...So You Drafted Adrian Amos

Allow me to channel my inner Jordan Belfort and try to sell you on Adrian Amos, Mr. NFL GM.

The Skinny

Adrian Amos has been doing his thing up at Penn State for quite some time. He arrived on Campus as a 3 star as part of the 2011 Recruiting Class, serving as a vital member of the Supa 6 (which consisted of Allen Robinson, Bill Belton, Donovan Smith, Kyle Carter, Deion Barnes and Amos). The Supa 6 have come and gone, each leaving their own impact on Happy Valley, and one could argue Amos has had this 2nd largest impact on the team out of the 6. He came on campus at 5'11 and 190 pounds, but worked his way to a sturdy 6', 218lbs, packing on 28 lbs of good weight and an inch during his time in Happy Valley. Despite his immense talent, Amos was never much of a statistical marvel. He began his career at cornerback before moving to safety later on. His game is much more based around presence than statistical dominance. Amos has been a leader for multiple years at PSU, and will continue to be one for whatever team he ends up on in the NFL.

What You're Getting

If you draft Adrian Amos, you're adding one of the most versatile defensive backs in the draft to your team.

Adrian Amos can provide your defense with things that other safety prospects in this draft can not.

You want a safety who can sit back in coverage? Amos can do that.

You want a safety that can come in the box and make tackles? Amos does that too.

You want a safety that can drop down and cover WRs? Oh. That's where Amos' main value comes.

Adrian can and will do pretty much anything an NFL team asks him to do. Like I said in the third statement, due to his experience early in her career at corner back, Amos possesses proficient cover ability, especially for a FS/SS. This trait is something that should be hugely valued by NFL defensive coordinators and defensive back coaches. In drafting Adrian Amos you are being gifted the ability to have a corner and a safety on the field at the same time without the cons of either position; as a corner he can still tackle and play the run, and as a safety he can still cover very well. This is so very beneficial because of plays like the one below.

The QB throws the errant ball he attacks, pouncing on it for the interception. This play shows off his coverage ability and anticipatory awareness on the field.

For plays like this one, in my opinion, this is Amos most valued asset and the main reason a team should take him. However, Amos does bring a lot more to the table. Amos is a very capable safety in coverage over the top, on top of his man-to-man covering skill. He moves well for his size and has ample range to get from side to side quickly to make plays. Coming downhill, he is consistent tackler, always flowing towards the ball and constantly taking efficient angles.

All in all, Amos is your ideal 3rd Safety. He can play both SS and FS, can play be the backup at both spots, and can come in on certain nickel and 4-2-5 type packages.

tl;dr

If you are looking for a safety prospect that can do a lot of good things for your defense with the potential to be a starter, Amos could be your guy. I covered Amos and the rest of the PSU Draft Prospects, and Amos ended up with the highest value, so I think pretty highly of him. He comes without a glaring negative in his game and he is a high-character guy, so I don't see why he won't be an NFL success, one way or another. 

But, yeah. Draft him.

Link$

-If you didn't read any of Adrian Amos' draft diaries, they're worth your time. Gives you a look at his journey through the draft process. It's all pretty funny if that's your lane. Here's the most recent one.

-If you want to watch Amos play for yourself, there are a few available to watch over at draftbreakdown.com.

*Note: as we inch closer and closer to the draft, Amos' stock continues to rise. Look out for Philadelphia and Minnesota in the 3rd round or so.