Sam Brandon

Position: Free Safety
College: UNLV
Height: 6-2
Weight: 199
Hometown: Riverside, Cali.
Selection: Round 4 (131)
SCOUTING REPORT

Raw talent who started his career as a wide receiver before shifting to free safety as a junior...Unquestioned leader of the defense, who received the team's John Robinson Man of the Year Award in 2001…Has a good understanding of schemes and diagnoses plays with no hesitation...Has the quickness to stay stride-for-stride with receivers on deep routes...Very smooth in his backpedal, displaying proper hip swerve and explosion out of his breaks... Breaks on the ball quickly and has the range to cover the field...Displays good jump-ball timing ability, showing proper head turn to keep track of the ball in flight...Has soft hands to pluck the interception...Delivers a strike behind his initial tackle…Has very impressive leaping ability and delivers a crunching stiff-arm to avoid tackles on the interception…Centerfielder-type who constantly battles for the ball…Finished his career with 181 tackles (113 solos), three interceptions and 16 pass deflections in only 23 games on defense.

2001 SEASON
All-Mountain West Conference first-team selection, adding team MVP honors…Started every game at free safety, leading the team with 99 tackles (61 solos)…Deflected nine passes and returned two interceptions 90 yards…Recovered two fumbles and caused another.

Arkansas...Opened the season with 7 tackles (5 solos) and a pair of pass break-ups.
Northwestern...Followed with an 11-tackle (7 solos) effort.
Brigham Young...Made 8 tackles (6 solos) and returned an interception 20 yards.
Nevada...Posted 12 hits (11 solos) with 2 pass deflections.
Colorado State...Deflected a pass and made 11 tackles (8 solos).
Wyoming...Registered 12 tackles (8 solos) with a stop behind the line of scrimmage and a pass break-up.
Utah...Totaled a career-high 17 tackles and returned an interception 70 yards for a touch- down, earning MWC Player of the Week honors.
Air Force...Closed out his career with a 9-tackle performance.

2000 SEASON
All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention, starting every game in his first year at free safety...Recorded a team-high 82 tackles (52 solos) with a stop for a 2-yard loss... Returned an interception 22 yards and deflected seven passes…Also blocked a kick.

Iowa State...In his first game on defense, he had 6 tackles.
North Texas...Followed with a 7-tackle performance.
Mississippi...Blocked a field goal to set up the team's game-tying score.
Brigham Young...Posted 11 hits (6 solos).
Air Force and Utah...Registered 10 tackles and a pass deflection in both games.
Colorado and Mississippi...Had another 10 stops in both contests.
Hawaii...Closed out the season with 8 solo tackles, a pass break-up and a 22-yard interception return.

1998 SEASON
Appeared in nine games, starting three contests (Wyoming, SMU, Tulsa) at wide receiver…Finished with 12 receptions for 122 yards (10.2 avg) and a touchdown.

Air Force...Appeared in nine games, starting three contests (Wyoming, SMU, Tulsa) at wide receiver…Finished with 12 receptions for 122 yards (10.2 avg) and a touchdown.
Southern Methodist...Caught 5 passes for 26 yards and an 11-yard touchdown.

1997 SEASON
Redshirted as a freshman.

AGILITY TESTS
4.66 in the 40-yard dash…36.5-inch vertical jump… 10’7” broad jump…270-pound bench press…380-pound squat…32-inch arm length…8 3/4-inch hands.

HIGH SCHOOL
Lettered three times in football at Riverside (Cal.) High…Helped the Huskies to a 14-0 record and CIF championship during his junior year…Named first team All-League in 1995-96…Also tabbed first team All-CIF in ’96…Played forward on the basketball team…Also competed in five track events as well, including the 200-meters.

PERSONAL
Social Science Studies major…Son of Lillie and Michael Brandon…Born 7/05/79 in Toledo, Ohio…Resides in Riverside, California.

Sam Brandon
SELECTED BY DENVER , ROUND 4, PICK 33, OVERALL PICK 131                         MORE INFO
S | (6-2, 200, 4.69) | NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: Played basketball and football and also competed in track and field in high school. Redshirted in 1997. Played wide receiver in '98 and caught 12 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown while starting three games. Moved to defensive back in '99 but was ineligible to play in the fall, although he still was on the team. Started every game in 2000 and had a team-best 82 tackles. Also broke up seven passes, picked off one and blocked a kick. Was named the team's Defensive MVP. Led the team in tackles for the second year in a row in '01, with a career-best 99 stops. Also broke up seven passes and picked off two, returning one of his picks 70 yards for a score.

Positives: Excellent size. Really looks the part. Can be a solid run defender and a big hitter when he wants to be. Can be effective when playing in the box. Will make some big plays. Shows flashes of ability and does some good things. Should be a pretty good special-teams player if he disciplines himself.

Negatives: Can't cover a slot receiver man-on-man. Lacks technique, is not smooth or easy with his turns, lacks quick change of direction and does not have much make-up speed. Will struggle to get over to the deep outside if he is playing in a two-deep coverage. Can be inconsistent vs. the run. At times seems to pick his spots, but at other times looks like a big-time hitter. Still has a lot to learn on defense and will need lots of reps. Seems to be very confident, cocky and loud and could rub some people the wrong way.