2013 NFL Draft Prospect Notes - Robert Lester, S, Alabama

Robert Lester, S, Alabama

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 210

Class: Senior

2011 Stats: 24 tackles, 2INTs

Draft Projection: First to Second Round - Notice that I have a first round grade on him (above a 90) but because of the talent at the safety position and the fact that you won't normally see 3 safeties in the first round, I could see him going in round 2. I currently have T.J. McDonald and Tony Jefferson above him and I only see 2 safeties going in round 1.

Draft Grade (out of 100): 91.0 - I have Lester graded as a late first rounder because of his upside to be a ballhawk. Despite getting only 2 INTs as a Junior, he had 8 INTs as a sophomore and I think he returns to that form.

Player Comparison: Rahim Moore

Strengths:

• Very smart, hardworking player - Like most Alabama players, Lester is intelligent and hardworking. You can see this by his good physical shape and the fact that he is usually in the right place on the football field
• Great center field ability - In his two years as a starter for Alabama, Lester has shown the ability to play center field. He has 10 interceptions in the 2 years and most of them came when lined up in deep zone and just reading the play
• Always around the ball, creates a lot of turnovers - This ties in with the point above. Lester is in the right place at the right time and has the ability to make big plays after the INT.
• Great coaching - This is a given with any player from Alabama
• Solid in coverage on slot WRs - Lester has shown the ability to cover slot WRs in his two years at Bama. He does not get beat very often and has good technique
• Scheme versatility - He can play zone or man (ties in with the above point). Nick Saban uses him in a variety of ways similar to Troy Polamalu. At times you see him in the box. Other times you see him dropping into a deep zone and other times he is lined up on a slot WR.
• Good athlete - Lester is athletic and has good speed. He is not going to blow you away with speed but he has above average speed for a safety.

Weaknesses:

• Only an average tackler - Lester has good form but at times he is over-aggressive and misses tackles. He also occasionally takes bad angles
• Does not attack the line of scrimmage on running plays - Lester appears to be hesitant at times when playing the run. He will wait about five to seven yards and allow the runner to get to him instead of meeting the runner near the line of scrimmage
• Tries to hard to get an interception - At times, Lester overplays the ball in the air and leaves himself vulnerable to big plays. Lester must learn that when he is the last line of defense, he has to be safer and avoid being beaten deep

Final Word: Lester is a very good safety prospect and has the tools to be a fantastic safety. His weaknesses are all things that can be coached out of him and if he continues to work hard, he will be a star. He has the talent to have a huge year and become the #1 safety in next year's class.