Packers Deep Dive - Darnell Savage
Andy Herman reivews the tape and takes a deep look at safety Darnell Savage.
By AndyHerman
One of the prevailing philosophies going into an NFL Draft is that a general manager should never pick a player based on the current needs of the team. It’s always best to look to the future and draft the best possible player that’s going to help the team long-term. But when the best player at his specific position, at a huge area of need is on the board, it’s an easy play to be aggressive and draft that player. That’s exactly what Brian Gutekunst did when he traded up to select his top rated safety in the draft, Darnell Savage.
Savage is a 21 year old true senior defensive back out of the University of Maryland. He measured in at 5’10¾, 198 pounds and ran a 4.36s – 40-yard dash at the combine. His 40-yard dash, was in the 97th percentile for safeties, his vertical was in the 89th percentile, and his broad jump was in the 84th percentile. Meanwhile he did test a bit below average in the 3-cone and had the worst bench press performance (11-reps) of any safety at the combine. Overall, athletically, he’s incredibly gifted. He had a SPARQ score of 86.5 and an RAS of 8.35.
With the 21st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the #Packers select Darnell Savage Jr., FS, Maryland.
Darnell Savage Jr. posted a Great #RAS with Poor size, Elite speed, Elite explosiveness, Good agility at the FS position. pic.twitter.com/wtA6hpAoH4
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 26, 2019
Going into the draft he was all over the draftnik draft boards. PFF had him as their 28th rated player, The Draft Network ranked him at 36, Matt Miller had him as his 7th rated safety, Dane Brugler had him as his 58th rated player, Jordan Reid had him at 30, and Daniel Jeremiah had him at 44. When Bob McGinn put his analysis together based on what he was hearing from NFL Scouts, he put him as the 6th rated safety overall.
All of that said, Brian Gutekunst had a sly smile when asked after the draft about whether he maybe could have got Savage at pick 30. He candidly stated that he “knew for a fact” that he would not have been able to. It’s not uncommon for General Managers to talk shop after the draft and with some of Gutekunst and Milt Hendrickson’s connections around the NFL it’s likely that a team told him afterwards that they were planning on taking him right after Green Bay selected him at 21.
.@TerpsFootball @darnellsavage_ is climbing fast; a little undersized but 37 starts. Nothing kept him off the field; and the analytic gods love him. Can he climb into the first round? #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/Rr52yHisKt
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 25, 2019
Regardless of what was said pre-draft and where they picked Savage, Green Bay got themselves one heck of a football player who plays with cautious aggression. I immediately coined Savage the anti-HaHa Clinton-Dix because Savage, unlike HHCD, is unafraid to attack the football and play aggressively. He plays with Jaire Alexander’s fearlessness and intensity. Green Bay fans are going to quickly fall in love with the way he plays.
#Maryland S Darnell Savage...Run the alley & tackle. Downhill speed. #Packers pic.twitter.com/dVF3AuhZSt
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) April 26, 2019
Maybe most importantly is that he pairs very well with Adrian Amos. Going into the draft there were three safeties that I thought would be best paired with Amos—Juan Thornhill, Darnell Savage, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. At the end of the day Green Bay felt that not only was Savage a fantastic player, but that he’d fit well in Mike Pettine’s scheme, and that he’d fit well playing next to the newly acquired Amos.
Snaps by position for #Packers draft selection Darnell Savage Jr. in 2018.
Slot: 332
Strong Safety: 147
Free Safety: 90
Linebacker: 90
Wide Corner: 11
EDGE: 7#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/P8wQCKtWR9— PFF GB Packers (@PFF_Packers) April 26, 2019
Savage is incredibly versatile and played all over the place in college. He can play some slot corner, big nickel, nickel/dime linebacker, free safety, strong safety, etc… You ideally don’t want him matched up with bigger tight ends, however, so that will be something that Mike Pettine and company need to remain cognizant of going forward. This could be an issue as Amos isn’t the most ideal coverage player either. Green Bay may not have a perfect answer to tight ends at the moment, although Josh Jackson did do well in that role when given the opportunity in 2018.
More notes on Packers 1st rounder Darnell Savage: this year against Dwayne Haskins & Ohio State he had 9 tackles, a pass break up that led to a pick 6 (see clip below), a tackle for loss, and helped hold 2nd round WR prospect Parris Campbell to 38 yards pic.twitter.com/g9eObHLSIq
— IKE Packers (@IKE_Packers) April 26, 2019
Regardless of who Savage was covering in 2018, he usually found himself on the better end of the equation. Per Pro Football Focus, when Savage was targeted in 2018 opposing quarterbacks went 28/49 for 239 yards with 0 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and only a 36.0 passer rating. Quarterbacks only completed 8.5 yards per catch against Savage. He also had an incredible 25 defensive stops last year.
