Tag: defensive backs

DBs in heavy rotation on first day of camp as Cowboys coaches preach takeaways

Returning veterans, newly-signed free agents, and a fresh-faced rookie all got reps in the Cowboys secondary as training camp opened.

Perhaps no position group on the entire Dallas roster has been more of a sore spot in recent years than the defensive backs. A brutal interception drought, letting Byron Jones leave, and the failed courtship of several name-brand safeties has left many Cowboys fans feeling like maybe the coaching staff views the secondary as, well, a secondary concern.

But now there’s a new sheriff in town. And in the McCarthy era, everybody gets in on the action. Or at least they did on the first day of full-team practice.

It was a revolving door at cornerback on Friday at The Star in Frisco, with the depth chart apparently “wide open,” according to David Helman of the team website.

“Chidobe Awuzie and Daryl Worley split reps on the left side,” Helman writes, “while Anthony Brown and Trevon Diggs split reps on the right side. Jourdan Lewis and Brown split time as the slot cornerback.”

Behind them, Helman notes, “Xavier Woods and HaHa Clinton-Dix were the initial starting safeties, but both Darian Thompson and Donovan Wilson got a chance to work with the starters.”

Clinton-Dix brings six seasons of NFL experience with him to his first year in Dallas. With the better part of five seasons coming under the watchful eye of McCarthy in Green Bay, he had a good idea of what to expect from Day One of the coach’s 2020 camp.

The veteran also had good things to say about the Cowboys’ second-round rookie cornerback and fellow Crimson Tide alum.

While that pair of fresh faces look to bring a new ballhawking mentality to the Dallas DB room, another guy who flew under the radar may find himself getting a new lease on life under the new regime.

Safety Donovan Wilson got into 11 games in his rookie campaign last year; Friday he started his sophomore season on a strong note.

“The coaching staff gave Wilson an opportunity to work with the first-team defense,” Helman explains of Friday’s opening practice, “and he definitely made the most of it. Wilson read Dak Prescott looking to make a near-side throw outside the numbers, and he darted in front of the ball for a nifty interception. It was the first takeaway of training camp for a defense that is stressing the importance of generating turnovers.”

It seems the new-look Cowboys secondary has a primary objective for 2020.

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Jamal Agnew sitting in on WR virtual meetings, per Peter King

Detroit Lions cornerback and returner Jamal Agnew may be expanding — or switching — positions per a Pro Football Talk’s Peter King report.

Detroit Lions cornerback and returner Jamal Agnew may be expanding — or switching — positions per a Pro Football Talk’s Peter King report.

The Lions are currently in Phase 2 of their Spring offseason program, which means teams can begin installing the playbook and handing out assignments to players. Wide receiver’s coach Robert Prince is trying to make the most of his two-hour “virtual classroom” sessions by explaining the nuances of route concepts in the Lions playbook.

King was allowed access to (at least) one of these meetings and a picture of a meeting was taken, which he published in his piece:

Photo credit to Peter King and Pro Football Talk.

Prince can be seen in the highlighted yellow box, as are all 11 of the Lions wide receivers, with Agnew (second row, far right) also in attendance.

The Lions including Agnew in this meeting isn’t overly unusual as they have used him as an offensive gadget player since he was drafted in 2017, including last year when he saw an additional 16 offensive snaps all coming at wide receiver.

But what stood out in the King piece was that he identified Agnew as “converted DB” — suggesting he was switching to the offensive side of the ball on a more permanent basis.

Now this could just be speculation by King, or maybe he is privy to some behind-the-scenes information of Agnew indeed making a position switch, but unfortunately, we likely won’t get a clear answer until fall training camp.

Regardless of his position title, Agnew’s inclusion in this meeting is notable as it points to the Lions — and Agnew — looking to find ways he can contribute this season.

Notre Dame Makes Scholarship Offer to Son of Fighting Irish Great

Bobby Taylor was a star for Notre Dame football in the early 90’s. Almost three decades later the Irish have offered his son a scholarship.

Notre Dame fans of a certain age range (mine included) more than just remember the name Bobby Taylor.  The 1994 consensus First-Team All-American corner helped the Irish was a part of a team that nearly won a national title a year earlier.

After his impressive 1994 season Taylor was selected 50th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft and spent the next nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles before finishing his career in 2005 with the Seattle Seahawks.

Now Notre Dame is looking for their second Bobby Taylor to be a key part of their secondary as they offered his son Bobby a football scholarship on Tuesday.

The younger Taylor is listed at 6-1, 180 pounds and is rated as a top-30 corner in the 2022 recruiting class according to 247Sports.

