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5th Round Cooper Taylor, Safety

Mr. P

By Mr. P
in New York Giants

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CrazedDogs

CrazedDogs

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From everything I've read about the guy, I have no idea how he lasted to the 5th round. Measurables like this guy has don't come along every day, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that the guy doesn't know how to play. Perhaps its just small school prejudice? Or are there off-field or injury concerns?

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BleedinBlue

BleedinBlue

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From everything I've read about the guy, I have no idea how he lasted to the 5th round. Measurables like this guy has don't come along every day, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that the guy doesn't know how to play. Perhaps its just small school prejudice? Or are there off-field or injury concerns?

 

Well the big concern was his heart condition that caused him to leave Georgia Tech and transfer to Richmond. The heart condition was surgically repaired and he was given a clean bill of health. I believe that is the sole reason he fell as far as he did...much more so than because Richmond is a small school.

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CrazedDogs

CrazedDogs

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Well the big concern was his heart condition that caused him to leave Georgia Tech and transfer to Richmond. The heart condition was surgically repaired and he was given a clean bill of health. I believe that is the sole reason he fell as far as he did...much more so than because Richmond is a small school.

 

Ah, that explains it. Thanks!

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Treehugger

Treehugger

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The more I read on this guy, the more I like this pick as good as any we had.

 

The most intriguing prospect in the New York Giants' 2013 NFL Draft class might just be Cooper Taylor, the Richmond safety selected in the fifth round. Cooper is a humongous safety at 6-foot-4 3/4, 228 pounds. He also probably has the best back story of any of the players selected by the Giants.

 

"We think we got a hidden gem there," said Giants Director of College Scouting Marc Ross. "This guy is big, fast, smart, plays the game the right way. He did a lot of things for Richmond. They lined him up at multiple positions. You'll see him in the box; you'll see him back deep. He covers the slot. Productive there. He transferred from Georgia Tech, but we think this guy has got a lot of upside. Sent our (secondary-safeties) coach (David) Merritt down there to work him out -- a private workout -- and he was really impressed by him. We had him in for a visit. The kid is really smart. Loves football, so we think he has a ton of upside."

 

The Times Dispatch also noted that the Giants have a Richmond connection in defensive coordinator Bob Trott, who was a defensive assistant with the Giants in 1991 and 1992.

 

Here is part of what Trott told the Times Dispatch about Taylor:

 

"Quite frankly, some NFL teams like big safeties, and some of them don't" Trott said. "I would love to coach him in the NFL. My experiences, with the safeties I've had, I'll take him any day. ... He has got the intangibles. He'll do really, really well on an NFL team."

 

Taylor is primarily a safety, but does have experience dropping down to play outside linebacker. With the Giants' fondness for using a three-safety set, something defensive coordinator Perry Fewell began a few seasons ago with Deon Grant, Taylor could be a perfect fit for the Giants' defense.

 

"As soon as it becomes second and long, everybody changes anyway. You're gonna see either a 4-2-5 or a 4-1-6 package, depending on the quality of your people that you can bring down. He is certainly a candidate for one of those spots. Although with his range, you think you'd want to be attracted to him staying in the middle of the field but we'll see," head coach Tom Coughlin said Monday on WFAN.

 

Taylor joins a group of safeties that is led by starters Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown. He will compete for a backup spot with Will Hill, Ryan Mundy and Tyler Sash.

 

"He is a safety by trade but you drop him down in that three-safety package or whatever you want to do in terms of -- you substitute a defense whether he plays an outside backer or whatever. That is all going to have to be determined when we get him in here. We are hoping that he is going to come in and apply all of the tools that he has right away there in the secondary for us."

 

At Richmond's pro day, Taylor ran 4.49 40-yard dash, had a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-7 broad jump, posted a 4.29 in the short-shuttle, 6.96 in the three-cone and hammered out 23 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.

 

General manager Jerry Reese called Taylor a "big size-speed safety that we think has a really nice upside. I can envision him honestly on special teams with that size and speed. I can envision him being that third safety in some the three-safety looks that Perry Fewell likes to use. A big, tough guy, we like his skill set."