As I mentioned earlier, the biggest thing that sticks out on tape (along with his speed) is his overall aggressiveness and tenacity. The first player that came to mind when I watched him was Bob Sanders, although there’s some Nick Collins and Earl Thomas to his game as well. This isn’t to say he’s ever going to be good as any of those players, but the flashes are there. But the thing that impressed me the most was that he knows how and when to play under control.
Is Bob Sanders v2.0 available in this year's draft class? @PFF_Sam takes a closer look at the similarities between Sanders & Maryland S Darnell Savage.https://t.co/cZgz5Qdsxa pic.twitter.com/SfwCmFrYln
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 21, 2019
For example, there were multiple times throughout the course of the season in which Savage would fire up against wide receiver screens and tackle the player at or behind the line of scrimmage—it was one of his specialties. But against Ohio State Maryland brought a blitz and Ohio State had the perfect screen called. Ohio State had two receivers to block the other two defensive backs which left Savage one-on-one with the receiver in the open field. All season long Savage attacked these aggressively, but in this situation he was the last line of defense. Had Savage missed the tackle Ohio State scores easily. Instead of firing up he made the safe play, cut off the angle and made the tackle for a seven yard gain. It wasn’t aggressive, but it was smart, and 100% the right thing to do in that scenario.
In another game the opponent was trying to use some of Savage’s aggressiveness against him by running a double move against him in the red zone. Knowing that he was one-on-one with no safety help behind him, Savage didn’t bite on the first move, knowing that he had the speed to play the ball no matter what direction the receiver went in. Savage stood his ground, the receiver made his second move, the ball came out and Savage was easily able to make a play on the ball for the pass breakup and a saved touchdown.
It’s one thing to be aggressive, it’s another to know the down, distance, and situation and make the smart play based on what’s happening around you. Savage displayed this football IQ again and again on tape.
Okay I really like the Darnell Savage pick.
Welcome to Green Bay. pic.twitter.com/AdfYjHibKG
— James (@ScriptsByJames) April 26, 2019
The big question marks with Savage are his height, strength, and ability to play deep safety. At under 5’11” and with the worst bench press at the combine, Savage isn’t exactly an imposing player on defense. However, like Jaire Alexander, Savage doesn’t back down from anyone and is a very sound tackler. As far as deep coverage, Maryland didn’t put him in those situations a ton, but when he did play deep he struggled to always get to his spots with consistency. That said he more than has the traits to make up for that and to be coached-up at the NFL level.
Green Bay’s defense is set.
Packers take S Darnell Savage No. 21. pic.twitter.com/J0qH0HCvqj
— Bleacher Report NFL (@BR_NFL) April 26, 2019
Overall, Savage was a four-year starter at Maryland who fits in ideally with Mike Pettine’s defense, is incredibly versatile, and will bring some needed speed to the safety position. His football IQ and ability to read quarterbacks should help this team create more turnovers and he should pair with Adrian Amos really, really well. Look for him to be one of the top five defensive backs on the field from day one and play a huge portion of the defensive snaps in 2019. Five years from now it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if we were talking about Savage being the best Packers pick from the 2019 draft.
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Andy is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh and owns & operates the Pack-A-Day Podcast. Andy has taken multiple courses in NFL scouting and is an Editor for Packer Report. Andy grew up in Green Bay and is a lifelong season ticket holder - follow him on Twitter @AndyHermanNFL!
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Comments (28)
LambeauPlain
April 30, 2019 at 07:32 am
What this article reinforces is what I have read about Savage: He shows up in big games and makes plays to help his team. And he has excellent control of his speed on the field....he plays fast but under control.
This young man screams more boom than bust which is why Gutey went up and got him at 21.
I am pleased he did.
mamasboy
April 30, 2019 at 12:57 pm
He has the control that we wished Josh Jones possessed. Jones is quick to get there and then doesn't know what he's there for when he does. I hope the comparisons to Bob Sanders are accurate. He's already everything HaHa wasn't.
Rak43
April 30, 2019 at 08:42 pm
It's kinda weird watching everyone jump on the Savage train. Back in February on this very site I was the only person talking about him and how the Packers should go get him and every last person who replied said they'd rather have Adderley or Thornhill, lol. So I'm super happy Gute drafted him it just feels weird reading some of these posts when I caught so much ridicule the past few months for saying he was the best safety in the draft. I do feel vindicated though. ;-]
IceBowl
April 30, 2019 at 09:15 pm
Rak47
It's the lying season.
