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With the upcoming draft beginning this Thursday it's time that we look at the players from BYU who have the greatest chances of getting drafted. There are currently three Cougars who have a good chance of getting that special phone call this weekend, and they are Kyle Van Noy, Daniel Sorenson and Cody Hoffman.
Van Noy has the greatest chance to make a big impact on Sundays and is looking at getting drafted anywhere from the 2nd-3rd round. Sorensen and Hoffman will probably have to wait till Saturday to hear their names get called. Sorensen has done an amazing job this off season impressing scouts and increasing his draft stock, while Hoffman has done the opposite. Hoffman failed to perform in the NFL Combine and watched his draft plummet from being a potential 3rd round pick to a 6th or 7th round pick, and potentially go undrafted.
Over the next three days Vanquish The Foe will cover each one of these athletics, their potential landing spots in the NFL and who they are most comparable to in the NFL. Today we will be looking at the deep sleeper pick Daniel Sorensen.
Sorensen improved a lot of scouts with his impressive stats in the Combine. Sorensen ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 and 4.59 seconds. He had a 32 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-2 broad jump. He also impressed many scouts at the BYU Pro Day where many scouts say he boosted his stock from being a 7th rounder or priority free agent to a potential 3rd rounder.
Pros: Sorensen has a decent size at 6-foot-1 3/8, 206 pounds and has some solid mechanics. He is tough and a solid tackler who is willing to sacrifice his body to make the tackle. He is smart at reading plays and calling out proper coverage.This gives him to opportunities to make some good breaks on the ball and jump routes. Great special team skills and awareness on punt returns. Many scouts have commented that he prepares better than most pros and will put the time in to learn about his opponents.
Cons: Many scouts are worried that he will be a 24-year-old rookie and that he will not have the proper time like others to adapt in the NFL. He has small hands which will make it harder for him to strip balls and snag interceptions. He lacks the frame to handle most TEs and could be a bad match up for elite speed receivers.
NFL Teams that are looking for a safety in this upcoming draft are the Rams, Vikings, Lions, Bears, Cowboys, Ravens, Cardinals, Packers, and Eagles. The Eagles have expressed the most in Sorensen and have talked to him on a couple occasions and will be targeting him late in the draft. However, other teams like the Packers and Cowboys whose secondaries were atrocious that could pick him up in an earlier round.
The #Eagles will be talking to BYU Safety Daniel Sorensen this week, but no visit.Late round target. http://t.co/hKURBIP7TL
— Tommy Lawlor (@lawlornfl) April 29, 2014
NFL Comparison: Daniel Sorensen is comparable to Jim Leonhard of the Buffalo Bills. Leonhard came from Wisconsin and plays a similar style to Sorensen in college and has an smart football presence. Leonhard made his way in the NFL by surviving on special teams and making big time plays. This is the same path that Sorensen might have to take in order to start on defense in the NFL.