Stanley Jean-Baptiste CB Nebraska

Overview

Jean-Baptiste spent one year as a wide receiver at North Carolina Tech Prep after finishing his high school career in Miami and then redshirted the 2009 season at Fort Scott Community College before finally arriving at Nebraska.

He did not see any action in 2010, and had one reception the following season before making the transition to cornerback before the start of Big Ten play. Jean-Baptiste played in nine games, including his first career start, in 2011.


Finally established at cornerback, Jean-Baptiste started five of 14 games he saw action in as a junior. The Cornhuskers led the nation in opponent completion percentage, and Jean-Baptiste led the team with nine pass breakups.


He was voted to the second-team All-Big Ten squad by the league's coaches in 3013. Jean-Baptiste played in all 12 games, again leading the team with 11 pass breakups. He also tied for the team lead with four interceptions, which he returned for a combined 134 yards.


Analysis

STRENGTHS: Boasts excellent height and length for the position. Gets a strong initial jam to re-route receivers when playing press-man coverage. Often asked to play off-man principles, as well, showing the patience to allow receivers to get near him before beginning his turning motion. By doing so, Jean-Baptiste is able to sneak a peek toward the quarterback and break quickly on short and intermediate routes.

WEAKNESSES: Not nearly as physical as his size would indicate, especially when tackling. Frequently relies on ducking his head and swiping at the legs of ballcarriers.

Could be viewed by some as a potential safety convert but hasn't played this position before and will need to develop more physicality and reliability as an open-field tackler.


http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2042647/stanley-jean-baptiste[/url]

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We need a Richard Sherman type. Taller is better. I don't want anymore short CB's.

There's as much downside to taller CB's as there is upside. You end up with guys who aren't as flexible at the hips generally, not able to move as well laterally, height isn't always better. Seattle makes it work because they use a lot semi-illegal tactics, holding the s**t out of people....etc. If the NFL happens to crack down on that, you'd see a middle of the road secondary with Thomas as the only elite player.


Height and length help, but getting a guy just because he's big doesn't make a lot of sense at all.

Yup exactly. Seattle would be a middle of the road secondary if they weren't allowed to hold all the time. However, since they are allowed to hold all the time, we should just copy how they play defense. Get big ass corners and hold every f**king play. If you're going to let Seattle get away with it, you damn better let everyone else get away with it.

Draft Projection

Stanley Jean-Baptiste is still relatively new to the position, but he shows so much natural ability and acumen, appearing to soak up coaching. He is just put on a guy and can work to shut that player down, having the ability to punish teams that try to test him. Jean-Baptiste needs to get more consistent as a run defender but shows a great deal of ability, but has the potential to be an asset in that area as well as being a terrific cover corner. He should rate highly on boards of teams that want a long, press corner and projects as a top 50 pick that could sneak into the first round that may only get better with experience.

http://withthefirstpick.com/2013/12/23/2014-nfl-draft-scouting-report-stanley-jean-baptiste-cb-nebraska/

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We need a Richard Sherman type. Taller is better. I don't want anymore short CB's.

There's as much downside to taller CB's as there is upside. You end up with guys who aren't as flexible at the hips generally, not able to move as well laterally, height isn't always better. Seattle makes it work because they use a lot semi-illegal tactics, holding the s**t out of people....etc. If the NFL happens to crack down on that, you'd see a middle of the road secondary with Thomas as the only elite player.


Height and length help, but getting a guy just because he's big doesn't make a lot of sense at all.

Yup exactly. Seattle would be a middle of the road secondary if they weren't allowed to hold all the time. However, since they are allowed to hold all the time, we should just copy how they play defense. Get big ass corners and hold every f**king play. If you're going to let Seattle get away with it, you damn better let everyone else get away with it.

This.

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

We need a Richard Sherman type. Taller is better. I don't want anymore short CB's.

