2010 NFL Draft Preview: Eric Berry

Eric Berry is the 5'11 195lbs junior standout safety out of Tennessee. The Volunteer standout is listed as five-star prospect, the second highest ranked player in the draft and the top safety in the 2010 NFL draft by Scout.com.

Eric Berry's Strengths

1) Chris Stueber of Scout.com calls Eric Berry "the best defender to enter the draft in the last 10 years."

2) Scout.com reported Eric Berry "sparkled in the 40 by running a 4.47," showing Berry has outstanding speed.

3) Eric Berry showed he had the strength to succeed in the NFL "in the bench press by completing 19 reps" of 225lbs, as reported by Scout.com.

4) Berry is athletic. Per ESPN "Berry had a 10-10 broad jump, which was second overall at the combine, and recorded a 43-inch vertical leap, which was third overall."

5) Berry excelled in the tough SEC in college.

6) Berry is a junior so he is a year younger than the seniors.

Eric Berry's weaknesses

1) The Volunteers did not win any major championships while Berry was playing for them.

2) Expectations will be set high for Eric Berry. The question will be if Berry can live up to the hype at the NFL level.

Eric Berry will be drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The top two picks in the draft might be used for talented defensive ends. If this is the case, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would have a hard time passing on Eric Berry. Berry can play safety but also has the speed to play cornerback. If for some reason Tampa Bay passes on Eric Berry several other teams will have interest in the Tennessee star. The list of teams interested in Eric Berry would include the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. Eric Berry has all the potential in the world to be a top five draft pick in the 2010 NFL draft. Berry had a great combine; he played in a powerful conference, and is ready for the next level.

Sources:

Scout.com for rankings and stats

Scout.com article

SEC Combine Report Chris Low ESPN.com