Don’t Get Burned by the Orange–Why I Wouldn’t Draft Eric Berry
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 | Author: SteveWeidenbach

The best defensive player in the draft in 10 years. Best ball skills in the draft. A ballhawk. Troy Polamula and Ed Reed put together. These are labels I have heard given to Eric Berry by draft experts.

I’m one of the few people that is not a part of the Eric Berry lovefest. This article will not be popular in SEC country, but I use three syllable words a few times in the article just to divert those fans from finishing the entire read (just making sure you’re reading SEC fans).

Eric Berry is a player, but at what price?

Let me surprise you by saying I think that Eric Berry is a shockingly unique talent as shown in this highlight video. I believe he has the best body control that I’ve seen from a 21 year old Defensive Back since I became passionate about football in the early 1990′s.  His 40 yard dash was in the mid 4.4′s, putting a rubber stamp on his draft status as a top 10 selection.

When he’s on the field, I believe Eric Berry has a chance to be a top-flight playmaking safety. However, I have some major questions about whether Berry is going to be able to stay healthy enough to play 16 games a season.

Before the combine, Berry was listed as  5’11,” 203 lbs. Most people believed that Berry was legitimately 5’11″ but closer to 198 lbs. At the combine, Berry came in just under 6’0″ and 211 lbs. As I watched the combine on the NFL Network, analysts said he looked good at 211, but to me it looked like his frame was carrying more than a comfortable playing weight.

Because the best part of Berry’s game is his body control & movement, any weight gain would be a concern to me as an NFL personnel guy. Why didn’t Berry play at 211 for his junior year of college? Will he lose flexibility or mobility because of his weight gain? He still moved well at the combine, but moving without pads is an entirely different experience than moving on the football field. Even the best scouts will tell you that.

Steve’s Verdict: Eric Berry plays his best football at 202 lbs. Slightly smaller than the average NFL safety.

But I want put everything on hold and evaluate why Eric Berry would merit a top 10 selection in the upcoming draft.

Let me start with my first sermon. Two players may both play the same position called a “Safety” but they play very different roles on their team. Dustin Keller and Brandon Manumaleuna are very different. The same can be said about the safety position. Some safeties are meant to work primarily as pass defenders, have deep zone coverage assignments, and very little freedom. Some are allowed to roam and utilize their instincts within their scheme, and other s are primarily run defenders.

Steve’s Verdict: You cannot compare “Safeties” as apples to apples unless they play the same role within their defense, which is not common.

Eric Berry had 14 interceptions at UT, 2 his final year in college

The most common comparison I hear for Berry is Ed Reed. After reviewing Ed Reed film I noticed a pattern of where Ed Reed made his plays. Most plays were made down field, between 5 and 20 yards down the field from the line of scrimmage. Most of Berry’s plays were made from about 12 yards deep up to the line of scrimmage. Eric Berry’s natural skillset moves him closer to the line of scrimmage than Ed Reed’s which becomes a factor if you are undersized.

Berry likes to play aggressive and close to the line of scrimmage. He likes to deliver big hits as often as possible even if it means getting trucked by Tim Tebow. His style of play reminds me of Bobs Sanders.

Bob Sanders has been one of the best defensive players in the NFL when he’s on the field, even winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. However, Sanders has played in 47 games and missed 47 games in his career because of injury. Sanders is a bit shorter than Berry at 5’8″ and  206 lbs. I’ve heard some say that Sanders plays much more “aggressive” than Berry but I believe that Berry himself would be offended by this statement.

Steve’s Verdict: Eric Berry’s game is more like Bob Sanders than Ed Reed.

Early in Berry’s Tennessee career he gained notoriety for accumulating interceptions. After Monte Kiffin brought in his Tampa 2 Defense last year Berry’s interceptions decreased but he still had a very productive season. Tennessee and Eric Berry fans, who were critical of Taylor Mays’ playmaking ability, blamed Berry’s lack of interceptions on a change in defensive scheme. Ironically, these same fans scoffed that defensive scheme was a reason that Mays did not amass more interceptions in his career at USC.

It is true that one of the reasons Berry had less interceptions is because Kiffin felt Berry would be best used closer to the line of scrimmage. Monte Kiffin is one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history and I trust a guy that used a player in a scheme for 13 games more than Kiper, McShay, or Mayock.

When you move a smaller frame closer to the line of scrimmage, you are more likely to have more collisions. Defensive players with smaller frames often suffer injuries because they do not have the ability to avoid collisions, they are paid good money to create violent collisions. Examples include Troy Polamalu, Lofa Tatupu, LeRoy Hill, or Bob Sanders.