There's as much downside to taller CB's as there is upside. You end up with guys who aren't as flexible at the hips generally, not able to move as well laterally, height isn't always better. Seattle makes it work because they use a lot semi-illegal tactics, holding the s**t out of people....etc. If the NFL happens to crack down on that, you'd see a middle of the road secondary with Thomas as the only elite player.


Height and length help, but getting a guy just because he's big doesn't make a lot of sense at all.

Yup exactly. Seattle would be a middle of the road secondary if they weren't allowed to hold all the time. However, since they are allowed to hold all the time, we should just copy how they play defense. Get big ass corners and hold every f**king play. If you're going to let Seattle get away with it, you damn better let everyone else get away with it.

Manning is going to all over the refs in the Super Bowl, if the Sea Hawks defensive backs are not called for holding.

Might make the game more interesting.

Originally posted by Harbaalke:
I understand NOT everyone is a fan of his but McGill does NOT play physical enough for his size maybe as a later pick I would agree but Jean Baptiste can start day 1 imo

Baptiste is even more raw than McGill, not sure where you're getting this from. Based on the regular season performance, he's a guy people were looking at as a 4th/5th rounder, I'm always wary of offseason hype rather than seeing what a guy has done in games. McGill was the lone bright light on a terrible secondary and had some terrific games. Neither of these guys are ready to be starters from the get-go, and Baptiste, especially with his technique and footwork, has a longer way to go.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
The thing with all these big CB's such as Baptiste, who I think is a bit stiff, Desir and McGill is that they are very raw. Baptiste especially, as a former receiver, needs work. I think any of them could fit in Seattle's "bash and grab" style of defense but would be exposed on other defense's if teams tried to make them starters too early. McGill is my favorite out of that group because I think he has the biggest upside, he's a guy who looked like a 3rd to 4th rounder all season long, Desir and Baptiste are bigger beneficiaries of this push for bigger cornerback's currently. None of them should be looked at as instant starters, but guys you work into the system and plan to make them a starter a year or two down the road.

I agree

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:
Yup exactly. Seattle would be a middle of the road secondary if they weren't allowed to hold all the time. However, since they are allowed to hold all the time, we should just copy how they play defense. Get big ass corners and hold every f**king play. If you're going to let Seattle get away with it, you damn better let everyone else get away with it.

The problem is with the NFL promoting offense all the time, if they do happen to crack down and you've drafted and built your secondary to play that way, guess what, you're f**ked. If the NFL happens to crack down on defensive holding and pass interference more this offseason, Seattle won't nearly be the same defense, their entire defense is built around the cornerback's handling receivers 1 on 1, if they have to drop Chancellor back and keep him in deep coverage, not his strong suit, it'll set off a whole chain of domino's collapsing that results in their defense getting lit up a lot more regularly.

I think it's short term thinking to follow what someone else is doing. Keep building the secondary with high quality players, explosive athletes with good instincts and awareness out on the football field. Some teams are going to reach on these bigger corner's thinking that they've struck gold and the guys will turn out to be absolute busts playing in a defense that doesn't utilize them the same way, one that also doesn't include the excellent coaching of Kris Richard, the defensive backs coach in Seattle who hasn't nearly gotten enough credit for his work, regardless of how you feel about the techniques that they use.


If the fetish for bigger CB's means that high talent guys like Joyner end up falling down the draft boards, making them easier to acquire, then so be it.

I like this guy too. If we could get him in the 3rd round it would be a steal.

Whatever they do, Im all about going after a tough physical corner, hasn't been talked about but we have been REALLY good at blitzes this season, even though we don't do it that much (bowmans sack against wilson in the NFCCG) if we can find a really good corner our d would be scary if we can send willis or bowman after the qb on more plays

I think has a lot of potential, but I am not sure I would say he hits like a safety.

In 27 games, he has 0 forced fumbles.


