Jaiquawn Jarrett
Posted: June 20th, 2011 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Tags: Jaiquawn Jarrett | 20 Comments »
Yesterday was Father’s Day to most of the world, but I decided to make it Jaiquawn Jarrett Day. I liked watching him play in 2010, but was still really caught off guard when the Eagles took him in the 2nd round. He’s grown on me since the draft, but I decided to do some more tape study and research on him.
I watched him vs Ohio and UConn. He picked off a pass in the Ohio game. It was a poor downfield throw. Jarrett was in the right postion and showed pretty good ball skills in making the pick. He played very little in the box in that game, generally staying deep as the FS. He did take good angles to the ball when going to make tackles.
UConn was a different game. They run a lot. That allowed Jarrett to move around more and get some time in the box. The two best plays Jarrett made were on run blitzes. He took on pulling Guards. He didn’t do this in space by diving at their feet. He took them on in traffic and did so up high. On one play he fought off the block and got in on the tackle (a TFL I think). The other play he affected the run by stuffing the G and let a LB make the tackle. You like it when a 198-pound Safety has no hesitance about taking on 300-pound linemen. Hell, he expects to beat them. That’s a mentality I want in a SS.
Jarrett can play FS or SS. I think he’s okay in space. I think he really shines when he plays in the box. He is a good hitter, but I’m real impressed with him as a tackler. I can’t tell you how many young DBs won’t tackle. They “cut tackle”, meaning that they try to dive through the legs of the runner/receiver without wrapping up. That can work in college, but is dangerous in the NFL. Try that on Adrian Peterson and you’ll bounce off and watch him run for a TD. You must wrap up. Jarrett goes low when he tackles and pretty consistently is able to wrap up his targets. There are some plays when he will just hit the guy, but sometimes that’s all you can do.
He did knock one receiver out of the UConn game. The player was trying to get away from one defender who had him by the leg. Jarrett came up to finish things off. And being a nice young man, he decided to help the receiver to the ground. It was a tad forceful so the training staff had to come out and help the receiver to the sideline. Not a dirty hit at all. Just tough.
I happened to re-listen to Greg Cosell of NFL Films talking about him to Dave Spadaro. Greg loved Jarrett. I think he said Jaiquawn was his highest rated Safety in the whole draft. Here’s the link to the Eagles Live talk with Cosell. Interestingly, he mentions the Eagles should go after a CB in the 3rd round. Dave asked who the Eagles should get. Cosell didn’t know who the Eagles might like, but did mention that he was high on this kid named Curtis Marsh. Clearly Cosell was on the same page as Andy Reid, Howie Roseman, and Juan Castillo when it came to evaluating DBs.
Cosell mentions how much he loved Jarrett in the Temple/Penn State game. Someone was kind enough to put together a great video of Jarrett in that game. He missed a tackle on one of the first plays and then played lights out the rest of the way. Here’s that game.
Jarrett played in the Senior Bowl. A dedicated Temple fan put together a video of Jarrett’s snaps from the game. He played both SS and FS. He looks so much more natural in the box. The thing to watch for in this video is just how physical he is with guys who try to block him. You’ll also see him in man coverage in some sets. That isn’t his strength, but he’s also not completely lost. Here’s the Senior Bowl clips.
Many of you know my good friend Matt Alkire from our work together at ScoutsNotebook. He is a recruiting guru for Scout.com. Matt spoke to an assistant coach for a team that faced Temple multiple times in the last four years. Matt asked the coach his thoughts on Jarrett. To paraphrase it as nicely as possible, “Thank god he’s gone.”
The coach gave Jarrett the ultimate compliment for a Safety. He said that his runners/receivers hated crossing the middle because they knew Jarrett was back there and could unleash some brutal hits. The coach had seen Jarrett really pop some of his guys and wanted Jaiquawn to graduate or get locked up (purely a joke because of the hits), but that he was tired of facing him.
If ever there was a glowing recommendation from an opposing coach for a physical Safety, that’s it. Forget about your resume, that’s what you want on your tombstone. “Here lies a Safety that opposing coaches and players hated to face because he regularly knocked the crap out of them.” Pure poetry.
