Donovan Warren to play free safety?

[Mr.Revis]

I can't imagine wasting warrens talent as a dime corner. Yes, this guy has talent and should have been picked by the 5th round at least. I think he gets a starting spot at free safety for next season. How beast would that be?

[StraightCash]

I can't imagine wasting warrens talent as a dime corner. Yes, this guy has talent and should have been picked by the 5th round at least. I think he gets a starting spot at free safety for next season. How beast would that be?

I dont know how excited we should get over a rookie UDFA starting at FS?...

[aec4]

I dont know how excited we should get over a rookie UDFA starting at FS?...

while not a rookie, our other safety is a UDFA and so is one of our middle LBs.

[neckdemon]

he might be better suited to play safety in the nfl.....

[PS17]

BRODNEY POOL IS THE NEW YORK JETS' FREE SAFETY.

[Mr.Revis]

I dont know how excited we should get over a rookie UDFA starting at FS?...

Hmmm so instead of judging his talent and doing your homework on what he excels at and dosent excel at, you tell me because he is a rookie ufda he cant beat out are current players at safety.

Come on now....really?

[slats]

I mentioned this in the UDFA thread.

I think the guy makes or breaks based on his special teams play. If the coaches think he has real potential as a FS, then they need to move him there ASAP. I'll be very happy with him if he just makes the roster.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Warren was an abortion as a Defensive Back at Michigan.

[Mr.Revis]

Warren was an abortion as a Defensive Back at Michigan.

lmao wat???

[Stonehands]

Hmmm so instead of judging his talent and doing your homework on what he excels at and dosent excel at, you tell me because he is a rookie ufda he cant beat out are current players at safety.

Come on now....really?

Wait, aren't you the same moron who couldn't figure out why we drafted Kyle Wilson? And we are supposed to listen to you, dumbass?

[Mr.Revis]

Wait, aren't you the same moron who couldn't figure out why we drafted Kyle Wilson? And we are supposed to listen to you, dumbass?

For a person with a 1000 plus posts your lack of common knowledge befuddles me. Have a nice night Gholston.

[StraightCash]

while not a rookie, our other safety is a UDFA and so is one of our middle LBs.

Mmm hence why I clarified that with rookie. It took Leonhard and Scott years of work and experience to get to where they are now.

[Mr.Revis]

Mmm hence why I clarified that with rookie. It took Leonhard and Scott years of work and experience to get to where they are now.

Warren's upside is off the charts. With proper mentoring he could make an immediate impact for this team next season. In my mind he looks like the next ronnie lott. With proper mentoring you never know, he could go down in the books and become one the greats. Pro bowl caliber type safety, because cb is not his natural position. Mark it in your books. Its gonna be one helll of a ride!

[StraightCash]

Warren's upside is off the charts. With proper mentoring he could make an immediate impact for this team next season. In my mind he looks like the next ronnie lott. With proper mentoring you never know, he could go down in the books and become one the greats. Pro bowl caliber type safety, because cb is not his natural position. Mark it in your books. Its gonna be one helll of a ride!

ooooooooh my god this has to be DWC. Our rookie UDFA who might not even make the team reminds you of Ronnie Lott? hahahahahahaha

[PS17]

For a person with a 1000 plus posts your lack of common knowledge befuddles me. Have a nice night Gholston.

Are you retarded? Gholston?

[Mr.Revis]

Are you retarded? Gholston?

..........

[SenorGato]

Warren could replace Coleman. That'd be nice.

[Lupz27]

Until he ran the 40 he was considered a high 1st low 2nd round talent in January so he has to have some kind of upside.

[KSJets]

Until he ran the 40 he was considered a high 1st low 2nd round talent in January so he has to have some kind of upside.

Just how bad was his 40?

[Lupz27]

This was written pre combine take it for what its worth.

Combinin' Things: A Pre-NFL Combine Look at Michigan Cornerback Donovan Warren's NFL Draft Stock

by Maize n Brew Dave on Feb 24, 2010 12:22 PM CST in Michigan Football 0 comments

With the NFL combine and, later, the NFL Draft right around the corner, it's time to take a look at the Michigan players who will be up on the big board come April. And speaking of the Big Board, you've gotta look at SBN's Mocking the Draft for all the latest updates on Michigan athletes in the 2010 NFL Draft. In reality, there are only three Michigan players that will be drafted. Brandon Graham is a no questions asked first round pick (let's be honest, he's the best DE in this draft). The remaining two are Michigan Football's Cornerback Donovan Warren and Punter Zoltan Mesko. We'll get to Graham, but it's going to be a lot more interesting to see where Warren and Mesko end up. So with that in mind, lets give the uninitiated a little background on Donovan Warren.

Height: 6'0"

Wieght: 185 pounds

Forty Time: "somewhere in the 4.4's" (I've seen times everywhere from 4.39 to 4.5 and change).

General Dimensions: Warren is a wiry player with long limbs. Similar is stature to another great Michigan corner you might have heard of.

