Tag: Beau Brade

John Harbaugh gives injury updates on several players after start of rookie minicamp

With the start of rookie minicamp, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh got a look at the team’s draft class and crop of undrafted rookies in person. Harbaugh was asked about the plan for fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali. The Marshall back …

With the start of rookie minicamp, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh got a look at the team’s draft class and crop of undrafted rookies in person.

Harbaugh was asked about the plan for fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali. The Marshall back was coming off an injury suffered at the Senior Bowl and was only seen running to the side to start camp.

“Yes, they said that he’s going to be able to do more and more as we go here in the offseason,” Harbaugh said. “I think they just want to protect the bicep, so it doesn’t get grabbed and re-injured. As soon as they’re comfortable that that won’t happen – he’s doing all the non-air stuff, then when they’re comfortable with that, I think he’ll be out there at practice. There’s a chance he could see some OTAs. He’ll certainly be more than ready for training camp.”

Harbaugh then gave injury updates on two more players, third-round outside linebacker Adisa Isaac and undrafted safety Beau Brade.

“We had some other guys have some issues,” Harbaugh said. “Beau [Brade] rolled his ankle yesterday, so you didn’t see him today. [Adisa] Isaac kind of tweaked his hammy [hamstring] just a little bit yesterday, so that kind of stuff happens.“

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 38, Maryland S Beau Brade

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Maryland safety Beau Brade.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers addressed their need for safety help by signing Xavier McKinney, one of the best safeties on the market to a four-year contract. That was the first step in remaking the safety room on the fly this offseason. The next step is to add more pieces around McKinney.

A safety that the Packers could target in the 2024 NFL Draft is Beau Brade. The Maryland defensive back checks in at No. 38 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A Maryland native, Brade became a full-time starter for the Terrapins in 2022 and finished the season with 85 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and five pass deflections. This past season, Brade recorded 75 tackles, four tackles for loss, one interception and six pass deflections.

Brade plays the game with his foot stomped down on the accelerator. He’s a well-built pocket rocket and has an aggressive trigger. 

“His greatest strength is his trigger, whether it’s breaking and driving on a football thrown in front of him or running the alley,” Devin Jackson, the sports editor and NFL Draft writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, said. “His instincts and change of direction ability allow him to be a factor in the intermediate passing game and a viable box defender as well.”

Brade sees the field well and has a great understanding of spacing. The Maryland product shows good route recognition and is quick to drive on underneath routes. He has the versatility to wear multiple hats in the secondary. 

“He’s very instinctual and anticipatory in coverage,” Jackson said. “He works his curl to flat drops from inside the box and as a nickel player, but can play a robber role from two high alignments. He could be a candidate for a nickel/dime hybrid third down second level role.”

He has soft hands and capitalizes on throws in his zip code. During his two seasons as a starter, Brade recorded three interceptions and 11 pass deflections. 

“His ability to sink underneath crossing routes and anticipate in breaking routes gives him a bead on the football,” Jackson said. “He can patrol the middle of the field as a robber and bait quarterbacks to throw his way in zone coverage.” 

Brade runs the alley with purpose and he delivers a pop upon contact. He’s at his best working north to south. While Brade plays with relentless energy, he’ll have to find a way to harness that energy to play more under control and settle his feet. According to Pro Football Focus, Brade was tagged with 35 missed tackles over the past two seasons. 

“He’s a suitable and willing tackler in space,” Jackson said. “He can be the extra man on the line of scrimmage to fly in from the backside to chase down a running back. He embraces contact and is a physical, hard-hitting safety.”

Brade finished his career at Maryland with 425 snaps on special teams and recorded seven tackles. 

Fit with the Packers

As it stands right the Packers have already upgraded their safety room by adding McKinney. Now they need to find a running mate for the veteran safety. Gutekunst wants versatility in the backend and Brade fits the bill with his ability to align deep and in the slot. 

“Brade is a scheme versatile player who is at his best attacking downhill and driving on routes in front of him,” Jackson said. “His dual safety ability, along with playing a hybrid nickel role can have him deployed in different situations depending on the scheme. He’s not a true post-safety, but can drop vertically and take away half the field. His instincts and ball-hawking mindset will add value to a secondary who can be a mainstay in the secondary.”

Versatility, plus ball skills, relentless motor and special teams experience. Brade checks a lot of boxes. The Maryland safety could battle for starting reps alongside McKinney. Even if he doesn’t win a starting role, he would provide quality depth in the secondary while giving Rich Bisaccia a hired gun on special teams.

