South Carolina Gamecocks in the NFL Draft: Chris Culliver
by Gamecock Man on Mar 27, 2011 7:55 PM EDT
in South Carolina Gamecocks Football
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PrintThis post continues a series on our NFL Draft prospects. Today we're looking at Chris Culliver.
Chris Culliver
Measurements: 6'0 / 200
Career Summary: Culliver came to Carolina in 2007 as a highly rated prospect out of North Carolina. In 2007, he played WR and KR, doing a very good job at KR, as he would continue to do throughout his career. In 2008, he moved to FS, where he became a fixture, and in 2009 he was named second-team All-SEC at the position. In 2010, he moved to cornerback. The move didn't work out quite as well as we had hoped, and Culliver got picked on a little bit. He missed the last few games of his career with a torn pectoral muscle.
What the Pros Like: Culliver has elite speed in the 3.3 40 range and displays other impressive measurables. He also shows good instincts, ball skills, and tackling ability at FS. While his move to corner didn't exactly work out, the experience should mean that he has a better understanding of how the secondary works as a whole. Lastly, he projects to be a good pro kick returner. (As an aside, I've personally never quite understood why we stopped letting him return kicks in 2010. He was much better than Bryce Sherman.)
What the Pros Don't Like: While Culliver is pretty good at getting his hands on the ball, he's never been very good at actually pulling down an interception, with only a handful of INTs over his multiple years as a starter. He's also shown himself to be a bit penalty prone, and may warrant minor character concerns for his involvement in the investigation of early 2010.
Are the Mocks Right?: Culliver was initially projected as a fourth- or fifth-round pick, but as of late his stock has been rising after impressive workouts. It seems plausible that a team will take him in the third round, but I'd say that's as high as he'll go. Culliver is an impressive athlete, but I've always felt somewhat that he's failed to live up to his potential. Pro teams will be reluctant to use a very high pick on a player who has failed to play at a first-team all-conference level throughout his career. That said, being selected in the third would likely make him the first Gamecock off the board, and it would warrant a hearty round of applause from Gamecock Nation.
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I wouldnt say he was our best corner
but he will definitely be missed. He was quality in the backfield, and was one of the best Kick Return men we have seen in these parts in a long time.
by Gamecockrock on Mar 27, 2011 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, I still think Gilmore was our best corner. I know a lot of you are down on the season he had...
but I still think he did pretty well. Don’t forget that Gilmore inevitably had to line up against the other team’s best WR. That said, I think you may be right that I’m giving Culliver a bad rap. Most of the time when we were giving up receptions on his side of the field, it was because the coaches were playing him too deep.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Mar 28, 2011 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Culliver got beat like a drum on a regular basis last season.
His speed might be made for corner, but his cover skills aren’t.
Yeah, I thought he was much, much stronger at FS. I can see how you can justify some of his problems as coaching mistakes...
But to me, he simply wasn’t an elite corner. I wish we had left him at safety.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Mar 28, 2011 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
He isn't in the same zip code as an elite corner.
He simply does not have the cover skills & often gets beat deep despite his speed. He was a much better FS & could develop into one of the best FS in the NFL if he would tackle properly. He has unlimited potential as a FS.
I will be surprised if Culliver has success as an NFL player.
by Skulls and Spurs on Mar 28, 2011 6:07 PM EDT reply actions
I wouldnt
at worst I think he develops into a nice ST guy
by Gamecockrock on Mar 28, 2011 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions
I've always been a bit iffy on Culliver. He's shown some flashes of greatness, but he's never really put it together.
I’d say there’s a good chance that continues in the NFL.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Mar 28, 2011 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it's all about effort with him.
If he’s willing to put in the work that is necessary, the sky is the limit. Unfortunately, he never demonstrated a willingness to do that at USC.
He lacks cover skills, tackles poorly at times, and doesn't display the on-field speed he shows in workouts.
He also never showed the right kind of vision to be a great return man. He racked up so many return yards because he returned a lot of kicks. He certainly wasn’t a bad KR, but he continuously ran into the opposition’s support instead of busting through a seam or turning the corner. His 40 times indicate he should be able to do that. The guy is a heck of a specimen and a great athlete, I’m not sold that he’s a solid NFL player. An off-the-bench guy that can contribute some on special teams and D situations? Sure.
by Skulls and Spurs on Mar 28, 2011 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he's a solid player personally.
Everyone tackles poorly at times, but I’ve seen him completely level guys other times. I think he shows a lot of speed on the field, and I still say he was our best cover corner last season.
I think he’s the last great holdover from the old Defensive Back U Carolina used to be, and I think he’ll earn a nice living in the pros if he can learn to temper his attitude. That’s just all my opinion, though.
stuff 'bout stuff.
by silver82blade on Mar 28, 2011 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
You can say it...
But that doesn’t make it true. Dude was awful.
Just so it's noted, Culliver hasn't intercepted a pass since 2008.
by Skulls and Spurs on Mar 28, 2011 8:42 PM EDT reply actions
Culliver isn't about picks, he's about making highly athletic deflections.
He’s not typically close enough to his man to get a pick, but he has great recovery ability to make the tip regardless. He had as many deflections as Gilmore last season, despite only playing half as many games. He led the team in that statistic in 2009.
stuff 'bout stuff.
by silver82blade on Mar 28, 2011 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions
If you say so.
I just remember the season differently. Maybe you guys were looking at Gilmore, or a safety, and only thought it was Culliver. Or, maybe I’m just way off.
stuff 'bout stuff.
by silver82blade on Mar 29, 2011 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
My analytical colleagues, I just searched the blog for "Culliver" ...
… paying special attention to the game day open threads, and no where was Culliver singled out for criticism anywhere by anyone except for the two or three personal fouls he committed. He had an awful game against Tennessee where we, including myself, criticized him for several big gains, but he was playing that thing injured. Folks, if he was blowing coverages I would’ve been the first to mention it in an open thread. I pointed that stuff out all the time about many players, as did you all. Me, and others, praised Culliver for a few great plays. I just don’t see where all this negativity is coming from. Culliver didn’t have an All-SEC performance at corner this season, but I think you all are being a bit harsh. I personally thought he was the only member of the secondary, outside of Swearinger (also Allen if you count him), who was consistent enough to relax my nerves every time the ball hit air.
stuff 'bout stuff.
Actually, Culliver may have not been injured during the parts of the Tennessee game he was getting drummed.
Nevertheless, it was the only truly poor performance I recall from him.
stuff 'bout stuff.
by silver82blade on Mar 29, 2011 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions
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