Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: S Jonathan Cyprien
Player Information:
Jonathan Cyprien
6-0, 217 pounds
Hometown: North Miami Beach, Fla.
NFL Combine:
Vertical: 38.5″
*40 time: 4.56
*225-pound bench: 18 reps
*Results from Mar. 7 Pro Day
News and Notes:
Started three years at Florida International after making seven starts as a freshman in 2009 … Started the most career games at safety (45), which is the third-most of any position at FIU … Participated in the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine in 2013 … Named to the All-Sun Belt Conference First-Team as a senior … All-Sun Belt Conference Second-Team as a sophomore and junior … Seven interceptions, 22 pass breakups during his college career … Served as team captain as a senior.
What they’re saying about him:
- NFL.com: “Looks and plays like a strong in-the-box safety with solid thickness throughout his build … Possesses enough speed and athleticism to cover ground as a zone defender in the back half and line up against slot receivers inside. Closes on stretch runs and quick throws to outside receivers even when playing well back from the line. Beats receiver blocks with quickness or strength. His secure tackling in those situations is also notable, as he brings some attitude into his attempts unlike other defensive backs in this class. Used as a blitzer on run and pass plays, can overpower running back blocks.”
- DraftInsider.net: “Aggressive playing style and active demeanor. Took advantage of the Senior Bowl opportunity, standing out with his full-speed effort from the first practice. Enjoys the physical nature of the position. Meets the ballcarrier with a pop and refuses to let up.”
Video:
Video Analysis:
- Loves contact, willing and able hitter.
- Covered a lot of ground on his interception. Impressive, considering Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater looks like an early draft pick in 2014.
- Plays near the line of scrimmage a lot.
- Very physical player who times his hits well.
- Sometimes his aggressiveness can get him into trouble, as he will occasionally overpursues in the running game.
- He likes to lower his shoulder and deliver the big blow, but he’s typically pretty good about wrapping up.
- Cyprien stands out on the FIU defense; he was playing at another level.
- Overall, he’s just a really versatile player. He plays near the line, in the deep middle, and occasionally lines up in man coverage.
- On the touchdown he allowed, he had great position. It was just a perfect throw and timing by Bridgewater.
- He’s a first-round talent. Period.
If drafted by the Packers:
Morgan Burnett has emerged as a playmaker on the back end of the Packers’ defense. But as good as Burnett has been, the team still lacks a true starting-caliber player alongside him. It took Nick Collins three years to become to All-Pro player he ended up being, and Burnett is now entering his fourth year in the league. If the Packers draft Jon Cyprien, he’ll likely be expected to step into the starting lineup immediately as a rookie because he’ll likely command the team’s first-round pick. Cyprien is my No. 2 safety in this year’s draft, behind only Kenny Vaccaro of Texas. Vaccaro will likely come off the board no later that No. 18 overall, while Cyprien is a legitimate candidate to go to St. Louis at No. 22. If he’s on the board when the Packers pick at 26, he’ll likely be one of the players Ted Thompson considers with his first pick. When the team took Jerron McMillian in the fourth round last year, they envisioned his physical presence being a nice complement to Burnett’s athleticism. In my opinion, Cyprien is a better, more versatile version of McMillian, and he’d fit in tremendously with the Green Bay defense.
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Marques is a Journalism student, serving as the Sports Editor of UW-Green Bay\'s campus newspaper The Fourth Estate and a Packers writer at Jersey Al\'s AllGBP.com. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.
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I’ve been saying for a while that I think the Packers need a physical, take-charge presence at the safety position–I’d love to see a Troy Polamalu or Bob Sanders (absent the injuries) type. I just think there are bigger holes (or looming holes) that can be filled at #26.
nope.
this is our guy.
I foresee a trade up to get him the same way Burnett was drafted just ahead of Chicago who was left to take Major Wright.
I take a keen interest on who Al is mocking on the Drafttek site (one of the few mock draft sites I pay attention to) and he’s choosing Cyprien to fall to the Packers in the second round which makes a lot of sense to me.
What doesn’t make sense to me is the selection of Kevin Minter in the first.
I only see Minter being able to play in Hawks position at SILB and since Hawk has just had his contract restructured, I do not see the need of this selection and I don’t think Minter has the athletic ability to warrant a first round selection to play WILB.
Al can you expand on your reasoning? I always take a keen on your thoughts.
Correction – I always take a keen interest on your thoughts.
maybe he thinks minter is better than hawk.
Drafttek has a unique system for drafting players. Jersey Al inserts team needs and the program picks players based on those needs as assigned by the team expert. Al probably did not specifically pick Minter for the packers, that is just the way the draft fell. I believe he can put emphasis on certain players, but it is an autodraft, not a live draft.
but to your point, i would be sick if the packers took minter and jesse williams was still on the board. i like williams a lot.
Correct on all counts. Minter was not my selection and I wouldn’t be thrilled. I don’t sweat the first pick so much until we get to two weeks in, then I make sure I put in some “grabs” for players I want there (if available).
Al
Zac, see FireMM’s answer.
It’s not totally “my” mock draft, although I can request certain players at certain picks. In thisn case, the two players I requested for pick #1 were taken, so the simulation made the pick based on a formula that takes into account needs, player position on the big board, and a variety of other factors. It’s pretty cool, actually…
I wonder why Reid of LSU isn’t higher on the board. I think he can be had in the 2nd if this guy isn’t available and will be “that guy” the D needs.
Reid is a very good player, but he does have more noticeable flaws to his game. His two biggest issues from watching him play are he sometimes takes bad angles and can get lost in coverage when the ball is in the air. What I mean by the second point is he’ll be in good position, but just struggles to locate the ball, even when he should have a rather easy INT.
Do you know who CBS compares Cyprien to ?
Answer: Morgan Burnett.
And NFL compares him to Jonathan Babineaux. I don’t see a 1st round playmaker, just a good prospect that lacks great speed and will struggle in coverage in the NFL. Don’t see closing speed or elite quickness for a 1st round pick.
Mid 2nd round talent. Period.