1999 NFL draft
Scouting reports:
As published in Pro Football Weekly's 1999
Draft Preview
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Buchsbaum's top 10
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No. 1 DB prospect
Champ Bailey
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Editor's note:
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E — Height, weight and speed are estimated.
e — Only the 40-yard-dash time is estimated.
On all positions, 40-yard-dash times are curved to take conditions into account. For
instance, a 4.4 40 on a very fast rubber track would be recorded as a 4.52, while a 4.6 on
slow grass would be logged as a 4.5. |
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(Players are listed in alphabetical order)
| CB-WR ROLAND "CHAMP" BAILEY |
| (5-11 3/4, 184, 4.4e) Georgia |
| Notes: High-school All-American in football, in
addition to being a track-and-field and basketball star. True junior. Played in every game
as a true freshman and was starting at cornerback before the year was over. Started every
game at cornerback and one game at wide receiver in 1997. All-Southeastern Conference and
All-America cornerback in ’98, as well as Nagurski Award winner as the nation’s
top defensive player. He was also Georgia’s top receiver and best special-team
player. Averaged over 100 snaps per game after getting over an early-season cramping
problem. Bailey had 47 stops, seven passes broken up and two interceptions in ’96. He
had 48-10-3 with 12 catches for 234 yards in ’97. And, in ’98, Bailey had
52-10-3 with 47 catches for 744 yards and five touchdowns, as well as 12 kickoff returns
for 261 yards. Also competes on the Georgia track team. Best event is the long jump, in
which he has just missed 26 feet. Will not turn 21 until June but has a 5-year-old
daughter. Positives: Superior athlete with great coordination,
body control, balance, hand-eye coordination, ball skills and jumping ability. Very smooth
and fluid. Changes direction without losing a step and is very smooth in transition as a
cornerback. Has great suddenness and can really close on the ball. A big-play maker with
awesome ability and top football instincts. Natural wide receiver. Makes plays and big
plays. Is gifted at everything he does.
Negatives: Needs to get stronger and build up his body. Had a
cramping problem at the start of the ’98 season that forced him to miss snaps. Seemed
to wear down a little at the end of the season. Was not as effective in the Bulldogs’
bowl game as he was earlier in the season.
Summary: Can be a great cornerback or wide receiver. Might even
be both at the same time. A superior athlete who must be careful not to stretch himself
too thin over the course of a much longer NFL season, until he matures. Is just a pup with
a June ’78 date of birth. Unlike Rod Woodson, Bailey has an underdeveloped body. |
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| CB DRE’ BLY |
| (5-9 7/8, 186, 4.55e) North Carolina |
| Notes: Fourth-year junior who is slated to
graduate with his class. All-American and Thorpe Award finalist as a redshirt freshman and
sophomore. Got heavier and was far less effective as a junior in 1998. Led the nation in
interceptions in ’96, when he was in on 32 tackles, broke up 13 passes, had 11
interceptions and returned 18 punts for 128 yards. Had 26 stops, five picks and four
passes broken up in ’97, as teams started avoiding him. Also returned 19 punts for
127 yards. Was heavier and slower at the start of the ’98 season and gave up a number
of big plays. Ended the year with 44 tackles, 10 passes broken up and four interceptions. Positives:
Great hand-eye coordination. Excellent ball athlete. Is a magnet for the ball. Reacts to
the ball like a wide receiver would, not a defensive back. Has many of the traits that
made Everson Walls such a productive interceptor. Can and likes to play in-your-face,
bump-and-run coverage. Is very competitive and a good type of cocky. Does not seem to get
down on himself when he gets beaten. Can return punts.
Negatives: Had a very disappointing ’98 season, giving up
an awful lot of big plays, mostly on deep routes and crossing routes. Seemed to lose a
step after bulking up. Despite losing the weight, he never really was the same player.
Likes to guess and gamble and does not have great recovery speed. Got turned around an
awful lot in pass coverage last season. Has never been a very good open-field tackler or
run-support player. On the short side.
