What makes Eric Berry a better prospect than Earl Thomas

[DallasChief]

Thanks for the info. I was just wondering when I heard all the hype and checked the stats I thought I would see more than just 2 ints for last season but I guess that's because he was used so much in run support.

[Chiefnj2]

If you compare their #'s for their first two years in college, they are very similar. Both guys are excellent ball hawks.

You can't look at Berry's INTs this year because Kiffen played him in the box and used him to support the run a lot more.

Berry is a little more physical and a better tackler in the open field. There were some reports saying Thomas wasn't good against the run, which I disagree with.

Thomas is a little less experienced than Berry.

IMO, both were top 10 talents in the draft.

[RealSNR]

Berry learned Monte Kiffin's defense in one year flat, which required him to play as more of a box safety than a ball hawk over the downfield receiver routes. That's something he wasn't used to doing, but he still excelled at both learning the defense and DIRECTING it on the field as the season wore on. Look at Berry's previous two seasons and you'll catch the difference.

He's also bigger, faster, and has proven to be a solid football player his entire NCAA career. Earl Thomas really came on his senior year but was less of a sure thing.

That's my answer, at least. This IS a legitimate question, too. If you were to ask me something reeruned like comparing the impact of Dexter McCluster vs Toby Gerhart on the NFL, I would have told you to die in a fire.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by SNR

He's also bigger, faster, and has proven to be a solid football player his entire NCAA career. Earl Thomas really came on his senior year but was less of a sure thing.

.

Earl Thomas came out as a sophomore.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Earl Thomas came out as a sophomore.

That's what I meant. I knew that

[milkman]

People are far too obsessed with rep around here.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by milkman

People are far too obsessed with rep around here.

rep

[Rain Man]

Stupid Eric Berry question here, but will we be lining him up at strong safety? I've been assuming free safety the whole time, but saw something somewhere that mentioned strong safety. Honestly, I haven't paid attention because I assumed he was a free safety.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Stupid Eric Berry question here, but will we be lining him up at strong safety? I've been assuming free safety the whole time, but saw something somewhere that mentioned strong safety. Honestly, I haven't paid attention because I assumed he was a free safety.

Almost has to. That's part of why I was upset that we didn't take Mays if we weren't sold on Clausen.

Page can't play SS and there's not really another SS on the roster. So the only place Berry can really play is SS with Page at FS.

That greatly diminishes one of his greatest strengths (playmaking ability).

Just another example of a poor pick that hurts the overall roster beyond the opportunity cost.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Almost has to. That's part of why I was upset that we didn't take Mays if we weren't sold on Clausen.

Page can't play SS and there's not really another SS on the roster. So the only place Berry can really play is SS with Page at FS.

That greatly diminishes one of his greatest strengths (playmaking ability).

Just another example of a poor pick that hurts the overall roster beyond the opportunity cost.

I guess that's why I'm scratching my head, too. People keep comparing him to Ed Reed, but Reed's a free safety. In fact, pretty much every first-round safety ever has been a free safety, and virtually every top-15 pick as far as I know.

It's much easier to swallow a free-safety as a top-15 pick over a strong safety.

[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I guess that's why I'm scratching my head, too. People keep comparing him to Ed Reed, but Reed's a free safety. In fact, pretty much every first-round safety ever has been a free safety, and virtually every top-15 pick as far as I know.

It's much easier to swallow a free-safety as a top-15 pick over a strong safety.

Ya I hope someone else can step up at safety so we can use him as a free safety.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I guess that's why I'm scratching my head, too. People keep comparing him to Ed Reed, but Reed's a free safety. In fact, pretty much every first-round safety ever has been a free safety, and virtually every top-15 pick as far as I know.

It's much easier to swallow a free-safety as a top-15 pick over a strong safety.

Agreed.

Even when Pioli did something I liked, he promptly damaged it's value.

[WildTurkey]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I guess that's why I'm scratching my head, too. People keep comparing him to Ed Reed, but Reed's a free safety. In fact, pretty much every first-round safety ever has been a free safety, and virtually every top-15 pick as far as I know.

It's much easier to swallow a free-safety as a top-15 pick over a strong safety.

Berry has the skills to play either spot.... and do well at either spot

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I guess that's why I'm scratching my head, too. People keep comparing him to Ed Reed, but Reed's a free safety. In fact, pretty much every first-round safety ever has been a free safety, and virtually every top-15 pick as far as I know.

It's much easier to swallow a free-safety as a top-15 pick over a strong safety.

Roy Williams and LaRon Landry were top 15 strong safeties, off the top of my head. Polamalu went in the teens also.

[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Stupid Eric Berry question here, but will we be lining him up at strong safety? I've been assuming free safety the whole time, but saw something somewhere that mentioned strong safety. Honestly, I haven't paid attention because I assumed he was a free safety.

Unlike the current safeties Berry can actually play run defense, so I'd say they use him at SS.