With the 134th pick in the draft, the Minnesota Vikings drafted defensive back, Jay Ward, from LSU. Ward is 22 years old and stands at 6’1 and 188 pounds. He played at LSU for 4 years, starting in 27 total games. Ward amassed 162 total tackles, 17 passes broken up, and six interceptions.
One of the biggest reasons the Vikings drafted him was due to his defensive versatility, he is able to play any defensive back position, and with his long frame and elite instincts he can easily move around the field. Ward began his career as a cornerback but would slowly transition his way to safety. He commanded the defense at LSU and was a pillar in their defense.
Ward has a knack for downhill attacking; while playing safety he frequently came up in run support with high speed and great awareness. Ward continuously made high-speed tackles and collisions near or at the line of scrimmage. His presence physically plays above his size.
Ward excelled greatly in zone coverage, with phenomenal instincts he was able to roam the field and break up passes are intercept them. He reads the QB and attack from there on. His usage rate in man to man has dropped every season, however when in man his technique is very sound and consistent.
The biggest concern for Ward is his body type and physical presence. He often uses his body at such a high rate that he takes many blows to the body, this is where most of his injuries have come from. The reason for this is due to his play style not aligning with his body type. Ward has the tools to play in the NFL but might want to slow down on the body shots. With the aggressive playstyle Ward brings, he tends to miss tackles and overplays his angles.
The biggest reasons the Vikings should be excited about Ward is due to his versatility and high energy, these are things that cannot be taught and are a huge factor in the NFL.
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