In comparison, Dowling, who is a safety, is also big--6-3 and 198. Dowling has 8 forced fumbles in 24 games.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Harbaalke:
I understand NOT everyone is a fan of his but McGill does NOT play physical enough for his size maybe as a later pick I would agree but Jean Baptiste can start day 1 imo

Baptiste is even more raw than McGill, not sure where you're getting this from. Based on the regular season performance, he's a guy people were looking at as a 4th/5th rounder, I'm always wary of offseason hype rather than seeing what a guy has done in games. McGill was the lone bright light on a terrible secondary and had some terrific games. Neither of these guys are ready to be starters from the get-go, and Baptiste, especially with his technique and footwork, has a longer way to go.

Matt Miller ‏@nfldraftscout Jan 21
Liked Stanley Jean-Baptiste's film quite a bit. Issue was how athletic/fluid he was. This week he's shown well. Rd 1 pick wouldn't surprise

Originally posted by JimHarbaugh:
I like this guy too. If we could get him in the 3rd round it would be a steal.

5th round talent, a steal in the 3rd round....not sure if serious. Let's put it this way, if Baptiste was 5'10", is there anyway you'd want to spend anything higher than a 6th rounder on him? I don't see him as worth anything more than a late 3rd round pick, with McGill, a late 2nd round to mid 3rd round pick, same with Desir. If teams want to blow huge picks on guys with limited resume's who still have a ways to go, in a draft filled with quality CB's, good for them.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

5th round talent, a steal in the 3rd round....not sure if serious. Let's put it this way, if Baptiste was 5'10", is there anyway you'd want to spend anything higher than a 6th rounder on him? I don't see him as worth anything more than a late 3rd round pick, with McGill, a late 2nd round to mid 3rd round pick, same with Desir. If teams want to blow huge picks on guys with limited resume's who still have a ways to go, in a draft filled with quality CB's, good for them.

The rage this year in looking at defensive backs is size. Jean-Baptiste has size. He is going to get attention because of that.

He did do well at the Senior Bowl. That helps him.

Given that he has played only 27 college games as a corner, after changing from wide receiver, he has shown some decent ball skills.

In 27 games, he has 27 passes defended--6 picks and 21 passes defended.

I think he has worked his way up to the third round, but how he does in events and the drills, especially the drills, at the combine is going to make a huge difference.

I wish him luck.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:
Yup exactly. Seattle would be a middle of the road secondary if they weren't allowed to hold all the time. However, since they are allowed to hold all the time, we should just copy how they play defense. Get big ass corners and hold every f**king play. If you're going to let Seattle get away with it, you damn better let everyone else get away with it.

The problem is with the NFL promoting offense all the time, if they do happen to crack down and you've drafted and built your secondary to play that way, guess what, you're f**ked. If the NFL happens to crack down on defensive holding and pass interference more this offseason, Seattle won't nearly be the same defense, their entire defense is built around the cornerback's handling receivers 1 on 1, if they have to drop Chancellor back and keep him in deep coverage, not his strong suit, it'll set off a whole chain of domino's collapsing that results in their defense getting lit up a lot more regularly.

I think it's short term thinking to follow what someone else is doing. Keep building the secondary with high quality players, explosive athletes with good instincts and awareness out on the football field. Some teams are going to reach on these bigger corner's thinking that they've struck gold and the guys will turn out to be absolute busts playing in a defense that doesn't utilize them the same way, one that also doesn't include the excellent coaching of Kris Richard, the defensive backs coach in Seattle who hasn't nearly gotten enough credit for his work, regardless of how you feel about the techniques that they use.


If the fetish for bigger CB's means that high talent guys like Joyner end up falling down the draft boards, making them easier to acquire, then so be it.

Eh I don't agree. You don't know that the league will ever crack down on it. Seattle has been doing it since 2011 and the league has yet to crack down on it. It gives the team a HUGE advantage. It helps Seattle's defense so much, the way their secondary illegally plays. We must even the playing field and employ that type of secondary play ourselves.