It is also the "nobody knows" season. The opinions are everywhere. No validation. Guess work from the "expert" talking heads.
But good for you. Your opinion and research were rewarded. You see by the mocks, that is an anomaly.
The only ting i trust is from out GM & staff. And you see how much info they provide. :-)
Handsback
April 30, 2019 at 07:45 am
A little know FS/CB was picked in the 2nd round. The GM was asked if he had picked him too soon? He said no that another team wanted him and was planning on taking him after the Pack's pick. The guy was Collins, the Gm was Ted Thompson, and the one team for sure that wanted him....the Ravens!
This year the whole scene is repeated with the pick of Savage. He did play in the Big 10, so he was a known talent and again the Ravens wanted him for sure. Look at some of their GM's comments. No guarantee that Savage will be as good as Collins, but I think he will be very close to Collins.
Coldworld
April 30, 2019 at 08:14 am
Football IQ. Used to be required of any skill position. It is so critical to unlocking physical talent to be able to read and diagnose a play or the defense quickly. Only then can a player use athleticism to make a play. Sadly that has been a phrase and focus GB has lacked for several years in my view.
One reason great athletes don’t make an impact is effort but another, more common reason is that this isn’t Athletics, there are other players and a ball to react to before the athleticism can be harnessed. Mental acuity on field is a key component of success whether a running back (lanes and holes), receiver (think Nelson knowing where to be), linebacker plugging the gap, quarterback (Rodgers reading defenses) or safety anticipating as seen here being examples. Another term for this is playing speed. It’s not what your body can do in a gym, it’s what you do against an opponent trying to beat and deceive you.
Savage will have lots to learn in the pro world, but if true, he could be a real gem.
Thanks for the interesting review.
RCPackerFan
April 30, 2019 at 09:09 am
When Gutey said that he guaranteed that Savage wouldn't have made it to pick 30, I saw on twitter that Ian Rappaport said that was true. My understanding is that the Ravens and the Colts both wanted to draft him.
While we shouldn't compare the 2 players we will. Savage is a guy who has playmaking ability and has pure speed. Something we haven't had since Collins.
Doug_In_Sandpoint
April 30, 2019 at 08:10 am
If he is half of Bob Sanders, Earl Thomas, and Nick Collins, I’m thrilled. We are starting to collect a lot of speed on the D. This should be a very interesting year to be a Packer fan.
dobber
April 30, 2019 at 08:42 am
Those other players were on-field leaders, also. Especially Bob Sanders...I loved how he elevated a defense. Hopefully Savage has some of that in him. The Packers have lacked for those kinds of players who could back it up with their play in recent years.
jannesbjornson
April 30, 2019 at 01:00 pm
Getting rid of the frauds in the back end was definitely Gutekunst's mission from Day One. Exit Only: Dix, Rollins, Brice, Whitehead, D Brown, Burnett, etc. Easier on the eyes looking over this revamped roster.
zeroluv
May 01, 2019 at 06:41 am
Morgan Burnett was a stud in his prime and still has some good years left! Are you crazy calling Burnett a fraud? Also, Brown will become a real good corner. He hits hard and is getting better each game.
ShooterMcGee
April 30, 2019 at 08:37 am
I sure hope he is better than all the other Safeties in this class. No other Safety was picked until late 2nd round, Hooker and Chauncey Gardener Johnson were picked in the 4th round. If Savage is an all pro I suppose it will have been worth it.
dobber
April 30, 2019 at 08:47 am
Abram came off the board at 27 to the Raiders. He can run, but he's really a hybrid S. Marquise Blair came off the board at (2,15). Yes, safeties (and DBs in general) came off the board later than many expected, but Savage was not the only 1st round safety.
jannesbjornson
April 30, 2019 at 01:03 pm
They already placed Amos at the SS spot. Savage was a perfect fit.
ILPackerBacker
April 30, 2019 at 08:50 am
Very well done!
thanks
PatrickGB
April 30, 2019 at 08:50 am
I like this pick the best. Some may say we could have got him later. But Gute was not sure so he moved up. I see him as a “Bird in the hand” type pick. We don’t have to pay for those two fourth rounders. So we have a tad more money if it is needed for someone cut by another team.
