Jonathan Cyprien – Florida International

Height: 6002

Weight: 217

Age when drafted: 23

Hometown: North Miami Beach, FL

Position: SS

Collegiate Number: 7

Combine notables: 38.5” vertical

Games Viewed: 2012 – Western Kentucky, Louisville, Florida Atlantic 2011 – Akron

BACKGROUND:

Jonathan Cyprien attended North Miami Beach HS where he was an honor roll student, team captain, and First-Team District 12-6A and Miami Herald All Dade. Cyprien was a lightly recruited athlete that held scholarship offers from FIU and Western Michigan.

Cyprien has been a contributor since stepping foot on the FIU campus in 2009. He started seven games as a true freshman, earning Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference. Cyprien would earn Second Team All-Sun Belt as a sophomore and junior and First Team as a senior. He’s made 45 career starts and holds the FIU record for total tackles (365), solo tackles (213), and forced fumbles (6). He’s picked off seven passes and broke up 22 in his career.

Cyprien took full advantage of Kenny Vaccaro’s absence from the Senior Bowl. Cyprien had a solid week of practice further pushing himself up draft boards.

SIZE/ ATHLETICISM/STRENGTH:

Cyprien is a nice sized safety at over 6-foot-0 and 217 pounds. He possesses a solid build with thick lower half and plenty of upper body strength.

Cyprien doesn’t have great backend speed, so it’s doubtful he’ll be playing as a single-high centerfielder. That said, he was effective covering the slot in dime packages and his hips aren’t as tight as his frame would suggest. He’s mostly known as his prowess as a tackler but has the coverage ability to be a more than effective coverage safety at the next level. Played both free and strong safety at FIU and could be an interchangeable safety at the next level.

You can check all the boxes from a physical perspective. He’s a physical player with plays with controlled aggression. Thick build at 217 pounds with proportionate musculature throughout the upper and lower half.

COVERAGE:

Cyprien is an underrated coverage safety. While he doesn’t have great speed, he can cover the slot and his anticipatory skills in two-deep coverage make him a danger with the ball in front of him. I came away impressed with his ability to turn his hips and run when locked on. I expected a tight-hipped athlete but didn’t see that in tape. He will have to trust his positioning and spatial awareness at the next level as he has a tendency to play too much with his hands. Becomes an instant threat with his ability to make plays on the ball and aggressive nature as a tackler. Cyprien doesn’t pick a ton of balls off but broke up a ton of plays with his hitting prowess at FIU. Bad tendency to get caught peaking the backfield, beaten on play-action and double moves.

RUN SUPPORT/TACKLING:

Natural box safety that is a force in run support. Diagnoses plays well at the line of scrimmage with the ability to shoot gaps and blow up plays in the backfield. Solid with his eyes covering tight ends and backs in the box. Explosive hitter that will need to temper his want to leave his feet to make a highlight shot in the NFL. Tough to find a better ‘hitter’ in a draft class full of good ones. Does have a tendency to tackle a bit high at times that will have to change in the NFL. Aggressiveness can lead to poor angles on ball carriers.

RED FLAGS:

None.

OVERALL:

Jonathan Cyprien was a little late to the media draft hype party but he’s fully on the radar at this point. Cyprien fits the mold that teams are looking for in the future of the safety position; box player that can cover the backend. You can’t put a value on guys that are effective in the front- and backend. Cyprien is a first round talent that could slide with the depth and quality of the position but I can’t see him making out of the top 40 when it’s all said and done.

POSSIBLE LANDING SPOTS: Round 1 – Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens

VIDEO LINKS: Western Kentucky, Louisville, Florida Atlantic