Second-year players: Dozen defenders to watch in '09 (Jenkins and Scandrick Mention)
by Vinnie Iyer
1. Quintin Demps, FS, Eagles. Philadelphia fans will need to get used to a new face after seeing Brian Dawkins roam all over the field for so many years. Demps is on track to be his replacement at free safety. With Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs and underrated strong safety Quintin Mikell joining him in the defensive backfield, Demps will be left free to make big plays in a variety of roles.
Dawkins was effective in every area, from run support, to the blitz, to pass coverage. It will take some time for Demps to become such a great all-around safety, but the Eagles like his promise. If Demps can break out and Sheldon Brown sticks around to keep the team deep at cornerback, Philadelphia will have an elite secondary.
2. Tavares Gooden, ILB, Ravens. Gooden will also need to replace a free-agent departure: Bart Scott. Unfortunately he won't have the benefit of playing for former Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who as new coach of the Jets lured Scott to New York with him.
The good news for Gooden is he still gets to learn the ropes by playing right next to heavyweight Ray Lewis. Lewis' tackling prowess and Haloti Ngata's space-eating up front will also take immediate pressure off Gooden. Whether it's read and react or attack, Gooden should often find himself free of blockers.
3. Kenny Phillips, SS, Giants. Phillips has the potential to be the next great one at his position. He is a hard-hitter and strong tackler, and his emergence down the stretch during his rookie season allowed the team to let James Butler walk as a free agent. Phillips and 2007 seventh-rounder Michael Johnson form a solid young combination that should be the Giants' last line of defense for many years to come.
4-5. Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, CBs, Cowboys. One of them will likely end up starting opposite Terence Newman; the other will likely have a key role as the nickel back. Although Scandrick was the fifth-rounder and Jenkins was taken 25th overall, they are pretty much on even footing heading into a heated camp battle for the No. 2 job, with Scandrick having the slight edge. Scandrick did get more consistent playing time in subpackages last season.
Either way, Jenkins and Scandrick will both be key to the Cowboys' downfield coverage, and with Dallas boasting the league's best pass rush led by DeMarcus Ware, the pair need to help the team come up with more takeaways against hurried passers. They combined to produce one interception, one touchdown return and one sack as rookies.
6. Tracy Porter, CB, Saints. Five games into his rookie season, it seemed like New Orleans had finally found that elusive cornerback with potential shutdown skills in this Louisiana native. He can do it all with his 5-11, 185 frame — cover, tackle and make plays on the ball. Unfortunately, he dislocated his wrist in the team's Week 5 Monday night game against Minnesota and was lost for the season. In that short stint, Porter made a splash with a sack and an interception. For a defense short on playmakers, it needs him on the field and producing consistently.
7. Vernon Gholston, OLB, Jets. With Ryan overseeing the defense and Scott joining it, New York has a chance to put an elite unit on the field this season. Much of it will depend on how effective the Jets are in rushing the passer from the 3-4 and Gholston's progress in adjusting to the system in his second year.
With Scott, David Harris and Calvin Pace, three-fourths of the Jets' linebacker corps should be to Ryan's pleasing. Now it's that left outside spot that needs to be nailed down, where the primary options are Gholston (6th overall last year) and fellow first-rounder Bryan Thomas ('02, 22nd overall). Gholston needs to start showing he can succeed as an edge-rushing linebacker, as having a nondescript, sans-sack season just won't cut it.
8-9. Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves, DEs, Jaguars. Jacksonville went to the SEC to boost its pass rush last season, but it didn't get much from either Harvey or Groves, as they combined for only six sacks as rookies.
As the No. 8 overall pick in '08, Harvey is the more talented of the two, and therefore has more pressure to produce as a playmaker. It was a good sign that he started to come on in the second half of his rookie season. Groves has double-digit sack potential, making it important for Harvey to draw more attention when he plays on the right, opposite end. Jacksonville finished only 21st in the league in sacks (29) last season.
10. Craig Steltz, S, Bears. When you watched Steltz throw his body around with reckless abandon at LSU, you knew some team would love his work ethic and would give him a shot at a prominent role. It's appropriate Lovie Smith found him as a right fit for Chicago's black-and-blue collar defense.
The '08 fourth-rounder, who stands a sturdy 6-1, 210, has the slight lead over his main competitor for the team's free safety job, former Saint Josh Bullocks. Steltz doesn't dazzle with his speed or range, but he is a tough tackler and extra linebacker type to keep the team strong against the run.
11. Keith Rivers, OLB, Bengals. It's hard to forget how Rivers' rookie season came to an abrupt end — on a vicious blow from Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in Week 7. On the play, Rivers suffered a broken jaw and was out for the season. Much like Porter was to New Orleans, Cincinnati thought it had the missing playmaker it desperately needed.
Rivers again will settle into the weak side, and the team drafted former Southern Cal hammer Rey Maualuga for middle linebacker. With inside starter Dhani Jones and Rashad Jeanty also in the mix, Marvin Lewis has a deep second-level corps. Rivers can be a disruptive force in Lewis' 4-3 scheme. The Bengals' defense snuck up to a respectable level last season, but if Cincinnati is to move up closer to the top dozen, it needs Rivers to break out.
12. Chris Long, DE, Rams. St. Louis was dedicated to significantly improving its defense in the offseason, and it all started with the hiring of former Giants coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as head coach. He brought in Butler to shore up safety, and then just two weeks ago drafted James Laurinaitis, who will line up right away at middle linebacker.
