PatriotMaven Scouting Profile: Grant Delpit

With the Patriots in the market for a Devin McCourty replacement, LSU safety Grant Delpit might be just the guy to fill that role.

Before the start of this last college football season, LSU product Grant Delpit was viewed as a slam dunk top five draft pick. People were comparing him to and calling him the next Jamal Adams. However, after a year of really poor tackling, he might not even be a first round pick. 

While Bill Belichick normally cannot stand players who cannot tackle, Delpit might be the perfect guy to take the reigns from Devin McCourty. Here is why:

Man coverage skills

- Delpit has next level, elite man coverage skills. He can play in the slot and cover tight ends. Delpit virtually erases guys in man coverage. His athleticism and length allows him to especially take away tight ends and compete against them. 

Zone coverage skills

- With truly impressive instincts and ball skills, the plays that Delpit can make in space are fantastic. Delpit has a nose for the ball and he is someone that a quarterback should always be looking out for pre-snap and during the play. He can be disruptive to RPO-schemed offenses. He can very easily make you pay if you forget about him in zone. 

Ball skills

- His ball skills are receiver-like. His length and athleticism, it allows him to be competitive in jump ball situations. He attacks the ball at it's highest point and has the speed to undercut a quarterback's pass. Ballhawk-like skills here. 

Tackling

- This section is such a shame. Delpit missed 20 tackles in 2019 and 16 in 2018, per PFF. The tackling issue stems from poor form. He struggles to wrap up. This can be corrected by Patriots coaches, but it will take some time for Delpit to get it down. 

Instincts

- He has elite instincts at the safety position. Delpit breaks on routes like no other in college football. His nose is always in the play and or near the ball. His football IQ is extremely high and this allows him to quickly react to what he sees. He is an extremely quick processor. 

Versatility

This PFF chart properly demonstrates all the places Delpit played during his college career. Lots of snaps in the box, even some defensive line snaps. 

- Delpit had a lot of success in the box blitzing, which might be one reason why he drew comparisons to Jamal Adams, as he can do that from time to time too. Delpit can play elite man and zone coverage, cover the run, and blitz, all at high levels. Delpit is plenty versatile. 

Athleticism 

- We would have a better sense of Delpit's athleticism had he participated in the combine. However, we will have to wait until his pro day for that. The film would suggest that Delpit has quick feet and strong athletic ability for his size. 

Size

- Delpit is 6-foot-3, 203-pounds, which is pretty tall for a safety. The combo of length and athleticism makes it hard for quarterbacks to throw in his area, over the middle of the field. 

Film 

Delpit erases Jared Pinkney in man coverage here. Pinkney is a pretty big guy who is entering the NFL Draft as well. Delpit does a really good job here of not giving him a lot of separation. 

Here are those ball skills on display. Delpit's tremendous length and ball skills help him snag this Jordan Love love pass from the receiver. Really nice coverage once again by Delpit

Watch Delpit process this play here. He reads the quarterback and as soon as he knows where he's going with the football, he takes off. This is a really impressive play to get across the field and break up this pass. 

Fit

Let's try and picture something for a second. How does one throw the ball against man coverage with Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson, Jonathan Jones, and Grant Delpit as the defenders? This a question that will not be easy for offensive coordinators to answer. 

Delpit has a chance to become a star safety in this league, and if he can correct some of the tackling technique issues, he can be that star on a Patriots team that has an aging safety group.