DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2018 NFL Season 2018 NFL Draft Derwin James

This kids an option with Houston.s pick. If Minkah-Fitzpatrick is gone, would James work as that FS we need?

Who's seen him at FSU? Can he be a FS at the next level?

Florida State’s Derwin James is a well-known prospect who has the potential to be a do-everything defender at the next level.

Derwin James possesses a rare combination of size, length and explosiveness. He has the raw talent that makes evaluators drool. James also features the feel for the game needed to routinely make impact plays.

Florida State uses him all over the fielding lining him up in the slot, deep safety and near the line of scrimmage. From these different alignments James is asked to fulfill multiple duties.

He has experience playing man coverage out of the slot where he shows the balance and quickness to keep in phase. In deep zone coverage, James shows the ability to read the quarterback and burst to click and close on the football.

His hands and ability to high point the football makes him an asset in contested situations. This is an important skill because of how many contested catches are make in the NFL.

James is an aggressive run defender who makes reliable tackles with some pop. He also shows the awareness to attempt to strip the football. Florida State will use James a as blitzer off the edge where he shows a knack for creating pressure.

He even has the feel to get his hands up for a batted ball. James is a truly versatile defender who will be a chess piece for a defensive coordinator.

His athletic profile means that there is still some room for him to grow as a player. He has that explosive burst and quick-twitch ability that helps him cover a ton of ground. James should be an early 1st round pick based on his previous production and upside.
https://withthefirstpick.com/2017/11/14/projecting-2018-nfl-draft-order-week-11-update/

First Look: Scouting Florida State safety Derwin James
By Daniel Jeremiah
NFL Media analyst
Published: June 8, 2017

Florida State safety Derwin James is arguably the most physically talented defensive player in college football. Unfortunately, he missed the majority of his sophomore campaign due to a left knee injury, but he is fully healthy and ready to go for the 2017 season. I went back and studied 2 of his games from his freshman season as well as the opening game of 2016. Here's my scouting report.

Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 211 pounds

What I liked: James has outstanding size, speed, explosiveness and versatility. He's shown tremendous range when aligned in the deep half or deep middle (see pass breakup against Clemson). He can cover ground quickly and locate the ball once he arrives (see INT vs. Ole Miss). He's been used as an outside linebacker at times and he's a dynamic pass rusher. He can win with pure speed or a devastating inside counter move. James has the agility to match up with tight ends in man coverage and he possesses the makeup speed to recover if he gets out of position.

Where he needs to improve: James' lack of ball production is a bit of a concern. He has only one interception in his brief career. If he can stay healthy for a full season, I firmly believe his ball production will drastically improve. I'd also like to see him show more consistent effort as a backside run defender. He has some loafs on tape and that's unusual for big-time safety prospects. This should be an easy fix.

Biggest takeaway: James made some incredible splash plays (mostly big hits and sacks) in every game I studied. He's a wow player. However, I would like to see more ball production from him this fall. If he improves in that area, there's no reason he can't be viewed as an elite safety prospect. He has a unique physical skill set, which allows him to make plays all over the field. I like him best when he's around the line of scrimmage. I think he could develop into a faster, more athletic version of Kam Chancellor. I know that's high praise, but he has that type of ability.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000...ty-derwin-james

By Charlie Campbell

Skill-Set Summary: Defenses in the passing0driven NFL need safeties who can contribute in a variety of ways; they can be called on to cover wide receivers one-on-one, help deep over the top, defend receiving tight ends one-on-one, challenge big wideouts, and serve as essential run defenders. James is a great fit for being a flexible defender who helps his defense solve a variety of problems.

There is no doubt that James is a freak athlete. He is a very fast defender who flies around the football field, demonstrating good instincts with tremendous closing speed. On top of being very fast, James is a big safety with height and strength. He will dish out some bone-rattling hits and is a good tackler on running backs in space. James has the height, length, and leaping ability to match up on wide receivers or tight ends downfield.

James is a real asset in pass coverage. He can play the deep center field as he possesses the speed and instincts to be a true single-high safety. His coverage skills as a free safety are very impressive, too, as he flies around the field to defend receivers running deep. James can get to the sideline like a blur, yet also havs the size to defend jump balls against big wideouts or tight ends. James is so big and fast that he also could play press-man cornerback on big wide receivers. The versatility of James' skill set makes him a real weapon in man coverage on tight ends and receiving backs as well.

James also is a willing run defender as he will come downhill into the box to make tackles. He doesn't hesitate to get physical in the secondary and dish out some hard hits. James has good size and could be a safety who moves down to serve as the eighth man in the box in a strong safety or a nickel linebacker role given his impressive strength and physicality.

One top scout who has already worked the 2018 class told WalterFootball.com that he thinks James is among the top-three prospects for the 2018 NFL Draft - when healthy. That scout thinks that James has transcendent ability for what he can do for a defense. Sources from other teams have also raved about James being the real deal and a first-round talent. Thus, if James stays consistent with his performance on the field and stays healthy, he should be a highly coveted prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft.