Doug_In_Sandpoint
April 30, 2019 at 09:11 am
I agree about the pick but not with your math. Your statement about the 2 4th round picks is like a conversation I have with my daughter. “Dad, you should buy that car.” “I don’t want that car.” “OK, so now we have $20K extra, we should buy that boat with it.”
zeroluv
May 01, 2019 at 06:48 am
If you feel the player you want is there and you can’t wait...get him ASAP. I don’t care if savage would have been there at 30. You don’t gamble on losing a player you think is a game changer. Period. The Packers acquired the 4th rounder pick with the Clinton Dix trade to use as a trade up potentially. If they thought there was a player in the 4th worth something they would have traded up again but didn’t which says a lot. I believe the Packers knew this draft in the back end would be average at best and did what they had to do to get their impact player. The best part is we didn’t mortgage future picks to move up.
albert999
April 30, 2019 at 09:05 am
Our defense has gotten a lot faster and hopefully will look like Seattle’s did back in the day
like a wolf pack on a kill
RCPackerFan
April 30, 2019 at 09:07 am
"One of the prevailing philosophies going into an NFL Draft is that a general manager should never pick a player based on the current needs of the team. It’s always best to look to the future and draft the best possible player that’s going to help the team long-term. But when the best player at his specific position, at a huge area of need is on the board, it’s an easy play to be aggressive and draft that player."
Essentially the whole premise of this is you do not want to reach for a player. Sticking to your board in who you think are the better players is the best way to go. So if you have a need then move yourself into position to draft that player so the need fits the value.
This move by the Packers reminds me of when they traded up to get Clay Mathews. In that draft they moved up 15 spots trading away 2- 3rd round picks for him. This draft they moved up 9 spots and traded away 2-4th round picks. Hopefully this trade is as effective as the Mathews trade was.
As far as Savage one of his best traits is his speed. For the first time since Collins injury, they have added a Safety with pure speed that can cover the entire field. That is something we have sorely lacked.
This offseason we have added pass rushers. Not just pass rushers but versatile pass rushers. When we look at what Pettine wants to do it makes more sense why they picked Gary. They now have 3 rushers that can go inside or out and can create confusion for teams. And now we have added a Safety with serious speed who has play making ability.
That is a lethal duo. Pass rushers creating confusing looks and effecting the QB, combined with a ball hawking type of safety. That is a recipe for turnovers.
Teams in the North better be watching out this year. We will have a much improved defense. Pettine will have more of the players he wants to run what he wants. I fully expect this to be a top 10 defense! And the final piece to the puzzle was adding Savage!
jannesbjornson
April 30, 2019 at 01:06 pm
They also drafted a Leader. The comparisons with DaMarious end there.
zeroluv
May 01, 2019 at 06:53 am
Randall was a good player had they used him at his natural spot...but TT drafted him as a CB and he wasn’t. Had Greenbay used him right...he would have been a above average player. The pick wasn’t bad....fat Mike and Don capers miss used him big time. I believe Gutey and Pettine would have love to keep him but he was too jaded on his misuse and was a cancer at that point. He had a good year in Cleveland and I wish him the best.
Archie
April 30, 2019 at 09:44 am
Defense should be great in 2020. They will need a year to jell and to adapt to the new system they are in. Similarly, coaches will get to know the players strengths/weaknesses better.
Pack should keep an eye out for an impact veteran on offense that unexpectedly becomes available by trade. One more impact player on offense would really light the fire of this emerging team. Hard to believe we stuck with Capers, TT and MM so long. OTOH, when facred with going down with the ship, Murph finally woke up and made the necessary changes. Now Packer fans the world over are smiling. Of course, LeFleur still has to prove himself. AROD has got to feel good that this team is no longer a one man show. I'm thinking MM will never get another HC job.
MarkinMadison
April 30, 2019 at 06:37 pm
That is pretty much what I'm thinking. This team is primed to make a deep run in 2020. Of course, they won the Super Bowl about a year earlier than everyone thought they would last time around, and haven't been back since. And Atlanta rode a maturing defense to a Super Bowl loss two years ago. So you never know. Get in the dance and anything can happen. The question is, can they play well enough to get to the dance?
EddieLeeIvory
April 30, 2019 at 07:05 pm
I love Savage & his speed on the back end.
I really wish we had moved up to take the speed of Devin Bush to inject the middle of our defense.
IceBowl
April 30, 2019 at 07:21 pm
EddieLeeIvory,
I'm confused....
What does Savage give us then?
zeroluv
May 01, 2019 at 06:55 am
I wanted bush as well but what Pittsburg gave up was crazy....not worth it for a deep draft like this. Gary and Savage will out perform anything Bush can do on his own. Had Bush fallen to 12 I agree with you....but no way you trade up that high for him unless you are a piece away from the SB and the Packers were not.
IceBowl
April 30, 2019 at 08:59 pm
All I want is "want to" from these guys. The measurables speak for themselves.
Like all of you, I hope the Pack does not get the "guaranteed $$' and quits guy.
That is the one of the off the tape things the scouting dept. tries to sort out.