Safety/Linebacker Hybrid

[Okeana]

(03-20-2020, 03:51 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: I posted this article because of the relevance for the Cincinnati Bengals...

https://landryfootball.com/scouts-take-evolution-safetylinebacker-hybrid-todays-nfl-free/?print=print

The evolution of the safety and linebacker position has been occurring for several years and seemed to be more related to the personnel rather than the actual position per se, until the last few years.  

Linebackers need to be more nimble and faster due to the mobility of the new wave of NFL QB.  The need for Big relatively quick linebackers are being replaced with somewhat large, much faster safeties.  

A concern for me and some fans of the Bengals is the lack of talent at the backer position in the 2020 NFL draft.  There are some backers that may be available but it is a thin class this year.  

Harrison, Dye, Queen, and Simmons are now the prototypical linebackers today.  So with this in mind, do not be surprised if the Bengals draft one linebacker and 2 or more safeties.  Here are some safeties that I like a lot:

McKinney
Dugger
Chinn
Muse
Burgess
Brookes

I love a guy like Dugger who gives you options to move around Shawn Williams, both could play linebacker and safety depending on the scheme.