Likes: Hip hop, walks on the beach, Iron Chef America, and movies about karate fighting pandas. (No, not really).

Dislikes: Ohio State, Clowns (one and the same really), Dinosaurs, and Mitch McConnell. (again, no, not really)

The Stats: Warren was a consensus five star recruit who came to Michigan and started at corner as a freshman out of Long Beach Poly, California. He went on to a three-year starter at cornerback for the Wolverines, starting 34 of his 36 career games. Overall, Warren posted 170 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, three fumble recoveries, six interceptions and 22 pass breakups in his career at Michigan. His 2009 season was easily the most impressive, posting 66 tackles, 4 INTs and 7 PBUs (leading the team in INTs and PBUs).

Awards: You don't get a lot of awards playing on a crappy defense, but Warren pulled some in anyway. In 2007 he was named a Freshman All American, and in 2009 he garnered All-Big Ten First Team (media) and Second Team (coaches) selections. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg has Warren as the No. 23 player in the Big Ten and the No. 2 defensive back just behind Amari Spievey of Iowa.

The Twitter Summary: For you twitter addicts who require things in 140 characters or less, here you go:

Donovan Warren: tall, physical corner with excellent speed, smooth stride, fluid hips, excellent run support.

Things the Pro Scouts Get Right: Warren has been universally praised as being an excellent one-on-one corner who also plays solid run defense. Big Ten teams completely stayed away from Warren in 2009. The only times Warren seemed to get thrown at was when DC Greg Robinson had Warren playing off the receiver by 10 yards. However, when quarterbacks and coaches tried to challenge Warren while he was in tight coverage it ended up costing them the game.

He probably should've stayed one more year at Michigan. Whether you're talking to Mel Kiper or a GM, every seems to agree that Warren would've been the first corner drafted next year if he'd stayed for his senior season at Michigan.

(More on Donovan Warren's NFL Prospects after the Jump)

Things the Pro Scouts Don't Account For: It's hard to find much I think the real "pros" are wrong on about Warren. Kiper's probably got it right that he's a first round talent that needs more seasoning. That's pretty much my assessment as well. If there's a gripe I have, it's that there seems to be this notion that he's got a penchant for getting beat deep. While it's true that Warren was on the wrong side of a long pass or two, that's it. It's not like the kid was constantly getting torched. I can count on one hand the umber of times he got beat this season. Period.

Sure the criticisms regarding giving up the "Big Play" in 2008 were valid, but he spent 2008 injured, on a defense that changed it's entire premise every week with no safety help at all. Things were so bad that Warren was actually moved to safety for a game in an attempt to stop the bleeding over the top. While Warren's health improved in 2009 safety play didn't. Let's be clear, Warren had no safety help in 2009. When Michigan would try to go to zone coverage, Warren would properly defend his zone only to have the safety blow it by biting on a play action. Warren wasn't a deep liability in any way. He was as good a cover safety as Michigan has seen since Marlin Jackson left for the NFL.

Don't be fooled by Michigan's horrid pass defense last year and think Warren wasn't that good. He was the only consistent defender in Michigan's defensive backfield over the last three years. Every game Warren faced and shut down the other team's best receiver despite having no help over the top.

Thing to Keep in Mind: Warren has no short term memory whatsoever when it comes to past plays. If he misses something or allows a catch, he doesn't dwell on it after the play is over. He just gets ready for the next play. He's also a rediculously physical corner. The kid loves contact and is one of the best form tacklers Michigan's seen in a numebr of years. In run support he wraps people up. On pass plays he gets those long arms wrapped around the receiver and brings them down. You're not going to have to deal with a kid who is always looking for a knock-out sho in lieu of tackling. Warren gets people to the ground using both arms and great leverage. Warren is immensely talented, but unlike so many talented kids, he simply does not take plays off. Whether he's in deep coverage or supporting on the run, he plays the same aggressive way.

Warren is a player that really is a big play waiting to happen, on the defensive side of the ball. He's great at reading the quarterback's eyes and more importantly has shown the ability to actually read the receiver. If you're looking for any other kind of intangibles, Warren was a leader on this year's defense. He will supply leadership as well as accountability to whatever team he plays for.

If there's a downside to his physical play, it's that in the NFL some of the contact he loves is going to get called as PI. Warren got away with a lot of contact and sometimes some blatant pre-pass wrap ups. It's something that can be coached, but it's also something you need to keep in mind.

Where does he slot in the NFL Draft? Is he Overrated or Underrated? Perusing the interwebz, I've seen Warren rated anywhere from the first round to the fifth. Frankly, anyone rating him later than the third hasn't watched him play. I see Warren as a solid second round draft pick, a clear first round pick if he'd waited one more year. Mocking the Draft has him going 55th to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here's the thing, Warren is a first round talent. High first round. The downside is he really could've used another year just to grow and get a little more competition under his belt. If a team is willing to give Warren some time to learn, he's going to be somethign special. One thing he's not going to be, however, is a finesse corner. He needs to end up with a team that likes to play physical. The Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, or Green Bay Packers would be a great fit.

