NFL Draft Bust-O-Meter: 5 rookies who will fail to meet expectations
By Jon Dove
Keanu Neal, S, Atlanta Falcons
Pick: 1st Round No. 17 overall
Bust-O-Meter: 2.5 out 5
The Atlanta Falcons surprised a lot of people when they grabbed Florida’s Keanu Neal with the 17th overall pick. His rise into the first-round mix came late in the draft process and seemed to be tired directly to the Falcons.
This selection appears to be Atlanta targeting specific player who they fell fits their defense. It’s a risky move because they passed on a lot of prospects who have much more upside. They are also putting their eggs in one basket because if Dan Quinn fails it’ll be tough to shoehorn Neal into a different system.
The issue is that Neal is an in-the-box safety who struggles in coverage. He’s known for his aggressive style and willingness to support the run. Quinn envisions him as a Kam Chancellor type of player and potential tone-setter of the defense.
While Neal is a big-hitter, he consistently takes poor angles to the ball carrier. This is something that will be exposed in the NFL because the offensive players are more explosive than the ones Neal faced in college.
Using proper angles is something that can be taught and improved upon. However, the real concern comes with Neal’s feel in coverage. He struggles to read the developing routes and is slow to break on the football.
He tends to allow receivers to get behind him which results in big-plays for the offense. This isn’t as big of an issue in Quinn’s defense, but something that could be exposed by team’s with a more wide-open attack.
Next: Corey Coleman