jenkins, the whole safety talk about him was because he played free safety for OSU in a pinch and was just as good at that. he has the potential and tools to be a true shutdown corner ala revis. i think smith would be better suited at safety to cover over top and pluck jump balls, hes got great athleticism for his size but i think good route runners might expose stiff hips or make his height a disadvantage. thats just me though. remember jenkins wouldve been a 1st rder even last year, this guy is just a beyond solid DB with insane potential. smith like i said can be a good CB with the right coaching but i think hed be a better Safety anywhere, long as he improves his tackling.
I'll try to be less-biased with this post...we'll see how things turn out. MALCOLM JENKINS 6'0 204 -- OHIO STATE I remember Mike Mayock saying something like: "...a lot NFL scouts see Malcolm Jenkins as a pro-bowl caliber free safety." Malcolm Jenkins hurt his chances of playing corner when he didn't run well at the combine, but I can see him being almost as versatile as Smith. The best thing about Jenkins' game as a corner is his physicality. No one in the country is better in press coverage. I still think he can play corner at the next level, but I think he'll be a better safety: 1. He's a ball-hawk -- greats hand and a better vert. There's a negative here though, he gambles way too much...at the college level he could recover from it, but it won't be so easy in the pros. 2. He can tackle -- doesn't necessarily hit hard, but he's a very solid tackler. He'll have to become a better open-field tackler in order to become a complete safety. 3. He's experienced -- at OSU, Jenkins is constantly moving over to play safety, and he's had a lot of success versus the run and the pass. 4. He's feared -- no one threw near this kid in 2008. This could also be his biggest knock though...no matter who you are, if you're a rookie in the NFL, you're going to get picked on. Will he be able to step up? At corner? At safety? Jenkins has to be viewed as a 'tweener right now - in the right system, he can become an elite corner or an elite safety. SEAN SMITH 6'4 214 -- UTAH As a defensive player, Smith is still very raw. The is one of the most physically gifted athletes that I've ever seen. In high school, he was an All-American running back: SS had over 2,400 total yards and scored 18 TDs. He started out as a receiver at Utah -- someone of their coaching staff, who should be considered a genius, moved him to defensive back... Smith is far less physical in coverage than he could be...but no one can go over the top when he's in coverage. It's locked down. SS is a true 'tweener prospect. I don't see Smith in a set position in the pros, because he's good at every position that I've seen him play: 1. He's a ball-hawk -- former wideout with elite height and a vertical that allows him to out-jump almost anyone. Smith is not a gambler, he stays home and makes the hit...but if the chance is there, he'll do something with it. Smith is Ed Reed-like when he gets his hands on the ball. 2. Versatility -- played at EVERY defensive back position in Utah's scheme. The Utes give a ton of different looks on defense, but they primarily run a 3-3-5. Smith lined up a both outside corner spots, at nickel, at dime, and at all three safety spots (x2 spur and free). 3. He can tackle -- hits hard, wraps-up, and finishes through a tackle. This is where his size can become a problem though. Smith can lose a lot of leverage against smaller, stronger ball carriers. He makes a lot more tackles than he misses though. 4. Blitzing -- flies off the edge and disrupts everything happening in the backfield. Unlike Jenkins, Smith finishes the job when he blitzes. The Utes' coaching staff put Smith in a lot of read-and-blitz situations. He was very effective against the run and the short passing game. If Smith becomes a New York Jet, his best fit is at safety. I think he'd fit perfectly into Ryan's attack-style defense... FINAL When I said that Sean Smith is a better all-around prospect, I wasn't trying to take anything away from Malcolm Jenkins -- it's just my opinion. If Smith/Jenkins/Sanchez/NICKS are all at 17, and the Jets don't take one of the FOUR, my head will explode.
Yeah, well you know how I feel about Nicks. He's on the list too... I got you - an adjustment was made.
I still diagree with you on the Smith over Jenkins, but now I understand your point more, as Smith can play SS in a pinch where I doubt I'd put Jenkins, but I still think at 17 you take the better player, and I think SS is one of those guys who can play corner only if you are really desperate, He is never going to be able to cover the wes welker/ lance moore/ eddie royal types, he just doesn't have the agility, I think any O-coordinator is going to abuse him by bringing his man in motion so he can't jam them at the line and he isn't going to be able to stay with them over the middle. TO be honest they remind me a bit of two CBs from 2003, Jenkins reminds me of Nmandi Asomugha (not that I mean he;ll become the best CB in the league, just similar players, not blazing long speed, but quick and tough) and Smith reminds me of Eugene Wilson who became a very good Safety but was taken advantage of when at CB.
I don't understand why you think Smith has poor agility and can't cover smaller receivers...almost every WR is smaller than him. Just because SS is tall, doesn't mean he has poor agility. He completely shut down the best freshman receiver in the country on national television. Asomugha was safety at Cal...and he played safety his first two years in the NFL.
No doubt Smith had a very good game in the bowl game and that is what pushed him up, but most scouts I've seen were talking all year about whether he had the hips and agility to make it at the next level as a corner, and he went into the combine and had a very poor performance in the 2 most important drills for a cb 3 cone and 20 yard shuttle. I think he could be an excellent free Safety, I just think anyone who takes him in the first hoping to get even a #2 corner out of him is going to be disappointed. Most scouts I see agree than he doesn't have the change of direction speed you'd like out of a CB, and his best traits, closing on the ball, reading the qb and blitzing are all more suited to safety.
I prefer Alphonso Smith because he is a true cornerback. Malcolm Jenkins and Sean Smith are defensive backs that can play either corner or safety but both will probably be safeties in the NFL and the JETS have already addressed the CB position with the acquisition of Lito Sheppard but in my opinion Alphonso Smith will be the better pro and I would love the JETS to get him but with each passing day, I just feel that the JETS will draft a WR with the 17th pick or trade up or trade down.
I'm a little gun-shy of Ohio State guys lately. I'm more impressed w/Sean Smith as we get closer to the draft.
I'm not an OSU fan....but since Gholston has been a big disappointment so far, that shouldn't discourage you away from OSU players. I shouted from the rooftops this time last year ...not to draft Gholston. I knew he was an athlete, with a lazy attitude toward football. OSU has produced some decent CB's over the past few years......Shawn Springs, Nate Clements, Chris Gamble and Antoine Winfield.
