Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Even though the Minnesota Vikings are set at safety, you should always be prepared if a talented prospect falls down the board.
As the NFL Draft approaches, the Minnesota Vikings must address several needs, especially at wide receiver and cornerback positions.
Currently, the Vikings have Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum, and in last year’s draft, they selected safety Lewis Cine in the first round. Making it unlikely for the team to prioritize selecting another safety early on or at all.
It’s still important to examine the safety draft class. Let’s take one safety option for the Vikings in each round of the draft.
Breaking down each selection for the Chargers in The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s latest seven-round mock draft.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his new seven-round mock draft on Monday.
Brugler pays close attention to fit (scheme and culture), draft trends, meetings, etc, rather than his own opinion.
The highly-touted draft analyst kicked off the Chargers draft with the selection of Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
Here is what Brugler said about the pick:
Talking to one team source about Kincaid’s back injury, there is concern that Kincaid might not be ready for minicamp but no long-term worries, which is obviously good news for the tight end. Justin Herbert would love to see this projection come to fruition on draft night because it would give him arguably the best pure pass catcher in the entire draft.
Kincaid has been pegged as a top target for Los Angeles throughout the draft cycle, given their need to address the position as they search for a bonafide No. 1 TE since Hunter Henry.
Kincaid is a prolific receiver with great hands who can win all over the field with his athleticism and play speed and can create yards after the catch. He would be a good weapon for Justin Herbert from Day 1.
In Round 2, the Chargers selected South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.
J.C. Jackson is unlikely to be ready to go at the start of the 2023 season as he will still be recovering from the knee injury he sustained in Week 7. Plus, as long as Brandon Staley is head coach, Los Angeles will always be in the market for corners. So it wouldn’t be surprising to see them target one early.
At 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds, Smith has the size and length that Staley covets in players at the position. He is a very sound player with fluid hips and footwork to mirror receivers, an aggressive nature and ball skills.
In Round 3, L.A. took USC edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu.
The Chargers need more players capable of disrupting opposing quarterbacks behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Tuipolutu, the 6-foot-3 and 266-pounder, has shown plenty to fit that billing, having logged 42 pressures and 13.5 sacks last season.
In Round 4, Los Angeles selected Oklahoma running back Eric Gray.
Whether Austin Ekeler is traded or not, it’s unlikely he won’t be on the team beyond the 2023 season at this point, so they will be in search of players to fill out that room. Gray is an explosive and physical runner with the receiving chops to eventually take over a backfield.
In Round 5, L.A. drafted Princeton wide receiver Andrei Iosivas.
It’s no secret that the Bolts must inject more speed into the wideout group. Iosivas, a three-time Ivy League champion in the indoor heptathlon, would do just that. While his routes need more refinement, Iosivas can get to top speed vertically quickly and outpace defenders in the open.
In Round 6, the Chargers took California safety Daniel Scott.
JT Woods is still a work in progress. Alohi Gilman is slated to start alongside Derwin James as it stands, but they would benefit from another playmaker on the back end. Scott is an experienced and intelligent player who can man the deep parts of the field and serve as a core special teamer.
To close out the draft, Los Angeles drafted Oregon guard T.J. Bass.
The interior part of the offensive line has its starters set with Zion Johnson, Corey Linsley and Jamaree Salyer. But depth is needed. Bass is a decent athlete with good lower-body strength that shows up in the run game and is aware in pass protection. He offers the versatility to play tackle in a pinch.
California S Daniel Scott told @EdEastonJr what he thought about the #Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII win and the draft prospect emphasized some of their rookie performances.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ defense made significant strides last season by helping to close out late games regardless of the offense’s performance. An influx of young talent from last year’s draft class helped to provide depth and discover new stars in the unit for years to come.
The task at this year’s scouting combine is to find more defensive contributors for future seasons. California S Daniel Scott is hoping that he might be one of them.
Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke with Scott, who revealed he’d had a meeting with the team. We asked about his thoughts on the rookie defensive standouts of Super Bowl LVII, one of whom he’s familiar with.
“Trent McDuffie had a good game on the Chiefs,” said Scott. “I thought Jaylen Watson, who is part of my agency, had a good game.”
Scott also came away impressed with Kansas City’s offensive line holding off Philadelphia’s record-breaking pass rush.
“You know, I think the Chiefs did a good job offensive line kind of containing the defensive line of the Eagles, which was maybe a surprise to some people,” said Scott. “But when you have an extra week or two, to game plan, you know, you kind of get that.”
