There has been an increasingly difficult-to-find player archetype in the NFL in recent years. The old-school strong safety build, frequently described colloquially as a "thumper," has slowly gone the way of the dinosaur as teams phased them out. Now, many of those players either put on enough weight to play linebacker or found themselves left without a role. The passing game got too explosive, where a slower but bigger safety became less and less of a priority.
The latest Miami Dolphins visit puts "punishing safety" back on the menu for Miami, a team that has been described as soft far too many times in recent years. The best part of LSU's A.J. Haulcy is that his physical playstyle doesn't come at the expense of coverage prowess. A player in the mold of Derwin James, Kam Chancellor, or Jamal Adams (before the injuries) has proven hard to find for the Dolphins, but that could change very soon.
Haulcy, whose nickname is "Mr. Gimme That" due to his ball-hawking production, shouldn't be confused with a modern-day free safety who offers little in the run game. At 6'0", 215 lbs, Haulcy is someone scouts are seemingly always sure to mention as simply built differently. Considered to be "built like a pro," Haulcy backed it up with production on the field.
A.J. Haulcy has the makings of a cornerstone for a Miami Dolphins defense built in Jeff Hafley's image
Over four seasons — which included one with New Mexico, two at the University of Houston, and his final season at LSU — Haulcy was a menace on the field. He piled up 347 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 10 interceptions, including eight over the last two seasons. Pro Football Focus gave him an elite 86.6 grade, which ranked 27th out of 936 qualifiers.
The NFL's obsession with otherworldly athletes could wind up being a boon for the Dolphins. Don't get it twisted, Haulcy is a great athlete, and his 4.52 speed is nothing to sneeze at. Outside of that, though, it's hard to see why he isn't projected as a first-round pick. NFL.com's resident scout, Lance Zierlein, summarized his game thusly:
"A throwback safety with a compact, densely muscled frame and a pro feel for reading the field. He’s a rare blend of ballhawk and enforcer who can scurry into passing lanes for takeaways or run through a receiver to break up a pass. His pattern recognition and instincts are top-notch and he’s decisive in his reactions. A lack of sustained top-end speed could create mismatches in man coverage. He’s more effective playing forward than he is at guarding large spaces in deeper coverages. He’s rock-steady as a finisher but sees the missed tackle total tick higher as an open-field tackler. Haulcy’s frame and game are pro-ready, though. He projects as a good NFL starter in a zone-heavy scheme."Lance Zierlein
With a scouting report like that, it's easy to see why the Dolphins are interested. There is a dearth of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but there's also a missing personality. Haulcy could be exactly what the doctor ordered in both departments.
It's possible that the Dolphins could snag him at either pick No. 43 or No. 75, seeing as NFL.com projects him to be gone later in the third round at pick No. 81 (to the Jaguars). By all appearances, the Dolphins could only be so lucky.