Tony Jefferson

[devilalum]

Tony Jefferson, safety, Oklahoma: Jefferson offers the versatility that many teams desire from their safeties now, which makes his fall all the more surprising. He'll need a coach who can rein in his tackling lapses, but he could be an asset on a 53-man roster. Reached contract with: Cardinals

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/04/28/best-undrafted-players-2013-nfl-draft/2118637/

 

[Gee!]

This guy has been going on a twitter rant since he signed with us.. Not a bad rant, just saying he is grateful he is with us and that he will make the team.. Said it was his dream to be drafted, and that everything happens for a reason..

Somers believes he has an outstanding chance to make the team.. His ex teammate Flemming said he will make the team too..

Jefferson sure does sound motivated.. Im pulling for him..

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Ditto - I am calling him a lock for the roster - he has attitude. Feels like AW 2.0 with a chip on his shoulder and is landing in a great spot for an opportunity to make the roster.

 

[slinslin]

nfl.com had him as the highest or 2nd highest safety remaining when i checked either in the 4th or 5th round.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

It's definitely the weakest spot on the roster but I'm going to my best this year to not get excited about UDFA and TC stars without pedigree. Sucks me in every time...

 

[Duckjake]

It's definitely the weakest spot on the roster but I'm going to my best this year to not get excited about UDFA and TC stars without pedigree. Sucks me in every time...

This sure has changed since the Cards got their Stadium hasn't it. Used to be several UDFA's would make the team and a few would become starters. We had Alfonso Smith play some and Reggie Walker but the last UDFA to become a long time starter is Sendlein and that was 6 seasons ago.

In 1999 the Cards had six UDFA's starting.

 

[GuernseyCard]

This guy has been going on a twitter rant since he signed with us.. Not a bad rant, just saying he is grateful he is with us and that he will make the team.. Said it was his dream to be drafted, and that everything happens for a reason..

Somers believes he has an outstanding chance to make the team.. His ex teammate Flemming said he will make the team too..

Jefferson sure does sound motivated.. Im pulling for him..

The publications I read, going into the draft, had him as the fourth, fifth best safety with a third or fourth round grade. If we'd drafted him in the sixth or seventh round, some would be raving about the pick.

 

[HotSauce]

Tony Jefferson is a very good player who probably should have stayed in school. Then again, I guess that wasn't going to make him any faster.

 

[ndhillst]

I hope he works out. I still see S depth as a huge need.

 

[Chopper0080]

Good signing for the Cards. If they can get him to play more disciplined in the secondary, he has a chance to stick.

 

[Mainstreet]

Besides the offensive line, safety was probably by second greatest concern in the draft. I'm so glad the Cardinals signed another player to compete for this position.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Speaking of OL, did we sign any FA Centers who have the potential to make the team.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Besides the offensive line, safety was probably by second greatest concern in the draft. I'm so glad the Cardinals signed another player to compete for this position.

+1

 

[juza76]

He is a very good tackler,i hope he make the team, seems so happy to be a cardinal

 

[Totally_Red]

Tony Jefferson is a nice get. He's more of a box safety IMO, but he'll be a solid special-teamer and quality depth at a position where it's sorely needed. And the good thing is he sounds like he is extremely motivated to prove 31 NFL teams very wrong in passing him over. I'm sure he was #1 on SK's UDFA list, we just didn't have a compensatory pick to take him in the seventh.

Welcome to the Bird Gang Tony and best wishes for a solid NFL career as an Arizona Cardinal!

 

[TJ]

With our lack of depth at safety and Jefferson's production in college, I would be shocked if he did not make the roster. He is a very physical tackler who can cover deep. I talked with my OU buddy over the weekend and he told me that he was their best DB last season (he also said his teammate who we also acquired was garbage and allowed too many plays over the top and looked completely lost in coverage). Every write up I've read on Jefferson said he should've been drafted.