Summary: Bly came up short and got beaten deep way too often
last year. But he looked like a great, instinctive ball athlete as an underclassman who
was a magnet for the ball. How this player works out and runs just prior to the draft will
have a lot to say about where he is drafted. However, it should be noted that, when he was
playing great, his team had a great pass rush, which allowed him to get away with more
gambles. Last year he got exposed when the rush was not as strong. |
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| CB FERNANDO BRYANT |
| (5-9 7/8, 180, 4.48) Alabama |
| Notes: High-school sprinter who finished third in
his Tennessee class’ 100-meter dash. Nephew of former NFL standout CB Don Griffin,
whose best years were with the 49ers. Bryant became a starter midway through the 1995
season as a true freshman and has started ever since. Had 39 tackles and three passes
broken up as a freshman and 42-14 and his first three interceptions in ’96. In
’97, he had 47-10-3, with 106 interception-return yards and one touchdown. Also
returned 15 kickoffs for 416 yards. He broke his jaw last spring but came back in the fall
to win first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors. Was in on 51 stops last season,
breaking up four passes and picking off two. He also returned two kickoffs for 50 yards. Positive:
Exceptional athlete with outstanding body control and coordination. Quick, agile, smooth
and fluid. Has good hips and does not lose much in transition. Has good ability to change
direction. Can plant and drive on the ball. Shows cover skills playing both bump and
man-off coverage. Had a good week at the Senior Bowl.
Negatives: Could work harder. At times will take the easy way
out. Is no killer vs. the run. Plays the run a little soft at times. Is not as big as
scouts would like or as strong as he could and should be. Loses his coverage cushion and
lets too many receivers run by him.
Summary: Has as much talent as his uncle had in his prime. Got
a chance to make himself a lot of money at the Senior Bowl — and did. Nevertheless,
Bryant needs to get stronger and show he will pay the price if he is to enjoy the type of
success that Griffin had. |
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| DB ANTWAN EDWARDS |
| (6-0, 208, 4.55e) Clemson |
| Notes: Ran track and played football in high
school. Did not start but played in every game as a true freshman in 1995, recording 41
tackles, 11 special-team tackles and two passes broken up. He also had four punt returns
for 57 yards. Started every game at strong safety in ’96, when he had 83 stops, two
interceptions and four passes broken up. Started the first half of the ’97 season at
strong safety and the second half of the year at cornerback. Was suspended for one game
for missing practice. Ended the season with 49-4-14. Also returned 12 kickoffs for 280
yards. Was slowed by a hamstring he hurt in September and a bad turf toe in ’98.
Still started 10 times that season, when he had 43-2-14. Also returned a fumble 93 yards
for a key touchdown vs. Virginia, in addition to returning 13 kickoffs for 350 yards and
six punts for 82 yards. Was arrested a few days before the Combine and charged with
disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Positives: Very good
all-around athlete. Big body. Hard to shove around. Is developing some cover skills. Much
bigger and more physical than most cornerbacks. Covers a lot better than most safeties.
Negatives: Gets lazy with his techniques and gets flagged too
much. Uses a side-saddle technique instead of a straight backpedal. Shows only average
ball awareness. May not have quite enough quickness and niftiness to be a top corner and
gets turned around too much. Does not have a great burst of speed. Is just an average
hitter and tackler for a safety.
Summary: A good prospect who does not quite play as well as
scouts feel he should. Has a lot of athletic ability but is a little bit of a S-CB
tweener. Will need to lose weight and improve quickness if he wants to become a big-time
cornerback. |
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| CB CHARLES FISHER |
| (5-11 3/4, 185, 4.55) West Virginia |
| Notes: Lettered in football, basketball and track
and field in high school. Enrolled as a wide receiver and defensive back. Redshirted in
1994. Played in ’95, when he started twice, and in ’96. Second unit in ’97.
Started and earned second-team All-Big East honors in ’98, when he earned a chance to
go to the Senior Bowl. Had 18 stops and three passes broken up in ’97 and 33-6 and
three interceptions in ’98. Only previous interception came in ’96. Positives:
Very well-conditioned athlete with above-adequate size and speed. Has quick reactions. Can
play bump-and-run, backed off or in zone. Agile. Plays fast. Also is the gunner on the
punt team. Went to the Senior Bowl and showed he belonged.
Negatives: Has only done it for one year. Cover skills are
pretty good but not great. Run support tends to be erratic.
