Dallas Cowboys Draft: Top-10 safeties and their potential fit

Malik Gant, Marshall

What’s Good: Instincts, Tackling

What ain’t Good: Athleticism

I present you another Group of 5 safety who has good instincts but lacks some athleticism. Gant was a quality safety at Marshall. He plays well in run support either in the box or in the open field. He can match up against tight ends well and his ability to react to receivers is surprisingly good for someone who isn’t as athletic as some other safeties.

Gant is good at tackling. He’s unafraid of contact and he wraps around the waist no matter who he’s tackling. When playing in the box, he uses his instincts to sniff out runs. When dropping him into coverage he can follow running backs and tight ends. He can follow receivers if he isn’t playing press on them.

His coverage ability is good but his short comings in his athleticism force him to be used in specific roles. He has played the rangy free safety role, but I’d try to not have him do that on a regular basis. I’d like to see him play in coverage within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Even with his shortcomings, you can expect a play to be made when the ball is thrown or run in his direction because his instincts are that good.

Could he be a Cowboy?:

Yes. I don’t see the Cowboys taking a safety past the 4th round unless another Xavier Woods falls to them in the 6th round. Selecting another safety after the 4th would be odd because the talent pool would be average at best. Gant might be the guy to change that. I think he has starting caliber ability and he I’d like to see him selected in the late 4th round.

He does come from a Conference USA school and his production is good, but unlike Woods, he just isn’t as athletic. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to stop some NFL players. Gant has the instincts to play at the next level, and if he can develop what he has now, he should be a solid starter for years to come.