I posted this in another thread, but here's the scouting report from OU's SBnation page:

http://www.crimsonandcreammachine.c...-safety-tony-jefferson-2013-nfl-draft-profile

Tony Jefferson was an immediate impact player at Oklahoma. He helped the Sooners win the 2010 Big 12 championship, and end a BCS bowl losing streak, as a true freshman. Following that season he was named the Big 12's Defensive Freshman of the Year and was a first team freshman All-American.

After placing third on the team in total tackles as a sophomore (2011), Jefferson returned to All-Big 12 status following his junior season in 2012. Choosing to make it his last season in the crimson and cream, Jefferson led Oklahoma in tackles, and was second in the Big 12, with 119 total tackles.

Tony Jefferson will enter the NFL having not yet reached his full potential. Which ever team that decides to select him isn't necessarily getting a project at safety, rather they're getting a player who is a talented defender that is still developing his game.

 

[Jetstream Green]

I bet the dude makes the team by how much this staff values him already. He might as well been drafted in the mid rounds because the Cardinals put his highlight film up on their site

 

[juza76]

Ok so he is production was good,all the people watched him play( somers too) said the kid was the best player on defense,,seem also a good guy very happy to be a cardinal..what affected him??just 40 time to be not drafted?

 

[ProdigalSun]

Ok so he is production was good,all the people watched him play( somers too) said the kid was the best player on defense,,seem also a good guy very happy to be a cardinal..what affected him??just 40 time to be not drafted?

Rumor has it that he was dealing with a hamstring injury which affected his combine workouts...

 

[Jetstream Green]

This is how I see it. Solid prospect. Productive starter on a good college defense. Teams get sucked into the combine worth and we get a potential starting safety that went undrafted...I like it

 

[HotSauce]

Ok so he is production was good,all the people watched him play( somers too) said the kid was the best player on defense,,seem also a good guy very happy to be a cardinal..what affected him??just 40 time to be not drafted?

Watch the Oklahoma vs. West Virginia game on youtube.

He looked like he was running in mud with a stick in his leg vs. those guys.

That 4.75/40 he ran at the combine looked legit. I wonder if he's going to be able to make it in the NFL.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Ok so he is production was good,all the people watched him play( somers too) said the kid was the best player on defense,,seem also a good guy very happy to be a cardinal..what affected him??just 40 time to be not drafted?

This past draft rounds 5-7 might have been the best of all time. I think we are going to see a spike in UDFAs making rosters this year.

 

[ARZCardinals]

Tacking issues....ugh

If he had issues in college...pro ball ain't gonna help

 

[Mitch]

Watch the Oklahoma vs. West Virginia game on youtube.

He looked like he was running in mud with a stick in his leg vs. those guys.

That 4.75/40 he ran at the combine looked legit. I wonder if he's going to be able to make it in the NFL.

Every coach and scout in the NFL saw that tape---

But---here's the thing: there isn't a FS in the world who has much of a chance to tackle Tavon Austin in the wide-open middle of the field when he is at full speed. The best hope is to use the sideline as an extra defender and funnel Austin out of bounds.

Certainly that tape didn't help any of the Oklahoma players.

However, in Tony Jefferson's case there were a number of factors as to why he wasn't drafted:

1. Bob Stoops revealed after the season that Jefferson played through a bad and nagging ankle injury for much of the season. There was a hint of a bit of a shoulder problem as well.

2. There was a sketchy report/rumor amongst scouts and GMs that after the season Jefferson was "trashed" by Stoops and the Sooner coaches for a lack of a work ethic, conditioning and commitment to the weight room. Stoops came out and adamantly denied the report---but the perception was already working against Jefferson...as some still believed the initial report.

3. The poor 40 time, as you state---kind of sealed the deal.

All this said, Jefferson, when healthy and in shape, has real talent. he's versatile, which is a real asset in today's game. he should have a chip on his shoulder---and the Cardinals are hoping they found a good one in TJ.

 

[Mitch]

Tacking issues....ugh

If he had issues in college...pro ball ain't gonna help

Jefferson is actually a much better tackler than people think. He plays a physical style. Good in press coverage and good playing over the top. The talent is there.