Eric Berry is not without his competitors as the top young safety in the NFL. But apparently, he is definitely the front-runner when it comes to the opinions of Scouts, Inc. ESPN recently unveiled their choices for fastest rising stars in the NFL by position, and Berry came out tops on their list.
Berry had a terrific season last year in his rookie campaign with 92 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 interceptions and one forced fumble. His performance throughout the year gave the Chiefs the pat on the back they were hoping for after selecting a safety so high in the draft -- at No. 5 overall -- and Berry gave the back of the defense the killer instinct it was lacking. That's what led Scouts, Inc. to write what they did:
Like most young safeties, Berry had some ups and down last year and he is still a work-in-progress in coverage. But I expect him to approach what Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu have done at the position over the next few years. He is going to be that good. A few other safeties to consider are Malcolm Jenkins, Earl Thomas, Antoine Bethea, Kenny Phillips and Phillips' teammate, Antrel Rolle.
Thomas certainly had a stellar year for Seattle, and he seems to be the top competition for Berry in terms of best young safety overall in the NFL, but the Chiefs have to be thrilled with their choice thus far and the future looks bright for one of the NFL's best young secondaries that also includes Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers.