Winner: Jeremy Chinn
Earlier in this piece the topic of positional flexibility on the defensive side of the football was addressed, when Isaiah Simmons was discussed.
Safety is another position where flexibility matters. The days of having one free safety, and one strong safety, are out the window. First there is the matter of how offenses attack defenses in today’s game. With shifts and motions, you can force a safety out of position by changing the strength of the offensive formation before the snap. If you are playing a defense that has a free safety type player who struggles in the box, force him down there with shifts and motion and then attack him. Or a strong safety who struggles in the deep middle.
The second reason this matters at the safety spot is the number of multiple-safety packages teams are now using. The Patriots, for example, rely heavily on three-safety packages using Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon.
Safeties are back.
A safety who has helped himself a great deal this draft process is Southern Illinois’ Jeremy Chinn. During Senior Bowl week Chinn displayed that positional flexibility, showing prowess down in the box as a strong safety player, but still having the athleticism to play as a middle of the field free safety. His explosiveness and burst to attack the boundary receiver from the middle of the field was on display the entire week in Mobile.
One of the more…awkward parts of the Senior Bowl is the weigh-in. Watching players cross the stage to get measured wearing their underwear is rather strange. But a player that certainly won the weigh-in was Chinn. As Bryan Perez, who covers the Chicago Bears for NBC Chicago described it, Chinn “was the most rocked-up defensive player at the weigh-ins.”
Then he came to Indianapolis.
Chinn measured in at 6’3” 221 pounds, and posted a 41” vertical with an 11’6” broad jump. Explosiveness to match what he put on tape. Size to play in the box. A fantastic Combine for him after a very solid Senior Bowl. Chinn has made some money this draft cycle.
Loser: Michael Divinity
If you are a prospect with a checkered past and some red flags next to your name, Indianapolis is a huge opportunity for you. You can meet with teams and explain your situation, and hopefully put some minds to ease.
You can also put some minds at ease by showing great power, athleticism and agility.
Hopefully Divinity put on a show during his meetings with teams, because he fell short during the testing portion of the Combine.
Divinity enters draft season with a few different red flags. He suffered an ankle injury which caused him to miss some time, and he also was declared ineligible by LSU head coach Ed Ogereon. According to this article from the Daily Advertiser, Divinity tested positive for marijuana, which led to him being declared ineligible.
Divinity returned to the team for the National Championship game, and had a chance at the Combine to show NFL scouts and coaches he was worth taking in the draft. But he posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.85 seconds, and that coupled with a vertical jump of 31.5” has him near the bottom in those categories in the linebacker group. He’ll need a much better showing at his Pro Day – coupled with some great interview sessions – to make up the lost ground.