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2015 NFL Draft: MTD's Dan Kadar says it's a 'sketchy' year for safeties

MTD analyst drops some draft knowledge on us.

James Sample (2) makes a tackle
James Sample (2) makes a tackle
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The New York Giants have only two safeties on the roster who have played an NFL snap -- and zero who have started an NFL game. Whether you like Nat Berhe and Cooper Taylor or not, and there is potential there, it seems apparent the Giants need to add more players at the safety position.

During an appearance on the 'Big Blue Chat' podcast, Dan Kadar of SB Nation's Mocking The Draft said the Giants -- and anyone else looking for safety help in this draft -- are going to have a tough time finding it.

"It's just such a bad year if you need a safety. The only thing that could be worse for a team is if you need a quarterback. It's a sketchy year for safeties," Kadar said. "There's a lot of need out there for coverage safeties and there's not a lot of quality at that position. I think we're going to see some of these guys get overdrafted a little bit."

Landon Collins of Alabama is the only safety likely to go in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Other safeties Kadar likes are James Sample of Louisville, Jacquiski Tartt of Samford and Damarious Randall of Arizona State. He did caution, though, that "people are thinking a little too much of him [Randall] at this point because there is such a great need at the position."

Here are a few other topics Kadar touched on while talking with Pat Traina (Bleacher Report/Inside Football) and myself.

Brandon Scherff

In his most recent mock draft, Kadar has the Giants taking the Iowa offensive lineman with the ninth overall selection. Scherff to the Giants is a pick Kadar has made consistently, and one I asked him to defend:

"I've been on him as the best offensive tackle in the draft," Kadar said. "People pick apart his game, and the only thing people really can substantiate is that speed rushers give him some trouble. That's an understandably legit flaw of his, but to me that is his only big flaw.

"He's probably the strongest blocker in the draft. He gets out on the second level really well. I think he's a little bit better against speed rushers than people give him credit for. I'm a big fan. He's tough as nails. ... I like him. I'm not going to change my opinion about him at this point, certainly. I think he's a good pick in the top 10."

Kadar added that if the Giants pass on offensive line in the first round he sees Ereck Flowers of Miami as a "perfect scheme fit" for the Giants, if he is still available at No. 40 in Round 2.

There's value at cornerback

Kadar said that defensive end and cornerback -- especially the latter -- are places where a team can get value on Day 3 of the draft.

"There's a ton of ‘em, quite frankly," Kadar said. "If you can't find a good cornerback in this year's draft I question how you evaluate that position, because there's probably 20 cornerbacks that can be a starting-caliber player in the NFL."

Kadar named Steven Nelson (Oregon State), Senquez Golson (Ole Miss) and DJoun Smith (Florida Atlantic) as quality corners who should be available on the final day of the draft.

Quick hits

  • Kadar said he had never heard of Hobart offensive lineman Ali Marpet before the Senior Bow. Now, Kadar said the "mean, nasty, aggressive" Marpet has "locked up a spot in the top 100" prospects.
  • Kadar said Norfolk State DE/OLB Lynden Trail is a "shockingly good coverage linebacker" despite being 6-foot-7, and should probably be an NFL linebacker.
  • Who are the best 4-3 defensive ends in the draft class? Kadar named Dante Fowler of Florida, Alvin 'Bud' Dupree of Kentucky, Shane Ray of Missouri "to a degree" and Owamagbe Odighizuwa of UCLA.