2014 NFL Draft: 7-Round Green Bay Packers Mock Draft
By Phil Watson
Dec 28, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Louisville Cardinals safety Calvin Pryor (25) waves his arms to the crowd in the fourth quarter as theCardinals beat the Miami Hurricanes 36-9 to win the Russell Athletic Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
First Round
No. 21 overall: Calvin Pryor, SS, Louisville
Pryor is the whole package at strong safety, with slightly above average speed combined with a muscular frame and a relentless playing style.
He had 65 tackles and three interceptions as a junior at Louisville, missing one start because of a suspension for violating an unspecified team rule. That incident was considered to be highly uncharacteristic for Pryor, who drew praise from coaches and scouts for his intelligence and work ethic.
Pryor has a nose for the ball and is very quick to diagnose running plays, with a tendency to get too aggressive with his pursuit angles at times, which can create running lanes.
He is very effective at reading the eyes of the quarterback and has the ability to bait quarterbacks into throwing into coverage, where he can make a play on the ball. Pryor will often, however, go for the pass breakup rather than the interception.