http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/s/danielbullocks.html



Daniel BullocksHeight: 6-0 1/2 | Weight: 212 | 40-Time: 4.38 http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/playerpics/s/danielbullocks.jpg
Official Bio

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/images/stars/three.gif Strengths:
Has good size and a solid frame...Very instinctive...Ballhawk with a nose for the interception...Physical and supports the run well...Has a knack for being around the action...Has good mobility and range...Solid tackler...Very productive...Plays the ball in the air well...Team leader and coach on the field...Three year starter.

Weaknesses:
Is not great in man coverage...Doesn't play to timed speed...Not very agile and does not change directions well...Lacks fluid hips...Doesn't recover well...Is not a big hitter...Probably doesn't have a lot of upside or potential and may be about as good as he will get...Might need to be in the right type of scheme to succeed.

Notes:
Twin brother Josh (who is younger by 1 minute) was a 2nd round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2005...Player with solid measurables and top intangibles...Isn't quite the prospect his brother was a year ago but he isn't too far away either.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/players/18476.html


Daniel Bullocks Grade: 3.97 Position: S
Class: Sr
School: Nebraska
Conference: Big Twelve
Ht., Wt.: 6-0.5, 212
40 Time: 4.41
Selected by: Detroit Lions
Round 2, pick 8 (40 overall)
Grading System

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/football/nfl/logos/lions_100.gif BIO: All-Conference selection the past three years. Senior totals included 83/1/10 after 58/5/9 as a junior.

POSITIVES: Hard-working, take-charge leader flying up draft boards. Effectively quarterbacks the secondary, sees the action and has a burst of closing speed to the play. Explodes up the field in run defense and sacrifices his body to make the tackle. Active in zone coverage and displays a good sense of timing.

NEGATIVES: Struggles in man-to-man situations and does not display a decisive move to the ball. Not a technique tackler. Takes a lot of missteps and over-pursues the action.

ANALYSIS: A consistent player at Nebraska, Bullocks turned in outstanding performances at the Senior Bowl and the combine. Offers a good degree of upside and could be a first-team player in the NFL.

http://www2.jsonline.com/packer/insider/draft/2006/biosdetail.aspx?fname=Daniel&lname=Bullocks&pos=FS



2006 NFL Draft


OVERVIEW

The veteran leader of Nebraska's defense, Bullocks led an aggressive unit that led the nation in quarterback sacks (46) and tackles for losses (115) in 2005. Bullocks is blessed with prototypical size and speed (4.41 40-yard dash) for the position. He is a physical defender who shows tremendous poise and good field awareness.

Bullocks was the lone returning starter in the secondary in 2005, following the loss of Lornell McPherson and the early departure to the NFL of Fabian Washington and Bullocks' twin brother, Josh. Washington was a first-round draft selection by Oakland, while Josh Bullocks was taken early in the draft's second round by New Orleans.

The older of the twins by one minute, Daniel Bullocks played quarterback for Hixson High School, teaming in the backfield with his brother. Bullocks helped Hixson to four Class 4A playoff appearances. He took over starting quarterback duties as a sophomore, without previously playing the position, and totaled more than 50 touchdowns in his career.

As a senior, Bullocks was the Player of the Year in Chattanooga by the Times Free Press and was Mr. Tennessee football in class 4A. In 2000, he rushed for 1,432 yards with 21 touchdowns and passed for 309 yards and five scores. He also caught 10 passes and had 43 tackles as a free safety with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Bullocks earned class 4A first-team All-State honors, and both he and Josh were named to the Associated Press Tennessee All-Star Team. The twins both played in the Tennessee vs. Kentucky All-Star Game, and Bullocks earned MVP honors after returning an interception 104 yards for a touchdown in Tennessee's 30-20 victory. Daniel and Josh visited Nebraska and Auburn together before selecting the Huskers.

After redshirting at Nebraska in 2001, Bullocks shifted to free safety in 2002. He started one game (McNeese State) at rover that year, finishing with 16 tackles (5 solos) and a forced fumble. Bullocks took over strong safety duties in nine games during 2003 when Philip Bland was injured. He led the secondary with 69 tackles (44 solos), the third-best season total by a Husker defensive back since 1965. He had four stops for losses, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also intercepted two passes.

The second-team All-Big 12 Conference choice emerged as one of college's premier pass thieves in 2004, ranking 12th nationally with five interceptions and setting a school season record with 187 yards in returns. He deflected nine passes, caused a fumble and recovered another for a 10-yard score. He ranked fourth on the squad with 58 tackles (38 solos), including one sack and four stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Bullocks attained All-America and All-Big 12 Conference second-team honors in 2005. He ranked second on the team with 83 tackles (46 solos) and had four stops for losses. He returned a fumble recovery 30 yards for a score, gained 16 yards on a blocked punt and had a 12-yard interception return. He also caused two fumbles and batted away 10 passes.

