Scouting Report: Ahmad Black, SS, Florida

Video:

Size: 5-9, 190 pounds.

Black lacks ideal size, and might not run a great 40 yard dash time (projected and or “clocked” between 4.45-4.6 . Which is a huge range, I think can be contributed to the fact that he PLAYS fast, but I don’t think he’ll time great.

Safety Specific Traits:

Coverage

Is able to get good depth in his coverage off the snap, but isn’t the most fluid coverage guy, and is better and coming in and making plays on the ball to make  in front of him than he is going deep down the field, but does havefluidity to turn and run with the wide receivers.  Is not good enough in man to man coverage to play cornerback in the N.F.L., but is very good for a strong safety at covering man to man, his problem will be covering tight ends and physical receivers who can use their bodies to their advantage because of Black’s smaller frame.  As far as quick feet, fluid hips, and an ability to stay with a man Black does that very well for a safety.

Run Support

Black plays a very physical brand of football and has had excellent tackling numbers. Black is a good fundamental tackler and can explode into the ball carrier to deliver some big hits, and can also tackle a runner in the open field, where Black could struggle with run support is disengaging from blocks if an OL or TE can get into the second level to block, but players are able to get away with that with speed, size, and instincts in the N.F.L. And if an OL gets into the second level to put a block on Black, the defense busted the play already.

Range

Has decent  range due to his good speed and above average instincts can make tackles on his half of the field and can get deep down the field to run with most wide receivers effectively, but can not beat players like Santana Moss in a foot race (Not many can).  He has greater range in the run game than in the passing game.

Catching

Black can get his hands on the football and take it away in the N.F.L., but his interception statistics are a bit misleading (about his hands) because he is invovled in a lot of plays. He doesn’t have great hands, and he can be bodied off a play and won’t be able to make the catch when that happens. Black will deflect some balls and drop some catchable interceptions.

Tackling

Black has good tackling technique a. and can deliver a good blow. He breaks down well in space to tackle the ballcarrier, but again, his size might be some limitation in the N.F.L. as he could be stiff armed and will have to rely on good technique in the N.F.L. and won’t be able to deliver as many punishing blows.

Football Traits:

Instincts:

Black has good instincts and is involved in a lot of plays, as his statistics suggest. His instincts actually allow him to play faster than his pure time speed because he is not an elite athlete (N.F.L. elite, of course he’s average person elite athlete).  He can dianose plays fast and get into the backfield often when playing in run support.  He excels at reading the quarterbacks eyes and diagnosing the routes the WR, which again allows him to play faster than he will most likely time.

Production:

Black was super productive at Florida 107 tackles, and 5 Interceptions this year to go along with a fantastic 10 tackles for loss. Black also had a sack and 3 forced fumbles in this season. His production was very good.  In 5 games vs teams that ended the season ranked he had 52 tackles (3.5 for loss). He showed up in big games.

Intangibles:

 There are no character concerns. Was elected a captain this past season, and he returned to college for his senior season because he felt embarassed by the loss to Alabama last season.

Bartolis Final Word:

I like Black a lot just as I liked Earl Thomas last year because they are both players with good instincts and a love for the game. They play much bigger than their size and are players that will be good players in the N.F.L. for a long time. Now, I don’t think Black is as good as Earl Thomas because Thomas had great instincts and better game speed than Black (not saying Black’s is poor, I’m just saying Thomas is excellent), and I think they are different players because Black plays more like a strong safety and Earl Thomas plays like a free safety.

Player Comparision: Bob Sanders. Although Sanders has more speed than Black does, I think Black has superior instincts, and they play a lot alike. Black is excellent in run support for a smaller player just like Sanders was for a smaller player, but like Sanders Black has underrated coverage skills. Even though Sanders was a rocket in Run support he could also cover players, but has the same weakness Black does, which is that Black could have trouble with bigger TE and WR even tough they both try to make up for it with tenacity, positioning, and attacking the ball.

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