Damarious Randall, 2015 First Round Pick

[red]

Lindy's

Safeties

#15 Damarious Randall

projected round- 6

in our view- A player with cb size but a free safety skill set, Randall took a winding road to Arizona State, including not playing football for 2 years following high school, and developed into a first team All-PAC 12 performer as a senior. He plays with a fast and physical attitude, routinely sticking his nose in the fire, but he can be inconsistant as a box safety.

Although he needs technique and discipline work in coverage, randall has the size and body fluidity to hold his own, including the ball skills and confidence for the next level. He isn't a day one starter at safety, but he has the traits to make an immediate impact on special teams coverages, and help in nickle situations.

Strengths- Highly aggressive and plays at full speed at all times. Never gives up on plays and has a knack for chasing down ball carriers from behind. Decisive sideline angles with closing burst to make up ground. Good anticipation to jump routes, reading the QB and baiting throws. Adequate ball skills amd knows what to do with the ball once he gains possession (6 career ints averaging 29.8 yards per return with 2 TDs). Played on special teams coverages with experience as a return man.

Weaknesses- Undersized and lacks ideal strength and bulk for safety position. Willing tackler, but too often needs help to finish stops and can be taken for a ride. Too many ankle biting tackle attempts. Overaggressive, leading to wasted steps and motion. Will get fooled by play-fakes due to his overaggressive nature. Needs to stay patient in his pedal and often bites too early, witch will lead to disaster when lined up in man coverage. Still very unpolished with the technical side of the game.

Grade 5.1

[wist43]

Lindy's

Safeties

#15 Damarious Randall

projected round- 6

in our view- A player with cb size but a free safety skill set, Randall took a winding road to Arizona State, including not playing football for 2 years following high school, and developed into a first team All-PAC 12 performer as a senior. He plays with a fast and physical attitude, routinely sticking his nose in the fire, but he can be inconsistant as a box safety.

Although he needs technique and discipline work in coverage, randall has the size and body fluidity to hold his own, including the ball skills and confidence for the next level. He isn't a day one starter at safety, but he has the traits to make an immediate impact on special teams coverages, and help in nickle situations.

Strengths- Highly aggressive and plays at full speed at all times. Never gives up on plays and has a knack for chasing down ball carriers from behind. Decisive sideline angles with closing burst to make up ground. Good anticipation to jump routes, reading the QB and baiting throws. Adequate ball skills amd knows what to do with the ball once he gains possession (6 career ints averaging 29.8 yards per return with 2 TDs). Played on special teams coverages with experience as a return man.

Weaknesses- Undersized and lacks ideal strength and bulk for safety position. Willing tackler, but too often needs help to finish stops and can be taken for a ride. Too many ankle biting tackle attempts. Overaggressive, leading to wasted steps and motion. Will get fooled by play-fakes due to his overaggressive nature. Needs to stay patient in his pedal and often bites too early, witch will lead to disaster when lined up in man coverage. Still very unpolished with the technical side of the game.

Grade 5.1

That's exactly what I saw of him - what little I could find.

"Ankle biting" tackler is a great description... I don't care what he might measure out as - he plays a midget brand of football. He plays very small, and doesn't have the bulk or strength to get even average WR's on the ground - he's going to get his ass handed to him by NFL WR's.

Read a couple of reports that had him as 5th rounder - that seems about right; but of course we just wasted a #1 on him.

Maybe he turns into a decent nickelback - but you don't spend 1st round draft picks on nickelbacks.

[mraynrand]

Read a couple of reports that had him as 5th rounder - that seems about right; but of course we just wasted a #1 on him.

would have been great value at #5, Mel

[woodbuck27]

That's exactly what I saw of him - what little I could find.

"Ankle biting" tackler is a great description... I don't care what he might measure out as - he plays a midget brand of football. He plays very small, and doesn't have the bulk or strength to get even average WR's on the ground - he's going to get his ass handed to him by NFL WR's.

Read a couple of reports that had him as 5th rounder - that seems about right; but of course we just wasted a #1 on him.

Maybe he turns into a decent nickelback - but you don't spend 1st round draft picks on nickelbacks.

and TT must have fallen in LOVE with him.

TT had better options.

[wist43]

That Oregon St. footage... my God he looks awful!!!

Can't tackle, plays soft, gets outrun, gets turned around, gets beat easily...

Wow, just wow how bad he looks in that game... will go thru the others when I get a chance.

[mraynrand]

That Oregon St. footage... my God he looks awful!!!

"Bit of a rough game here" I bet that's what attracted you to watch that one first! LOL

[HarveyWallbangers]

That's exactly what I saw of him - what little I could find.