#California S Daniel Scott praised the performances of defensive backs Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson during Super Bowl LVII
Scott confirmed that he already met with the #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/Ko9kvQkziK
— Ed Easton Jr. (@EdEastonJr) March 2, 2023
Scott played in 12 games in 2022, securing 85 tackles and three interceptions. The Golden Bears’ senior also forced two fumbles, earning Third-Team All-Pac-12 honors from Pro Football Focus.
At 25 years old, Scott is considered an older prospect, but he has been a reliable contributor for the Golden Eagles throughout his college career. He could provide value to an NFL club whether that’s in Kansas City or not. He did show that he’s very aware of the young, developing talent of the Chiefs, which should only get better with time.
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Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Cal safety Daniel Scott, a potential special teams ace.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
With the 228th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Tariq Carpenter. The Georgia Tech defensive back was a prospect that entered the NFL Draft with plenty of experience playing on special teams during his collegiate career.
That special teams experience helped the seventh-round pick make an impact during his rookie season, as he played 120 special teams snaps and really stood out down the stretch for the Packers.
A player that Brian Gutekunst could target on day three of the 2023 NFL Draft that has plenty of special teams experience is Daniel Scott. The California safety checks in at No. 83 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
Scott finished his career as a Golden Bear with 661 career snaps on special teams and recorded 11 tackles. He was named the team’s Most Valuable Special Teams Player in 2019. It’s part of his game that could make him an attractive day-three target for the Packers and it could allow him to make an immediate impact during his first year in the league.
Daniel Scott is a player that could be a potential day three target for the Packers.
Six interceptions over the past two years. 600-plus career ST snaps. Was CAL's ST MVP in 2019.
He'll have to clean up his tackling, but he could make an immediate impact on STs for any team. pic.twitter.com/fEbgbjR42z
— Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) February 2, 2023
“He’s got good wheels, a good frame, and good anticipation skills,” Jim McGill, the editor for BearsInsider.com said. “A good special teams player always mitigates the risk when drafting a guy because of his versatility.”
After playing primarily on special teams early in his career, Scott became a full-time starter in 2021 and responded with 82 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and one touchdown. This past season, Scott recorded 85 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions.
“Scott was 11th in the league in tackles as a junior and ninth as a senior and was tied for third in the league in interceptions with three as a junior and tied for fourth in the league with three as a senior,” McGill said. “He’s a well-rounded, reliable member of the secondary playing at a consistently fairly elite level.”
Scott doesn’t pop when you turn on the film. He’s a little like former Green Bay defensive back Micah Hyde during his time at 1265 Lombardi Avenue. He doesn’t do any one thing at an elite level, he’s just a solid, all-around player with a high football IQ, that’s never out of position.
“Scott’s intelligence and preparation give him intangible edges that combined with his prototype NFL body make him a consistently strong player,” McGill said. “He played and learned behind two NFL safeties in Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins and lived with them and studied film with them for two years before they went to the league and they all lived and breathed football.”
Scott offers versatility in the secondary. He can play down in the box and has the size to cover tight ends. He has experience playing in the slot, or he can play free safety.
He has the quickness to cover a lot of real estate to play deep safety. As a nickel corner, Scott has quick feet and adequate short-area quickness.
Scott processes things quickly and shows good route recognition. He has plus-ball skills and is able to jump routes to make plays on the ball.
Daniel Scott INT! 😤 pic.twitter.com/MeRrvHLCug
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) February 1, 2023
“Scott has a natural ability reading routes and he’s a big film guy so he’s going to know his opponent’s tendencies heading into every game,” McGill said. “He’s rarely out of position or straight-up beaten on routes.”
At 6-0, 210 pounds, Scott is well-built for the position. Scott isn’t a tone-setter in run support and doesn’t fly downhill with bad intentions, but he’s not afraid to get his nose dirty. He needs to clean up his technique (36 missed tackles in the past two seasons).
“He has a nice frame for run support and isn’t afraid to stick his nose in there,” McGill said. “At this stage of his career, I wouldn’t call him an enforcer but he’s more than capable in the run game.”
Darnell Savage, Carpenter, and James Wiggins are the only safeties under contract for the Packers. Gutekunst will have to address the position via free agency or the NFL Draft.
With the Packers being strapped for cash, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to sign a big name in free agency.
Savage is in the final year of his rookie deal. It’s reasonable to expect Gutekunst to spend multiple picks on the safety position in the upcoming draft.
With his special teams experience and high football IQ, Scott would make for an attractive day-three pick for the Packers.
