NFL Draft Prospect Profile: S Terrence Brooks

Packers prospect profile:  S  Terrence Brooks

Player Information:

Terrence Brooks  S, Florida State,  5-11, 198 pounds  Hometown: Dunnellon, FL

STATS

NFL Scouting Combine:

40 time: 4.42

Vertical jump: 38″

225 lb. bench: 10 reps

Broad jump: 9’11”

News and Notes:

Second-team All-ACC selection in 2013. . .played and started in 13 games, missing one game due to concussion. . .had seven tackles for a loss in 2013. . .played in BCS championship game following 2013 season and has played well in a playoff-like atmosphere.

What they’re saying about him: 

• CBSSports.com:  While a touch shorter than scouts would prefer, Brooks looks the part of an NFL free safety, boasting broad shoulders, a well-built frame and trim waist. He possesses good balance, agility and straight-line speed, including an impressive burst to close. A former cornerback who is asked to drop down and cover slot receivers, on occasion, demonstrating good balance, fluidity and change of direction for coverage. Brooks is more physical than you might expect given his cornerback background, often dropping down into a linebacker-like role. Long arms and good balance to play off blocks and make plays near the line of scrimmage amid traffic. A big-hitter who seems to enjoy the physicality of the game. Flashes strong hands for the interception, as well as the ability to track over his shoulder. Good special teams player. Below average height for the position, though his strength and leaping ability make him less of a liability in jump-ball situations than it might appear. Highly aggressive defender who will lower his shoulder and fail to wrap up, leading to some missed tackles. Unreliable hands for the interception. Let several “easy” interceptions slip through his fingers in 2013.
• NFL.com:  Fluid and flexible. Pedals and transitions smoothly. Good play speed and range. Patrols zones with awareness and anticipation to react to threats. Keys quickly, trusts his eyes and does not hesitate. Aggressive in run support — swoops down with urgency, runs the alley and plays with abandon. Confident and energetic. Tough and durable. Profiles as a core special-teams player. Solid personal and football character. Inconsistent tackler — arrives out of control, does not always see what he hits and will miss some tackles seeking the knockout blow. Is built like a cornerback, sustained a concussion as a senior and durability could be an issue given his aggressive playing style. Minimal production on the ball — was not a playmaker. Has average hands and leaves some INTs on the field. Could stand to add some body armor and get stronger.

Video:

Video Analysis:.

• This is a “highlight reel” only
• Looks every bit the part of a safety for a guy who was originally a cornerback.  Plays very physical
• The term “ball hawk” is appropriate for Brooks.  Has good hands but again, this is highlight reel only
• I see the tendency to go for the big hit versus wrapping up at times.  His size will prohibit him from making some of those types of plays at the NFL level
• Very instinctive and is near the ball relatively quickly after the snap.  Seemingly would develop into a good blitzer and was good in run support
• Showed a good ability to cover the deep ball
• Will need to be mindful of how he tackles in the NFL.  Several of these plays would have drawn flags, whether valid or not

If drafted by the Packers:

Brooks is gaining quite a bit of pre-draft momentum both in the media and with various scouts.  He projects as a second to third round pick, but I won’t be surprised if someone becomes enamored and scoops him up sooner than later.  The Packers would likely be looking at Brooks as a second round pick at the latest, with their current stable of picks.  He can play special teams which is something Packers head coach Mike McCarthy likes out of his rookies.  With Micah Hyde able to fill in at safety in some of the defensive packages, Brooks would not likely be counted on as an every-down player right away.  With the luck that the Packers have had with defensive backs in the past two drafts (Casey Hayward, Micah Hyde), they may find another gem in Brooks.  His ball skills are something that the safety position has severely lacked in Green Bay over the past two years.  Ball hawks are ball hawks and despite any amount of a learning curve, Brooks would likely find a way to pluck a few away from opposing offenses right away.  As long as he can stay healthy and able to use his vertical leaping ability against bigger receivers, Brooks could end up being a special type of defensive back for the Packers.  While he doesn’t directly translate to Nick Collins, he could develop into a very effective safety.

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Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com

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