Scouting Report: Eric Berry
By Will Spencer
January 24th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
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Eric Berry
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– Draft Breakdown Red Star PlayerNon-position specific categories
Category |
Max. Value |
Grade |
| Height/Weight | 6 | 5.5 |
| Speed | 8 | 8 |
| Quickness/Agility | 10 | 10 |
| Strength/Explosion | 10 | 9 |
| Athletic Ability | 8 | 8 |
| Durability | 8 | 7.5 |
| Character | 6 | 6 |
| Production/Experience | 6 | 6 |
| Toughness | 8 | 8 |
| Potential | 10 | 10 |
Defensive Back Specific Categories
Category |
Max. Value |
Grade |
| Ball Skills | 10 | 10 |
| Man Coverage | 10 | 9.5 |
| Zone Coverage | 10 | 10 |
| Tackling | 6 | 5 |
| Run Stopping | 6 | 5 |
| Hips/Lateral Movement | 8 | 8 |
| Physicality | 6 | 6 |
Strengths
Berry is the complete package. Elite ball skills and play recognition. Does a good job of reading the quarterback’s eyes and jumping routes. Great instincts. Outstanding range, covering larger parts of the field than most safeties. Fluid hips allow him to turn and run with ease. Soft hands. Does a good job finding the ball in the air to make the play. A threat to score whenever he touches the ball. Solid in run support. Unafraid of contact and a strong hitter. Good tackling fundamentals and rarely misses and open field tackle. Does a good job in run support. Very aggressive in both the passing game and playing the run. Off the charts production and good durability. Also a very cerebral player with a deep understanding of the game. No history of off-field issues.
Weaknesses
Will take some risks and gamble, but most elite secondary players will. Has a shoulder injury history. Doesn’t have ideal size and could benefit from an NFL weight training program.
Analysis
Most compare Berry to another play making safety, Ed Reed. Berry has the ability to change the game as a defender and will be an immediate impact player for whatever team is lucky enough to draft him. Berry also has the versatility and skill set to play either strong safety, free safety, and possibly corner if needed. Berry comes from a pro style defense, and played under a Super Bowl winning defensive coordinator (Monte Kiffin). A hard worker with elite skills and intangibles, Berry could be a once in a decade type of player.
Experience
Berry is a three year starter at Tennessee.
Awards and Honors
2009: Jim Thorpe Award Winner. Bronko Nagurski Award finalist. Consensus first team All-American.
2008: Unanimous first team All-American.
2007: Consensus Freshman All-American and All-SEC. SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Academics
Psychology major at Tennessee.
Bloodlines
Father, James Berry, played for Tennessee as a running back from 1978 to 1981. James was a three year starter and team captain as a senior.
Injuries
Berry has a nagging shoulder injury, but it hasn’t been bad enough to make him miss a single game for the Volunteers. Berry reportedly played the entire 2008 season with this injury and had surgery to help the issue after the season.
| Year | Tack | Solo | Asst | Sack | FF | Int | TD |
| 2009 | 82 | 54 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 72 | 44 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 2007 | 86 | 52 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
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