Draft Profile: South Illinois Safety Jeremy Chinn
The top three Lions safeties all played over 55 percent of the defensive snaps a year ago.
Head coach Matt Patricia likes to deploy three safety sets. And despite drafting a couple of safeties in the third round over the past two years, the Lions once again might need to address the position.
After S/LB Isaiah Simmons absolutely killed the combine, many fans -- as expected -- jumped aboard the Simmons-to-Detroit hype train.
Simmons is likely more of a hang defender or strong safety in the Lions' defense.
If general manager Bob Quinn does decide to go elsewhere at the top of the draft, there is another safety with elite athletic traits and size that could be a nice consolation prize in the mid-rounds.
Safety Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 221 pounds
Arm: 32 and 1/8 inches
Wingspan: 77 and 5/8 inches
40-yard dash: 4.45 seconds
Vertical: 41 inches
Broad: 138 inches
Chinn is a relative unknown at this time, but his name will likely start appearing all over mock drafts in the upcoming weeks.
Unfortunately for Chinn, he was a late bloomer in high school and didn't receive any D-1 college offers. As he grew and developed, he played well enough to garner the attention of the Senior Bowl staff after his junior season.
His on-field performance led to an eventual Senior Bowl and NFL combine invite which firmly planted his name on the map.
As the nephew of Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater, Chinn was very versatile for a big safety.
In 2019, he lined up everywhere at the FCS level, including 276 snaps at free safety, 172 snaps in the box and 202 in the slot.
Chinn has the size to play close to the line of scrimmage and the range to play deep -- two traits that aren't often found together in one individual.
For the Lions' defense, specifically, Chinn has the desired length, speed and versatility to play the "Tavon Wilson" box safety role.
Perhaps his best trait is attacking the football in the air. He does a nice job reading the quarterback's eyes and making a play on the ball.
In terms of man coverage, he doesn't look as comfortable. He relies a lot on his athleticism to outmatch his opponents. That will be tough to accomplish consistently in the NFL.
If used properly, his weakness could be mitigated and his strengths accentuated. His aggressive style also translates as a run defender.
Chinn is an eager downhill tackler that enjoys bringing the pads.
Now, as with any player from a smaller school, the level of competition will always come into question.
At the Senior Bowl against superior talent, he put his fluidity on display, but he looked raw at times.
Make no mistake, the potential is sky-high with some NFL coaching and a little more time to continue working on his craft. At this point, he is a project.
His measurables and versatility will be enticing enough for a team to take a chance in the middle rounds.
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