsistencies in his game.

FS--William Moore

2nd-3rd

William Moore, Missouri: Very athletic and physical, Moore's biggest question is whether he was a one-year-wonder. Despite having great range, he was brought up to the line a lot and took a pounding that will require his shoulder to check out medically before the draft. However, this does give him great experience with blitzing, and he times his moves well. A tough player, he played through a couple of injuries as a Junior and Senior. He is a solid tackler and has terrific lower-body strength that allows him to deliver a fair amount of pop in his hits. He has shown tremendous playmaking ability in the past with a knack for finding the ball, but recent poor showings have scouts wondering if a position switch to LB isn't in his best interests. Inexplicably, he doesn't seem to be able to backpedal anymore, and I have no clue why that is, whether unnamed injury or adding unneeded bulk, but it is an intriguing point that will get attention at the combine.

CB--Jairus Byrd

2nd-3rd

Jairus Byrd, Oregon: Another solid corner prospect who excels in being rough with receivers around the line and dictating how routes will be run. May bite on play action, and is sometimes too aggressive with the hands, but has the quickness to mirror and stay with receivers through double moves and quick routes. Probably doesn't have the speed to catch up consistently and will benefit from zone responsibilities, where he has demonstrated a good feel for his teammates. Solid tackler, but not much explosive power.

CB Mike Mickens

2nd-3rd

Mike Mickens, Cincinnatti: Has the quick feet and great hips to effectively mirror and play terrific man coverage, one of the few in the draft. Very good hands, and has a receiver's instincts for running when he has the ball in his hands. Has extensive experience in zone, where he played ball-hawk behind a great pass rush. Marginal upper-body power, but good explosiveness from the lower body. Has good tackling form and is willing to come up in run support and to lead vocally. A confident player who was a favorite of his coaches for his ethic and ability to learn.

FS--Rashad Johnson

3rd

Rashad Johnson, Alabama: An extremely smart player with an excellent first step and deep understanding of his role and the roles of others. I really like this kid and think he could step in as a starter right away. Working against him are his size and the type of frame he has, where it looks like he would be sacrificing some of his speed to get bigger. But as is, he still managed to produce, especially at critical times. As a last line of defense he needs to work on his tackling, but overall he is a secure tackler with good power and a great instinct for getting to the play. Not intimidating enough to warrant four stars, but if he could somehow get his strength up and become more of a hitter, he could push past three stars. Watch his pro day results to see if he added any bulk and maintained his quickness.

CB--Cary Harris

3rd

Cary Harris, USC: An often-overlooked component of the USC defense, Harris may turn out to be one of its safest bets. A great team player, with attitude in run support and the feet and range to dominate his coverage zone. A smart player who trusts the play of those around him, and is willing to make the secure play over the spectacular play. Unfortunately doesn't seem to have the versatility to play any significant amount of man coverage, but has enough range and athleticism to play coverage zones as a corner or safety. A sound and consistent performer.

FS--Derek Pegues

3rd-4th

Derek Pegues, Mississippi State: One of the few versatile "tweeners" at the DB position who has only limited upside for Denver. While most of the tweeners are solid tacklers or powerful hitters, Derek is a secure tackler but lacks the power to drive opponents down, usually relying on a drag-down style. He is tenacious though, and is excellent at finding and attacking the ball and reading receivers in his zone. What hurts him is that he isn't physical enough around the line to effectively and consistently cover larger receivers, and would be outclassed on deep balls despite his speed. If he were to add some upper-body strength for jamming receivers and some lower-body strength to bring some explosion to his hits, he may be able to provide some great help to a team in a zone-coverage scheme.

SS--Emanuel Cook

3rd-4th

Emanuel Cook, South Carolina: A terrific zone player with very good tackling, good power, great instincts and the kind of body control needed to capitalize on the above. Not very fast, so his value around the line of scrimmage could be had cheaply.

SS--Kevin Ellison

4th

Kevin Ellison, USC: High-character player with injury issues but consistent production and steady growth. Exceptionally physical and can intimidate players over the middle, and is a sure-handed tackler who is impressive in run support. No straight speed to speak of, but adequate quickness. Has a safety's attitude and is willing to sacrifice himself to make the stop. Doesn't allow many big plays to get past him, part of playing for a defense good enough to recover and get 3-and-outs. May be undervalued because of the players he was around. Could possibly move to LB.