Some football fans believe you cannot prevent injuries, they just “happen.” But injuries happen for different reasons. There are injuries that can happen just because a player was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or a player landed funny.

Injuries also happen because players bodies are not necessarily made to take the pounding of a 16 game NFL season. Health issues often arise for undersized defensive players because their job description requires frequent collisions.

Steve’s Verdict: Undersized defensive players’ durability is correlated with the number of collisions a defensive player is involved in.

As I work through a mock draft, I see Berry going anywhere between picks 3 and 8 of the first round. Traditionally, the safety position has been considered one of the least important of the 22 positions on the football field. As the league has become more passing oriented, the safety position has become more important.

Even with increasing importance I don’t believe using a top 10 draft pick on safety is a good use of a team’s resources. Drafting a top notch safety is something I consider as more of a luxury rather than a necessity. If you have a roster that has so few holes that you can draft a safety in the top 10 you shouldn’t have a draft pick in the top 10.

To follow my argument you have to believe that drafting a safety in the top 10 is too high. Over the last decade, LaRon Landry (Redskins), Donte Whitner (Bills), Michael Huff (Raiders), Antrel Rolle (Cardinals), Sean Taylor (Redskins), and Roy Williams (Cowboys) were all taken in the top 10. Apart from the late Sean Taylor, I don’t believe any of these players had the effect expected from a top 10 pick. Value is often found later in the draft as you can see with this year’s Pro Bowler’s (selection in respective year’s draft): Ed Reed (24), Brandon Meriweather (24), Brian Dawkins (31), Yeremiah Bell (213), Nick Collins (51), Antrel Rolle (8), Adrian Wilson (64), Quintin Mikell (UFA).

As I stated in a previous article, offensive and lineman picks in the first round are less risky than many other positions.

Steve’s Verdict: You can find safeties later in the draft; by philosophy, an early first round draft pick should be used on an offensive tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end, or quarterback.

Earl Thomas

In addition to Eric Berry, Earl Thomas and Taylor Mays have received a lot of attention entering the draft and deservedly so. However, these are not the only players that can contribute immediately for NFL teams.  Some analysts believe that as many as seven safeties could be drafted in the first two rounds.

In my best assessment, if you love Eric Berry you’ll really like Earl Thomas. He has similar size, ball skills, and instincts to Berry but naturally plays a little better off the line than Berry which makes him less of an injury risk in his career. I foresee Thomas getting drafted anywhere from the  14th to 22nd overall.

Taylor Mays

A polar opposite safety to Eric Berry is Taylor Mays, who is 6’3”, 230 lbs and is even a bit faster than Berry. Mays lateral movement has been criticized as well as his playmaking ability but if you ask his coaches he did everything they asked him to do within their scheme and more. I foresee Mays getting drafted anywhere from 16th to 24th overall. But I won’t be shocked if the Miami Dolphins pick him up with the 12thpick, as Tony Sporano coached Mays at the Senior Bowl and the two developed a very positive relationship. Also, the Dolphins have struck out on obtaining Antrelle Rolle and Ryan Clark in free agency.

I understand Eric Berry fans think I’m beating him up. I’m really not taking anything away from his game. I think he’s the best defensive playmaker in the draft. The combination of his size and playing style make him a high risk for injury. Also, I personally do not value you a safety at a top 10 in almost any circumstance.

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Agree to disagree, but give me a well thought out response in the comments below.

Tags: , , , , Category: NFL Draft, Written by Steve Weidenbach
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  • Your Mom
    Are you being a little biased since you LOVE USC and Taylor Mays is like related to you some how!?!? I think so!! :)
  • awvols1985
    Funny thing is you Criticize SEC fans for not knowing 3 syllable words and then proceed to put a caption under the picture of Eric Berry that he had 2 INT's his Senior year, when He's a Junior. Looks like you did a great job researching the best Defensive player in the Draft before you wrote a whole article on him.
  • Typical SEC fan, can't read the story just can look at the pictures :)

    It was a mistake; however, I believe I made it pretty clear in the article that he was a junior.

  • Travis
    First of all Berry played his junior year AT 211 not 203 and he made every play necessary in the Vols defense that ranked in the top 10 this year. Second of all Berry was forced to play up at the line of scrimmage because of Tennessee's lack of linebackers. Eric Berry's skill set lets him play all over the field and he never had any injuries in his 3 years at Tennessee so none of what you are saying makes since. Lastly Gary Brackett plays linebacker in the NFL at 208 and has been a probowler with little injuries over the years. And by the way Taylor Mays has stone hands always droping interceptions and had many blown assignments deep, he would be better at linebacker like Row Williams in his later years. All of the safties that welnt in the top 10 have been probowlers and you can find value at any position later in the draft. i hope to hear your response
  • Berry didn't play one game listed on any program at anything about 203(http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/berry_eric00.html) . I watched an interview with Berry himself discussing bulking up after his bowl game and how he felt at 211. So he discussed his added weight when he was at 211, so I don't think Berry would tell you that he played at 211. I tried to find the link to the video but unfortunately couldn't find it.

