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Draft Grade Round 2 DJ Swearinger

What grade do you give our second round selection?

  • Total voters
    78
Can't give someone who hasn't played a down in the NFL an A. But I do like the pick because we need quality depth in the secondary and he can potentially replace Ed Reed when he's done.
 
What a great athlete: power, agility, a nose for the ball, coverage skills. However, all the potential day-1 starters at ILB are going off the board. So, I'm mixed. I'm happy the Texans got such a football player, yet I'm still scared to death over how soft we'll be in the middle next to Cush, when have to play the Pats again to get to the SB.

One can only hope that Wade invents more ways to get Swearinger on the field.
 
I'm very ehhhhh on this pick. I think he's short to be covering TE in the NFL and we need a guy with coverage skill not hitting ability. There were better prospects available.
 
Don't know a damn thing about this guy, but I'm surprised by the position ?
We NEED LBs ( both inside and outside) and RT much more than a safety, and no doubt after first round most teams draft by need first and most of all.
 
EVOLVIST said:
What a great athlete: power, agility, a nose for the ball, coverage skills. However, all the potential day-1 starters at ILB are going off the board. So, I'm mixed. I'm happy the Texans got such a football player, yet I'm still scared to death over how soft we'll be in the middle next to Cush, when have to play the Pats again to get to the SB.

One can only hope that Wade invents more ways to get Swearinger on the field.
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No freaking way!

AJ Klien , Kevin Reddick & Nico Johnson are still on the board and should be there when the Texans pick in the 3rd and possibly 4th.

Not to mention Khaseem Greene , Chase Thomas , Zaviar Gooden & Sean Porter who may make a move inside in the NFL.

That 2nd ILB isnt likely to see the field anymore often than Swearinger.
 
I thought we had other pressing needs, I thought our secondary would be ok, I would have rather seen us take ILB, but understood that the ravens picked up the ILB we wanted..

First pick I loved it.
Second pick I am mixed on.
 
Corrosion said:
No freaking way!

AJ Klien , Kevin Reddick & Nico Johnson are still on the board and should be there when the Texans pick in the 3rd and possibly 4th.

Not to mention Khaseem Greene , Chase Thomas , Zaviar Gooden & Sean Porter who may make a move inside in the NFL.

That 2nd ILB isnt likely to see the field anymore often than Swearinger.
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I'm tired of the name Manti .
 
Corrosion said:
No freaking way!

AJ Klien , Kevin Reddick & Nico Johnson are still on the board and should be there when the Texans pick in the 3rd and possibly 4th.

Not to mention Khaseem Greene , Chase Thomas , Zaviar Gooden & Sean Porter who may make a move inside in the NFL.

That 2nd ILB isnt likely to see the field anymore often than Swearinger.
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A lot of serviceable LBs...but is it too much to ask for a Willis & Bowman combo for the Texans?
 
I gave this a B, partially because I haven't seen enough of Swearinger to be in love with him. I think it is a fit as far as need is concerned. He could end up seeing alot of time on the field, even being the 3rd S on the team. I'm more at a B+/A- on this one.
 
EVOLVIST said:
A lot of serviceable LBs...but is it too much to ask for a Willis & Bowman combo for the Texans?
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Think about something here - That second ILB is not going to be on the field on passing downs. We already have Cushing who will be on the field in those situations - this team played its nickle/ dime package more than any other team in the league last year.

I talked about a hybrid LBer / Safety several times in the draft discussions but didnt think they would look for that guy so early - they got a hell of a player here who fills a huge need with Quin walking.


Why pay Willis & Bowman when one of them is on the bench 60% of the time ?!
 
Corrosion said:
Think about something here - That second ILB is not going to be on the field on passing downs. We already have Cushing who will be on the field in those situations - this team played its nickle/ dime package more than any other team in the league last year.

I talked about a hybrid LBer / Safety several times in the draft discussions but didnt think they would look for that guy so early - they got a hell of a player here who fills a huge need with Quin walking.


Why pay Willis & Bowman when one of them is on the bench 60% of the time ?!
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Well I guess the alternative is doing what the 49ers do and keep both guys on the field pretty much all of the time. That would take some adjusting from Wade though so who knows if he'd be willing to do that.
 
I need to watch some more tape on him before i grade this.

... nah just playing i really like this pick. Hard hitting safety to learn from Reed and Manning. Plus it keeps Keo out of the lineup.
 