FS--Troy Nolan

5th

Troy Nolan, Arizona State: Medical issues and concerns about his speed drive his stock down, but I think he has all the tools you look for in a game-changing free safety. The medical concern is an old knee injury that didn't seem to hamper his athleticism in two full years of action, although it does seem to have cost him some speed. Very aggressive and commits too early to the "big play" angle, leaving others to clean up the mess, but showed that he could respond to coaching by improving significantly in this area in 2008. His best characteristics are when he is in coverage, where he tracks the ball, intimidates anyone in his area with physical hits, and attacks routes and passes with great instincts and timing. Makes plays at the right times and often sets off a cascade effect on his team, with several examples of leading the charge in multiple-turnover games and multi-game turnover trends. He needs to improve his 40-time to go higher, but where he is could be a great spot for solid safety depth.

FS--Chris Clemons

6th

Chris Clemons, Clemson: A solid tackler with a good feel for his responsibilities and his teammates. Was allowed to pick his spots on the field and was reliable in coverage. Unfortunately, not overly athletic and doesn't seem to be able to push his game to the next level. He can add size however, which could give him some much-needed power and explosiveness.

SS--Keith Fitzhugh

6th

Keith Fitzhugh, Mississippi State: Another versatile tweener limited by tight hips and marginal feet. Not quite enough range to be a lone threat in the backfield, but is a solid line of defense and a secure tackler. His explosiveness is good, but his athleticism should limit him to a strong-safety role in run support. His experience at corner and a solid zone background could make him a great depth target.

SS--Kevin Akins

6th-7th

Kevin Akins, Boston College: Takes versatility to a whole new level, with kick returning, offensive rushing carries, rush LB duties and standard safety/corner coverage duties in his arsenal. His tremendous agility is at the heart of that, and as a late-round pick he is destined to be an underrated but consistently-productive player. He is able to effectively tap into his skills, and was called on often to bring an unusual spark to games. However, he doesn't have the overall talent to be asked to do any one thing consistently and productively. A smart player who needs a smart coach to take advantage of him.

FS--Lendy Holmes

7th

Lendy Holmes, Oklahoma: Some concerns with long-range ability to pick up defensive schemes effectively, he could be a solid fill-in and safe depth player. He is a sure tackler who understands lanes and is very disciplined, and can disrupt receivers around the line. Has the potential to be added as an extra dime back.

SS--Terrence Moore

7th-FA

Terrence Moore, Troy: Strong, explosive player who excels at getting off blocks, is very physical at the line of scrimmage and dictates routes to receivers. Unfortunately, not quick or fast enough to stay very long with receivers, so must rely on good initial technique and solid zone reads. Has a good feel for the edges of his zones, and rarely over-commits to the wrong receiver.

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Comments

Seriously....you are my hero.

Anyone who isn’t a college football fan will understand what I mean by those words. Thank you styg.

Is there such a thing as a Playstation 3 Anonymous? I can't seem to stop thinking about or playing COD 4 and COD 5. I hear this is quite normal for a teenager, but I haven't been a teenager since Bill Clinton was frolicking with interns.

by Tim Lynch on Feb 26, 2009 4:53 PM MST reply actions

Have you looked at Alphonso Smith

or was he one of the guys you thought was too much of a finesse player to include? The Sporting News has him ranked right behind Jenkins (who they say isn’t entering the draft). Your critique of Delmas’ problem with blockers was enlightening. Your analysis of Patrick Chung puts him near the top of my want list. Thanks for all the good work. (You’ve been a busy beaver lately.)

"In the empty spaces - lacunae, vacuums, pauses, voids, black holes - new things begin. We are born anew from the unexplored space, the badlands, the outlaw territory." - Sam Keen

by spock on Feb 26, 2009 6:14 PM MST reply actions

He is a playmaker, and will be a late 1st round pick

"I am not one of those who think that coming in second or third is winning." -- Robert F. Kennedy

by Ted Bartlett on Feb 26, 2009 6:15 PM MST up reply actions

Re: (You’ve been a busy beaver lately.)

I think he has been working on these all throughout the college season. His notebooks and records of these guys would rival the cliff notes written for a novel by someone like Ayn Rand. lol I’d take styg’s analysis of a college prospect over any main stream media guy – hands down.

by Tim Lynch on Feb 26, 2009 6:24 PM MST up reply actions

You pretty much guessed it

he isn’t a great tackler, and he will get eaten alive in the run game. I also suspect some difficulty in press coverage.

