So I have to admit, I'm very intrigued by the prospect of Berhe winning the 3rd safety job this season. Personally I think he could excel in the role. With virtually no pro experience to draw on, this is what we know about the kid...
4 year starter who was the leader of SDSUs secondary. Good leadership qualities. High motor and football is very important to him, "lives and breathes the game" is how I believe his scouting report put it. Versatile: played both the "Aztec" (FS) and "Warrior"(SS/LBer hybrid) spots and played well in both. Displays good recognition skills in coverage. Quick to diagnose/read/react. Decent ball skills with 9 PBUs and half a dozen picks. But where he really excelled was in that "Warrior" spot. Hes a tough, physical, aggressive tackler who won't hesitate to lower his shoulder. His ability to quickly diagnose plays helps him work through traffic, locate the ballcarrier, and finish the play with authority. NFL.com called him "an aggressive tackler who plays with abandon".
Now call me crazy but doesn't that sound quite a bit like Deon Grant's skill set? Not saying he's Deon Grant or that he'll have the same highly productive 12 year career. But he brings a lot of those traits to the table. The leadership, the football IQ, the physicality and ability to mix it up in the box without being a total liability in coverage. I truly think he can thrive in the role.
I for one am actually excited about the safety position now, as the Giants have 3 young safeties who not only have some versatility but overall bring a wide ranging collective skill set to the table. The one thing they all have in common is that they'll knock your head off. Bottom line: I'm really excited about the prospect of an intimidating, physical group of safeties, the type of defenders ballcarriers look for when they hit that second level, guys who can get in a receivers head and make them think twice before they lay out for a ball.
Finally, there's one intangible worth mentioning. There have been a few articles detailing Berhe's recovery from what was a very serious medical condition caused by his injury. It was the first time in his career dating back to Pop Warner that he was shelved for an extended period and by all accounts it ate him up. He's now a man on possessed, ready to prove he's not "injury prone" and show people what he can do. Basically he's been a man on a mission since the day he was cleared to resume football activities. You can't discredit that kind of thing. It's often the difference between a talented player thriving and an equally talented player washing out of the league in 3 years.
So, am I overly optimistic here or does anyone else think Berhe can carve himself out a nice little niche similar to that which made Grant such a valuable part of the back 7 in his time here? Is anyone else gone from serious concern to cautious optimism regarding the safeties? Curious to see what people think...
I also like our safety group generally as well.
Bennett Jackson too is an interesting guy. He's more on the opposite side of the spectrum. He's more of a FS/CB hybrid. These two could be huge pieces. They both interview well, sound smart, determined, leader-like, and full of heart.
I'm hoping they make it through and are able to play in the regular season. Also, M. Thompson seems like he could backup D. Thompson. M. Thompson is probably the purest FS out of the lot, but D. Thompson adds more talent and much more playmaking ability that it's really a question of whether they feel they need Mykkele at all (I think they take all 5 guys though). B Jackson seems like he can play slot or FS.
“Mykkele, I knew was a smart kid,” Merritt said to Giants' reporters on Monday, per Giants.com. “He came here and he is a cerebral kid, that is for sure. He is going to take what I say literally and take my word for it and go out and try to execute it. Now I am starting to see that the kid actually has some football awareness, where I didn’t think he had much of it when we first started off. The [missed alignments] that started at the beginning of rookie mini-camp and OTAs have drastically gone down. Mentally, he has excelled past my expectations.”
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Thompson kicked off the Giants' first OTA practice a few weeks ago with the defense's very first interception. When the Giants opened up their first mini-camp practice on Monday, Thompson was at it again. He showed excellent awareness to read the route, move to the middle of the field, and jump a route for a tipped interception. Giants' safeties coach David Merritt is particularly impressed with Thompson's progress from a mental standpoint.
“Mykkele, I knew was a smart kid,” Merritt said to Giants' reporters on Monday, per Giants.com. “He came here and he is a cerebral kid, that is for sure. He is going to take what I say literally and take my word for it and go out and try to execute it. Now I am starting to see that the kid actually has some football awareness, where I didn’t think he had much of it when we first started off. The [missed alignments] that started at the beginning of rookie mini-camp and OTAs have drastically gone down. Mentally, he has excelled past my expectations.”
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If Thompson keeps impressing during practices through the rest of mini-camp and training camp, there is no reason to believe that the fifth-round rookie can't earn a starting role in 2015. Thompson is currently working primarily with the second team defense. The first team defense is currently featuring rookie Landon Collins and third-year defensive back Cooper Taylor at the two starting safety spots.
