Colts select Nick Cross

[sb41champs]

Welcome to the Colts Mr Cross !!

 

I can hardly wait to see you showcase your skill set on the playing field !!

[Dark Superman]

I'm drooling over the fact the Colts two starting Safeties in a year or two could be Blackmon and Cross.

[Moosejawcolt]

12 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Actually, his lateral agility is one of his strengths. He’s really freaky going sideline to sideline. Watch his play against Penn State. He’s more than just an athletic safety.

 

The holes in his game were reading certain types of plays. But he’s only 20 and that is easily coachable as he gets experience. He just needs time in the film room.

Lowers his shoulder for the big hit rather than wrapping up securely.

Has tight hips and has only average lateral agility

Takes poor angles to the ball carrier which results in him being late to the play

Has never performed well in coverage and has a college career QB rate when targeted of 94.2

Doesn't look to be natural in coverage - will need a great deal of development

[Moosejawcolt]

2 minutes ago, Moosejawcolt said:

Lowers his shoulder for the big hit rather than wrapping up securely.

Has tight hips and has only average lateral agility

Takes poor angles to the ball carrier which results in him being late to the play

Has never performed well in coverage and has a college career QB rate when targeted of 94.2

Doesn't look to be natural in coverage - will need a great deal of development

Laugh if u want but he was a late 3rd round pick. He is ultra athletic and was still drafted late so he does have warts when it comes to playing the game. 

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, Moosejawcolt said:

Laugh if u want but he was a late 3rd round pick. He is ultra athletic and was still drafted late so he does have warts when it comes to playing the game. 

Still so hard to believe you’re not in the Colts personnel department.    They’re missing out on your invaluable insights….   

[Moosejawcolt]

2 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Still so hard to believe you’re not in the Colts personnel department.    They’re missing out on your invaluable insights….   

I know. I keep writing to them but they don't write back.

[jvan1973]

23 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

Lowers his shoulder for the big hit rather than wrapping up securely.

Has tight hips and has only average lateral agility

Takes poor angles to the ball carrier which results in him being late to the play

Has never performed well in coverage and has a college career QB rate when targeted of 94.2

Doesn't look to be natural in coverage - will need a great deal of development

Yeah,  I'm sure you have done more scouting on him than morroco brown.  

[Dunk]

18 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I know. I keep writing to them but they don't write back.

Don't fret it. As soon as that restraining order Chris Ballard filed against me expires, I will tell him in person to get in touch with you.

[Two_pound]

The thing is though, only 32 guys can be first round picks, then 32 more for the second round, being a "late 3rd round pick" is still pretty good. He will be a big time contributor as a rookie. Ballard has just as high success rate of draft picks as anyone else.

[IanColts22]

NFL.COM says will eventually be an average starter LOL!!  They predicted his whole pro career before he even played.

[GoColts8818]

9 minutes ago, IanColts22 said:

NFL.COM says will eventually be an average starter LOL!!  They predicted his whole pro career before he even played.

Welcome to draft grades before rookie mini camp even starts.  

[GoColts8818]

47 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

The thing is though, only 32 guys can be first round picks, then 32 more for the second round, being a "late 3rd round pick" is still pretty good. He will be a big time contributor as a rookie. Ballard has just as high success rate of draft picks as anyone else.

That and we all know positions are valued different.  For example if Taylor was a QB and not a running back and had that kind of level or production that he did in college as QB and not a RB he would have been the top overall pick in the draft but as it was he was a second round pick.  Not because of talent but because of position.  Safeties are seen like that.  Yes you’ll see ones like Kyle Hamilton go in the first round but you also see good starters come in the mid rounds because the position just isn’t as valued as you other positions.

[Moosejawcolt]

4 hours ago, jvan1973 said:

Yeah,  I'm sure you have done more scouting on him than morroco brown.  

Well if u look at my earlier comments on another thread, I said he kind of reminds me if BOb Sanders. 

[NewColtsFan]

On 5/4/2022 at 5:32 PM, Moosejawcolt said:

Lowers his shoulder for the big hit rather than wrapping up securely.

Has tight hips and has only average lateral agility

Takes poor angles to the ball carrier which results in him being late to the play

Has never performed well in coverage and has a college career QB rate when targeted of 94.2

Doesn't look to be natural in coverage - will need a great deal of development

Have you viewed ANY of the clips of Ballard or the scouts talking about Cross?   Any?

 

They freely admit he needs to be coached up.  They freely admit he needs more experience.
 

What I object to is that you write an entirely negative review and act like that’s the full and complete review.  
 

*** You don’t say he’s not even 21 yet.
*** You don’t say he hasn’t played that much football in his life. 
*** You don’t say he’s got qualities that can be coached…. 6’1” 210+, sub-4.4, and other testing scores thru the roof.  
*** You don’t say the Colts believe that if Cross had gone back to school he’d be a 2nd round pick next year. 
*** You don’t say the Colts believe Cross can play either Safety position, something most safeties can’t do. 
 