In 48 games at Nebraska, Bullocks started 33 times. He registered 226 tackles (133 solos) with a 12-yard sack, 12 stops for losses of 32 yards and 10 quarterback pressures. He recovered three fumbles, returning two for touchdowns, and caused five fumbles. He batted away 22 passes, intercepted eight others for 210 yards in returns and returned a blocked punt 16 yards.



ANALYSIS

Positives: Rare-sized for his position and continues to get bigger and stronger...Has a lean, athletic physique with good upper body muscle tone, tight hips and waist, good bubble and thick thighs...Has excellent quickness and balance, showing the agility and balance to play the deep third of the field and the acceleration to come up and fill the rush lanes...Very alert to blocking schemes and is a quick reactor who is rarely caught out of position...Has the speed to stay tight on tight ends and backs in the short area passing game...Covers ground with good urgency and excels at reading the action in front of him...Best when staying back and playing centerfield, as he has the timing needed to make plays on the ball and uses his speed well to keep plays in front of him...His athletic ability and leaping skills let him win most jump-ball battles...Has natural, soft hands for the interception and does a good job of extending his arms to reach and pluck the ball... Reacts to the outside run well, keeping his pads down and shoulders squared to rock the ball carrier back on his heels...Has a good feel for rush lanes and takes proper angles to close...Does a good job of breaking down and delivering wrap tackles, showing the functional strength to deliver pop on contact...Smart player who makes all the checks and calls...Has a great work ethic and while not as heralded as his brother Josh, has been more consistent in his play.

Negatives...Little stiff in his hips and will take a few false steps coming out of his breaks... Developing good pass coverage skills, but despite his timed speed, he does not always stay on the hip of receivers throughout the route...Needs backpedal technique refinement, as he uses a shuffle-and-bail technique that prevents him from opening his hips quick enough...Good wrap tackler, but needs to add more upper body strength in order to explode behind his hits.

It was interesting to see how Bullocks would perform in 2005 and he proved by the end of the year that he was more than capable of stepping out from his brother's shadow. Bullocks is a very alert defender who has the field smarts and instincts to be around the ball consistently. He has the speed to stay with tight ends and receivers in short area man coverage, but will lose relationship with his opponent when having to run long distances.

Bullocks' timed speed is sometimes negated by utilizing the shuffle-and-bail technique in his backpedal, as he does not always open his hips to turn and run on the ball. He has very good straight-line acceleration, but has some hip stiffness which is exposed when he has to change direction quickly.

Bullocks gets very good success by playing deep in the zone. He will not bite on play action and has the closing burst to accelerate on plays in front of him. He is alert to the switch-off and shows very good anticipation for the ball in flight. He has soft, natural hands and good arm extension to compete for the jump ball and secure the football before heading upfield.

Bullocks has the range to play the entire field and even when he flies around, he stays in control and will rarely overpursue. He showed very good improvement taking angles to close vs. the run and has a good feel for the support lanes. He is a solid wrap-up tackler who won't blow up ball carriers, but hits with enough force to take the opponent down with his initial hit.

To call him another Brian Dawkins would put undue pressure on this youngster, but few safeties have the closing burst that Dawkins and Bullocks display. His run force ability could make him an ideal fit for a Cover-2 system. I feel that in time, he could ascend past his brother and rank with the league's elite at his position.



AGILITY NOTES

Combine: 4.41 in the 40-yard dash...2.57 20-yard dash...1.5 10-yard dash...Bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times...38-inch vertical jump...10'4" broad jump...4.18 20-yard shuttle...11.22 60-yard shuttle...6.91 three-cone drill...31 ¼-inch arm length...10 ½-inch hands.



INJURY REPORT

2002: Sat out the Missouri game (10/12) with an ankle sprain.



CAREER NOTES

Ranks 16th on the school's career list with 226 tackles...Among Nebraska defensive backs, only Mike Brown (287, 1996-99) recorded more tackles in a career...Gained 187 yards on five interception returns in 2004, breaking the old school season record of 175 return yards by Joe Blahak in 1970...Gained 210 yards on eight interception returns during his career, joining his brother, Josh (211 yards, 2002-04), and Ralph Brown (253, 1996-99) as Huskers gaining more than 200 yards via interception returns... His 22 pass deflections are the most ever in a career by a Husker safety.



HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Hixson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) High School, playing for head coach Dan Duff...
Played quarterback, teaming in the backfield with his brother...Helped Hixson to four Class 4A playoff appearances...Took over the starting quarterback duties as a sophomore, without previously playing the position, and totaled more than 50 touchdowns in his career...As a senior, Bullocks was the Player of the Year in Chattanooga by the Times Free Press and was Mr. Tennessee football in Class 4A...In 2000, he rushed for 1,432 yards with 21 touchdowns and passed for 309 yards and five scores...Also caught 10 passes and had 43 tackles as a free safety with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries...Earned Class 4A first-team All-State honors, and both he and brother Josh were named to the Associated Press Tennessee All-Star Team...The twins both played in the Tennessee vs. Kentucky All-Star Game, and Daniel Bullocks earned MVP honors after returning an interception 104 yards for a touchdown in Tennessee's 30-20 victory...Daniel and Josh visited Nebraska and Auburn together before selecting the Huskers.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/analysis/expert/brandt/s


2. Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska (6-0½, 212, 4.40)
Bullocks had a complete workout at the Combine. He ran his 40s in 4.39 and 4.41, had a 38-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-4 long jump, 4.16 short shuttle, 6.91 three-cone drill, and did 18 lifts. He was a quarterback and free safety in high school, and was named Mr. Tennessee for football in 2000 when he rushed for 1,432 yards, passed for five touchdowns and also caught 10 passes. After redshirting in 2001, he started 10 games in 2002 and '03, and started 23 games in his junior and senior campaigns. He is a very competitive player, physical, very instinctive, great character, and is a hard worker with good athletic ability. However, he lacks good hands and will drop some interceptions. Bullocks will play at a high level for a long time.

http://nfldraft.rivals.com/cviewplayer.asp?Player=2305&PT=7&PR=2&type=scoutingreport


Pros: Bullocks combines fine size with the speed and ball instincts to make plays in coverage and run support. He improved his draft status after performing well, especially in pass coverage and special teams, in the week of practice at the Senior Bowl. He is the twin brother of last year’s second round pick by the Saints, Josh Bullocks, though more athletic and developed. He is an active safety with good ball instincts and the toughness and technique to be a dependable tackler. He is not afraid to hit and will come up and support the run consistently well. He has average footwork and hip flexibility with the speed, instincts and ball skills to be the most developed, well-rounded safety prospect this year except for Michael Huff. His fast development in pass coverage will allow him to play either safety spot. He can cover slot receivers in addition to tight ends and backs. He also has the needed range and ability to play the ball as a center field type of free safety and over his final two seasons displayed big play ability in that role.
Numbers: At the Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds with a 38” vertical jump, 10’3” broad jump . He did 18 reps in the 225-pound bench press. He had a good time in the agility drills with a sub-7.0 time in the three-cone and a short shuttle time of 4.16 seconds.

http://www.nfldraftalmanac.com/index.php?c=42&a=476

Strengths: Has good speed and agility. Plays with a centerfielder mentality and isn't afraid to make the hit. Has good range and tracks the ball well in the air. Can make the interception and do damage with returns. Has shown good leadership skills on and off the field. Has good size and the necessary bulk. Bullocks runs well in coverage and can flip his hips and turn at full speed. Reads the quarterback well and reacts to him.

Weaknesses: Plays the run much better than the pass. Doesn't sit back and wait on many plays in the Nebraska scheme, he is asked to attack the line. Will gamble on a play-action and get burnt deep. Disappears at times.

Overall: Bullocks has only gotten better in his time in Lincoln. He's become a more consistent and well-rounded player that can take on blocks and stop the run or drop into coverage and make a big interception. He could probably be used at returner in the NFL as well. He has good speed, good coverage skills and an ability to tackle in the open field. He's rising since the Nebraska bowl game and with his good week in Mobile, a solid combine is all that is left before he hears his name called on Day One of the NFL Draft.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/bullocks_daniel


SUMMARY
GM Jr. had hopes Bullocks would be as good a prospect as his brother, Josh -- who was a second-round pck in 2005 and started nearly his entire rookie season for the Saints -- but was disappointed. Daniel has the size, natural strength and athleticism to be a good starting safety -- free or strong -- in the NFL, but he needs to play more aggressively on every snap and must be more consistent wrapping up and tackling out in space. He is consistently good in zone coverage and has shown a real knack for closing fast on passes in front of him and reaching out and breaking up the pass. He has the tools to to be good in tight man-to-man coverage, but he needs to be more consistent picking up the tight ends right as he releases off the ball. Overall, Bullocks has all the physical tools one would want, and with his top-notch character and work ethic, he is going to develop his talent and become more consistent. In a few seasons, he should become a solid starting NFL safety, but he will never be the physical hitter in run support that coaches will want, and will always miss some tackles he should make.

CRITICAL FACTORS

STRONG POINTS
He is a good athlete who has shown the ability to consistently break and close quickly on passes in front of him, and can use his front arm to break up passes well. He has the range to get outside to help cornerbacks with over-the-top coverage and can make tackles against the run along the sideline. He can cover tight ends in tight man-to-man coverage down the field and can reach up and break up the pass. He has the ability to bend his knees and make good, physical tackles in run support. He is a really good kid with the character and work ethic that are tough to find in a young man.

