East-West Prospect Profile: Xavier Brewer
January 23rd, 2013
Joe spoke with five prospects last week at the East-West Shrine practices and game that could be targets of the Bucs, three cornerbacks, one safety and one linebacker. The Bucs have a pattern for prospects: multiple years as a starter, played for a big-time program or conference, and served as a team captain. The Bucs rarely deviate from this pattern. Some have met all three qualifications for a Bucs draftee; some have not.
Name: Xavier Brewer
School: Clemson
Position: Cornerback/Safety
Size: 5-11, 190
Started: Three years
Captain: Yes, one year (only seniors eligible).
Have Bucs representatives spoken to him?: Yes.
Background: Fits the mold of what the Bucs want: A versatile guy who can play both safety and corner, a veteran starter who often faced athletes, whether it was against Florida State, Miami, and Virginia Tech, or Clemson’s annual games against SEC schools including Auburn and South Carolina. In short, Brewer is battle-tested. Also, Brewer boasts that he grew up a Bucs fan.
Sales pitch to Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik: “You should draft me because of my understanding of the game. I have played safety. I have played corner. I have played nickel. I have played in dime packages. I’m going to help you in special teams. I will you all I have all the time. I have good speed, good skill, good speed, good quickness and can play any position in the secondary.”
Profile: Joe liked the way Brewer was a second skin on receivers in the East-West practices, especially guys who had a distinct size advantage on him. Brewer made bigger receivers work and he seemed to always find a way, an angle, a position, to make it difficult for receivers to gain an advantage, almost like boxing out in basketball. Even some receivers had six inches on Brewer and not only did Brewer not let that stop him, he found a way to either get the ball or jam the receiver up physically. In other words, Brewer has football smarts.
Against one of the better SEC teams this season, South Carolina, Brewer had such a good game he was named “ACC Defensive Back of the Week.” The Jacksonville native had a career-high 12 tackles, including nine individual tackles. He had three more tackles than his closest teammate. He also had two tackles for loss, a sack, a pick and three total passes defended. Brewer became the first Clemson player to record a sack and an interception in the same game since Rashard Hall did it against Boston College in 2009. In the Chicken Bowl in December against LSU, Brewer had six tackles, three of which were solo.
Cool thing about Brewer is, he never tried to hide from Joe how much of a Bucs fan he was as a kid.
“I always looked up to Ronde Barber,” Brewer said. “What a great opportunity it would be if the Bucs picked me to come and allow me to play to the best of my ability.”
Here are a couple of Brewer’s highlights facing South Carolina last fall.
January 24th, 2013 at 7:14 am
what round is he projected in?
January 24th, 2013 at 8:22 am
Well if he is at least better than Gorrer or Johnson, i’d say, go for it. Plus to let him play in front of Ronde Barber could make him want want to do better because he’s playing in front of someone he looks up to. Go for it dominik.
January 24th, 2013 at 9:13 am
Simply put, rookies want to perform best so they can stay on the team. Having him on our team would be good if he realizes he’s where he dreamed of being and shows that in his field play.
January 24th, 2013 at 9:16 am
I’d HATE FOR THE DAMN PATRIOTS TO SNAG HIM…grrr that would be so gay. The Bengals of Jets sure. BUT NO PATRIOTS. lol anyone who goes there usually has a big ego or develops one. Aqib Talib, mr. celebrate Gronkowski, and Welker just seems like a straight up dews. Brady doesn’t seem to bloated though. he seems surprisingly humble. while i’m jealous of him, i respect him alot.
January 24th, 2013 at 9:16 am
st. louis,
At present Brewer is rated as a UDFA by NFLDraftScout. That could change if he gets an invite to the combine, but I doubt it.
He could be a part of the 90 man camp squad if the Bucs make an UDFA offer and of course he accepts. Sounds like he would!
January 24th, 2013 at 9:16 am
Bengals OR jets. whoops
January 24th, 2013 at 9:47 am
Darrel Revis is currently. Eing shopped by the Jets aka the Jokes. Tannebaum was the worst GM Ive ever seen. Go watch “Hard knocks” to see what Im saying.
Bring Darrell to Tampa! His current contract is about the same as Eric Wright!
We could sign the best CB in the NFL!
Trade Blount ( the Jets have zero RB depth and Shonn Greene is average!) Plus Rex Ryan loves to “pound the rock.”
Trade Blount and a couple 3rd round picks and bring in the baddest CB in the NFL to Tampa Bay!
1. We can afford him. 2. Hes the best cover corner in the NFL. 3. He lives in Florida. 4. The Jets cant keep him!!
January 24th, 2013 at 10:29 am
@teacherman if we thrown in benn I’m sure they’ll take it
January 24th, 2013 at 10:39 am
Too bad the Jets are in cap hell or we could send them Gosh. Freeman will make even more ($8.5 million), sitting on the bench next year, then Reavis playing.
January 24th, 2013 at 11:28 am
teacherman,
Tannenbaum is no longer the GM for the Jets. The new GM is John Idzik. Settle down everybody! The Jets have now clarified their position on the possible trade of Darelle Revis. They are now saying that they are only “exploring Options” for Revis.
Let me interpret. Darelle is on record stating that he only wants to be a Jet. The new GM knows that Revis is difficult to negotiate with. He is sending a message to Revis to renegotiate now or risk being traded to a Cap rich team like Tampa Bay where careers go to die ( I don’t share this opinion of the Bucs, but many do). If you ever want to get a big contract again, you need to do it now or you’re going to play Russian Roulette with your career – the possibility of a trade that you may never recover from.
This is a negotiating tactic, nothing more. Good idea and I’d love to see a player of Revis’ stature at the Bucs, but not going to happen.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
@Macabee I know Tannebaum was fired. The Jets are a mess bc of him!
Thats what I said.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:27 pm
@Joe and Rachel
Nice point! They have zero WR’s!!
Benn and Blount plus a 3rd round pick this year and next?
In any case, we need this guy!
With our agressive defnsive style, we need a guy who can survive on an island!
January 24th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
@Macabee I know Tannebaum was fired. The Jets are a mess bc of him!
Read the verb tense carefully, WAS!