Potential safety targets in 2024 draft for Jeff Hafley’s Packers defense

Who could be safety targets in the 2024 draft for Jeff Hafley’s Packers defense?

If the Green Bay Packers were to play a game this Sunday, they’d roll out Anthony Johnson Jr and Benny Sapp III as their two starting safeties. With Darnell Savage Jr, Rudy Ford and Jonathon Owens set to be free agents, Brian Gutekunst will need to get new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley some safety help this offseason.

“I think it’s an important spot,” Hafley said during his introductory press conference on Thursday. “I think that guy back in the middle of the field, when things break down – when they throw the ball up in the air, he has to go and get it. I think it’s a very important spot in the defense.”

As a team last season the Packers picked off just seven passes, with three of those interceptions coming from the safety group. If it’s up to Hafley, that number will rise during his first season as defensive coordinator at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

“I want a guy who can erase things,” Hafley said. “We gotta eliminate explosive plays when we play this defense, so if a run hits up the middle, this guy’s gotta come out of the middle field with his hair on fire, he’s gotta be able to get a guy down. I also want him to be a guy, when a ball carrier is wrapped up, he goes and he finishes off the pile. I want a guy who can go from sideline to sideline and take the ball away. I think that position has to be a guy with high ball production, meaning he’s gotta be able to intercept the ball. He’s gotta be a guy that can communicate and he’s gotta be a guy that can get guys lined up and make some calls back there and I’d love a guy that can play man, so I guess I’m describing the perfect player to you, but those are some of the traits I’d look for in playing that position.”

There is a lot to digest from what Hafley looks for out of his safeties. Let’s take a look at some defensive backs that fit the bill and that could be targets for the Packers in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Yes, technically DeJean is listed as a cornerback. If the Packers zone in on the Iowa product, they’d likely view him as a hybrid defensive back. He has the rangy athleticism to play centerfield to be the field eraser that Hafley described. He’s quick to trigger coming downhill in run support. Most importantly, DeJean has natural ball skills. Over the past two seasons, DeJean picked off seven passes, broke up 13 passes and scored three touchdowns. He’s the playmaker that Hafley’s defensive scheme needs.

Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

While Nubin may not be the rangiest of safeties in this class he checks a lot of boxes with his ball production and willingness in run support. He’s the first natural safety that came to mind when listening to Hafley describe what he looks for in a safety. 

The Gopher safety is a great communicator from the backend and recognizes route concepts. He’s rarely out of position and doesn’t give up explosive plays. He keeps everything in front of him. A former high school wide receiver, Nubin has natural ball skills and finished his career with 13 interceptions. As a run defender, he has the downfield burst and takes proper angles to the ball carrier.

Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami

When talking about natural safeties, Kinchens may have the range in this draft class. He covers a lot of real estate in the backend. Over the past two seasons, the Miami safety picked off 11 passes and broke up 11 more. He understands route combinations and has good field vision. While he’s a willing participant in run support, he’s prone to the occasional whiff (24 missed tackles over the past two seasons). 

Javon Bullard, DB, Georgia

Bullard has the toolkit to be a high-end hybrid defensive back. A former track athlete, Bullard recorded four interceptions and eight pass deflections over the past two seasons. He has the fluidity and short-area quickness to line up in the slot and the range to cover the backend. He flies downhill in run support and packs a little punch when he arrives. 

Calen Bullock, S, USC

The USC safety may have the most natural ball skills of any safety in this draft class. He plays the ball like a wide receiver and finished his career at USC with nine interceptions and 15 pass deflections. He has disciplined eyes and covers a lot of real estate. His poor tackling may keep him off Green Bay’s board. 

Beau Brade, DB, Maryland

The Maryland product brings a versatile skill set. He can play in the box, in the slot or high. He has a quick trigger coming downhill, but will need to clean up his tackling (35 missed tackles over the past two seasons). He has good field vision and is an explosive mover.

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, DB, Texas Tech

The Texas Tech defensive back has a radar for the football. Over the past three seasons, Taylor-Demerson has picked off 10 passes and recorded 33 pass deflections. He has true centerfield range and a high football IQ with good route instincts. Taylor-Demerson has outstanding closing burst when he attacks downhill against the run.

Malik Mustapha, DB, Wake Forest

If Hafley wants a defensive back that plays with his hair on fire, he may fall in love with Mustapha. He’s as tough as nails and flies downhill in run support. He plays with a thumper mentality and lays the wood upon arrival. The Wake Forest defensive back is at his best coming downhill, he has enough range to play in the backend.