We won’t know if Jaiquawn Jarrett is ready to start this year until we see him in practice and the preseason. I do know that the more I read and hear about the guy does give me confidence that he’s the kind of rookie who can play right away. A quick resolution to the lockout situation would certainly help Jarrett’s case to be the starter quite a bit. He can’t make up for the missed time, but it is still possible for him get plenty of work in before the real games are schedule to start.
With you completely RE: growing on me since the draft. I wasn’t expecting a safety so early, but reads like this have gotten me excited to see Jarrett in our defensive backfield.
Thanks for the write-up.
Tommy,
I love reading your reviews & break downs of kids. That said I for one hope he is on the bench this year.
I hate, hate and hate our secondary right now. It’s flat out scary how young and or bad it is.
Lindley, Marsh, Allen, Coleman, Jarrett – at the moment, about 50% to 60% of our secondary will be a first or second year player. With limited practice time. No mini camp. Potentially limited training camp and/or pre seeason.
I know you think Mikell is gone – but I think it’s a huge mistake. I think we need Q back and we need a (well the) stud free agent at CB.
I have no problem at all with Jarrett. One thing that absolutely drove me crazy the last 2 years is how soft our defense seems. I can’t think of one real impact hitter on our entire defense. There is nobody that puts any fear into WRs and RBs. Hell Todd Pinkston would probably be ok with catching a few balls over the middle against our guys. Jarrett may have not been the most talented player on the board, but he filled 2 needs. He’s a SS of the future and will bring a true physical presence to our defense that has been missing since Dawk left.
This was a weak year for safeties and the Eagles were zoomed in on Jarrett. Drafting a polished S high takes away some of the outcry for letting Mikell walk, and they apparently didn’t like the other SS options.
There weren’t, though, any safeties picked before the Eagles’ 3rd Round slot. Maybe if Jarrett was on the board, some team would have picked safety instead of another position, but Jarrett may have been there at 90 as most thought he would be. In the even he’s not there, you can take your chances with a Quinton Carter to go with Kurt Coleman and co. and maybe attempt to sign QMik or some other vet since the team says it has playoff hopes.
That second round pick could have been used on CB Brandon Harris, who could conceivably be a good starter by the stretch and in ensuing years. The Eagles had tunnel vision on Jarrett and Marsh, who they had visited with.
A safety is easier to find than a CB like Harris. I don’t think there are many objective football people who would take Jarrett and Marsh in this situation rather than Harris and Carter. While the Eagles do a lot of research on the guys they want, they don’t have peripheral vision to get the value that falls.
This isn’t incompetence and it was a solid draft overall, especially if they get a CB.
I got to disagree with Ian. I think JJ was a special player at Temple with a good chance to be a special NFL player. In a weak draft if you think someone like JJ stands out as a prospect, you just go get him regardless of need or position. I loved this pick and was suprised and happy as hell when the team got him where they did. I am convinced he never would have lasted to pick 90.
Favorite pick of the Eagles draft this year! I always loved what I saw from him on the field. Plays hard, fast, and with a purpose. Not sure if he will be able to take on too many OGs in the NFL, but you know he has the mentality to do so if needed (and believes he can knock them out just like WRs). That’s what I can’t wait to see and love about this guy. Effort, effort, effort. This guy will bring back the lost art of tackling among the centerfielders of today’s NFL who just like to lead with the helmet/spear opponents to make the big hit. The same can be accomplished with wrapping up as JJ shows.
…Did anyone see/here Pete Prisco’s comments on NFL Network’s Top 100 last night about how safeties like Ed Reed can’t or don’t tackle anymore, but instead just gamble for the pick. He was also saying Polomalu can tackle but can’t cover. It was interesting to hear him criticize two safeties who rarely get criticized for their play. Which would you rather have for a SS, the ballhawk or headhunter?
@zack
I actully like our secondary.
Nate Allen and Samuel are the ball hawks and if we can get a more physical corner in the mold of sheldon brown and have JJ start we should be more then fine.