After playing his freshman year of high school football at Houston Heights, Taylor helped Katy High School to an 11-2 record and Texas 6A D-1 third round playoff appearance as a sophomore.

Notre Dame joins over 20 other programs to have offered Taylor with plenty of the biggest powers including Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and USC.

Watch: Defensive backs go through combine drills

When the 2019 season ended, the Atlanta Falcons were thought to be in the market for a corner or safety in the first round.

When the 2019 season ended, the Atlanta Falcons were thought to be in the market for a corner or safety in the first round. However, that changed once the team announced it would be moving on from DE Vic Beasley, and will let LB De’Vondre Campbell and TE Austin Hooper test free agency.

With two second-round picks and an impressive 2020 defensive back class, the Falcons could still add a player or two in the secondary. The NFL scouting combine continues today with the defensive backs taking the field. Let’s take a look at some of Sunday’s top performers thus far.

OSU’s Jeff Okudah solidifies himself as the draft’s top corner:

Utah DB Javelin Guidry showed next level speed at the 40:

Alabama CB Trevon Diggs does it all:

Florida CB and possible Falcons draft target C.J. Henderson runs a 4.39:

Javaris Davis of Auburn brings his A-game:

Clemson safety Tanner Muse has wheels:

Lenoir-Rhyne’s Kyle Dugger runs a respectable 4.50:

6-foot-3 Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn flashes his athleticism:

The Gauntlet Drill:

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Falcons 2020 offseason breakdown: Defensive back

Continuing our positional breakdowns for the Falcons entering the 2020 offseason — which so far includes RB, WR/TE, DL, and LB — today, we’ll examine the defensive backs.

The Atlanta Falcons need some help in the defensive secondary. While the team has starting-caliber players in Desmond Trufant, Kendall Sheffield, Isaiah Oliver, Damontae Kazee, Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, adding some depth would be wise after two injury-riddled seasons.

Continuing with our positional breakdowns for the Falcons entering the 2020 offseason — which so far includes RB, WR/TE, DL, and LB — today, we’ll examine Atlanta’s defensive backs.

2019 Depth Chart and Results

CB Desmond Trufant

18 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss, 4 interceptions, 7 pass deflections

CB Kendall Sheffield

43 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 pass deflections, 1 blocked extra point

CB Isaiah Oliver

61 tackles, 1 QB hit, 1 forced fumble, 11 pass deflections

CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson

24 tackles, 7 pass deflections

CB Jordan Miller

4 tackles, 1 forced fumble

CB Jamar Taylor

1 tackle

SS Keanu Neal

14 tackles, 1 QB hit

S Ricardo Allen

84 tackles, 4 tackles-for-loss, 2 interceptions, 8 pass deflections

FS Damontae Kazee

69 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss, 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 3 pass deflections

S Jamal Carter

9 tackles, 1 pass deflection

S Jonathan Cyprien

2 tackles

S Sharrod Neasman

2 special teams tackles, 1 fumble recovery

S C.J. Reavis

On the practice squad for the 2019 season

S J.J. Wilcox

On Injured Reserve for all of the 2019 season

Depth Chart | Contracts | Pending Free Agents | Cut Candidates | Free Agent Targets | Draft Targets | Move to Consider |

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7

Notre Dame Football: Is Kyle Hamilton a Top-5 Safety Nationwide?

Now to the question some may be asking: is Hamilton really a top-five safety?

Notre Dame loses talent in the secondary in 2020 as Alohi Gilman has entered the NFL Draft while Donte Vaughn and Troy Pride, Jr. are both out of eligibility.

Earlier this month Shaun Crawford announced he’d be returning for a sixth season at Notre Dame which will be incredibly beneficial for the Irish as long as Crawford can stay healthy.

What will also help is Kyle Hamilton returning after a freshman year that landed him on both the Pro Football Focus and FWAA Freshman All-American Teams.

PFF released their “Top 30 Returning Defensive Backs” Saturday and Hamilton found a spot at number 20 there.

True freshman safety Kyle Hamilton could not have done much more in coverage for the Fighting Irish this year. The 6-foot-4 defensive back finished among the five best safeties in the country in PFF coverage grade and had more interceptions plus pass breakups (nine) than catches allowed (seven). That production paved the way to just a 1.3 passer rating allowed. He read quarterbacks like books and made special plays all year long — he’ll be a vital piece to the Irish secondary over the next couple of seasons.

If you rank only safeties then Hamilton comes in fifth.

Although the eventual starting defensive backfield won’t have much experience playing together, the likes of Hamilton, Crawford, transfer Isaiah Pryor create a pretty high floor.

Now to the question some may be asking: is Hamilton really a top-five safety?

Frankly, five seems a bit low for a guy who it was newsworthy to pull in a reception against in 2020.