Best Safety ever to play at the U

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If we're talking the best safety from the U while at the U...I would go with Sean Taylor. What he did in that FSU game (the one at FSU in the rain) will forever be remembered as one of the most dominating performances a college football player has ever had in a big game. Overall he was simply the most dynamic player at the safety position that I've ever seen in college.

If we're talking career wise obviously it's Reed....who will probably end up going down in history as the best safety period to ever play in the NFL and a sure fire first ballot hall of famer.

I wish we would have had a chance to see ST play an entire NFL career as well so we can compare both college and pro careers.
 
jedi, it was the 03 game against fsu and sean taylor is my favorite cane of all time

So was I....one of the best experiences I've ever had at a road game. A game I'll never forget. Taylor basically put the team on his back that day and came as close to single handidly winning a game as a player can in football. Even the Nole fans sitting around us were amazed at how dominant he was.
 
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Ed Reed. Sean Taylor is one of the GOATS, but him allowing Maurice Clarett to strip the ball from him in the Fiesta Bowl cost Miami momentum and 3 points which could have been the difference in that game and another national title. Ed Reed would not have allowed that to happen.


/runs
 
If we are talking about the POSITION of safety, then it has to be Ed Reed. It's not about how big or fast or great an athlete the player is., but the ability to play the position. Do you know the planning that opposing offensive coordinators have to make when playing against Ed Reed? He shuts down the passes over 15 yards on his side of the field. Quarterbacks won't throw to his side of the field (there is no stat for that. You won't see that in highlights. You might not even notice it when watching a game). Quarterbacks ALWAYS know where Ed Reed is.

My opinion for certain qualities:

When it comes to anticipation or knowing what the quarterback will do before he does it? Ed Reed

Power (Tackling/Presence). Sean Taylor

Fear. Push (Sean Taylor - Hitting, Ed Reed - Interception)

Tackling. Sean Taylor

Clutch/play maker. Ed Reed

Best physical specimen. Sean Taylor

Defending the pass. Ed Reed

Defending the run. Sean Taylor

Smarts. Ed Reed

Speed. Push

Angle Tackling. Push

Interceptions. Ed Reed

Best Overall. Ed Reed

I think we almost need to make a list of the best qualities that make up a safety and pick the player that is best at it.
 
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Seems like Bennie Blades is getting short-changed in the discussion. If just counting performance at UM it would be hard to argue that either Reed or especially Taylor was a better safety. Dominant player on our 87 championship team. Two time All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner who still has a share of the season interception record. Amazing consistent player who also made the big hits like Taylor.
 
Seems like Bennie Blades is getting short-changed in the discussion. If just counting performance at UM it would be hard to argue that either Reed or especially Taylor was a better safety. Dominant player on our 87 championship team. Two time All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner who still has a share of the season interception record. Amazing consistent player who also made the big hits like Taylor.

Big time. He's right up there with Taylor in terms of overall athletic ability, but people sell him short. He was a 215 pound 4.3/4.4 guy who was the nation's fastest 400M hurdler as a high schooler. He had serious wheels. His FS range was right up there with Taylor's and NOBDODY went deep on us back in those days.
 
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Sean...most dominate player I've ever seen.


Truly was a Beast, his murder STILL makes me shed a tear. My favorite player ever...

Would have been one of the best, and he was showing it in his final NFL season
 
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