If UM was playing a run oriented team (60-40 run/pass)...

[Reality Man]

which would you value more... a corner who could be physical and tackle or someone who could cover?

Why is the focus (Big Ten) on speed and covering skills when the PRIMARY focus should be about guys who are physical and can tackle well? Would you rather have a corner who runs a 4.4 who isn't physical or a guy who runs a 4.6 and is physical? Legitimate question. A corner who can play press man.

Maybe the solution is to have a corner who is a true speed cover corner and a guy who is a physical corner. Hard to find both of those traits in the same corner unless you are Ty Law.

Also, leaving off quickness/acceleration...how does .2 translate into covering a guy on a route within 15 yards. QB has to be pretty accurate to exploit that differential. I guess you can flip the issue and ask whether you'd rather have a wr who can run good routes, block, have good hands and cut well vs. a guy who has elite speed.




Reality Man

 

[klemman]

If you are playing a 60/40 run/pass team that is less talented it doesn't matter as your team will probably win regardless. Against today's elite teams you need a corner who is both a physical sure tackler and is fast.

The spread, and even traditional power running programs like Alabama and OSU, utilize spread principles, attack the perimeter requiring fast DBs, and get playmakers in space requiring physical Tacklers.

 

[Reality Man]

How many of these fast/physical corners are there out there to recruit? Probably not a lot of them. I think the NFL struggles to find those guys too.

Not to mention that being fast isn't necessarily the same as quick and explosive.



Reality Man

 

[klemman]

True on there not being too many fast/ physical, and add in quick and explosive, cornerbacks out there to recruit, on college or NFL teams. That's why offenses on the field look more and more like video games every season.

That's also why those type of DB's are such a premium.

 

[klemman]

If I had to choose between a physical and a fast CB, I like physical. Not so much because one is better than the other, but I enjoy watching physical CBs play.

 

[Reality Man]

Here is where physical gets understated...when the corner can press. If the wr gets pushed off his route then everything gets unhinged. Not a lot of wr's like having a roadblock to their route. The key is to be able to interrupt the flow of the route otherwise it's burn time. High risk/reward.


Reality Man