But Ted is right, he will make some team very happy with his pure athleticism and ability to attack the ball. I think Denver is looking for someone more physical, as evidenced by dumping Dre.

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 8:22 PM MST up reply actions

The guy who is rising, and who is probably moving into 12th overall territory...

is Sean Smith, from Utah. He’s 6-3, 214 pounds, and ran a 4.46 at the combine, in addition to looking terrific in position drills, and agility testing. He started out at WR, and is a little bit short of experience, but he is terrific as a CB.

I watched Smith shut down Julio Jones, the most gifted college WR since Calvin Johnson, in the Sugar Bowl. I feel myself starting to favor him at 12, as I think of how well Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie played this season. This gets back to the concept of premium positions, and CB is definitely one.

"I am not one of those who think that coming in second or third is winning." -- Robert F. Kennedy

by Ted Bartlett on Feb 26, 2009 6:18 PM MST reply actions

I don't really know where to start on him

first, I will hedge all of this by pointing out that I only started watching him in December, so I haven’t seen as much as I would like to…partly why I left him off the list.

But he has some red flags: I saw him taunting players on the field, and running his mouth, which isn’t bad unless you figure he needs to be hired by McDaniels…doesn’t seem likely. He looks terribly stiff. He doesn’t seem natural enough, but I need to see his earlier stuff to tell if it is a development or just a fact. I really, really dislike it when a player who is big doesn’t play physical, and he was terribly inconsistent in that regard, maybe he could be coached up, maybe I didn’t see enough, again. I really, really, really hate seeing him drag down tackle, he needs to be more explosive than that. He doesn’t seem to have a good feel for proper angles yet, especially in run support, which is a must if we are looking for help at safety, but it is also important for zone, something I think we will see a lot of…

I like some stuff too, of course. He definitely seems like a rare specimen, athletically, which is something you either have or you don’t. He has a great run support attitude, even if he isn’t always in the best position. He has a playmaker’s mindset, and he has a great sense of reading the receiver and the QB.

Bottom line I wish I had looked at more, and I suspect he needs more experience. #12? Seems pretty risky, and like people might have to make a gut decision. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t make good gut decisions…

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 8:43 PM MST up reply actions

I wouldn't take a DB in the first.

Shanny made that mistake. Even with 2 Pro Bowl corners, you will still suck at pass coverage if your front 7 stinks. Give me a LB or DL, please! In the second, I would be very happy with Chung, though.

OK, I've started having dreams about the draft. Is that bad? A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed that we traded down to the #18 pick and drafted Chris Wells. (Zappa was pissed off.) Then last night I dreamed that we passed on Knowshon Moreno to get Maualuga, and Knowshon went to the Chargers. (Zappa was pissed off again.) Is it worse that I'm dreaming about the draft, or that I'm dreaming about Zappa?

by papigrande on Feb 26, 2009 7:07 PM MST reply actions

Jenkins ranks highly in Alaska I see

Is that 6 star rating for projected CB or Safety? His backpedal looked horrid and his straight line – recovery speed is suspect. His game tape is awesome and he looks like a player but 6 stars….wow!

"I am not trying to start anything I am just saying that i think if you take Knowshon and draft D later you guys will be hella good next year" ...IamtheGreatest - The smartest Chiefs fan I ever had the priviledge of reading!

"But I’d trust more of Bobby Turner. Remember – he had to keep his job. His boss made the final decisions, and he knew it. And he can get performance out of a yugo, but that’s no reason not to by a nicer car." ... Broncobear 02/24/2009

by Steve O' on Feb 26, 2009 7:17 PM MST reply actions

I don't know about

his backpedal being bad, it looks good when he has pads on. Recovery speed? I’m really not worried about it.

I know it is boring, because it is old news, but Malcom is a lockdown corner, and he is physical as hell. I can’t think of a better fit at corner.

(To understand six stars, consider that I would consider champ to be 7 stars… it is great compared to college prospects, not all time greats)

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 8:46 PM MST up reply actions

I trust you completely

He does look great with pads on.

by Steve O' on Feb 26, 2009 9:23 PM MST up reply actions

D.J MOORE?