Sione Vaki, DB, Utah

Another player that plays like his hair is on fire. The Utah defensive back is a heat-seeking missile and he wants to knock you into another dimension. He’s an explosive athlete and is quick to process the action in front of him. He’s a versatile prospect who can wear multiple hats in Hafley’s defense.

Cole Bishop, S, Utah

The Utah safety is at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage, but he’s capable of filling multiple roles for a defense. Whether he’s playing in the slot, in the box or deep, Bishop is always around the football. 

Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State

Like Bishop, Hicks is at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage. That doesn’t mean he can’t roam the middle of Hafley’s defense. Hicks is an active run defender and explodes downhill to meet the ball carrier. Line him up in the box, in the slot or deep, it doesn’t matter, the physicality that Hicks plays with is exactly what Green Bay’s defense needs. He’s another safety who plays with a relentless energy that Hafley is looking for as he looks to build this defense. 

Josh Proctor, S, Ohio State

Hafley coached Proctor during the 2019 season at Ohio State. Talk to anybody around that covered Ohio State this past season and they’ll tell you Proctor was one of the leaders on that defense. He’s a cerebral player who is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type prospect. He’s just a well-rounded player that can wear multiple hats.

Lions 2024 NFL draft report: Beau Brade, Safety, Maryland

It is finally draft season for Lions fans which means you need to know who they could be targeting in the draft, that is where we come in.

It is finally draft season for Lions fans.

Brad Holmes and his front office have proven they are very capable of putting together great draft classes. They have had major hits on every day of the draft, but especially on Day Two. This roster isn’t in desperate need of much because of his work, but they do have some positions that need to be addressed.

This offseason, they should be focusing on getting better play out of their defensive backs, adding depth on the defensive line, and building out the wide receiver room.

These scouting reports should introduce you to some of the names that Lions fans could hear during the three days of the NFL Draft.

Giants add wide receiver in PFN’s way-too-early 2024 mock draft

The New York Giants add a wide receiver and safety before addressing depth in the latest 7-round 2024 mock draft from Pro Football Network.

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NFL training camps open this week, so hopefully this will be the end of 2024 mock drafts. But until the 2023 regular season news cycle kicks off, we will continue to entertain these exercises.

In a recent seven-round 2024 mock draft from Pro Football Network, one in which has the New York Giants selecting 20th overall (which means they qualified for the postseason this year), Big Blue is expected to continue to augment their passing attack.

20) New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The Giants have assembled a respectable weapons corps for Daniel Jones. Darren Waller and Jalin Hyatt, in particular, should be very important additions from the 2023 offseason. But Parris Campbell is on a one-year deal, Isaiah Hodgins could be prone to a regression, and Wan’Dale Robinson hasn’t proven himself effective at the NFL level just yet. New York could use a true three-level threat to underpin the unit, and Malik Nabers fits the bill.

Though he weighs under 200 pounds, Nabers is one of the most effusive three-level threats in the 2024 NFL Draft WR class. Before the catch, he can offset and stack DBs with his combined lateral agility, foot speed, and explosiveness. At the catch, he’s a bird of prey with his reach, flexibility, and coordination. And after the catch, he has the speed and unnatural size-relative contact balance to consistently extend plays.

The analysis is pretty much spot on. The Giants do have a group of unprovens at the wide receiver position and if none of them can earn the respect of the team, they’ll likely be looking elsewhere for solutions.

With their second pick (No. 53 overall), PFN predicts the Giants will go back down to Maryland for another defensive back in safety Beau Brade.

Brade is another riser to keep an eye on as the 2024 NFL Draft progresses. Already, his strong 2022 tape has gone under the radar, but the 6’0″, 201-pound safety is an incredibly dynamic and versatile defender. He’s very natural roaming in coverage, explosive and energized when attacking downhill, a willing blitzer, and can make plays on the ball.

Not out of the realm of possibility given they could walk away from Xavier McKinney if he cannot overcome his hand injury and/or grasp the mantle as the leader in the secondary this year.

In the third round, PFN has the Giants taking Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.

Williams is a unique prospect. He’s 6’3″, 320 pounds, and has the strength to encumber blocks and prevent displacement, but he also shows flashes of surprising one-on-one pass-rush proficiency. The Giants like those types of larger interior linemen.

The rest of the draft unfolds as follows:

  • Round 4, Pick 116 — Darian Chestnut, DB, LSU
  • Round 5, Pick 148 — Walter Parks, G, Clemson
  • Round 6, Pick 180 — Cedrick Gray, LB, North Carolina
  • Round 7, Pick 212 — Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

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