Look at all the things you DIDN’T say. 
 

You also act as if you’ve viewed as much tape on Cross as the coaches have.   Your view is lopsided and all out of balance.   Just as it’s been on Nelson, Leonard, Smith and countless others….. 

 

 

[Moosejawcolt]

On 5/5/2022 at 10:39 PM, NewColtsFan said:

Have you viewed ANY of the clips of Ballard or the scouts talking about Cross?   Any?

 

They freely admit he needs to be coached up.  They freely admit he needs more experience.
 

What I object to is that you write an entirely negative review and act like that’s the full and complete review.  
 

*** You don’t say he’s not even 21 yet.
*** You don’t say he hasn’t played that much football in his life. 
*** You don’t say he’s got qualities that can be coached…. 6’1” 210+, sub-4.4, and other testing scores thru the roof.  
*** You don’t say the Colts believe that if Cross had gone back to school he’d be a 2nd round pick next year. 
*** You don’t say the Colts believe Cross can play either Safety position, something most safeties can’t do. 
 

Look at all the things you DIDN’T say. 
 

You also act as if you’ve viewed as much tape on Cross as the coaches have.   Your view is lopsided and all out of balance.   Just as it’s been on Nelson, Leonard, Smith and countless others….. 

 

 

I said he  reminds me of Bob Sanders. I think that is high praise . When someone of his athletic ability is drafted in the 3rd round, I was simply saying  he has warts and they r mostly related to his play ability. He is my favorite player of the draft. 

[Boondoggle]

Cross is still developing.  Has all the tools and in today's NFL with sub packages and varied calls on the back end guys like this are becoming more and more valuable.

 

What he's not: a CB.  I see some thinking he might play there due to his athleticism but he doesn't have the hips for it.  Load up his tape and watch his backpedal.  Now maybe the Colts can work on his backpedal technique but either way he's not going to be lining up at corner unless the Colts are desperate.  He's also not a SS type of box enforcer.

 

What he is: high post safety.  He is a guy you can line up deep middle who will range to the sideline.  Or stick on TEs underneath.  He'll be the center safety in the Cover 3 calls that are coming under our new DC.  But you can also give him the deep middle in Cover 1.

 

Today's NFL you have to show different looks pre-snap to what your actual play call is.  If you don't do that then QBs will eat your fruit cup.  So I'm of the mind that you cannot have enough DBs with different skill sets and the better quality those guys are the easier it is on your DC.  Also and finally I am not a big fan of this DC in terms of his history, as I have mentioned prior.  But you gotta get him what he needs for what he plans to do.

[CR91]

I think this draft will be looked at as either Ballard's greatest feat or complete flop and here's why. All the players the colts drafted are athletic freaks. There is no denying that, but imo these players are all projects. None of them scream ready to contribute right away prospects and I could definitely be wrong about that, but that's how I view them. Simply put their raw. That's not to say they can't be long-term successful players because they do have incredible tools to work with, but I feel this class is gonna to need time to develop. 

[Moosejawcolt]

On 5/4/2022 at 5:44 PM, Dark Superman said:

I'm drooling over the fact the Colts two starting Safeties in a year or two could be Blackmon and Cross.

I think Cross is geared for fs because of his top end speed. Blackmon, if healthy, will go to ss.

 

[EastStreet]

9 hours ago, Boondoggle said:

Cross is still developing.  Has all the tools and in today's NFL with sub packages and varied calls on the back end guys like this are becoming more and more valuable.

 

What he's not: a CB.  I see some thinking he might play there due to his athleticism but he doesn't have the hips for it.  Load up his tape and watch his backpedal.  Now maybe the Colts can work on his backpedal technique but either way he's not going to be lining up at corner unless the Colts are desperate.  He's also not a SS type of box enforcer.

 

What he is: high post safety.  He is a guy you can line up deep middle who will range to the sideline.  Or stick on TEs underneath.  He'll be the center safety in the Cover 3 calls that are coming under our new DC.  But you can also give him the deep middle in Cover 1.

 

Today's NFL you have to show different looks pre-snap to what your actual play call is.  If you don't do that then QBs will eat your fruit cup.  So I'm of the mind that you cannot have enough DBs with different skill sets and the better quality those guys are the easier it is on your DC.  Also and finally I am not a big fan of this DC in terms of his history, as I have mentioned prior.  But you gotta get him what he needs for what he plans to do.

 

I tend to agree he's likely best fit to C3 FS. I definitely agree he's not a CB fit. He is pretty decent coming downhill so SS in a C3 is not out of the question. A SS in C3 is typically handling the TE in the flat (and will rush at times), and I think he could handle that. Also, I'd say that our view on him ending up at FS is probably in the minority. Most current depth charts out there have him penciled in at depth SS behind Willis, and have Blackmon and Mcleoud as 1 and 2 at FS. But I personally think his measurables, strengths, and weakness...... all push me to thinking FS is the spot long term. I also have doubts that Blackmon is a good fit for C3 FS.