The Falcons could be in the market for a free safety this offseason.
A year removed from playing in the Pro Bowl as an alternate, free safety Thomas DeCoud’s play dipped dramatically in 2013. He went from six interceptions to zero. He went from nine pass breakups to just two and did not force a fumble.
While DeCoud is slated to make $4.2 million next season, the Falcons, who are coaching the North team in the Senior Bowl, have had a close up look at a much cheaper alternative — that’s due to the rookie pay scale — in Vanderbilt safety Kenny Ladler. Ladler’s South team will face the North at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
While the Falcons are not coaching him, they’ve had to opportunity to interview and interact with him in the combine meeting rooms and cafeteria setting.
Ladler, who played at Stephenson High before going to star for the Commodores, was an All-SEC selection and has a nose for the football. He was the only FBS player last season have five interception and five forced fumbles. That’s 10 turnovers and NFL defensive coordinators love turnovers.
“He’s doing a good job,” Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley said. “You can tell that he’s been very well-coached. All of the little principles that we teach, you see them. If he doesn’t do it right, then we talk to him about it. He’s really a quick learner. He picks it up and gets it done.”
Ladler has shown fluid cover skills during the practice sessions. In addition to his ball-hawking ability, he’s a noted sure-tackler. Missed tackles were a problem for DeCoud and several other members of the Falcons defense last season.
“He had a nice couple of drop backs (into coverage) here in practice,” said Bradley who is coaching the South squad. “He’s done a nice job.”
Ladler is playing for the South.
Ladler was a first-team All-SEC pick by the Associated Press and a second-team pick by the league’s coaches.
He started for the Commodores as a freshman. He continued to develop and entered Senior Bowl week rated as a fourth or fifth round pick by nfldraftscout.com. With a strong game and a good showing at the NFL scouting combine, Feb. 19-25, he could elevate his draft status.
Ladler was a big reason why Vanderbilt finished in the top 25 nationally in total defense for three straight seasons.
He’s been trying to impress the Falcons and the rest of the NFL teams.
“It’s been great to get to work with these NFL coaches and see how they operate during an NFL work week,” Ladler said. “You see how they are coaching us, watching film and have us going to meetings.”
Ladler has been trying to keep things in perspective.
“The main thing was to show them that I’m a competitor and that I have the talent to play on the next level,” Ladler said. “My film from during the season is going to speak for itself. It’s really not any major things that I can do out here other than just compete and get better.”
Ladler enjoyed his time at Vanderbilt.
“We were able to go to back-to-back bowls,” Ladler said. “I had a little adversity my freshmen year, having a 2-10 season and then getting a new coaching staff. But I ended my career with back-to-back winning seasons. That shows the type of adversity that we had to overcome.”
Ladler believes that his style of play similar to a former NFL player, Sean Taylor of the Redskins, who was considered one of the top young safeties in the league at the time of his murder in 2007.
“I loved watching Sean Taylor growing up, so that’s who I wanted to model my game after as a young safety,” Ladler said.
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