“If someone doesn’t draft Scott, they’re missing out on a player who definitely has a future in the league,” McGill said. “He’s the consummate team player and intelligent, mature guy.”
The Packers need bodies at safety and they need to continue to improve on special teams. Scott could make an immediate impact on special teams while vying for playing time in the secondary. He may never turn into a full-time starter, but there is value in adding core special teams players on the third day of the draft.
Recapping Day 2 of the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Over 100 of the top senior prospects and at least three Chargers personnel staffers are in Mobile, Alabama, this week for the Senior Bowl. Wednesday marked the second day of practice for both rosters leading up to the game on Saturday.
Here are my notes from both practices Wednesday.
Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. beat every single running back like a drum in pass protection drills. While he’s undersized, he hits violently, and the National team linebackers had no answers for him on Wednesday. Pace still struggles to move laterally or backwards, but when moving downhill he’s an intriguing player.
Cal safety Daniel Scott had a nice day as an all-around safety moved all over the field. He undercut an out route for an interception in one-on-ones, picking off Louisville QB Malik Cunningham while lined up in press man technique. Scott has experience and potential all over the field, and could be someone the Chargers look towards in the later rounds to add depth behind Derwin James.
I love Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley. He looked like the best coverage linebacker on the field today, with one picture-perfect rep coming against Northwestern running back Evan Hull. Later in the period, Henley mirrored Illinois running back Chase Brown and deflected the pass in another awe-inducing display of coverage prowess. Henley is a touch underweight, and run support will need a bit of cleaning up. But the Chargers could be revamping the position if Drue Tranquill isn’t re-signed, which makes Henley someone to watch.
If you’re looking for linebackers who can fit a gap in the run game, Texas’ DeMarvion Overshown is for you. Overshown plays with a level of violence and aggressiveness beyond that of the typical linebacker, and you can tell he looks forward to hitting people all day long. My one hesitation with Overshown as a Chargers fit is draft capital: Overshown will likely be a top 75 pick and LA has been hesitant to pull the trigger that early on the position under Brandon Staley.
Maryland offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan had an up and down day, but the majority of his positive reps came when he lined up at his college position on the left side. When flipped to the right side to experiment with his positional versatility, Duncan consistently found himself on the wrong end of pass rush moves. That’s to be expected, to a certain extent. Moving from the left to right side requires doing everything mirrored from what you’re used to, and that’s a hefty ask when also matched up against some of the draft’s top pass rushers.
Perhaps the best performer of the day on the National squad was Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly. He broke hard on four separate passes between one on ones and team period, coming away with two interceptions and two more near picks. All four came on plays where the National defense came out in Cover 2 shells, a sign that the coaches in Mobile have found Kelly’s best scheme fit. LA isn’t a particularly heavy Cover 2 team, so Kelly will probably be best suited elsewhere, but his performance today was too good to ignore.
Kelly’s teammate Michael Wilson also had a nice day, showcasing some fluidity as a route runner and plus skills as a downfield tracker. Wilson also flexed some variety in his release packages and looked smooth from the slot. He’s not going to threaten anyone downfield – I’d expect him to run somewhere in the 4.5 range – but his savvy and smoothness as a route runner will get him a spot on an NFL team. His profile fits the Chargers, but it remains to be seen if LA is going to move away from that archetype.
From the American side, the unquestioned best performer was Sacramento State LB Marte Mapu. A late addition called up from the NFLPA Bowl, Mapu was relatively anonymous at practice on Tuesday as he got his feet wet. On Wednesday, however, he looked fully comfortable. He flashed as a run defender and violent downhill hitter multiple times and showed some unreal closing speed in coverage. A former QB, WR, LB, CB, and S, Mapu clearly has the athleticism to play anywhere on the field, but I think his aggressive mindset to get after the ball endears him well to linebacker. He’s a bit underweight, coming in at 217 pounds, but LA could utilize him in the STAR role made famous by Derwin James.
Some quick hitters:
We finish our Senior Bowl preview series with the safeties
One of the most important events on the National Football League calendar is the Senior Bowl. Held the week after the conference championship games, it is the true beginning of the NFL draft cycle.
Not only do scouts and analysts like us get to see over 100 draft prospects in one place competing against each other, but it’s also an opportunity for analysts and personnel alike to get together and have discussions about a number of topics.
As we look forward to this year’s Senior Bowl, both managing editor Tyler Forness and columnist Matt Anderson will be there in person to break everything down.
We will be breaking down each position group and what to look for throughout the week. Here is the edge rusher position.
Previous:
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Interior offensive line
Interior defensive line
Edge rushers
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