    The fact that a guy hasn't had an injury doesn't mean that much. I'm not telling you Eric Berry is soft or injury prone, I'm telling you that Eric Berry is an undersized defensive player, who often suffer from injuries from being involved in collisions. Gary Brackett is 235 lbs, so I don't know where you got 208 lbs. http://www.nfl.com/players/garybrackett/profile?id=BRA070078.

    In regards to Mays, no one is said Berry doesn't have better hands. Mays did have 3 interceptions that were called back due to penalties 100% unrelated to him and the play made (defensive holding away from the ball 2 times & 1 roughing the passer).

    I disagree that Mays was blew many coverages. Every Eric Berry fan discusses the fact that Berry had to move because of the weak linebacking core. Those same fans often comment on Mays' blown coverages. Mays was the only returning starter from either the secondary or linebacking core. The rest went on to the NFL, I don't really feel bad for Berry's transition.

    Tell me which of the players that were drafted in the top 10 lived up to the expectations of being a top 10 pick from the safety position?
  • travis
    my bad sophmore year at 215
    how bout these heights and weights

    SS CB DB Eric Berry 6'-0" 211 lbs.

    CB Charles Woodson 6'-1" 202 lbs.
    FS Ed Reed 5'-11" 200 lbs.
    CB Bob Sanders 5'-8" 206 lbs.
    SS Troy Polamalu 5'-10" 207 lbs.
  • Travis, I'm not calling you a liar, but I've followed Berry's career and I've never heard of him playing a game over 205. Please find me some evidence that he did do this. I know he gained weight for the combine and came in at 211.

    Also, I'm curious if you read the article, because my entire point is that Polamulu & Sanders and injury prone so using them as comparables is counterproductive to your point. I gave a very descript reasoning of why Ed Reed's size is less important to him relative to where he plays on the line of scrimmage.

    Also, comparing a corner (Woodson) to a safety is totally ridiculous. Corners play a much smaller roll in the middle and far fewer collisions.
  • travis
    yes i was wrong on my first info, but if you look at the history of players they move positions all the time from college to NFL and whatever team drafts Berry will put him at the appropriate position to suit their scheme, if he plays in a system that has a deep center fielder then Berry is no doubt the best in the draft for that position if they play alot of zone/blitzing schemes then he will most likely be a corner because he has the skills to cover any receiver in the NFL based on his vertical and make up speed, not to mention his ridiculous flipping of the hips. Berry will thrive in the NFL because of his versititily and you cant say the same for any other corner/saftey in the draft.
  • Is there any place I disagree with this in the article. I'm 100% okay with you loving Eric Berry, but the point of the article is that the style of his play gives him a high risk of injury in the NFL. If you have an argument that is contrary to my article let me know. Right now, you're just telling me how good Eric Berry is. I think I make it pretty clear that I think he's pretty darn good too.
  • DJDoubleb
    I disagree. If you look at Berry's entire career at Tennessee, the first 2 seasons under Chavis he was more of the ball hawk down the field. Then, due to depth and talent issues at the LB, DT and DE positions, M. Kiffin asked Berry to help more for run support and short passes. Thus showing Berry can play BOTH styles at the safety position. This would make him even MORE draftable in my mind. But I AM a UT fan so I am biased. :)
  • DJDouble B, this entire site is formed on bias :-) We encourage being fans and glad that you have a place to share your voice.

    I personally think Berry is gifted nearer the line of scrimmage. Agree to disagree.

    Keep coming with your opinion, always welcome here.
  • Pat
    Eric Berrys best pro comparison is Charles Woodson. Similiar size, speed, and very similar skill sets. Berry can line up in the nickel, you can put him in an island on the outside, and you could use him in either safety spot. When he has the ball in his hands hes outstanding, and his ball skills to begin with are very good. These are all things that also are traits of Charles Woodson.
  • No one drafts a defensive player for how they do when they have the ball in their hands. That's all cream on top.

    Eric Berry is 100% safety, and he is NOT someone who marks people man on man. You couldn't find me 10 plays on film where he marked someone man on man.
  • I4Jay
    10 plays? You're making me worried, because Im wondering if you've actually watched berry's games or just highlights. You do realize Berry started the 1st 3 games of his career at CB (Cal, So. Miss & UF)

    Berry has lined up Countless times over the slot guy and Manned up.