He is a great prospect at corner… watch his highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH37cK2GBKo

by theflanman86 on Feb 26, 2009 7:34 PM MST reply actions

He has no lower body power

and his upper body is limited. I really like his run support attitude, but his tackling is suspect, but I think he would be a liability in press coverage. I wasn’t interested in ranking him for Denver’s needs, but he is an ok corner, I don’t have any deep problems with him or anything.

In my intro I intimated that certain good corners probably won’t suit Denver, much like Bly didn’t suit them anymore.

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 8:19 PM MST up reply actions

Hey styg, what about Michael Hamlin?

Any thoughts on him that I can intermingle with my own already existing thoughts would be much appreciated.

by phantom818 on Feb 26, 2009 7:55 PM MST reply actions

I wish he was more physical

because I love how intelligent he seems. But he looks like he might end up being a cape at the NFL level. I may be the only one who feels that way though, so go with your gut on him.

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 8:24 PM MST up reply actions

Where do you find the time...

to put together all of these well thought out stats, and, to present them all, in a clear and concise manner?

I am amazed and greatfull! Just don’t quit with it. Thanx Styg!

It is better to keep silent, and appear to be wise, then to ramble on and remove all doubt! The Wisest Man, Solomon.

by metalman5050 on Feb 26, 2009 8:13 PM MST reply actions

glad I can help!

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 8:19 PM MST up reply actions

Thanx again man.

It is better to keep silent, and appear to be wise, then to ramble on and remove all doubt! The Wisest Man, Solomon.

by metalman5050 on Feb 26, 2009 9:05 PM MST up reply actions

Once again, the definition of perfection....

I really enjoy reading these articals as they are some of the most insightful draft material out there. I seem to trust them to more, as I feel like some actually effort went into them.

But about those Broncos…. I do not want to go the Jenkins route…. My ideal draft would be B.J. Raji then Chung but I doubt that will ever happen… I just do NOT want to blow our first on a CB when there are some solid starters on the market, including Foxworth, who could come at a cheaper price than say… the only nosetackle or 3-4 DE out there…

Yes, I'm a Diamondback and Suns fan. So you may be wondering, "Why does this fool like the Broncos so much?"

A: The Cardinals are too hard of a pill to swallow. Oh yeah and that Elway dude....

by Elway4Prez on Feb 26, 2009 8:47 PM MST reply actions

absolutely

Jenkins is a great fit, probably won’t fall to them, and even if he did, they would have to look at trading Champ or going defensive front seven. Basically this town ain’t big enough for both of em…

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 9:08 PM MST up reply actions

Man that's a lot of research...

Got a question, though. When you speak of a DB being physical, especially the CBs, it seems like you are referring to their ability to support run defense as well as their ability to jack the receivers. Where do you factor their ability to play bump coverage? Obviously being physical is part of it, but there’s much more to it as well. I think this is important because I suspect, given Donatell’s background as well as McD that we may be looking to our corners to do a lot more bump and run.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Feb 26, 2009 9:05 PM MST reply actions

Great question

I look for two qualities in good bump prospects: first is the upper body strength to get their hands on receivers at the line (and the right kind of attitude to do it), and second, maybe more importantly, I want to see excellent change of direction fluidity. The hips need to be able to turn and when they get turned the toes should be in line with the new direction they are taking. That is a player who can react to the ball, jump the route, bat down the pass, etc.

Sometimes a really physical LB does an awesome job disrupting the route, but he doesn’t have the hips to turn and follow the receiver when he breaks his route off early or shallow. The guys that I have rated as “physical” up above don’t just get in a receiver’s face, they STAY in a receiver’s face…

Agree completely on the look of our new defense. I think cutting Bly was a huge indicator of what we are looking for in a corner. (as an aside, it will be interesting to see how Champ gets lined up in thenew system…)

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 26, 2009 9:15 PM MST up reply actions

So besides Jenkins...

would you consider Francies and Mickens the best for bump and run?

BTW: I think Champ has been completely misused the last two years. We should be using Champ to take away a particular receiver, or to secure one side of the field while we zone the other, instead of rigidly leaving him on one side where the other team can easily game plan around him.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Feb 27, 2009 9:43 AM MST up reply actions

yeah pretty much

vontae davis would be good to, none of them strike me as great options. The end of this draft seemed weak to me for CBs who are sure tacklers, but I was able to only look at about half of the guys who are considered 2nd day.

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Feb 27, 2009 12:01 PM MST up reply actions