Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,269
Likes: 244
Legend
Online
Legend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,269
Likes: 244
Analysis
By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 7/Priority free agent
Overview
Stout but stubby split-safety prospect with excellent instincts and body control, but a concerning lack of length and functional speed. Stone's football IQ is obvious, as he's often triggering down on top of a route before the quarterback is even winding up. He plays with a sheriff's urgency on the backend but struggles to make an impact when he's not playing forward. He lacks a burst to chase or close in man coverage and he has trouble changing direction sharply as a downhill tackler. There are some athletic limitations, but his feel for the game could help him find a home.
Strengths
Above-average body control in everything he does
Plus awareness of route development from safety perch
Diligent getting receivers re-routed with bossy shove
Instincts allow for early breaks on throws
Stays light on his feet for transition with breaks
Eyes to quarterback as soon as he sees route break
Smooth eyes to process route combinations cleanly
Not much hesitation to pull the trigger in run support
Quick to find his pursuit angle in the alley
Weaknesses
Compact but stubby build with short arms
Inconsistent urgency to close red zone targets at times
Sees it, but lacks juice and length to make enough plays
Below average explosion off ground on jump balls
Long speed concerns will follow him to the league
Tightly bound with no more steering in his hips
Lack of length and lateral agility concern scouts as tackler
GRADE
8.0
The perfect prospect
7.3-7.5
Perennial All-Pro
7.0-7.1
Pro Bowl talent
6.7-6.8
Year 1 quality starter
6.5
Boom or bust prospect
6.3-6.4
Will be starter within first two seasons
6.1-6.2
Good backup who could become starter
6.0
Developmental traits-based prospect
5.8-5.9
Backup/special-teamer
5.5

Chance to make end of roster or practice squad
5.4
Priority free agent
5.0-5.1
Chance to be in an NFL training camp
NO GRADE
Likely needs time in developmental league

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/geno-stone?id=32195354-4f39-6630-4d73-2328fd2eb451


#gmstrong
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,309
Likes: 29
Dawg Talker
Offline
Dawg Talker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,309
Likes: 29
J/C

Geno Stone, Iowa. The more I read about him the more it seemed that he was projected as a Strong Saftey. Don't know whether the Browns view him as such.

Free Saftey is the higher priority but another Strong for depth and development would be nice.

What I'm unsure of is how Woods will scheme his pass defense. That makes a difference who fits into our secondary.

Recently I was concerned about Delpit's tackling but as I watched more of his play my concerns decreased. He will need to clean up his tackling technique but he isn't reluctant to tackle. Based on tape I'd say he's the best FS prospect with McKinney as 1B. Then Davis.

I like Chinn a lot too. Because he has played some corner I think he could cover deep. I just think he has some box skills that might make evaluators question whether he is an FS.

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,269
Likes: 244
Legend
Online
Legend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,269
Likes: 244
I’ve seen him mocked as high as the 5th round. PFF seems to be higher on him than others.


#gmstrong
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 55,499
Likes: 906
V
Legend
OP Offline
Legend
V
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 55,499
Likes: 906
Originally Posted By: Pdawg
Iowa. He’s projected as a ss


I posted this earlier, but this seems to suggest that Stone is a good fit at FS. It's from PFF.

Quote:
Quote:
Geno Stone's statistical projections are among the best in his class

By Eric Eager
Mar 25, 2020

Like his contemporary, Grant Delpit, Stone’s best year came in his sophomore campaign, when he earned an 88.4 overall PFF grade. Unlike Delpit, Stone did not regress significantly in 2019, earning an 83.4 overall PFF grade. His interceptions fell from four to one, but he broke up another three passes and allowed only 22 of 36 passes into his coverage to be completed, while earning four pressures and 19 stops.

Using our college-to-pro system, we will look at Stone’s projected performance during his rookie contract. This projection uses his play-by-play data from college, adjusts it for play- and opponent-level context and weighs more-recent data more than past data.

How Stone Projects as a Coverage Player

Stone is projected to be the biggest playmaker in this safety class, edging out Delpit in terms of percentage of primary coverage snaps where he earns an interception or pass break up:

Geno Stone’s projected completion percentage allowed and play maker rate during the first five years of his NFL career in the context-free environment.