For the NFL, I think James has Pro Bowl potential as a versatile safety who can do a lot things and erase mismatches.

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2018DJames.php#ixzz51QQ1MfJE

James and FSU play December 27 at 1:30pm. I'll be at work but I intend to DVR the game and watch.

What little I have seen of him I liked, he is a great athlete who can cover and is also very physical. He would be worth a look with our 2nd 1st rounder or a possible trade up back into the 1st rd. if he drops for some reason. But if we took him at #5 I would be ok with that ...

Rosen, then Minka and if Minka is gone, James. We need a tone setter and leader on Defense. I think either of them would satisfy. I like his physicality.

I'm a fan of drafting James if possible. We desperately need a versatile, rangy, physical presence back there

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...raft/108336476/

Derwin is skipping the game.

Thanks for the info.

We loved Hooker. I'm curious when we dig deeper into James and Minkah-Fitzpatrick, how you will compare the 3.

I understand and agree with the decision to not play, but I also hate it, if you know what I mean. We're going to see more and more of this. Just a matter of time before some phenom decides to sit out the National Championship game. I keep thinking back to Willis McGahee ...

Yeah, they should pay their players.

I would definitely have a Lloyds of London insurance policy.

If you can afford it. He isn't able to hire a agent at this point. Agents can front for things like that.

If his parents or family don't have the cash, what is he going to do? He can't take one as a gift from a booster or friend, or he violates NCAA rules.

Point taken, but other guys have done it. I don't think they could afford it and they had the same agent/booster/alumni restrictions. There has to be a way.

I seem to remember the schools purchasing them. Not sure how that was allowed but thinking back, that is what I kinda sorta remember.

I haven't began to study any of them, so right now I am clueless. But yeah, it will be a fun discussion as we gain more knowledge.

Just imo and from what I've watched over the past two years...

1. Jamal Adams - He could do it all. You could place him all over the field and he'll make a play.

2. Minkah Fitzpatrick - I'm putting Minkah above Malik because I think he's a more polished player at this point. He can also play two positions at high levels. I also think he plays better against TEs than Hooker does.

3. Malik Hooker - Ballhawk with serious speed. His coverage skills were pretty good, although he did his best playing center field. He had tackling issues and only played 6 years of organized football when he was drafted. His rawness is a knock as a prospect.

4. Derwin James - Derwin has the tools to play safety at the next stage of the NFL. He can cover the bigger WRs and TE's, while still being able to play either in the box or center field. He can take bad angles on running plays, but he's a going to be a freak at the next level.

5. Jabrill Peppers - Jabrill and the following players are all on a lower tier than the 4 prospects above them. Those guys are all slam dunks. Jabrill goes here because he's a good run defender and has playmaking abilities on special teams. Theoretically these playmaking skills could translate to coverage skills, a thing he wasn't asked to do in the Big 10's run heavy conference He still has yet to show these coverage abilities in the NFL as the Browns have him playing beer vendor in their defense.

6. Obi - Ok, this dude has been complete crap since he's got to the NFL. He hasn't played and when he has, he's been exposed. That does not change the fact that he's a once in a lifetime athlete. He also got placed on IR after a hip surgery. Since this is about prospects and not NFL play, I'm cool with keeping Peppers and Obi in their original places, especially since we don't have the combine numbers for this upcoming class. It doesn't make much of a difference but it reassuring to know that a FS prospect has FS speed instead of SS speed.

7. DeShon Elliot - DeShon can do it all. He plays all over the field for Texas. He'll line up in the box, off the los or as the deep safety depending on where they need him. He covers TE very well, his slot coverage leads to be desired for.

8. Justin Reid - I haven't watched too much of Justin Reid, but I have liked what I did see. Minus the USC game where he got torched by Darnold. He is also one of those safeties who are good enough against the run to play in the box, but has the coverage skills to play FS.

9. Budda Baker - Budda was a great defensive player. He was always around the ball in college. He could stuff the run, rush the passer and play against slot WRs. His 5'10 frame works against him as a prospect. His 4.45 40 showed he had the ability to play FS in the NFL. He became a starter after week 11 for the Cardinals.

10. Marcus Maye - Marcus Maye was a pretty good safety, but could give up a lot of big plays. He really dropped on my draft board when I saw Zay Jones break his ankles on the same route two times during a game. I guess he's playing pretty well with the Jets though.

11. Marcus Williams - A solid safety who was good in coverage, I think he lead the NCAA in interceptions too. His run defense left a lot to be desired. And he was a little small and slower than the other prospects.

12. Justin Evans - I thought he was SS and a bad tackler. I did think he did well playing centerfield (not man), but he was best closer to the los. His combine time helped reinforce that. However, he's been playing FS in Tampa and I think he leads rookies in ints?

13. Damon Webb - I think he is a little slept on, mainly because he's small for safeties now. I think he makes smart plays within OSU's defense and his range his a positive. I haven't critically watched him yet.

