NFL Draft Profile: Daniel Scott, Safety, California Golden Bears
Daniel Scott
California Golden Bears
#32
Pos: S
Ht: 6010
Wt: 208
Hand: 1000
Arm: 3028
Wing: 7438
40: 4.45
DOB: 10/26/1998
Hometown: Pasadena, CA
High School: Saint Francis
Eligibility: 2023
One-Liner:
An instinctive box player that thinks fast and reacts faster.
Evaluation:
Decent length and frame for the position. First, see him as a down Safety to the boundary. Later evolves to roles as an apex player and some single high alignments. Expert tackler that can work through traffic. Experience shows, instincts to trigger against the run, tangibles to make open field tackles. Plays the option with perfect fundamentals. No match for receivers trying to block him. Heady zone player who reads the Qb eyes making interceptions as a flat defender after initially covering the seam. Leaves the game on 3rd down, typically in obvious passing situations. He looks to be deployed as a box safety and undersized backer on run-downs. Not a lot of plays over the top, unsure of his range. Not elite speed but is an adequate athlete. Scott is an instinctual box safety that flies around and plays within his parameters. His projection as an NFL defensive back is limited due to his lack of coverage skills and size limitations as a linebacker.
Grade:
6th Round
Background
Throughout his career at California, Daniel Scott played in 49 games with 28 starts over five seasons (2018-22) after redshirting as a 2017 true freshman. Scott registered 207 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss (-44 yards), 1.0 sack (-27 yards), seven interceptions that he returned for 65 yards and one touchdown, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, seven pass breakups and four quarterback hurries. This past season Scott had career highs of 85 tackles, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and 3 interceptions. Graduated from Cal in May of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology before earning a graduate certificate in business administration in December of 2021.