Stone’s context-free projection gives him comps like Earl Thomas and Justin Simmons in coverage, which is great company to have. Context matters, though, and the majority of Stone’s snaps came deep (521 of 838) his final season as a Hawkeye. Adjusting for this:

Geno Stone’s projected completion percentage allowed and play maker rate during the first five years of his NFL career in an environment where 20 percent of his snaps are in the box, 20 percent in the slot and 60 percent deep.

Stone’s ability as a playmaker remains when we project him as a predominantly free safety, as do his impressive statistical comps.

How Stone Projects as a Run Defender

We don’t have much in the way of data for Stone as a pass rusher, since he did so on just seven snaps at Iowa (earning a pressure on five of those snaps). However, he did have almost 600 snaps of run defense, and those snaps put him in the middle of the class in terms of projected run-stop percentage or projected percentage of snaps earning a positively graded play designation from us at PFF.

His comps as a run defender are deep players like Earl Thomas and Ha Ha Clinton Dix, as well as more versatile guys like Adrian Amos and Will Hill, which is roughly in the middle of the pack in his class and above average relative to rookie-deal free safeties in the NFL. Run defense is not as important as other aspects of football, and thus while Stone is not elite in that area, his potential as a coverage player along with this projection as a defender in the run game is a good combination. Any team with a need at deep safety, or just looking to play more safeties in a modern defense that deploys three or more, will be getting a good one in the former Iowa standout.

Geno Stone’s projected run stop rate and positively graded play rate in the run game during the first five years of his NFL career in an environment where 20 percent of his snaps are in the box, 20 percent in the slot and 60 percent deep.

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,120
Likes: 204
Hall of Famer
Online
Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,120
Likes: 204
Thanks for the input guys.

I am still a fan of Julian Blackmon S Utah
6'0, 187#

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/julian-blackmon?id=3219424c-4128-3027-fdc4-2c27128f84f7
Blackmon was a three-star recruit from Utah even though he broke his hand during his senior year, which cut down the scholarship offers. Signing on with his home-state school proved a wise move for both parties. Blackmon played safety in 2019, garnering second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 honors by starting 13 games, collecting 60 tackles, four for loss, a team-high four interceptions, four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. His '19 campaign came to an end when he suffered a non-contact injury in the Pac-12 title game. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 accolades at cornerback as a sophomore and junior, starting all 27 games. Blackmon led the Utes with four interceptions in 2017 while also posting 48 tackles and six pass breakups. The following season, he again posted 48 stops, four for loss, an interception, and a team-high 10 pass breakups. Blackmon played in nine games as a reserve his true freshman season, making two tackles.


https://www.nfl.com/prospects/julian%20-blackmon?id=3219424c-4128-3027-fdc4-2c27128f84f7

Strengths
Has grown into man-sized frame
Good combination of size and speed
Plays with rugged demeanor when it's time
Disciplined reading man cover keys against play-action
Starting cornerback experience with ability to check tight ends
Adequate pattern recognition underneath
Has nine interceptions in three years
Factors favorably when supporting versus quick game
Plays through blockers in space
Quick to close distance and aggressive hitter in run support
Wipe-out talent when running the alleys

Weaknesses
Coverage issues in 2018 forced him to safety
Recovery speed is just average
Struggles with balance in sudden transitions
Indecision stalls opportunities for early jumps from high zone
May not have instincts for desired range over the top
Loses deep contain in scramble situations too often
Takes suspect angles and tracking needs work as high safety
Had a very poor game against USC
Suffered knee injury in December


People who lack accountability think everything is an attack
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 7,914
Likes: 324
Hall of Famer
Offline
Hall of Famer
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 7,914
Likes: 324
Originally Posted By: Versatile Dog
j/c:

Okay, I asked this on another thread..........but, why isn't anyone mentioning Stone. Dude is excellent in coverage. What am I missing that no one is even talking about him on here?


Sub-30" inch arms and not overly athletic. Most projections I've seen have him late round or PFA.

His instincts are good, but he's limited physically/athletically.


[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
You mess with the "Bull," you get the horns.
Fiercely Independent.
Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4
DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2020 NFL Season 2020 NFL Draft Drafting a Free Safety

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5