TALKING, TACKLING AND ‘TRENDY’ SKILLS
Maryland’s Brooks Jr. has a lot to say about his dream
As a self-described talker, Antoine Brooks Jr. found himself enjoying the interview portions of the NFL scouting combine in February just as much as the physical drills. But the Maryland safety might have met his match in a question posed by one team representative.
“He asked meif I put my milk or cereal in first,” he said with a laugh. “I put my cereal in first. I have never met anybody who puts their milk in first.”
Brooks would like to be the answer for a franchise in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday night. Chris Trapasso, NFL draft writer for CBS Sports, has projected the 5-foot-11, 215-pound safety to go in the fifth round, which is scheduled to take place Saturday.
“Antoine plays faster than his timed speed [of 4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash] because of his instincts,” Trapasso said via email. “And when I write instincts, I mean, he reacts very quickly to play designs both against the run and in coverage. He mirrors running backs well as he tracks them before making the tackle. He really attacks the ground game and makes a major impact there.”
Brooks excelled in his final three seasons with the Terps. As a sophomore in 2017, he ranked second on the defense in tackles (77) and then third in tackles (68) as a junior. Last fall, he paced the team in tackles (87) and was tied for first in pass breakups (five).
Brooks’ bread and butter was his ability to make stops on his own. He led the defense in solo tackles as a sophomore with 53 and a senior with 69 and ranked third as a junior with 47. His 69 solo tackles led all
Big Ten defensive players in 2019.
“I do pride myself on my tackling,” he said, noting that he has admired late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor since he was a youth football player. “I do think that’s the most important thing in my game. What if I’m the safety, and what if I’m the last man standing? I can’t let that man get the touchdown. I’ve got to get him down somehow. I’ll be very upset if I don’t make the tackle.”
Maryland coach Mike Locksley said that he frequently marveled at Brooks’ talent for tackling with little or no assistance.
“With the athletes and space and him being a safety, getting guys on the ground in space has definitely become more challenging for defenders, especially since the offensive guys have the advantage of knowing where they want to go and you’re reacting on defense,” said Locksley, who compared Brooks to former Indianapolis strong safety Bob Sanders. “But it goes back to his athletic ability. … I think he’s just got a really high level of football intelligence and instincts that were unmatched. He kind of knows where the ball is going before it happens and is able to make quick reactions and movements.
“I think his athleticism is the key to his ability to get the ball on the ground in space without a lot of help from the middle of the field. He has that down pat.”
Brooks said that he prefers lining up closer to the line of scrimmage and does not worry about making the kind of highlightreel interceptions that free safeties tend to make.
“I can get just as many turnovers in the box,” he said. “I just like being close. If I feel like I’m right there, I’m going to make the play every time. I try to run my hardest to stop every play.”
Trapasso said that Brooks projects more as a strong safety, but can also kick over to cover a slot receiver if needed.
“He’s coming into the NFL at the right time because second-level defenders, bulky and strong against the run like he is with some coverage chops, are very trendy,” Trapasso said.
In addition to his time in the 40, Brooks lifted 225 pounds 18 times and jumped 34.5 inches. He said the vertical leap is the one measurement he would have liked to have improved on at Maryland’s Pro Day if not for the coronavirus outbreak.
“I had a sore Achilles, and I was hoping to show what I could do on my Pro Day, but we didn’t get to that because of the coronavirus,” he said, adding that his target would have been at least 39 inches. “I probably could have jumped higher. But I’m not mad at it.”
Trapasso said he does not think Brooks’ numbers from the combine will damage his profile too greatly among NFL teams.
“He certainly would’ve liked to improve on the 4.64 he ran at the combine, but at 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, that time isn’t necessarily bad,” Trapasso said, adding that Brooks’ change of direction tends to take an extra split second. “He’s really a linebacker with some safety-esque coverage abilities. But because he is an instincts-based defender, teams won’t dock him too much for that time.”
Locksley did not seem surprised to learn that Brooks enjoyed interviewing with various teams.
“He does like to talk — a lot,” Locksley said. “In a lot of ways, he was the heart and soul of our team and the kind of guy that kept the team going through a rough year just with his energy. And it’s talk in a positive way. He’s not a guy that’s a negative guy or is a trash talker. He’s more in line with positive reinforcement.”
Brooks said that he has been training on his own and doing what he can, but acknowledged the limitations imposed by the coronavirus. That is why he is so eager for the draft so that he can join a team as quickly as possible.
“I really just want to go play football,” he said. “It would be a blessing. I just let God do His work. If I come up, I come up. If I don’t, it really doesn’t matter because I’m still blessed to play football at the end of the day.”