Summary: Fisher must continue to improve, and he will make it
if he does. He got a chance to open some eyes and make himself a lot of money at the
Senior Bowl, and he seems to have cashed in. |
Top of page
| CB CHRIS McALISTER |
| (6-1 1/8, 203, 4.5) Arizona |
| Notes: Son of former UCLA track and football star
James McAlister, who went on to play for the World Football League’s Southern
California Sun and then in the NFL. Chris attended Mt. San Antonio College (Calif.) in
1995 and scored five touchdowns (two on interceptions and three on punt returns). Enrolled
at Arizona in ’96 and was an instant standout, winning All-Pacific-10 honors and
leading the Wildcats in interceptions and kick returns. Was slowed by injuries in ’97
but still started eight times at cornerback, once at free safety and once as nickel back.
Won All-Pac-10 honors for the second year in a row. One of three finalists for the Thorpe
Award as the nation’s top defensive back. All-Pac-10 and a consensus All-American in
’98, although the NCAA suspended him for a game because of a ruling he and the
Arizona program disputed involving the terms of a loan he took to pay for his
injury-protection insurance. In ’96, McAlister had 45 tackles and six interceptions,
which he returned for 103 yards and one touchdown. Also had 20 kickoff returns for 526
yards and one touchdown. In ’97, he had 43-4 and 14 kickoff returns for 335 yards. In
’98, he had 34-5, five punt returns for 104 yards and one touchdown and eight kickoff
returns for 236 yards and one touchdown. He also caught a pass on which he lost yardage
and had a couple of runs for 16 yards. In the Holiday Bowl vs. Nebraska, McAlister had two
interceptions, a long punt return on a reverse, which was called back by a questionable
call, and a fumble recovery on special teams. He fumbled his first interception back to
the Cornhuskers, but his second interception may have saved the game. Lined up at tailback
a few times and was used as a trailing halfback to run the option at times. Positives:
Fine size and marvelous all-around athletic skills. Worked hard over the past summer and
got a lot stronger in his upper body. Has really improved his technique. Very fluid for a
6-foot-plus corner. Has long arms that enable him to play even bigger than his size.
Gifted ball athlete with a knack for seeing and making plays on the ball. Puts himself in
good positions to intercept the ball. Has good range. With size and long arms, he can be
very effective in bump-and-run coverage and at times will not even let a receiver get off
the line of scrimmage. Can and will hit at times. Covers the opposition’s best
receiver without help. Effective kickoff returner who brought a punt back for a score in
’98.
Negatives: Does not have sure, reliable hands, which is why he
is rarely used on punt returns. Might have averaged over 10 interceptions per season if he
caught the ball better. Has concentration lapses and/or gets bored when teams don’t
throw at him for a while. Either goes to sleep or does too much freelancing, which, at
times, causes him to get beaten in coverage. At times almost plays like he thinks the game
is easy.
Summary: Often makes big plays in big games. Has a chance to
become a premier all-around player and defensive back in the NFL if he stays focused and
stops getting bored when teams ignore the man he is covering. |
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| CB DAYLON McCUTCHEON |
| (5-8 3/4, 186, 4.53) USC |
| Notes: Son of former Ram star running back and
current Ram scout Lawrence McCutcheon, but his parents split up and Daylon was brought up
by his mother. Daylon was a Parade high-school All-American running back, wide
receiver, defensive back and return specialist. Started six games at cornerback for USC as
a true freshman in 1995 and had 50 tackles, two interceptions, 10 passes broken up and one
touchdown. All-Pacific-10 cornerback in ’96, when he had 48-3-14 and three kickoff
returns for 71 yards. Started in ’97 but tailed off a little, finishing with 45-2-7.
Also played some offense and returned a few kicks. Started poorly in ’98 but ended
the season well, finishing with 43-3-15 and a 25.4-yard average on 10 kickoff returns. Positives:
Fine athlete. Has the type of movement skills scouts look for in a cornerback. Very fluid
with quick feet. Changes directions smoothly and can turn and run deep with most
receivers. Strong legs. Jumps well. Good cover skills. Fast enough to run deep. Has
improved his strength, tackling and hitting. Has good hands and can play the ball well in
the air.
Negatives: Lacks height and some size. Size hurts at times.
Gets a little sloppy with his technique. Tends to jump when it is not necessary and will
lose his position. Does not have Deion Sanders’ great quick plant and explosion at
the break point and can be beaten at that juncture.
