1.Southward embraces move to corner. Dezmen Southward is flattered by the comparisons.
He really is.
But there has to be more than his physical stature and long braids that dangle outside of his helmet.
“The looks and everything, that’s fine,” said Southward, who’s physical stature and appearance has been compared to Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman as head coach Dan Quinn has moved him from free safety to cornerback. “Just being tall and having dreads, that’s fine, but it doesn’t make plays. I know and understand that going out on the field. I’m not going on the field to be Sherman. I’m just trying to be myself and help my team win.”
Sherman, 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, was a fifth round pick by Seattle in 2011. He played the last two seasons under Quinn and has developed into perhaps the top cornerback in the league.
Southward, 6-2, 210, was drafted as a free safety and wore number 41 last season. Since being switched to cornerback, he changed his number to 22.
“There are things that I want to take from everyone’s game,” Southward said. “But when you talk about Sherman he’s obviously one of the best players in the league. To even be mentioned in the same sentence with him is an honor, but at the same time it doesn’t mean anything if I don’t go out, work and produce when it’s time to play football.”
2. The free safety plan ditched. The Falcons drafted Southward in the third round last season to essentially replace free safety Thomas DeCoud. But a knee injury and concussions opened the door for veteran Dwight Lowery to earn the spot last season.
When Southward became healthy, he showed his range and hitting ability late in the season.
3. Making the move. When Quinn approached Southward about moving to
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
cornerback, he had a certain mindset.
“Don’t blink, you know what I mean,” Southward said. “Coach Quinn is a great coach and great mind, obviously with all of the things he was able to do out in Seattle. If he asks you to do something, you don’t ask him why. You just ask him how exactly do you want it done?
“That’s what I’ve tried to do. I’ve tried to do everything that he’s asked me to do at full speed and learn as quickly as I can.”
4. Bowling with the kids. Southward was at Dave and Buster's at Sugarloaf Mills in Gwinnett to bowl with kids from the Challenged Kids and Friends program.
“You get to see a lot of people that you’d never get to touch if you weren’t playing sports,” Southward said. “You get to see their faces light up and see how happy that you make them. It’s amazing to be a part of.”
He didn’t want to brag about his bowling skills.
“Sometimes I can get you 180,” Southward said. “Other times I may get you 62.”
5. Corner not all that foreign. Southward, who played some nickel back in college at Wisconsin, said the conversion is going along well during the team's offseason program.
“It’s been great,” Southward said. “I’ve gotten better as a player, mentally and physically. Obviously, the switch to corner is going to be a little different for me, but at the same time what coach Quinn preaches is that no matter where you are on the field compete and do everything 100 percent and at full speed. Technique and everything else will come with it and that’s what I’m going out and focusing on right now.”
The Falcons have cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford. They also drafted Jalen Collins (second round) and Akeem King (seventh).
6. Southward wants to show off his range. Southward wants to make the most of his move to the position.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
“I think I can bring the same thing as any other corner wants to bring in this league,” Southward said. “You want to obviously be able to run and defend. I’m not just a big corner. I feel like I can move just as well as some of the small corners can and just to be able to run and defend, show some of my ball skills and at the same time be physical at the point of attack. I feel that I can do a wide range of things and it will be kind of fun to show some of those things this year.”
Southward played 257 snaps last season in some of the Falcons exotic nickel and dime packages. He missed six tackles, according to profootballfocus.com.
He’s hoping to take a major step forward in his second season.
“Absolutely, every players’ goal, if it’s offseason one or offseason 10, is to improve and to get better as a player. . . . I’m definitely looking to be one of the guys who can do that not just this year, but every offseason,” Southward said.
7. Bowl-A-Thon with Megatron. Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson will hold a bowl-a-thon in
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
support of pancreatic cancer from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2015 at Midtown Bowl.
Click here for bowling, sponsorship and donation information.
8. Bowling for kids. Seventeen Falcons players, including Southward, participated in the Challenged Child & Friends bowling event at Dave & Busters at Sugarloaf Mills Mall on Tuesday. The group was be bowling in an effort to help raise funds and awareness for Challenged Child & Friends.
Challenged Child & Friends is located in Gainesville, and serves children with disabilities and their typical peers through state-of-the-art educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services. The program was first incorporated in 1985 and now offers support across 12 northeast Georgia counties to children with all types of developmental disabilities.
The others players on hand: Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford, Ricardo Allen, Ryan Schraeder, Jon Asamoah, Sean Renfree, Freddie Martino, Antone Smith, Eric Weems, Patrick DiMarco, Kemal Ishmael, Mickey Shuler, Levine Toilolo, Nick Williams, Jerome Smith and Bernard Reedy.
9. DEPTH CHART: We're going to keep tinkering with this until we get to see the units at the OTAs.
Here's the Defense 101 article from the Seattle Times again.
DE: Adrian Clayborn, Malliciah Goodman, Cliff Matthews, Tyler Starr
DT: Paul Soliai, Adrian Clayborn, Ricky Havili-Heimuli, Joey Mbu
DT: Ra’Shede Hageman, Jonathan Babineaux, Tyson Jackson, Grady Jarrett, Warren Herring
DE: Tyson Jackson, Cliff Matthews, Sam Meredith
OLB: Brooks Reed, Prince Shembo
LB: Paul Worrilow, Nate Stupar, Derek Akunne, Derrick Malone, Joplo Bartu, Allen Bradford
OLB: Justin Durant (vs. run)/Vic Beasley (vs. pass), O’Brien Schofield, Kroy Biermann, Stansly Maponga, Marquis Spruill
LCB: Desmond Trufant, Akeem King, Kevin White, Michael Lee
SS: William Moore, Sean Baker, Damian Parms, Robenson Therezie
FS: Charles Godfrey, Kemal Ishmael, Ricardo Allen, Terrell Floyd
RCB: Jalen Collins, Robert Alford, Dezmen Southward, Phillip Adams, Jonathon Mincy
OFFENSE
WR: Roddy White, Leonard Hankerson, Freddie Martino, Nick Williams, Marquez Clark
TE: Levine Toilolo, Jacob Tamme, Tony Moeaki, Mickey Shuler, Beau Gardner
RT: Ryan Schraeder, Tyler Polumbus, Jake Rodgers
RG: Jon Asamoah, Peter Konz, Eric Lefeld, Jared Smith
C: Joe Hawley, James Stone, Peter Konz, Valerian Ume-Ezeoke
LG: Sam Baker, Mike Person, Harland Gunn, Adam Replogle
LT: Jake Matthews, Lamar Holmes, Matt Huffer
WR: Julio Jones, Devin Hester, Justin Hardy, Eric Weems, Bernard Reedy, Shane Wynn
FB: Patrick DiMarco, Collin Mooney
RB: Tevin Coleman, Devonta Freeman, Antone Smith, Jerome Smith, Terron Ward
QB: Matt Ryan, T.J. Yates, Sean Renfree
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK: Matt Bryant
P: Matt Bosher
KR: Devin Hester, Eric Weems
PR: Devin Hester, Eric Weems
LS: Josh Harris
Note: Some players are listed at more than one position.
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