I think it is a brilliant move, go get a safety with a skill set like Reed (albeit not that explosive playmaker ability) with top flight instincts, a hitters mentality, and great range (due in part to his instincts) and let the greatest safety to play mentor him and craft him in his own image. Fantastic, really capitalizing on the assets we have in place, and thinking five years ahead.

The same could be said of the Hopkins pick, this is how teams avoid rebuilding slumps.
 
Wolf6151 said:
I'm very ehhhhh on this pick. I think he's short to be covering TE in the NFL and we need a guy with coverage skill not hitting ability. There were better prospects available.
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You do realize he his 5'10" 208lbs. That's only an 1" shorter than Manning & Quin & he weighs just as much if no more then both. His size seems adequate & personally I like the pick considering there was a mad rish on ILB's & Baltimore made it obvious by jumping 1 spot in front of the Texans to ensure they got one. Safety was a need & I believe the Texans got a quality player w/out reaching for a player that wasn't 2nd round quality.
 
Swearinger is one of my favorite players in the draft. Maybe we could've gotten him later, but I don't care. Shades of Bernard Pollard.
 
Good pick not the position I would have chosen but after a little thought our 3rd Safety gets on the field a lot plus with Reeds age its good to have a Safety with upside backing him up.
 
He certainly looks the part... but I´m a little concerned. He seems to be very cocky and always trying to go for the big hit. That with his trash talking will attract lots of penalties. And it seems like he doesn`t really wrap up - in the NFL that could lead to several missed tackles.

I think he needs some work, especially controlling his emotions on the field. But he could be a true difference maker. I don`t think teams will like to run slants against us with Cush and Swearinger in the middle...
 
Greg Cosell was very high on DJ:
With that in mind, my two favorite safeties to watch on film were Jonathan Cyprien of Florida International, and South Carolina’s DJ Swearinger. They likely won’t be the first two safeties drafted (although you never know), but that’s not my point. And by the way, they both will be NFL starters and quality players, maybe even as rookies.
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I could see Cyprien becoming the best safety in this draft class three or four years down the road. If not, how about Swearinger? Forget about the 40 time. Those who focus on his timed speed miss the overall package. This kid played fast and decisively. There was a snap to his movement. He trusted his eyes, and he attacked aggressively. He showed excellent balance and body control breaking down to tackle in space. He competed with an edge. I loved his playing personality. He was clearly the tempo-setter for the South Carolina defense.

Here’s why I believe Swearinger transitions very well to the NFL. He played every position in the Gamecocks’ secondary. He has significant experience at safety, both deep and in the box, slot corner and outside corner. He played man-to-man against Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter both outside and in the slot, and he ran with Hunter. You know what really stood out when he played man, especially over the slot; he understood how to play to his safety help over the top. He undercut routes, taking away the throwing lane for the quarterback. That’s great awareness. I do not often see that with college defensive backs.

Swearinger’s position versatility fits the NFL game. You don’t have to project. It’s all there on tape. With the myriad responsibilities that safeties now must perform, and that coordinators need them to execute to game plan a fully dimensional defense, the adaptability of a player like Swearinger is critical in the constantly changing world of NFL offense.
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And Rotoworld did a nice piece on him, too:
Punisher: S D.J. Swearinger

Type DJ Swearinger's name into Google, and the first page will be littered with examples of why he's become a college football fan favorite over the last three years - big hits and big plays. While young phenom defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney is the most prominent Gamecock defender, Swearinger is the leader and Captain of the South Carolina defense, and it's easy to see why. The unit as a whole took on Swearinger's personality, playing with equal part's cockiness and violent reckless abandonment.

That's not to say that Swearinger is just a freelancing goon enforcer. One of the things that immediately jumps out about Swearinger is how versatile he is and how many roles he excels in for South Carolina. In South Carolina's base 4-2-5 defense, he's listed as a Free Safety. Over the course of a game, however, you'll see him line up all over the field. He's played as a center-fielder, can go down in the box as a Strong Safety, and even got a healthy amount of snaps at Cornerback for the Gamecocks this year after injuries took their toll on that position...

[IMGwidthsize=600]http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/3585/djhunter2.jpg[/IMG]
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Every time Swearinger gets flagged, it's not because of his illegal hits, it's because he has too much swag.

DJ Swearinger wasn't always named Swearinger. When he was born, his name was Swagginger.

:kitten:
 
Grade B
Nice player; I wanted to give him a higher grade but a combination of his lack of ideal size and the propensity to miss tackles held me back.
 
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