Sophomore has size teams covet for their cornerbacks

BOCA RATON — If Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin was trying to draw eyes to sophomore safety James Pierre, saying the former Deerfield Beach standout can make a lot of money in the NFL was a good start.

“(His size) is what they’re looking for,” Kiffin said of the 6-foot-2 defensive back. “That length allows you to cover, allows you to press, allows you to win at the line of scrimmage. And the 50-50 balls, you’re actually going to make a lot more plays because you’re longer.”

Pierre’s stats from last season — 21 tackles and two pass deflections — don’t stand out the way other impact freshmen have in recent years, though FAU also experi- mented with him at differ- ent spots. A strong fall camp allowed Pierre, formerly a Syracuse commit before he was ruled academically ineligible, to push veteran defen- sive back Andrew Soroh and serve as a replacement for All-Conference USA First- Team safety Jalen Young when he needed a break.

New defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro con- verted Pierre to cornerback this spring, where he has impressed in a crowded rotation. “I got a lot more to learn,” Pierre said after Saturday’s scrimmage in Liberty City. “(Hit the) weight room over the summer (and) get bigger, faster, learn more.”

Pierre is trying to take the second-year jump that Kif- fin often mentions, where players become more com- fortable and improve in all aspects. “We’re not moving him as much as we were before where he was moving around,” Kiffin said. “If you think about last year … (Pierre was) playing a lot of different things and he’s focused a lot more at corner.”

Pierre joins fellow soph- omore Quran Hafiz (nickel back) as safeties playing new positions this spring. FAU is also experimenting with Pierre as a kick returner, somewhere else the corner- back seems to be thriving at after returning a kick for a touchdown on Saturday.

Pierre is the tallest of the team’s listed cornerbacks. After only 12 practices as a full-time cornerback, Kiffin already believes he can win against some of the conference’s better, taller receivers.

“If you were in a game and you were going to play a big receiver that may be making a bunch of plays like (North Texas wide receiver Jalen Guyton), maybe you match him up because of that length,” Kiffin said.

Spring game notes: Per an FAU spokesperson, no seating areas will be closed for Saturday’s spring game (4 p.m., FAU Stadium) despite ongoing construction at the stadium. Tickets to the game remain free . ... Kiffin will determine later in the week if All-American junior running back Devin Singletary (hamstring) plays in the scrimmage. ... Walk-on sophomore receiver Jalen Kinder (American Heritage) is no longer with the program for undisclosed reasons.