Sleeper Watch

As we head closer to this year’s NFL draft, any discussion of this year’s rookie defensive backs has focused firmly on the cornerback position. With Miami’s Antrel Rolle and West Virginia’s Pac-Man Jones looking like future stars, that’s not too surprising, but there’s considerable talent to be found at safety, too. Hard-hitting Thomas Davis could make an immediate impact, Ernest Shazor also has excellent potential, and Brodney Pool shouldn’t be forgotten, either.

Like Davis and Shazor, Pool should have little trouble adjusting to the NFL game, although he may eventually need to bulk up slightly. With good size and excellent speed, the Oklahoma product has developed a knack for being in the right place at the right time when defending against the pass, picking off nine errant tosses in his two seasons as a starter and adding 15 pass defenses. His fantasy value will most likely be highest in leagues that award points for passes broken up, as he should have plenty of opportunity to show off his skills when opposing teams put the rookie to the test. And while he might not have Rolle’s inate run-stopping ability, Pool is a good tackler who led the Sooners with 92 stops in 11 games last season, an improvement of 24 tackles over his sophomore season.

If you’re looking to shore up your fantasy secondary, Brodney Pool could provide solid value at a relatively low price, especially if he falls into the second round of the draft. In dynasty leagues, in particular, he’s looking like a player whose name is well worth remembering; many observers feel that Pool is still quite a ways from reaching his ceiling.