FS, Derek Pegues, Mississippi St.

FS, Derek Pegues, Mississippi St.

Pros:  Centerfielder who reads the quarterback and anticipates receiver's routes well. ... Undercuts routes over the middle. ... Excellent hands on interceptions or pass breakups, and reverses the field with good running instincts.

Cons:  Short with adequate bulk and strength. ... Not an explosive tackler or a fierce hitter, more of a catch-and-drag guy. ... Looks like a corner, and might be tried there in a zone system.

Styg's Broncos Fit:  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.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From Scouting Report at Mocking the Draft:

 Pegues is such a good athlete as a safety, some project him as a cover-2 cornerback in the NFL. Has excellent range playing the middle of the field. Good instincts to diagnose a play quickly as it happens. Hustles to the ball. Seems to always be in a position to make a play on the ball. Has some experience playing cornerback. Has contributed on special teams returning kicks and punts.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• Last name is pronounced "puh-GEESE"...Was a three-year starter in the SEC...Cousin, Dwayne Rudd, played football at the University of Alabama and in the NFL...Was considered to be one of the Top 50 recruits in the entire nation coming out of high school...Pled guilty to the misdemeanor assault of an off-duty police officer in 2006...Was arrested for having a suspended driver’s license and an open container of alcohol in May of 2008...Owns the SEC and Bulldog records for kickoff returns (112) and kickoff return yardage (2,484)...Played cornerback in 2005 and 2006 then moved to free safety and could project to either position in the pros...A playmaker in the secondary who was easily the Bulldogs best player the past couple years...Should at least be able to make a roster as a backup / return specialist...Needs to keep his head on  straight but has the  talent to play at the next level.  [see more...]
• Derek Pegues is your classic centerfield type of safety who’s always looking to make a play on the ball. He has great instincts and vision, and anticipates a receiver’s route as the play begins. He has excellent ball skills and a great sense of timing. He’s physical, sheds blocks well and is aggressive in pursuit of a ballcarrier. He’s versatile and can play all positions in the secondary, as well as returning kicks and punts.  [see more...]