Rd 6 pick 185 (6): CB Christian Benford, Villanova

[Logic]

7 INTS in 2021 is nice, regardless of what level he played at.

 

[fergie's ire]

Just now, Logic said:

"Days off and me don't get along. I don't like taking days off. Doesn't feel right".

Hello, Mr Process.

Yeah, seems like a McDermott kind of guy in terms of attitude.  Also the quick report I read on him said big and physical but not great speed.  Reads QBs eyes well and anticipates.  Sounds like a really good zone type CB in McD's system, and think we needed the depth.  Maybe they also feel that there is enough OL depth that they can get one later in the round.

 

[djp14150]

3 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Did not realize Villanova had a football team! 

they do t play BS championship level

[Mojo44]

It was mentioned that he could also be a safety candidate. I could see that.

[hemma]

“I don’t like taking days off.  I don’t feel right.”

 

good enough for my thumbs up.

[UKBillFan]

4 minutes ago, BaaadThingsMan said:

Mel loves him. Guy can tackle and is a ballhawk.

 

Special teams keep getting better and more athletic at the very least. 

 

That's positive to hear. Again, maybe I just became slightly attached to other possibilities. Certainly his character matches the Bllls down to the ground!

Edited April 30, 2022 by UKBillFan
just not jsut

[Casey D]

This guy can be moved to safety.  Good pick.

[RobbRiddick]

Usually I'd say meh but this team has a way with late round/undrafted CBs so he'll probably be starting by mid season

[par73]

4 minutes ago, BTB said:

Club level football at Nova?

Like the pick. Villanova is a top-notch FCS program.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Beane has been surprisingly good at getting late round or undrafted DB’s (Dane, Levi, Taron, Hamlin, Neal, and Goosechase who was poached).  So I am going to trust him fully on this guy. 
 

Maybe a possible safety? 

[FLFan]

6 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Don’t know much on this one. 

That’s OK.  Just pretend you do like so many others.  

[PirateHookerMD]

 

[Aurelius]

Well now we have plenty of depth at corner which was a weakness before the draft.  Overall happy with the draft filling big needs.  

[BuffaloRebound]

1 minute ago, djp14150 said:

they do t play BS championship level

Upper end FCS.  Comparable to lower end BCS.  

[Logic]

Just now, fergie's ire said:

Yeah, seems like a McDermott kind of guy in terms of attitude.  Also the quick report I read on him said big and physical but not great speed.  Reads QBs eyes well and anticipates.  Sounds like a really good zone type CB in McD's system, and think we needed the depth.  Maybe they also feel that there is enough OL depth that they can get one later in the round.

 

Yeah. He sounds like a Levi Wallace clone, to be honest. Big, strong, good eyes, but lacks deep speed. Great work ethic. First in, last out type guy.

He's the latest of McDermott's late round/UDFA cornerback specials, following Wallace, Jackson, Wildgoose (poached by NYJ off practice squad).

Given the chip on the shoulder of these types of players and McDermott's propensity for coaching up these kids into playable pieces, I won't be surprised in the least if he becomes a productive depth piece for us.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

4 minutes ago, Last Guy on the Bench said:

Kiper very high on him on ESPN. Lots of INTs and PBUs. Be interesting to see how he does against NFL talent in training camp. That's a big jump.

PS guy that doesn't have the speed for the NFL at CB. Has size though. Maybe convert to safety???

[buffaloboyinATL]

Kiper likes the pick

[MAJBobby]

One Report on Him. 
 

One-liner:

A big physical cornerback, with ball-hawking skills and lockdown capabilities. This is a player that put in the right situations, can become a star. 

 

Pros:

This is a big-bodied cornerback, with a surprisingly thick build for his position. He plays a very physical game and is able to completely eliminate a wide receiver from a game. Great initial jam at the line that can stifle a receiver on his takeoff. Excellent in zone coverage, whether he is playing tight or soft coverage. With exceptional closing speed, he can really limit the yardage on short passes. Strong and active hands that he uses extremely well. He has phenomenal ball skills, he can easily track passes and pick them off. Uses his size well and hits with force, which helps make him a good tackler. Leads by example. He never quits on a play and has no problem chasing down an opponent, even if he is on the opposite side of the field. Has the versatility to play both the outside and inside cornerback positions.

 

Cons:

Not the fastest cornerback, he is definitely susceptible to getting beat by the deep ball. If he misses his initial jam attempt, he sometimes gets a slow start and loses his coverage. He needs to play either soft coverage or tight press coverage, when he is in intermediate coverage he struggles to keep up with receivers. For some reason, that type of coverage gets him confused about what to do. Doesn’t have enough quickness to play only man coverage, he is very vulnerable to fast and twitchy receivers. He gives up too much ground in man and then doesn’t have the speed to catch up with the receiver once he chooses the direction of the route. For how physical he plays, he has a hard time shedding blockers and can easily get lost in the flow of a run play. It really seems that if he doesn’t initiate contact on a play, he struggles to recover.

 

Summary:

This is a big, physical cornerback with great ball-hawking abilities and a ton of overall potential. Hard initial punch when pressing receivers and can completely stop their momentum coming off of the line of scrimmage. He has a strong inside hand and has the ability to keep the receiver in front of him. Outstanding ball skills. Not only can intercept any pass, but he is great at tracking the ball and using his hands correctly to break up passes. Very versatile player, he can play all of the cornerback positions. He is not the fastest cornerback however and is very vulnerable against the deep ball. He can play both man and zone coverage effectively but will be much more successful in a zone coverage scheme. He plays a very physical game and has no problem delivering a big hit, as long as he initiates contact. If he isn’t the one engaging, he can be taken out of a play. Really struggles shedding blockers and will get lost in the flow of a play. Doesn’t have the ability to match elite speed. That being said he does have a terrific motor and will never give up on a play, even if it’s on the opposite side of the field.

[Logic]

White 
Elam
Jackson
Johnson
Benford
Lewis
McCloud
Griffin
Harris

Suddenly our cornerback depth chart has some actual depth! 

[MAJBobby]

a lot of reading. Seeing a lot of scouts say might be a better Safety than CB because he is very good in Zone.