With Roman Harper almost sure to be suspended and possibly Malcolm Jenkins as well I had been calling for the Saints to draft some depth at some point at safety. My wish was granted in the 5th round in Samford’s SS Corey White. Once again the Saints found their target coming from a obscure school. When you read this guy’s bio, you’ll immediately think he’s a carbon copy of Roman Harper.
Here is his write up on NFL.com:
Overview: White is an up-and-coming prospect out of Samford who has great size for a cornerback and could be moved back to safety at the next level given his skill set. He has been a consistent tackler and run defender. He could benefit from playing at the back of a defense and working toward the line of scrimmage to be more involved in run support than he would be from his corner position. He could struggle with the athletic demands of the cornerback position. Look for him to be taken in the late rounds as a project and special teams contributor.
Strengths: White is very strong in run support, where he takes great angles toward the ball. He uses his feet to track runners and fit on them to make plays. He approaches ball carriers like a safety would, which bodes well for a position switch. White displays good athletic ability when near a receiver with the ball is in the air, but he can struggle getting to that point. All these skills combine to make him a stronger and more intriguing safety than corner, especially given his size.
Weaknesses: White is not a great athlete for the corner position. He is a bit of an awkward runner and can struggle in transition. He stutters his feet through movements and in and out of breaks, which makes it difficult for him to cover closely in man-to-man schemes. He is a bit late in reacting to plays because of his slow footwork, and the same is true of his reactions when working in zone.
Depth at safety with Jonathon Amaya and Isa Abdul-Quddus is shaky at best so I’m a big fan of this pickup, though this guy clearly seems like a much better fit at strong safety. Welcome to the Saints Corey!
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