WEAKNESSES
He does not play aggressively on every snap; he tends to wait for running backs to get to him rather than flying up and attacking the play. He does not consistently bend his knees and tackle well in space. He often stops his feet, lunges and dives, which leads to missed tackles. He is not a super-competitive player; he does not always fight through blocks and does not consistently chase hard on plays away. He does not consistently pick up tight ends releasing quick enough, which allows the tight ends to get past him, and he lacks the burst to catch up.

POSITIONAL FACTORS
GradeCategoryComments/Description6.0Read & ReactHis instincts and foot quickness help him to consistently read and react quickly to plays in front of him.5.5M/M CoverageHe has the quickness and speed to cover tight ends well in man-to-man coverage, but does not always pick up tight ends quickly, and allows separation.6.0Zone CoverageHe reads and reacts quickly to the pass and can break up passes in front of him consistently well.6.0Break and CloseHe does a good job of transitioning out of his pedal and closing quickly on passes.6.0Hips/Turn AbilityHe has good hips and can turn and run with tight ends without losing a step in coverage.5.5TacklingHe's not a hitter or consistent tackler. He tends to lunge and grab, and is not strong at the point of attack.5.0Hitting AbilityHe has the ability to be a hard hitter, but is most often a positional, catch tackler.6.0Hands - InterceptionHe has the hands to make the tough interception when he gets the opportunity.5.0Hands - Fight BlockerHe does not fight hard to get free from blocks to make plays -- once engaged, he doesn’t get free.6.0Deep SpeedHe has the play speed to run with tight ends deep, and can pick up receivers and run with them after a handoff from the cornerback.NAReturn AbilityHe was not a return man in the games GM Jr. graded and is not dangerous with the ball after making an interception.5.0ErrorsHe misses some tackles he needs to make and does not consistently take good angles to the ball.
ATHLETIC ABILITYSection Grade: 6.0He is a good athlete with the ability to make plays all over the field. He has the quick feet to accelerate to full speed fast and can run with tight ends down the seam in man-to-man coverage. His foot quickness and athleticism enable him to transition out of his backpedal to break and close quickly on passes in front of him, and he has the body control and hands to reach in front of the receiver to break up passes. His natural flexibility and agility help him to bend his knees and sink his hips, so that he can adjust and tackle well in space when he stays under control and attacks the play. Overall, Daniel is a good all-around athlete with the quick feet, playing speed, body control and coordination to be a good starting safety in the NFL.
Q.A.B.Quick FeetC.O.D.FlexibilityCoordination6.06.06.06.06.0
COMPETITIVENESSSection Grade: 5.5He is a tough player in terms of dealing with pain and adversity, but he does not consistently show toughness on the field as a tackler/hitter. On the most important downs, he has consistently stepped up his aggressiveness and been his most productive. When he attacks the play, he is much more productive. His overall production varies from very good to barely adequate, and much of that is tied to how aggressive he plays. He does a good job breaking up passes in front of him, and he has the sideline range to make tackles against the run and pass. However, he does not come up aggressively all the time against the run, and tends to wait for the ball carrier to come to him; because of that, he is not as consistent a tackler. He does not always take good angles to the ball in pursuit against the run and lacks the top-level burst to catch up in pass coverage consistently once he loses a step.

MENTAL ALERTNESSSection Grade: 5.5This is a smart young man who can learn football, but it is concerning that he usually has bad tackling technique and does not consistently take good angles to the ball in pursuit. He has good football instincts that help him consistently react quickly to the play when he is playing aggressively. He can break and close on passes in a flash to break up the pass. He generally does a solid job of staying focused, but at times he loses concentration and it shows up when he starts diving and lunging to tackle (instead of using good technique) and ends up missing tackles too often.
Learn/RetainInstincts/ReactionsConcentration5.56.05.5STRENGTH/EXPLOSIONSection Grade: 6.0He is a well-built safety with size/bulk to be a factor in run support and the height and long arms to make plays on the ball in pass defense. He has been a very durable safety at Nebraska. With his size, strength, athleticism and toughness, he should be a very durable NFL safety. It is tough to get a good feel for his true explosiveness. He consistently shows an explosive closing burst on passes in front of him to make plays on the ball and flashes an explosive closing burst to catch running backs in pursuit, but most of the time he does not show the burst to make plays he has made before. He has good natural strength and is a strong tackler when he bends his knees and tackles aggressively.
Body TypeDurabilityExplosionPlay Strength6.06.55.55.5

Great job Vinny! I think you just about nailed all of them.