Prospectus - Myron Rolle, S, Florida State

For those of you not familiar with this section of Football Futures, Prospectus is where we take a more in depth look at an individual who is preparing to make the jump from college to the pros. This segment will focus on Florida State Safety, Myron Rolle.

Rolle is a very talented athlete, but then again, what else would you expect.  Before reading on about Rolle's prospectus, I am providing you with an opportunity to get to know Myron a little better as a person.  ESPN's Wright Thompson has written a wonderful piece on Rolle, and I think you should read this first.

 

The Measures

Height:     6' 2"

Weight:    218 lbs

Age:         23

Stats

	Tackles	Sacks	Forced Fumb	Fumb Rec	Int	TD
2006	77	0	0	0	1	0
2007	68	0	1	0	0	0
2008	62	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	207	0	1	0	1	0

His Game

Myron Rolle is one guy who the numbers simply don't paint the correct picture on.  This guy is brilliant... like Rhodes Scholar brilliant.  What this means is that he will not get out-smarted on the field.  Rolle possesses tremendous athleticism.  Although he is not the biggest ball hawk out there, he won't get beat deep, isn't afraid to come up to support the run, and is never caught out of position.  Not only does he do all of the little things well, but he brings an unparalleled work ethic to the table too.  He is uber-coachable, and is the kind of guy who can patrol a defensive backfield for many years.

The knocks on him are there too.  He can be a little stiff in the hips at times, which makes his ability to stay on a quicker receiver more difficult.  Also, because of his mental acuity, he tends to rely on it more than he does his instincts.  This can lead to him getting a late jump on a play, and in my opinion, it is why he had only one pick during his tenure at FSU.  Something else to remember about Rolle.  He has been away from the game for the last year.  While becoming a Rhodes Scholar is unbelievable, his time at Oxford kept him off the field this past season.  This means when he shows up in Indy at the end of February, it will be the first time many of his possible investors will have an opportunity to really analyze this guy.


The Grade

There is no doubt in my mind that Rolle is the kind of guy you want on your team.  My concerns however are these: First, how rusty will he be after a year away.  Sure he worked out religiously while at Oxford, but there is a tremendous difference in working out, and seeing game action.  Guys who are gone too long can lose their edge, so Rolle will have a lot to prove in Indy.  Second, although this is kind of awful to say, will Myron have the dedication necessary to be worth a long term investment.  He is so smart and talented.  But it is these smarts and talents that already have him preparing to become a doctor after football.  How much will Rolle be willing to risk?  Neurosurgeons need their heads and their hands, which begs the question, how many hits will he allow himself to sustain?  Any team looking at Rolle has to be thinking about this because if he is willing to give only 5 or so years, it will impact his stock in a very negative way.

Before seeing Rolle in Indy, I have him rated as my 5th best safety in this class.

EZ's Saftey Rankings

1. Eric Berry, Tennessee
2. Earl Thomas, Texas
3. Taylor Mayes, USC
4. Nate Allen, South Florida
5. Myron Rolle, Florida State

Currently, I will give Rolle a 2nd Round grade.  He is one player for whom Indy can mean a lot though.