1. Quintin Demps, FS, Eagles. Philadelphia fans will need to get used to a new face after seeing Brian Dawkins roam all over the field for so many years. Demps is on track to be his replacement at free safety. With Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs and underrated strong safety Quintin Mikell joining him in the defensive backfield, Demps will be left free to make big plays in a variety of roles.
Dawkins was effective in every area, from run support, to the blitz, to pass coverage. It will take some time for Demps to become such a great all-around safety, but the Eagles like his promise. If Demps can break out and Sheldon Brown sticks around to keep the team deep at cornerback, Philadelphia will have an elite secondary.
2. Tavares Gooden, ILB, Ravens. Gooden will also need to replace a free-agent departure: Bart Scott. Unfortunately he won't have the benefit of playing for former Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who as new coach of the Jets lured Scott to New York with him.
The good news for Gooden is he still gets to learn the ropes by playing right next to heavyweight Ray Lewis. Lewis' tackling prowess and Haloti Ngata's space-eating up front will also take immediate pressure off Gooden. Whether it's read and react or attack, Gooden should often find himself free of blockers.
3. Kenny Phillips, SS, Giants. Phillips has the potential to be the next great one at his position. He is a hard-hitter and strong tackler, and his emergence down the stretch during his rookie season allowed the team to let James Butler walk as a free agent. Phillips and 2007 seventh-rounder Michael Johnson form a solid young combination that should be the Giants' last line of defense for many years to come.
4-5. Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, CBs, Cowboys. One of them will likely end up starting opposite Terence Newman; the other will likely have a key role as the nickel back. Although Scandrick was the fifth-rounder and Jenkins was taken 25th overall, they are pretty much on even footing heading into a heated camp battle for the No. 2 job, with Scandrick having the slight edge. Scandrick did get more consistent playing time in subpackages last season.
Either way, Jenkins and Scandrick will both be key to the Cowboys' downfield coverage, and with Dallas boasting the league's best pass rush led by DeMarcus Ware, the pair need to help the team come up with more takeaways against hurried passers. They combined to produce one interception, one touchdown return and one sack as rookies.
6. Tracy Porter, CB, Saints. Five games into his rookie season, it seemed like New Orleans had finally found that elusive cornerback with potential shutdown skills in this Louisiana native. He can do it all with his 5-11, 185 frame — cover, tackle and make plays on the ball. Unfortunately, he dislocated his wrist in the team's Week 5 Monday night game against Minnesota and was lost for the season. In that short stint, Porter made a splash with a sack and an interception. For a defense short on playmakers, it needs him on the field and producing consistently.
7. Vernon Gholston, OLB, Jets. With Ryan overseeing the defense and Scott joining it, New York has a chance to put an elite unit on the field this season. Much of it will depend on how effective the Jets are in rushing the passer from the 3-4 and Gholston's progress in adjusting to the system in his second year.
With Scott, David Harris and Calvin Pace, three-fourths of the Jets' linebacker corps should be to Ryan's pleasing. Now it's that left outside spot that needs to be nailed down, where the primary options are Gholston (6th overall last year) and fellow first-rounder Bryan Thomas ('02, 22nd overall). Gholston needs to start showing he can succeed as an edge-rushing linebacker, as having a nondescript, sans-sack season just won't cut it.
8-9. Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves, DEs, Jaguars. Jacksonville went to the SEC to boost its pass rush last season, but it didn't get much from either Harvey or Groves, as they combined for only six sacks as rookies.
As the No. 8 overall pick in '08, Harvey is the more talented of the two, and therefore has more pressure to produce as a playmaker. It was a good sign that he started to come on in the second half of his rookie season. Groves has double-digit sack potential, making it important for Harvey to draw more attention when he plays on the right, opposite end. Jacksonville finished only 21st in the league in sacks (29) last season.
10. Craig Steltz, S, Bears. When you watched Steltz throw his body around with reckless abandon at LSU, you knew some team would love his work ethic and would give him a shot at a prominent role. It's appropriate Lovie Smith found him as a right fit for Chicago's black-and-blue collar defense.
The '08 fourth-rounder, who stands a sturdy 6-1, 210, has the slight lead over his main competitor for the team's free safety job, former Saint Josh Bullocks. Steltz doesn't dazzle with his speed or range, but he is a tough tackler and extra linebacker type to keep the team strong against the run.
11. Keith Rivers, OLB, Bengals. It's hard to forget how Rivers' rookie season came to an abrupt end — on a vicious blow from Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in Week 7. On the play, Rivers suffered a broken jaw and was out for the season. Much like Porter was to New Orleans, Cincinnati thought it had the missing playmaker it desperately needed.
Rivers again will settle into the weak side, and the team drafted former Southern Cal hammer Rey Maualuga for middle linebacker. With inside starter Dhani Jones and Rashad Jeanty also in the mix, Marvin Lewis has a deep second-level corps. Rivers can be a disruptive force in Lewis' 4-3 scheme. The Bengals' defense snuck up to a respectable level last season, but if Cincinnati is to move up closer to the top dozen, it needs Rivers to break out.
12. Chris Long, DE, Rams. St. Louis was dedicated to significantly improving its defense in the offseason, and it all started with the hiring of former Giants coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as head coach. He brought in Butler to shore up safety, and then just two weeks ago drafted James Laurinaitis, who will line up right away at middle linebacker.
posted by The Gryphon at 5:45 PM
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