That is some high praise to be sure. I think FS and RT will be the battles to watch at camp this year. Will probably be two of the biggest stories in general along with Cruz's return.
This is a position that could see a complete overall change due to the fact that these guys are so young and almost all have major injury concerns. If I was going to build a roster Collins and D. Thompson would be the point to begin. Jackson looks like a player but can't stay on the field not sure how much he has left if anything. Berhe could have fallen into the teams injury curse but even so he was a surprise pick for 99% of us who has done nothing to this point to even consider him for a roster spot. M. Thompson we all felt needed a year of development unfortunately he spent his first year laid up like most of his partners with the most difficult injury to recover from. He was also a surprise pick who looked decent for the few minutes he spent on the practice field last year.
Taylor is once again the starter in these OTA's but does that really mean anything? Not sure what to think about him it's strange to go from the top of the heap to unwanted without even being given a chance on the field but he accomplished this once will we see a repeat performance. Currie is another injured guy with nice size but lead feet before the injury doubt if he has gotten much faster. Adams went UDFA but showed some nice physical tools to work with at his pro day if he can beat the team injury curse.
Safety is unknown position with hopefully two or three guys to build with but it's far from a finished product much like most of the roster positions on this team.
You shouldn't just make shit up that validates your point, Berhe has shown to be an NFL player on STs and was a 4 year starter and team captain in a solid program at SD State. No, it's not SEC, but the guy showed he can ball in college and on STs in the pros.
I am with jrud on this kid all the way. Thompson (either one) isn't easily gonna beat out Berhe IMO.
p.s.-- And as for Collins dropping 10 or 15 pounds, the key will be his ability to keep it off. Apparently he has a sweet tooth and can put on the weight pretty quickly. From 2015 Diary of a Draftee's Mom (April Justin, his mother)....
Landon’s been training with Wyatt Harris at the Sonic Boom facility in New Orleans for over a year now. Wyatt’s trained guys like Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Marques Colston, Tracy Porter and Robert Meachem, who’s taken Landon under his wing.
I didn’t know Landon had gotten that big, though. I called Wyatt and told him Landon needed to knock off five to 10 pounds.
His trainer said he was 217 when he left for the combine. Landon said he was drinking too much water and ate before the competition, but I don’t think water weight was the culprit there. Landon is a sweets eater.
Good stuff to wake up to...thanks
Collins will be the Giants starting Strong Safety for the next 4 years if he stays healthy - bank on it. Berhe can stick as a back up Safety or big nickle type as the OP suggests (I personally think Jackson or Taylor are better suited for that role), but in no way does Berhe have any chance to beat out Collins for a starting role.
I think he played that role very well last year, it's just the ball over is head is his challenge, thus the talk of hopefully an upgraded FS.
It will depend on health for all these guys trying to come back from injury.
It will depend on health for all these guys trying to come back from injury.
They had him starting in the slot this offseason. I think they like him as a FS who can drop into CB kind of roles. I think he'd meld well with the poster who said they might do some 3 safety looks.
But at the planning stage, I like everyone better and I slot them over him.
If he winds up the starter, I am always looking to replace him.
Berhe's in a battle to make the roster with the other Thompson, Jackson, and Taylor.
Collins and D thompson start
berhe and m thompson are primary backups
cooper taylor plays a SS/LB Role as does berhe
Bennet Jackson can play CB/FS like M Thompson
then keep only 4 corners in
wade, apple, DRC, JJ
B. jackson and thompson can play Corner
Now i think its more likely they keep 5 S and 5 CBs but just a thought on how versatile this group is
10 DBs in total
Noone is being handed that job least of all a 4th round draft pick from Boise. Both Thompsons, Berhe, Jackson and Taylor are all in the mix.
Typical BBI over reaction to a handful of sound bytes, some rosy post draft articles emerging and about an hour of actual time on the practice field.
He's not even a FS. He's a SS. A backup to Collins.
He is a SS, not a FS.....yet, he missed a few tackles for the time he was on the field....
It amazes me that most of BBI looked at him as a solution to the safety problem last year, when he did nothing the previous year....
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but I do think he's the best talent at FS in house.
He's not even a FS. He's a SS. A backup to Collins.
Yes, D Thompson's 19 picks, ballhawk skills and 3rd round selection project to back up Collins at SS... Okay.
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In comment 12952322 JonC said:
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but I do think he's the best talent at FS in house.
He's not even a FS. He's a SS. A backup to Collins.
Yes, D Thompson's 19 picks, ballhawk skills and 3rd round selection project to back up Collins at SS... Okay.