Yeah, I agree with Anders.
Our secondary is a weak spot right now, but our safeties have a ton of potential headed in to the future.
Nate Allen appears to be a long-term player at FS. Jarrett brings an attitude that we didn’t have for the last few seasons. Kurt Coleman is a solid, hard-working back-up with the mentality you want in every football player.
I really want(ed) Q back and the idea of a rookie safety with limited camp exposure starting for a Super Bowl-contending team is not ideal … but then again the Eagles were sweet last year with Nate and Kurt.
Jaiquawn seems to be a guy we want back there for a long while.
To afford the studs we want to sign in FA, we have to have some of these young draft picks play out their rookie deals (i.e. on the cheap) and play well.
I’m not as sure as you all about JJ starting right away but I am looking forward to seeing him knock some heads over a long Eagles career.
I’d feel a lot better about a rookie SS and a 1 1/2 year FS if they have good CBs on either side of them.
And speaking of Curtis Marsh, did you realize he put up very similar numbers at the combine that the famous jazz organist Jimmy Smith did?
@ ian…
Carter is a very sloppy tackler. Trust me, that’s not a guy you want as your SS.
Why get Brandon Harris when the team is planning to get a veteran CB? Add the SS who you feel can start right away and then get a veteran corner.
Harris is far from a sure thing. I’ve got concerns on his ability to cover down the field. Could be very good in Cover 2. Would be great slot corner. Not the guy I would prefer as our RCB.
There’s been a lot of talk about how the linebackers and defensive linemen are going to play under Castillo but does anyone what the secondary will be expected to do? I’m assuming it will stay pretty much the same. If so in looking forward to watching JJ play. I think he might help us finally neutralize some tight ends
Does anyone else feel weird about seeing the initials JJ? I keep thinking, wait Jim Johnson isn’t going to be taking the field any time soon 🙁 but hopefully the spirit of Jim Johnson will rest upon our new JJ and guide him on his mission to strike fear in the hearts of the NFC East!
JJ can have JJ’s brains and personality, but Jaiquawn better be just a tad faster and more athletic than Jim.
Tommy, indeed if they do get the vet at CB this all works out. Still, Jarrett may have been there at 90 and I like Coleman and maybe Colt Anderson would play well at SS next year if Jarrett isn’t there.
For the record, Harris has a faster 40 than Marsh. NFL Draft Scout: “Possesses outstanding game speed, including a late burst to recover if beaten initially. Can plant and drive downhill on the ball.” “Quick feet, loose hips, good balance and outstanding speed to remain in the hip pocket of his opponent.” It’s hard to imagine a better CB value, including a low bust probability, at 54 in any draft year than Harris.
ian,
Marsh ran 4.46 at the Combine.
Harris ran 4.53.
I don’t judge Brandon based on other comments. I base my thoughts on what I saw. I watched Va Tech WRs go by him downfield on multiple plays. I’m not convinced he’s got the deep speed to excel in man coverage in the NFL.
As for Jarrett, there was one scout who told Domo that his team wanted JJ in the 3rd. The scout indicated there were other teams thinking the same way. My rankings didn’t have him that high, but apparently multiple NFL teams saw him worth a pick in that area. Doesn’t seem like Jarrett would have reached 90. If that is the player you truly want…go get him. Eagles did. We’ll see if that was smart or not.
Tommy, That Marsh time is what I saw, and at different sites there are various times for Harris depending where you look, including 4.53 as you mentioned. My source was NFL.com unofficial time: 4.43
http://blogs.nfl.com/2011/03/01/chekwa-posts-top-40-among-first-group-of-dbs/
I didn’t see the Va Tech game and of course trust your judgement on these matters..
Here ya go:
http://www.nfl.com/combine/participants
Click on “By Position” and then CB. You can see all the workout figures for guys at the Combine. Good resource. Glad NFL.com did that.
Also factor in that Harris is 191 and Marsh 207. Curtis is clearly the superior athlete. He’s nowhere near as polished a cover guy, of course. That and the level of competition makes him a riskier pick.