    U have access to 2009 Alabama game, put it in and u can get your 10 plays in that game alone.

    and if you cant remember passes being completed 15 yards in the middle of the field vs USC, U must have missesd the Notre Dame game.
  • I4J, I did watch the Bama/UT game but I wasn't specifically watching the game for Berry's role. I do know he made a few tackles and was a relative non-factor in the game. I understand that someone would say, "They had to gameplan for him so he's a factor." True, to a certain extent.

    In his defense, if he truly "manned up" on a guy for over 10 plays I'd say it was a terrible decision by Kiffin and a reason why he didn't make very many plays. I'd have to rewatch the game for that purpose to truly speak to your statement. I'll take your word for it.

    I understand that Berry has positioned himself over the slot receiver, which is common for all safeties. But there are very few situations where I've seen him follow that receiver downt he field. More often I've seen him redirect that receiver very similar to an outside linebacker in the nickel.
  • I4Jay
    Steve, If u go to SECDigitalnetwork.com, click the football tab and just begin scrollign down. every SEC Football game from the 09 season.
    Its probably the greatest website Ive ever seen (being a football junkie)
    I'm not sure if any other conference has a set up like this, if you know of any, please let me know!
  • Great info, I had no idea that existed. Thanks and keep coming back and giving your opinion.
  • That's all fine and good and all, but physical attributes don't matter as much as things you can't teach. Which is why whenever watching a Vols game I would hear the commentators talking about how Berry has that knack for the ball like an Ed Reed. Something every safety in Seattle's recent history doesn't have. Good article Steve o
  • Physical attributes matter if they keep you off the field. And let's keep in mind, Berry only had 2 interceptions in a true NFL defense.
  • I4Jay
    true NFL defense? and what do you call the two previous yrs when Berry played a Natural Safety position ?
    U realize last yr under Monte Kiffin, Berry basically played OLB because of tennessee's weakness at LB. then during the course of the yr, 3 of the LBs were lost to injury .

    those 2 Interceptions Berry had playing basically LB that you speak of , were still more than Taylor Mays who played what amounted to a centerfielder.
  • This article isn't meant to be a Taylor Mays vs. Eric Berry article. The purpose of this article is to bring up POTENTIAL issues that may arise in the NFL because of Berry's physical style of play.

    It's virtually two different positions that they play and I don't think anyone can say that Taylor Mays finds the ball as well as Eric Berry.

    As a west coast guy, I watched just about every USC game and I'll tell you I still cannot remember a ball being thrown over 15 yards between the numbers against USC. The question arises, would you rather live in a town where criminals are often caught, or they're scared to enter.
  • To be clear, people think that I'm a Berry Hater. I'm not at all. As a Seahawk fan I would not be disappointed if the Seahawks got Berry from a talent perspective. However, I just don't think the best use of Berry will equate to a long healthy career.
  • I will not deny being a fan of Taylor Mays, but I believe that Berry's size and liklihood of being in large collisions make him a huge injury risk. I also am pretty open about criticisms of T-Mays who has become the most criticized player in the draft besides Tebow.
  • Good read.
  • ebfan3
    Taylor who?
  • My biggest concern with Berry is size. Since Berry's aggressive instincts force him to collapse on the run and short passes, he is going to be a part of many collisions. As Steve noted in the article, Bob Sanders has only played in half of his team's games since entering the league. I expect about the same from Berry.

    The SEC wants to think the hits in their conference are comparable to the NFL. WRONG! Players in the league are bigger, faster, stronger. If safety is a team need, I would much rather trade down to draft Taylor Mays, a bigger, faster player. With proper training on technique & team system, the skill set of Taylor Mays can be better utilized at the pro level.
  • Great point on SEC believing their players sizes convert to NFL player size. They are a formiddable conference, but don't even come near the size of players in the NFL.
  • Steve, I think your comments about Eric berry are more based on your extreme MAN CRUSH on Taylor Mays.
  • I will never deny being a Mays fan, but I'm a huge "Value Pick" guy. I think Berry would be a great "Value" in the teens. I also believe that Earl Thomas is amazingly overrated. Mays will be a good value pick later in the first round.
  • Minor correction on the safeties drafted. Antrel Rolle was originally drafted as a CB, and then converted to a Safety. While a Safety might be worth waiting for later in the draft, as you pointed out, a corner is worth the early pick.
  • Kevin:

    Rolle was listed as a CB, but everyone was well aware that he could play either position, which is one of the reasons why he was drafted as high as he was. Good point.
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