JP, I think Jeff was talking about Berhe, not D. Thompson.
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In comment 12952352 jeff57 said:
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In comment 12952322 JonC said:
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but I do think he's the best talent at FS in house.
He's not even a FS. He's a SS. A backup to Collins.
Yes, D Thompson's 19 picks, ballhawk skills and 3rd round selection project to back up Collins at SS... Okay.
JP, I think Jeff was talking about Berhe, not D. Thompson.
Missed that, my apologies Jeff. Thanks Klaatu
Larger and larger and more athletic offensive linesmen while the ball gets out quicker and quicker in the pass game, more and more need for guys who can defend the pass, putting the whole concept of the LB position on the horns of a dilemma, get larger to combat 330 Lbs OTs or quicker more instinctive to defend against balls in the air and the pass game?
Hard to do both within single players.
Reduce the number of game day LBs from (7?) to (5?) and allow your roster an additional specialist true DL player as well as an additional specialist safety of one of the many types discussed, the CB/S...the LB/S....the Zone CB or FS ball hawk.
Larger and larger and more athletic offensive linesmen while the ball gets out quicker and quicker in the pass game, more and more need for guys who can defend the pass, putting the whole concept of the LB position on the horns of a dilemma, get larger to combat 330 Lbs OTs or quicker more instinctive to defend against balls in the air and the pass game?
Hard to do both within single players.
Reduce the number of game day LBs from (7?) to (5?) and allow your roster an additional specialist true DL player as well as an additional specialist safety of one of the many types discussed, the CB/S...the LB/S....the Zone CB or FS ball hawk.
Last year I resisted the call to view Collins as what he is vs. what he isn't. Even guys who covered him at Alabama said what he should be at the next level. A WLB.
The best he look was going up against TEs, securing tackles, playing the run and rushing the QB in blitzes.
Larger and larger and more athletic offensive linesmen while the ball gets out quicker and quicker in the pass game, more and more need for guys who can defend the pass, putting the whole concept of the LB position on the horns of a dilemma, get larger to combat 330 Lbs OTs or quicker more instinctive to defend against balls in the air and the pass game?
Hard to do both within single players.
Reduce the number of game day LBs from (7?) to (5?) and allow your roster an additional specialist true DL player as well as an additional specialist safety of one of the many types discussed, the CB/S...the LB/S....the Zone CB or FS ball hawk.
Interesting concept, but I think you would get eaten alive with the running game. You need a thumper or two to keep a stronghold on the inside. But it is in fact why guys like Lavonte David and Ryan Shazier are so coveted now. Speed to play the pass on any down while also helping clog up the run game.
I think Collins should be moved to WLB, but again we need another SS to slot in. Berhe you cannot count on. He never has been there to produce. Anything you get out of him is a plus at this point.
But at the planning stage, I like everyone better and I slot them over him.
If he winds up the starter, I am always looking to replace him.
Agreed, with the stipulation that I have seen him play the least of our young safeties, so maybe he is great and we just don't know yet, but based on physical talent he is by far the least talented safety on the roster. Including Cooper Taylor, who I like more than Berhe also.
One of the reasons I ranted so much about Billings pre-draft.
Or even, 3 DTs, one true and rare pass rush/run stop DT, one Nose type and one (hank/canty/cofield) type in addition to your ends, which we have.
To mitigate the need for your thumper LB....especially if you don't have a thumper mike that can also cover well...as well as a safety. Not too sure who would run into that inside mess.
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Berhe will not start over Collins. I repeat ..Berhe will NOT start over Collins. Berhe hasn't shown us anything, as yet, when it comes to playing the safety position.
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I wouldn't be surprised if Behre wins the starting strong safety job with Collins competing with D.Thompson (and maybe Bennett Jackson) for the free safety spot. I'm not predicting it, I just think a lot of assumptions are being made by fans and the media re: Collins at strong that may or may not be so.
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Berhe will not start over Collins. I repeat ..Berhe will NOT start over Collins. Berhe hasn't shown us anything, as yet, when it comes to playing the safety position.
I may like Berhe's potential as a niche player and in the box 3rd safety but it's just plain silly to think he'll take the starting gig from Collins. People are way too down on Collins. He was throw right into the fire and due to injury spent a lot of time playing out of position, or at least being asked to do things that aren't his strengths. Despite all that he still led the team in tackles and had flashed as an in the box, SS. Pair hm with a guy who has coverage skills, let him do what he does best, and hez'll be an above average starter. No doubt in my mind. He was thrown to the loves last year. With a stronger supporting cast he's going to look much better and become a valuable asset.