 

----------------------------------

 

From CBS: "Plays with excellent aggression and physicality. Decisive in his decision making and shows a good burst, arriving to the play quickly and ready to blow up the ball carrier. Better than expected athleticism for his size, and flows to the action while breaking down on the move. Did an excellent job at the Shrine Game of digesting the coaches' instructions and applying them immediately, always appearing focused and zoned in on what is going on around him."

 

From NFL.com: "His official position will be strong safety, but he's one of those guys who could possibly bulk up and play outside linebacker. Reminiscent of Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks"

 

From NFLDraftScout.com "With his size and strength, he is an enforcer against the run but he also showed the range and athleticism to be effective in coverage as well as the football intelligence to digest a lot of coaching all at once".

 

Good read, thanks Bleedin. I'm excited to see what this kid's got.

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Gman329

Gman329

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I also read somewhere that he's a deadly gunner on punt coverage teams.

 

I wonder if, when the new draft class meets for the first time, Cooper points out to Damontre Moore that he almost doubled his bench press output?

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Nas

Nas

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I also read somewhere that he's a deadly gunner on punt coverage teams.

 

I wonder if, when the new draft class meets for the first time, Cooper points out to Damontre Moore that he almost doubled his bench press output?

 

It it hits you hard (in a good way) knowing these kids are 20-22 years old... kids.

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Nas

Nas

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This guy is a guy who I'm starting to fall in love with.

 

Not Kenny Phillips status, yet. But he's got the potential with his rare physical attributes.

 

If only he had darker skin to give him that look.

 

Oh Osi :supergay: :supergay:

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Lughead

Lughead

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Think he will be great for our 4-2-5. I hope our rookies can contribute, love the Hankins and Moore picks too.

 

Safety Cooper Taylor Makes a Big Impact

Published 05/10/2013 | By Sean Folger

 

by Sean Folger

When looking at the Giants’ defensive huddle on the first day of rookie camp, there is one player who is impossible to ignore.

At 6’4, 228 pounds, safety Cooper Taylor seems out of place playing in the defensive backfield, but his 4.49 40-yard dash makes him fit in perfectly with his shorter, lighter counterparts in the secondary.

Today, he displayed all of the physical attributes that justified the Giants picking him in the fifth round, number 152 overall. He showed a quick, steady back-pedal while dropping into coverage, fluid hips in his change of direction, and an explosive first step on his break to the ball. His closing speed put him in position to nearly make several tipped-ball interceptions in the morning 11-on-11’s.

Taylor has all of the tools to eventually play his way into a starting position on an NFL defense, but he seems tailor-made to be the third safety in Perry Fewell’s patented three-safety defense. Luckily for Taylor, he does not need to be thrown into the mix right away due to the presence of Antrelle Rolle, who has solidified the third safety spot, and whose contract expires at the end of the 2013-2014 season.

Physical and big enough to play in the box, and fast enough to cover tight ends and slot receivers, Taylor is already confident he can nab the third safety job.

“(Coach Fewell) does a lot of things with different personnel and I feel like with the three safety look they’ve ran in the past I can help in that, but they have a lot of great players,” Taylor said.

When asked about the Wolff-Parkinson White Syndrome heart condition he was diagnosed with in 2009 while playing at Georgia Tech, Taylor assured everyone that it was fully corrected shortly after he was diagnosed and the Giants medical staff cleared him.

He also went on to say, “If you can get a second chance at football, it really kind of inspired me and renewed my passion for the game to kind of get something taken away and then get it back.”

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BleedinBlue

BleedinBlue

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He's even got the name.

 

It's not

 

"Kenny Phillips, The U, 6-2 215 4.45"

 

But it's pretty good

 

"Cooper Taylor 6-5 228 4.50"

 

Is it too early to start calling him "CT"?

 

The Giants' history with Taylors is pretty good, especially when their name is abbreviated with their initials!

 

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Nas

Nas

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Is it too early to start calling him "CT"?

 

The Giants' history with Taylors is pretty good, especially when their name is abbreviated with their initials!

 

Yea.. too early. Has to be earned.

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Lughead

Lughead

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Yea.. too early. Has to be earned.

Any way I'll just call him Coop, Don't wanna get my Taylor's mixed up. LOL for some reason I keep wanting to say "Cooper Tyler" when I read his name.
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