Eric Berry And Eric Fisher Make Todd McShay's Top 32 Prospects Of Past 5 Years

Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Eric Berry (29) Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Todd McShay of ESPN recently made a post about his top 32 prospects of the last 5 years and he included Eric Berry and Eric Fisher on his list. The point of McShay’s post was not to list the best players drafted over the last five years but rather the best prospects.

He first explains how he scouted and analyzed them when they were just draft prospects followed by a brief analysis of how they’ve panned out since joining the league.

Starting with Eric Berry, who makes his list at number 12. Understandable, as Berry has been a playmaker on defense for the Chiefs since day one. His overall skill set is in the upper echelon for any safety in the NFL right now. I even feel that Berry is a bit over used sometimes, as the Chiefs love to stack him in the box to stop the run, rather than have him roaming deep on majority of the downs. McShay had this to say about Berry,

"Grade: 97Then: I had Berry ranked just behind Bradford, McCoy and Suh in the 2010 draft class. “Very high football IQ. … Explodes out of backpedal and can eat up cushions in a flash. … Relentless in pursuit [in run support], shows above-average range and always seems to be around the ball at the end of the play. … Dangerous open-field runner.”Now: The jury is still out on Berry as to whether he’ll ever develop into an elite NFL safety. He has eight interceptions in three seasons to go with three defensive touchdowns. In 2013, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ third-best safety."

Pretty fair analysis, as he gives his praises but with cautious optimism, if you will. While Berry has made three pro bowls, some could argue that he didn’t deserve to go and that he’s a bit overrated.

Personally, I think Berry is one, if not the, best players on the Chiefs team and he’s a crucial part to the overall success of the defense. He was one of the best prospects in the NFL then, and is still growing into a special player.

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McShay also had last years number one overall pick, Eric Fisher, at number 23 on his list. Fisher wowed scouts during the senior bowl workouts, as he dominated talent that he hadn’t had to face all season while attending Central Michigan. Fish struggled his rookie season, having to battle injuries and adjustments to the NFL.

However, he did finish strong and is now making the transition to the left side in 2014. Here’s what McShay had to say about Fish,

Kansas City Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher (72)Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

"Grade: 96Then: I had Fisher graded just behind Joeckel in my 2013 rankings. “Very good range protecting the edge. … Comes off the ball with good pad level and leverage. … Displays very good football intelligence. He shows more awareness in pass protection than as a run blocker at this point.”Now: The Chiefs had a turnaround season in 2013 after drafting Fisher at No. 1 overall, but Fisher himself struggled during his rookie campaign. He was one of the worst-performing offensive tackles in the league according to Pro Football Focus’ grades. He’ll need to show improvement in his second season."

Again, a fair analysis of Fisher as he is only entering his second season. Though I am hard on Fisher in my writings most of the time, I do have optimism for him at left tackle.

If he can add weight to his athletic frame and get back to his natural position, the sky is the limit for Fisher and the Chiefs offensive line. I look for him to have a big year in 2014.

Todd McShay is a good analyst for ESPN, so I take some value in what he has to say. You can check out his entire list right here, or with the link I posted at the beginning of this article.

This was a good analysis and list so, I’m curious to hear your guys thoughts. Start the discussion below and be sure to check out KC Kingdom throughout the day for news on the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC, Tigers, Wildcats, and Jayhawks.

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Eric Berry And Eric Fisher Make Todd McShay’s Top 32 Prospects Of Past 5 Years

By Josh Michaels | Apr 29, 2014