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Pick Your Prospect: Malik Hooker vs. Jamal Adams

USA TODAY Sports / theScore

theScore's Pick Your Prospect series takes an in-depth, head-to-head look at some of the top players in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Positions
QB - Watson vs. Trubisky
RB - Fournette vs. McCaffrey
WR - Davis vs. Williams
TE - Howard vs. Njoku
DL - Garrett vs. Thomas
S - Adams vs. Hooker

Hooker vs. Adams

It's rare that two safeties are talked about as top-10 picks in one draft, but Ohio State's Malik Hooker and LSU's Jamal Adams look to be two of the best prospects of the 2017 class.

Hooker fits the mold of a ball-hawking free safety, while Adams appears better suited to playing a hard-hitting strong safety role.

While they present different skill sets that are both attractive to NFL secondaries, which is the better prospect?

Man coverage

Both players have shown good man-to-man skills in their college careers, but in different capacities.

Adams' best work in man coverage came closer to the line of scrimmage, where he often shut down check-down routes and hot reads. While covering backs and tight ends, he showed stiff coverage on short and intermediate routes, but his downfield skills need work.

Hooker made the most of his plays from zone coverage, but when called upon, the sophomore showed the athletic skills to match up with receivers right off the line of scrimmage. His downfield ball skills are perhaps his biggest strength, as he approaches incoming passes as if he was the intended receiver.

Advantage: Hooker

Zone coverage

Both are excellent playmakers in zone coverage, earning their teammates' trust by correctly reading offenses and providing support.

As with his man-to-man cover skills, Adams is at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage and coming forward to break up passes and make ball-dislodging hits. He can provide decent over-the-top support in Cover-1 or Cover-2 man defenses, but it's not his specialty.

Hooker has drawn comparisons to a young Ed Reed in the way he makes plays from a deep center field position. The ability he shows to stand back, read offenses, and react to plays is one of the main reasons he's considered a top-10 pick.

Advantage: Hooker

Athleticism

While athleticism is an important factor in weighing prospects, it's difficult to evaluate the difference between Hooker and Adams because of the difference in what they've been able to do recently.

Hooker's on-field play has shown he's an impressive athlete, but the Ohio State product's recent shoulder and groin surgeries have kept him from showing his abilities at the combine or his pro day.

Adams was a full participant in both, confirming he's an NFL-level athlete with solid speed, quickness, explosion, and strength.

Considering how close in talent both of these players are, Adams gets the nod here, as Hooker couldn't present the measurables to prove he's the better athlete.

Advantage: Adams

Run defense

While Hooker's ball-hawking coverage abilities are better than Adams', the LSU product's physical play and tackling ability are a major advantage.

Adams loves coming downhill into the box to stuff run plays and take down mobile quarterbacks before they're able to escape to the open field. He drives his legs and body through ball-carriers with force and uses his physicality to set the tone.

Hooker is an adequate tackler, but isn't as quick to go headfirst into run plays, and doesn't have the same power as Adams. He's better suited to serving as the "goalie" against the run, chasing down any backs who break open big runs.

Advantage: Adams

Instincts

Like their overall playing styles, Hooker and Adams have elite instincts, but in differing ways.

Adams prefers to read what's in front of him and attack forward to break up plays near the line of scrimmage and against the run. His first thought is to move forward, toward the ball, and disrupt plays before they can get started.

Playing from a deeper position, Hooker's instincts are best suited to reading the entire field in front of him and letting things develop before making his move. He's more likely to move laterally or backward from his original position, and open himself up to covering a larger area of field.

Both prospects will impress teams with their level of football IQ and natural instincts, but Hooker's ability to cover a larger area is the more impressive feat.

Advantage: Hooker

Overall comparison

Trait Advantage
Man coverage Hooker
Zone coverage Hooker
Run defense Adams
Athleticism Adams
Instincts Hooker

It may end up being a matter of flavor preference that determines who the first safety off the board will be.

If a team wants a physical leader who can play in the box and blow up short-to-intermediate plays, Adams is the guy.

However, with the increasing need for playmaking ball hawks who can let their teams compete with a single safety in the middle of the field, Hooker offers superior value.

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