Florham Park – With the 18th pick of the first round, the New York Jets selected Louisville safety Calvin Pryor.
So who does his game compare to?
“I have similarities between Kam Chancellor from the Seahawks and Dashon Goldson (49ers),” Pryor said. “Those guys are big-time hitters.”
And so is Pryor.
“Perhaps the most explosive hitter in this year’s crop of safeties,” wrote draft guru Nolan Nawrock. “(He’s a) physical, lights-out hitter.”
But he’s not a monotone safety who can just hammer offensive players. He’s also pretty instinctive in coverage with good range.
Facing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (Minnesota Vikings) every day in practice the last three years, really helped his coverage skills.
“Teddy’s a great competitor,” said Pryor. “He’s a very intelligent guy. If you make a mistake, he can burn you with it. You have to be very cautious of what you do and stay on your keys.”
The Jets are likely going to hand the free safety keys to Pryor from the get-go.
And if he lives up to his potential, he likely won’t be handing them over to somebody else for a long time.
