Featured Discussion 2016 Saints Draft Live Discussion Thread

Thoughts?

[Danno]

Best cover safety in the draft

[lee909]

Vonn Bell (FS)
HT: 5'11" WT: 199LBS.
POSITION: FS
SCHOOL: Ohio St.
ARM LENGTH: 32 3/8"
HANDS: 9 1/2"

Overview
Bell was a top 30 national recruit out of Georgia, but eschewed the overtures of Alabama and other SEC schools to play for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes. His faith in Meyer was rewarded with a national championship in 2014, and the fact his team beat Saban's Crimson Tide in the title game was no small irony. Bell got on the field right way for OSU, playing as a reserve at the nickel spot most of his true freshman season before earning a starting spot in the Orange Bowl versus Clemson (seven tackles, interception). He was inserted into one of the safety spots for 14-of-15 contests in the Buckeyes' championship 2014 season, racking up 92 tackles, two for loss, six interceptions and six pass breakups. Though his statistics dropped a bit in his final year in Columbus (65 tackles, two interceptions, nine pass breakups), Bell's play was still impressive enough to receive 2015 second-team All-Big Ten honors from league coaches (first team from the media).

Pro Day Results

40-yard dash: 4.51 seconds
Vertical: 30 1/2 inches
COMBINE STATS
BENCH PRESS: 16 REPS
ANALYSIS
Strengths
Sheriff mentality looking to corral receivers on his side of the field. Has man cover talent. Instincts and reaction time are big assets. Trusts his eyes and fires downhill as soon as he reads throw. Capacity to meet ball at the catch* point more than most cover safeties. Credited with 23 passes defensed over last two seasons. Able to mirror targets and strike a centered blow when flowing downhill. Plays with excellent feel for his responsibilities in space. Sifts through route combinations and always gets to his guy. Rarely out of position.
Weaknesses
Play speed looked very average on tape. Time*-consuming sprint to boundary from single-*high coverage to help over the top. Hip tightness impedes fluid flip and go when beaten in space. Occasionally gets caught peeking in on quarterback for too long and will briefly lose track of receiver. Against the run, allows running backs to get on top of him and deliver the first blow. Drag down tackler without much thud.
Draft Projection
Round 2
Sources Tell Us
"He's not special, but he's solid. I needed to go see him in person because he looked so small on tape and he looks the same in person. You can't play him around the line of scrimmage, but he's got instincts in coverage." -- AFC scout

NFL Comparison
Kurt Coleman

Bottom Line
Though lacking in desired size and physicality, Bell has the ability to match up in space and is at his best when keeping the action in front of him where he combines his vision, reactive quickness and ball skills to go make plays on the ball. Bell lacks size and isn't an aggressive tackler so he needs to prove he can run so that he locks in his draft positioning as one of the top free safeties in this draft.

[FinSaint]

So, the Saints are done for today.

[blackangold]

Well... So far I hate the day 2 picks. Giving up our 3rd and 4th for Bell was a bad move in my opinion.

Still haven't addressed DE... Not sure how we find a starter at DE in the 5th round.

[lee909]

Well at least i can get 2 hours sleep before starting a 12 hour shift

[brees84]

We need no O-line?

[RaginCajun83]

Championship

[AsylumGuido]

Hell, yeah! LOVE the move to get Bell!

[saintsfan1976]

Originally Posted by jeanpierre

Dried your eyes out after Titans took Conklin?

Barely.

You know that hurt. He was the best O Lineman in the draft.