"Ankle biting" tackler is a great description... I don't care what he might measure out as - he plays a midget brand of football. He plays very small, and doesn't have the bulk or strength to get even average WR's on the ground - he's going to get his ass handed to him by NFL WR's.

Read a couple of reports that had him as 5th rounder - that seems about right; but of course we just wasted a #1 on him.

Maybe he turns into a decent nickelback - but you don't spend 1st round draft picks on nickelbacks.

Remember the consternation! Do we have the threads going back to the Nick Collins pick or was that on JSO?

[wist43]

Remember the consternation! Do we have the threads going back to the Nick Collins pick or was that on JSO?

Harvey, he's exactly what I said he was, and he's exactly what he was in college. A guy with good ball skills, and tackles like a girl. I don't like him as a football player - he's far too soft. He's a terrible tackler. I thought Darby was a much better player - and he proved to be a better player with the Bills.

You guys like your soft players that can cover; and you value interceptions over stopping the run and forcing punts. Luckily for you, TT prefers to play soft-ball too - and we habitually have an average to poor defense as a result. I don't get it, but TT will never change, and you guys will never like physical football players. It is what it is.

[Fritz]

Harvey, he's exactly what I said he was, and he's exactly what he was in college. A guy with good ball skills, and tackles like a girl. I don't like him as a football player - he's far too soft. He's a terrible tackler. I thought Darby was a much better player - and he proved to be a better player with the Bills.

You guys like your soft players that can cover; and you value interceptions over stopping the run and forcing punts. Luckily for you, TT prefers to play soft-ball too - and we habitually have an average to poor defense as a result. I don't get it, but TT will never change, and you guys will never like physical football players. It is what it is.

If last year's draft could be done over today, with one year in the pros to now see, how many people think Randall would last until the Packers' pick in the first, much less the fifth round as Wist suggests?

[call_me_ishmael]

Harvey, he's exactly what I said he was, and he's exactly what he was in college. A guy with good ball skills, and tackles like a girl. I don't like him as a football player - he's far too soft. He's a terrible tackler. I thought Darby was a much better player - and he proved to be a better player with the Bills.

You guys like your soft players that can cover; and you value interceptions over stopping the run and forcing punts. Luckily for you, TT prefers to play soft-ball too - and we habitually have an average to poor defense as a result. I don't get it, but TT will never change, and you guys will never like physical football players. It is what it is.

"He's far too soft, he's a terrible tackler, and he's a perennial pro bowler!"

[HarveyWallbangers]

Lindy's

Safeties

#15 Damarious Randall

projected round- 6

in our view- A player with cb size but a free safety skill set, Randall took a winding road to Arizona State, including not playing football for 2 years following high school, and developed into a first team All-PAC 12 performer as a senior. He plays with a fast and physical attitude, routinely sticking his nose in the fire, but he can be inconsistant as a box safety.

Although he needs technique and discipline work in coverage, randall has the size and body fluidity to hold his own, including the ball skills and confidence for the next level. He isn't a day one starter at safety, but he has the traits to make an immediate impact on special teams coverages, and help in nickle situations.

Strengths- Highly aggressive and plays at full speed at all times. Never gives up on plays and has a knack for chasing down ball carriers from behind. Decisive sideline angles with closing burst to make up ground. Good anticipation to jump routes, reading the QB and baiting throws. Adequate ball skills amd knows what to do with the ball once he gains possession (6 career ints averaging 29.8 yards per return with 2 TDs). Played on special teams coverages with experience as a return man.

Weaknesses- Undersized and lacks ideal strength and bulk for safety position. Willing tackler, but too often needs help to finish stops and can be taken for a ride. Too many ankle biting tackle attempts. Overaggressive, leading to wasted steps and motion. Will get fooled by play-fakes due to his overaggressive nature. Needs to stay patient in his pedal and often bites too early, witch will lead to disaster when lined up in man coverage. Still very unpolished with the technical side of the game.

Grade 5.1

No offense, but anybody reading Lindy's should probably quit watching sports. They are awful, and they've been awful for at least 20 years.

[smuggler]

No offense, but anybody reading Lindy's should probably quit watching sports. They are awful, and they've been awful for at least 20 years.

QFT. They're terrible. Doesn't necessarily mean they're wrong here, of course.

Steelers' secondary is a mess, and they picked the pass rusher. Hmmm....

Yeah, they took the best player on their board (at a premium position) instead of reaching in the secondary. If Bud Dupree were there at 30, I imagine Green Bay would have picked him, also.

What I've heard is that New England also had D. Randall rated above M. Brown on their board.