So How Does the Combine Help/Hurt Him: Obviously, a poor showing hurts Warren and drops him into the the third or fourth round. But I'd be really shocked if he gacked it up at the Combine. Warren is going into the NFL Combine with a chip on his shoulder and a lot of prep time under his belt. So if he performs as expected, it should confirm his position as a second round pick. If he drops some mind blowing 40 time, he could end up a late first rounder or go early enough in the second for it to make him a little extra dough.

YouTube Summary: Our buddies at Pro Draft Party dot Com put together a nice little montage (plus they have Warren as the #4 DB in the Draft). I think it shows Warren's assets pretty well. He had a little bit of trouble with Notre Dame's talented receiving corps, but frankly giving up a single touchdown on a back corner fade is something that happens even to the best players. The kid is pretty damn good and any team would be lucky to have him.

[Lupz27]

And then this happened at the combine.

Donovan Warren/CB/Michigan: Warren started by struggling to get under 4.7 in the 40. He was ineffective in drills, exhibiting a poor backpedal, no burst out of his plant and an inability to change direction without losing a lot of momentum.

BG ran a 4.72. Warren should have stayed in AA and worked with Barwis. Hell he should have just stayed in AA for his Sr year.

Mike Mayotte's take "Warren left Michigan as a junior and a lot of people want to know "why" that's not good. I don't know who was in this kids ear or if this is all about money but he clearly didn't make a good choice."

Good luck Donovan.

[Lupz27]

Just how bad was his 40?

To awnser your question over a 4.7

[Lupz27]

After reading this apparently he had an ankle sprain when he ran at the combine and what he said about Rex no shock we jumped all over him as soon as the draft was over.

Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 1:10 PM [Mar 12, 2010]

Donovan Warren had no intention of running for NFL scouts at Michigan’s pro day, but his competitive nature got the best of him.

Still bothered by a right ankle injury that caused him to pull out of the NFL combine last month, Warren borrowed a pair of teammate Stevie Brown’s cleats Friday and said he clocked two 40-yard dashes in the mid-4.5 range.

Warren ran a disappointing 40 at the combine after spraining the same ankle he originally hurt as a sophomore during a February workout.

Donovan Warren, shown last season playing for Michigan, worked out for NFL scouts at Michigan's pro day on Friday. (File photo)

“I was just going to come and meet with the scouts, just the competitor in me just came out,” Warren said. “Saw the workout and decided I was going to try to go at it.”

Warren aggravated his ankle during a shuttle drill Friday and did not participate in position drills. He also sat out position drills at the combine.

He said he’ll join Brandon Graham, who missed Michigan’s pro day with a hamstring injury, in a private workout for scouts April 8 at Michigan.

Warren said he doesn't know if he’ll need surgery, but disputed suggestions he’s hurt his draft stock in recent weeks.

“I feel like at the combine, I don’t know if I should have ran hurt like I did,” Warren said. “I went out there and competed, but at the same time I know I helped myself in the interview room, getting the teams to know me a lot better as a person and just knowing that I’m a football player, I’m very smart. I feel like I helped myself definitely in interviews.”

At the combine, Warren said he had about 15 formal interviews, including sessions with the Jets, Vikings and Seahawks, where he spent time with new coach Pete Carroll.

“He was the (USC) coach when they recruited me coming out of high school so I haven’t really seen him since high school,” Warren said. “He just told me he might not miss out on me this time, so that was real exciting.

“It was a real shock just going in some of those meetings and just sitting down with guys that you see on TV. It was just reality that you were just sitting in front of them, being asked questions about yourself and about the game. Rex Ryan with the Jets, that was a real good meeting.”

Warren said several NFL teams asked him about the NCAA allegations facing Michigan for excessive practice time.

“I just said I didn’t feel like we were doing anything wrong,” Warren said. “I felt like we was doing everything by the book and guys were just out there working hard.”

[New York Mick]

I don't think he makes the team, I've watched him play and he sucks.

[Mistalava]

Warren was an abortion as a Defensive Back at Michigan.

You had him spread-eagle and probed, right? Special teams reach IMO.

[Darth Vader]

he's a marginal dime player

special teams

not such a big deal

[#27TheDominator]

I don't see the upside. Unless he was hurt and it slowed him. He was a highly regarded CB until they found he can't run. FWIW I heard 4.58 at the combine and 4.62 at pro day. Slow, but not 4.72. He's not a burner, but people had talked about moving him to safety and he'd bring some cover ability there.

[Lupz27]

I don't see the upside. Unless he was hurt and it slowed him. He was a highly regarded CB until they found he can't run. FWIW I heard 4.58 at the combine and 4.62 at pro day. Slow, but not 4.72. He's not a burner, but people had talked about moving him to safety and he'd bring some cover ability there.

If you read through the posts I put up before it says he reinjured his ankle at the combine an injury he got in his sophmore year. He is a project and will make this team he was Mocked to the Jets in the first round by more than one respected mock draft pre combine so there is talent there to work with.