“Bust” Alert: Kenny Vaccaro

Every year during the draft there is that player that just didn’t perform up to their expectations andend end up becoming so-called “busts”. Every player a team drafts is a risk, however some players bring more risks than others. One player that could be more of a risk and still has a lot of unanswered questions is Kenny Vaccaro.

Vaccaro is considered by many as the best safety in this year’s draft, however some experts say that all the safeties are pretty much even and you aren’t getting anything special with any of them. Vaccaro is a physical safety that has a good physical blend of strength and athleticism. He has the ability to lock on to receivers at the line and has the ability to stay with slot receivers in coverage. Vaccaro also shows good hands and looks to be an asset in stopping the run game. These are some of the positive things that come with Vaccaro, but will it translate to the NFL?

Kenny Vaccaro has some questions that he still need to answer. Vaccaro was used mostly in man coverage and near the line of scrimmage as a nickel back in college. Can he be the reliable back-half defender that the Rams need? Vaccaro is a speed player, but he lacks burst. Will he be able to keep up with receivers in the NFL? Vacarro also has a problem freelancing and watching the backfield in zone coverage, and will bite on play action. With these unanswered questions, is it worth for the Rams to risk taking Vaccaro at 16 or even at 22?

If the Rams were to take Vacarro in the draft on Thursday, they should wait until pick 22 to do so. Vaccaro is a risky pick and he hasn’t separated himself that much from the other top safeties like Cyprien, Elam, or Reid. The Rams would still be getting a decent safety with one of those guys. The Rams have almost nobody at the safety position at the moment and Vaccaro would be an upgrade from Craig Dahl. Vaccaro would be able to come in day one and contribute right away which is what you look for in a first round pick. The Rams are a team on the rise and with 4 first round picks in the next two years, the Rams are in position to build a competitive team for the next decade. However, if any of their picks go bad, that could set them back for just as long.

Want to know who the Rams are interested in that could be a bust? Here are some possibilities:

https://ramblinfan.com/2013/04/17/bust-alert-tavon-austin/

https://ramblinfan.com/2013/04/14/bust-alert-cordarrelle-patterson/