14. Armani Watts - Slow, small and can't play man. His instincts and work ethic are top notch though. I don't think he has the measurables to play anything besides special teams.

I haven't watched: Jordan Whitehead (Pittsburgh), Terrell Edmunds (VT), Quin Blanding (Virginia). Guess I'm going to be watching a lot of ACC games these next few weeks

I disagree w/some of your takes, but that was very good football post. Nice job.

Watched the Florida State Louisville Game and wanted to share some of my notes on certain plays. The game is found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSLJsiXH-Os

00:06:11 - Derwin starts off the screen, but we start to see him as the run gets into the second level. Derwin tries to fight through the WR's block to tackle Lamar Jackson. Lamar sneaks out of a 3 ways collison and breaks it further upfield. Despite Derwin's initial move not working out, he is still able to turn around and get an angle on Lamar.
00:21:12 - Derwin comes on a blitz and gets the left tackle backpeddling then gives him a nice swim move to get past him.
00:28:09 - Derwin starts offscreen. The play is an option play and Lamar takes it to the outside. Derwin is able to use the sideline to keep Lamar to a minimal gain.
00:28:44 - Derwin does a good job at finishing off a runningback pushing forward.
00:33:23 - It's 4th and 5. Derwin starts ~8 yards from the los, over the TE. The TE runs a 6 yard out that Derwin sees and covers.
00:38:14 - Derwin comes on an overload blitz with others and pressures Lamar. Lamar makes sure to keep his distance from Derwin and throws a checkdown pass to the RB. Derwin's explosiveness and leaping ability is on full display on this play.
00:41:59 - Derwin comes on yet another blitz. This time he is able to put a hand on Lamar and helps take him down.
00:50:01 - Derwin recognizes that the play is a screen going to the running back. He starts to pursue the RB, but gets chipped by the WR and two linemen and ends up falling short of the running back.
00:52:37 - Derwin covers the TE and runs with him. I would like to see some sort of bump at the top of this route. Does a fine job at covering the route though.
01:10:36 - Derwin starts off at the top of the screen, but it seems like he's covering the middle of the field/the slot WR. By the time Lamar breaks this run, Derwin is running back to that side. Also, Derwin really respects Lamar's speed based on the angle he took to him. He also does a good job at finishing off the tackle.
01:12:20 - Derwin does a good job tackling, saving a touchdown.
01:52:39 - The game is tied with 5:25 left. It's 3rd and 3. Lines up ~12 yards off the los. Ball is snapped and he immediately sees that it's a zone option play. Runningback gets the ball and gets hit 2 yards past the los. The runningback starts fighting for extra yards, but Derwin and another defender come in very quickly to stuff him in his track. His short range explosiveness really stands out on this play.
01:53:26 - One play after, it's 4th and 1. Derwin lines up 9 yards off the los. He identifies it as a run play and immediately fills the gap, stuffing the running back.
01:59:21 - Plays 10 yards over the tight end. As the tight end runs at him, Derwin does not backpeddle, but jams him at the point of contact. Immediately stopping any forward momentum of the TE.
02:00:15 - 3rd and 1 with 46 seconds left on FSU's 44. This is a running situation for Louisville and Derwin lines up in the box. Lamar keeps the ball in this option play (The RB was getting the option for the last 6 or so options it felt like), while the defense sold out on the running back. Derwin sees that Lamar has the ball, but it's too late. Lamar has the corner on him and starts to runs away from him. Derwin does a great job at flipping his hips and chasing Lamar down from behind. But by then Lamar already got to the 33 yard line.
02:01:29 - Derwin is lined up as the weak outside linebacker. Identifies it's a run to his side and makes the tackle.

Great info. Thanks.

So, what would your summary of his play in that game be?

Game changer?
Impact player?
Good player?
Flash player, but not consistent?
Underwhelming?
Stay away from this dude?

I know some of those don't fit your observations, but would your summative evaluation of his play in that particular game be?

I bet old man Ben Watson doesn't get open against DJ

I could see him as a future pro bowl player at either SS or FS. He's good against the run and has top notch athleticism and length. He'll also be 21 by the time he's drafted. There are a lot of things I'd like to see him improve on. Staying closer to tight ends out of their breaks, his pursuit angles need to be worked on. I also really like to see safeties make defensive pre-snap adjustments and I have yet to see Derwin do this on a standard basis. Maybe he's just not asked to at FSU. Either way, I haven't seen him do it much.

I firmly believe unless it's by injury or lack of motivation Derwin has the skill set and raw ability to be a top 5 overall S if not no1. He has that ed reed, troy level gamechanging ability. I haven't been around in a while but the last guy I spoke like this about was odell and I was laughed at for calling a 5"11 wr the best I'd ever studied. Hes a loud personality but not in a negative way that I've heard of. if he wants to be the best there's no reason he can't be. It's a shame he got injured because if he had another year under his belt I think people would be calling him the Myles Garrett of this class.