Spring Practice No. 10 Breakdown: Safeties
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, 4/19: 5:45-7:30 pm (Dreamstyle Stadium)
Monday, 4/22: 8:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, 4/23: 9-11:15 am
Thursday, 4/25: 8:30-10:45 am
Saturday, 4/27: 10-11:45 am (Dreamstyle Stadium)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As part of the 2019 spring camp, GoLobos.com will do a position-by-position breakdown of the various positions on offense, defense and special teams. Today’s breakdown is on the safeties position.
Letterwinners returning:
Patrick Peek (Ft. Worth, Texas, 25 tackels, 1.0 TFLs for 3 yards, 1 FF)
Kameron Miller (Las Cruces, N.M., 14 tackles, 1.0 TFLs for 1 yard)
Nico Bolden (Woodbury, Minn., 6 tackles)
Johnny Hernandez (Temecula, Calif., 3 tackles)
Redshirts/Squad members returning:
Brandon Burton (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Letterwinners lost:
Stanley Barnwell, Jr. (76 tackles, 2.0 TFLS for 4 yards, 1 INT for 1 yard, 4 PBU)
Michael Sewell, Jr. (57 tackles, 4.0 TFLs for 9 yards, 1.0 sacks for 3 yards), 1 PBU, 1 FF
Marcus Hayes (51 tackles, 1.5 TFLs for 2 yards, 2 INT for 68 yards, 1 TD, 5 PBU, 1 FR for 0 yards, 1 FF
Bijon Parker (39 tackles, 2.0 TFLs for 8 yards, 1.0 sacks for 7 yards, 1 INT for 35 yards, 6 PBU)
Gabe Ortega (3 tackles, 1.0 TFL for 4 yards)
2019 Signing Class in camp:
Shaddrick Lowery (Dania Beach, Fla.)
Jerrick Reed II (Olive Branch, Miss.)
2019 Signing Class not yet enrolled:
Latayveon Beaton (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
The UNM secondary was hit hardest by graduation, and that was true of both the corners position and the safeties position. UNM will have to replace 2,128 combined snaps last year between the four main safeties that played. While that looks like a lot of experience to make up, UNM has plenty of talent in the system and the competition at the safety position has been some of the best in camp.
Among the returning players, two saw significant snaps at safety, and that’s Patrick Peek and Kameron Miller. Peek and Miller bring with them tremendous run-stuffing ability, as both rated well above the national average in positive run impact according to Pro Football Focus, with Miller’s 9.2% more than doubling the national mark and leading UNM. Peek, who was third on the team in positive run impact, developed a reputation as a guy no one wants to throw at. In 62 coverage snaps, he allowed a paltry three completions on the year.
It’s Peek and Miller with the experience, but two other letterwinners return at safety in Johnny Hernandez and Nico Bolden. Both picked up a lot of experience on special teams while awaiting their opportunity, which both have gotten in spring camp. Hernandez is a sure tackler and tenacious defender, and Bolden has the size and skills that made him highly recruited out of high school.
A redshirt transfer from 2018 are also expected to make a big contribution. UCLA transfer Brandon Burton redshirted in 2018, is a junior and will be looked upon as a leader of a young defensive unit.
Two members of the 2019 signing class are in camp, and they, much like the other six safeties in camp, have been making plays throughout the first 10 practices. Jerrick Reed II and Shaddrick Lowery were both all-conference players in junior college, and both come from football hotbeds in Oklahoma and Florida. Latayveon Beaton is the third member of the signing class at safety, although he is not yet enrolled.
All the safeties in camp have taken a cue from position coach and defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson, who can be seen flying around during drills, high-fiving players and bringing an air of excitement to the defense. Like Peterson, the safeties have been flying around, showing both coverage skills and run-stopping acumen.
It’s true, there’s a lot to replace at the safety position, but based on UNM’s first 10 spring practices, there is a lot to like about the current crop of safeties at UNM, and the position battles should continue through camp right on into the fall.
NEXT UP: Friday, April 19, photo gallery; Monday, April 22, specialists
PRACTICE NOTES: UNM will switch up its weekend routine, practicing on Friday night at Dreamstyle Stadium and taking Saturday and Sunday off. Friday’s practice will, as all spring practices, be open to the media and public, and it will start at 6 p.m.