Madden NFL 12 Rookie Ratings - Top Ten Defensive Backs

[brettmickey]

Here are the Scouts Inc. scouting reports at your disposal:

Ras-I Dowling
Scouts Grade:86
1 = Exceptional2 = Above average3 = Average4 = Below average5 = Marginal

Production	1	2007: (12/4) 44 tackles, 2 INT, 9 PBU.2008: (11/9) 43 tackles, 3 INT, 11 PBU.2009: (12/12) 58 tackles, 1 sack, 3 INT, 8 PBU, 2 FF.2010: (5/2) 15 tackles, 1 PBU.
Height-Weight-Speed	1	Top-end speed is excellent. Nearly two inches taller and five pounds heavier than the average DC at last three combines.
Durability	4	Missed only one game (USC, 2008) due to injury during first three seasons at UVA (2007-09). Played in only five games in 2010 as he battled hamstring and knee injuries before breaking his left ankle.
Intangibles	2	Selected co-captain for 2010 season. No off-the-field issues to our knowledge. A hard worker who continues to improve both as a player and a leader.

Cornerback Specific Traits

Instincts/Recognition	1	Plays under control and with confidence. Is disciplined when reading keys and doesn't get caught peeking in backfield very often. Very cautious of getting beat deep when working in man-coverage. Anticipation skills are solid but still developing. Will be late reacting to the ball coming out of QBs hands at times in man-coverage but has much better reaction skills in zone.
Cover Skills	2	Can hold up in certain man-to-man matchups but would need deep-safety support versus NFL WRs with upper-echelon quickness. Has some tightness in hips, while top-end speed is very good lack of elite initial quickness can get him in trouble when he takes false steps in man coverage. However, shows an extra gear to recover when caught out of position. At his best in zone coverage, where he can keep WR in front of him and read QBs eyes. Shows good leverage and quick feet in pedal. Has good burst out of pedal and plays with very good balance and body control. Tries to get physical with WR as much as he can. Has the size, long arms, strong upper body and physical mentality to succeed with some good coaching in the NFL.
Ball Skills	2	Above average ball skills and possesses a wide range in this area. Has long arms and shows good leaping ability. Goes up and high-poINT the ball.
Run Support	1	Has good size and strength for the DC position. Is diligent about keeping outside contain versus the run. Not afraid to mix it up. Solid tackler; does a better job than most of breaking down and wrapping up in space. Flashes the awareness to go for the strip when possible.

[brettmickey]

Aaron Williams
Scouts Grade:88
1 = Exceptional2 = Above average3 = Average4 = Below average5 = Marginal

Production	2	2008: (13/1) 16 total tackles, 1 TFL, 3 PBU, 1 INT.2009: (13/13) 44 total tackles, 6 TFL, 2 sacks, 8 PBU, 3 INT.2010: (11/9) 46 total tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 12 PBU, 3 FF.
Height-Weight-Speed	2	Above-average height and top-end speed for a corner prospect. Adequate weight.
Durability	3	Missed the 2009 UCF game with a knee injury. Missed the 2010 Oklahoma State game with a concussion.
Intangibles	2	Uncle Ken Taylor played RS/CB in NFL (Charges and Bears) for two years. Named to Texas Athletic Director's honor roll in spring of 2010.

1 = Exceptional2 = Above average3 = Average4 = Below average5 = Marginal
Cornerback Specific Traits

Instincts/Recognition	3	Reads and flows with quarterback when drops into zone. Recognizes bubble screens. Mid-poINT high/low routes and flashes good route recognition skills but highly inconsistent in this area. Gets caught peeking into the backfield. Gets caught guessing too much and vulnerable to double moves. Slow to recognize run when matched up in man coverage.
Cover Skills	2	Inconsistent but talented and most weaknesses can be improved. High in backpedal. Can allow some separation out of breaks and recovery burst is just average. Can give receivers too much of a cushion. Too quick to open and turn on comeback routes. Not as physical in press coverage as in run support and doesn't always re-route receivers with powerful stab at the line of scrimmage. On the other hand, has fluid hips. Can open and run with receivers in press-bail coverage. Quick feet and changes directions well for size. Closes quickly when receivers catch the ball in front of him and can limit production after the catch.
Ball Skills	2	Can elevate too early but flashes the ability to high-point in jump-ball situations. Gets head turned in time to locate the ball. Can time dive and knock ball down when gets caught in trail position.
Run Support	2	Plays with an edge and fights off blocks. Effective wrapup tackler that can get bigger ball carriers to the ground. Consistently steps up when teams run at him but could show better effort in pursuit when teams run away from him.

[Palo20]

So Ras-I has all 1s and 2s in football skills. His only knock is durability. He also ran a sub 4.4 40 at the combine despite pulling up early.

The knock on Williams coming out is that he may not last long at CB. Some analysts love him as a FS. I'm sure his OVR will reflect this at FS and he may be as good as Ras-I when that happens.

[spfhelmiii]

Boof. At least some of you are debating players who are on the list - Chris Culliver (49ers' 3rd Rounder) is not even listed.

[CM Hooe]

Dowling is about five points ahead of where I thought he'd be given that he didn't play but one game last season, that and I didn't think on the whole he was that much better than Chris Cook (who the Vikings drafted early in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft; he was rated a 68 OVR in Madden NFL 11).

All the best to him, however.

[azdawgpound]

the cb the browns took buster skrine had better or close to what the third best cb jimmy smith had far as combine scores and yet hes not even listed in the top 10 so if they are basing them off of the combine i think skrine shoulda been about 70 something but will probly end up being around 66 or 68.

[angels eclipse7]

Quote: Originally Posted by azdawgpound

the cb the browns took buster skrine had better or close to what the third best cb jimmy smith had far as combine scores and yet hes not even listed in the top 10 so if they are basing them off of the combine i think skrine shoulda been about 70 something but will probly end up being around 66 or 68.

Skrine was only projected to be a 5th round pick on most boards.

[sniperhare]

I'm wondering what the ratings for the Jaguars two DB's are going to be. Chris Prosinski is a guy that will compete (with the current FS's) for a starting spot his rookie year. And Rod Issac is looked at as the presumptive nickle CB.

But they are both smaller school guys who were overlooked by the talking heads. Gene does his work on those players and I have every bit of confidence that they can play, but I just don't want to see them rated in the 40's-50's for the first few roster updates.

[brettmickey]

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

Dowling is about five points ahead of where I thought he'd be given that he didn't play but one game last season, that and I didn't think on the whole he was that much better than Chris Cook (who the Vikings drafted early in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft; he was rated a 68 OVR in Madden NFL 11). All the best to him, however.

This exactly. Ras-I is athletically gifted no question but what good does that do you when you are on the bench for almost every game? If DaQuan Bowers' overall dropped because of injury and lack of sustainability then Ras-I's should also. C'mon man, the Bills get no love besides the Dareus overall

[bmj2k7]

Ras-I Dowling after last year was rated a 1st round after last year. I thought if there were too CB's the pats would take is Ras-I Dowling or Jimmy Smith, both had knocks on them, Smith had off the field issues. amd Dowling was hurt. These two players i believe are going to have the best CB's careers. Not that two above them are not good, but smith is a physical feak and dowling is a beast when he's healthy, and it's hard to say he's not good when BB picked him, and he picked Gronkowski last year, and i thought he was the biggest pro bowl snub as a rookie, bc mercedes lewis finally had a decent year when his contract is up, and Gronkowski didn't play his last year before coming to the NFL in the 2nd round where they picked Ras-I Dowling in the 2nd round.