Summary: McCutcheon is no Darrell Green or Sanders, but he is a
very good, little corner who can probably be someone’s nickel corner as a rookie and
might end up as a starter in a year or two. |
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| S ANTHONY POINDEXTER |
| (6-0 1/2, 210, 4.65e — before
injury) Virginia |
| Notes: Top high-school football and baseball
player. Was drafted by the Marlins in the June 1994 amateur baseball draft. Football
redshirt at Virginia in ’94. Played both safety and linebacker in ’95 and,
although he started only three times, Poindexter had 93 tackles, including six for loss, a
sack, three fumbles caused and an interception. All-Atlantic Coast Conference safety the
past three years while winning All- America honors in ’97 and ’98. Had 98 stops,
four interceptions and three blocked kicks in ’96. Had 78 stops, four interceptions,
three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries in ’97. Was having his best year in
’98, until he suffered a devastating college-career-ending knee injury in Game Seven.
In fewer than seven games of action, he had 73 tackles, including five for loss, two
sacks, three interceptions and four passes broken up. Was a consensus All-American that
season. Positives: Excellent size. Tremendous hitter. Has
receivers hearing footsteps and is an extra linebacker vs. the run. Dominates vs. the run.
Very good open-field tackler. Closes well on passes thrown in front of him. A play maker
who picks off passes, causes fumbles, recovers fumbles, blocks kicks and gets everyone
going with his hitting and intensity.
Negatives: Is coming off a very serious knee injury that tore
ligaments in his left knee and will need months of rehab. He may never be the same if
things don’t go well. Has always lacked pure speed and has never been very skilled in
man-on-man coverage. Does not always play the ball over his head well.
Summary: Was a great player vs. the run and a big-play maker
who never had great speed or cover skills. Now, he is coming off a very serious knee
injury. |
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| CB FRED VINSON |
| (5-10 5/8, 175, 4.43) Vanderbilt |
| Notes: Top high-school sprinter and long-jumper.
Played in every game as a true freshman, started once at cornerback and stood out on
special teams. Ended the season with 30 tackles. Started every game in 1996 and ’97.
Had 53 tackles, 10 passes broken up and one interception in ’96; and 48 tackles and
seven passes broken up in ’97. Was making his senior season his best until he
suffered a ligament injury to his left foot at Florida. Tried to play with the injury
later in the year but was not effective. Ended the season with 33 tackles and three
interceptions. After additional medical tests were performed on his foot, Vinson had
surgery to repair the damage. He was then forced to miss the Senior Bowl and could not
work out at the Combine. Positives: Excellent athlete. Quick and
fast. Has quick feet. Changes directions well. Smooth turning and does not lose much in
transition. Fine cover man who closes very quickly on the ball. Seems to have cat-like
movements.
Negatives: Slightly undersized. Not a striker. A drag-down
tackler. Not aggressive going for the ball and does not play the ball well. Is not a good
ball athlete and has trouble finding the ball. Has too many passes taken away from him
when he is in good position because he misplays the ball. Is coming off foot surgery.
Summary: Cover skills are excellent until it comes down to
playing the ball at the end. Improving that area will be the key, because few players can
stay with receivers as well as Vinson can. |
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| CB ANTOINE WINFIELD |
| (5-8 5/8, 176, 4.47) Ohio State |
| Notes: Team’s third cornerback as a freshman
in 1995, finishing the year with 56 tackles. Top backup in ’96 who started four times
when Ty Howard was hurt. Started every game in ’97 and won All-Big Ten honors, made
two major All-America teams and was named the Buckeyes’ MVP. Started every contest in
’98, when he was an All-American and won the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back
in the country, although he did not intercept a pass during the regular season. Had 47
tackles, one interception and two passes broken up in ’96; 92-2-12 and 3 sacks in
’97. Ended ’98 with 72 tackles and 13 passes broken up. Positives:
Great intangibles. Top competitor. Super tough. Very strong for size. A big hitter.
Relishes contact. Loves to blitz and is good at it. Can play man-on-man coverage. Has good
hips, feet, speed and quickness. Tremendous work ethic. Coach John Cooper calls him the
best cornerback he ever coached — and he had Shawn Springs.
Negatives: Lacks height. Gets outsized and outjumped. Does not
play the ball that well. Loses too often in jump-ball situations and is not a productive
interceptor.
Summary: Winfield has the heart of a lion and the feet of a
cornerback, but his lack of height and ball awareness in coverage are concerns. |
Top of page
You'll find profiles of 65 more defensive backs in the print edition of Pro
Football Weekly's 1999 Draft Preview book. It's available at bookstores and newsstands
across the country or you can call 1-800-FOOTBALL (1-800-366-8225) to order a copy. |
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