Jets sign S Brandon Bryant, UDFA (Supplemental Draft)

[jetskid007]

Add another safety to the mix. He's an athletic guy who has been clocked as fast as a 4.24. Below is rotoworld's analysis of him (seems like a perfect gunner in the short-term): 

 

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Mississippi State S Brandon Bryant | 5’11/207 | 4.45 forty, 34-inch vertical, 10’3 broad jump, 7.26/7.52 3-cone, 4.23 short shuttle

Like those above him on this list, Bryant declared for the supplemental draft after leaving the team over academic issues. He’s a purported freak athlete who is coming off a poor season. Earlier in his career, it was reported that Bryant had run a 4.24 40-yard dash with a 600-pound dead lift. We didn’t see much of that athleticism last fall. In 2017, more than a third of his Bryant’s 32 season tackles came against Auburn (11). He was hit with a DUI charge prior to the season (January).

On the field, Bryant is a hammer who only sees nails. He flies around the field and levies the occasional bone-jarring hit. Too often, though, he’s caught out of position because he’s failed to diagnose correctly. Bryant’s game lacks nuance. He has a see-ball, hit-ball philosophy, but like a hitter who lacks plate discipline, he can be easily fooled. And for all the big hits, there are also plenty of missed tackles sprinkled in.

Another reason he’s not around the ball enough is due to his athletic stiffness. Bryant is a downhill sprinter, not an east-west fluid mover. His pro day results disappointed. Bryant will still be an above-average NFL safety in terms of pure athleticism, but we’re talking in the top-30th percentile, not the top 3-percentile, which his “freak” athleticism billing implied.

On his ability to play safety alone, Bryant isn’t terribly interesting. But due to his stout build and athleticism, NFL teams will no doubt perceive Bryant as a guy who could contribute on special teams immediately. You don’t have to squint hard to see Bryant streaking down the field on kick coverage to obliterate some poor return man.

Once he gets his foot in the door, Bryant will need to work extremely hard to factor into some team’s future secondary plans. If he can improve his skill level, improve his diagnostic skills and cut down on unforced errors, Bryant could become a third safety. But while he’s flashed talent (see his freshman campaign, or last year’s Auburn game), Bryant spent the past two years as a souped-up tease. The holes in his game are just too wide at present for me to perceive a path for him to eventually become a low-level starter.

When I was working on my 2019 safety list, Bryant was right on my cut line. He would have ranked somewhere between S15-20 on that list. I saw him as a late-rounder or UDFA in 2019, and I’d assume he goes undrafted on Wednesday (though I wouldn't be shocked if a team took a Round 7 flier on him for the perceived special teams ability). When I posted my UDFA prediction on Twitter a few weeks ago, Bryant DM’d me the “shh” emoji, which I got a big kick out of. 

 

 

[Akomplice]

Brandon Bryant, DB, Mississippi State

Bryant also figures to be selected after an impressive workout which more than 20 NFL teams attended. A well-built athlete at 6 feet and 215 pounds, his speed and explosive burst have never really translated into quality production at Mississippi State. He toyed with transferring even before being declared academically ineligible for the spring, which led to his entry in this draft.

Those are legit flags. A team selecting Bryant is banking on its coaching staff being able to do what the unstable group in Starkville could not: turn his considerable athletic gifts into functional football ability. Bryant has teased it at times, notably when he played next to another safety instead of as a centerfielder-type. There is some thought a team could transition Bryant to cornerback, in the way the Packers attempted with former first-round pick Damarious Randall. If Bryant can pick up on the receiver cues better with them right in front of him instead of reading and reacting more from afar, I heartily endorse the move.

The Bryant from his freshman year is worth a fourth or fifth round gamble for a team that doesn’t need him to play right away. That Bryant largely disappeared, though I liked what I saw in the LSU and Auburn games in ’17 enough that he still merits a late bid in the Supplemental Draft. His sprinter speed at his size, with his natural fluidity and decent striking power as a tackler, are in line with several recent late-round defensive backs.

https://football.realgm.com/analysis/3051/NFL-Supplemental-Draft-Primer-And-Scouting-Reports

 

 

[Bobby816]

Sounds like Pryor but atleast we didn’t waste a 1st Rounder on this guy. In all seriousness he’s a long shot to make the team gen as a gunner. We have safety depth.

[Rockice_8]

I really like the approach Mac has taken to beefing up our special teams.  We were among the worst just 2 years ago and I feel like we focused on that area with some of our late round draft picks recently and now with this pick.  If we can make that a strength of the team (and find a guy who can break one for a quick TD) that will be a welcomed boost.  Special teams could win or lose games and team that lacks and elite offense or defense that could be the difference.

Can't wait for TC to start, so pumped.