Danno

Saints | Green had Pre-draft Visit - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:42:24 -0700

NFL Draft prospect CB Eric Green (Virginia Tech) has had a pre-draft visit with the New Orleans Saints.

Eric Green
Position: Cornerback
College: Virginia Tech
Height: 5-11
Weight: 197
Hometown: Clewiston, Fla.

OVERVIEW

An outstanding kick blocker on special teams, Green also took on a positive leadership role while starting every game at cornerback as a senior. Won the President's Award for leadership in 2004. Green is the type of player who combines excellent athletic ability with speed and experience. He has come back strong to help solidify the secondary since missing the entire 2002 season with a knee injury.

He returned to action in 2003, starting seven contests. Green recorded a career-high 58 tackles (41 solos) with two stops behind the line of scrimmage. He had 166 yards on three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and also deflected six passes while blocking the fourth kick of his career. Green started every game as a senior, making 36 tackles (20 solos) with an interception and five pass breakups.

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a long, lean build with adequate muscle definition, but does have room for additional growth … Has very good short-area quickness with an explosive break on the ball … Has no problems retaining plays and is rarely caught out of position due to his ability to quickly make reads and keys … Has above-average change-of-direction agility, balance and body control, doing a nice job of keeping plays in front of him … Gets a sharp break on the ball and has more than enough range to recover when beaten, but is rarely caught out of position … Stays tight on the hip of receivers on deep routes and cannot be beaten by double moves … His drive to the ball and feel for the pass allow him to get an early jump on the ball … Will not hesitate to come up and plug holes in run support … Has the hand strength to handle his assignments in press coverage, but his speed is also good for man and Cover 2 assignments … Does a very good job of shadowing and trailing in press coverage, and has the ability to plant and drive back to the ball … Effective in turning and flipping his hips when coming out of breaks and showed marked improvement in 2004 to run with the receivers on deep routes … Attacks the ball and shows good timing and proper hand extension competing for the pigskin in tight quarters.

Negatives: Has added strength to his frame, but still lacks ideal size … Has the strength, but needs to get more physical in coverage, as he sometimes gets pushed around by the bigger receivers when trying to dictate route progression … Will get turned around some in man coverage when he peeks into the backfield too long … Quick out of his backpedal, but could be even faster if he would not get so high in his stance … Adequate to read the quarterback in zone coverage, but has good ball skills … Has good hands, but likes to catch the ball with his body … Because of size issues, he is slow to get off blocks and is not physical in his run support, but will tackle … He sometimes takes bad angles and will miss in space, especially when he goes low and tries to trip the runner up.

INJURY REPORT

2001 -- Missed the Pittsburgh game due to tonsillitis.

2002 -- Missed the entire season after he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while working out in July … Underwent reconstructive surgery.

AGILITY

4.38 in the 40-yard dash … 300-pound bench press … 450-pound squat … 275-pound power clean … 40-inch vertical jump … 32 ¼-inch arm length … 9 1/8-inch hands.