Oklahoma State PROjections: Daytawion Lowe

Daytawion Lowe was a three year starter on the Oklahoma State defense. What is more important was that Lowe was a "glue guy" for the unit. Leading the team in tackles in all three years he was a starter, Lowe was a leader for the team as soon as he took the field. This last season, Lowe took home consensus All-Big 12 Second Team honors, in a year that Lowe finished his career with 39 consecutive starts and recorded 83 tackles and two interceptions.

The Eagles have completely overhauled their free safety position. They acquired former New Orleans Saint, Malcom Jenkins and former Seahawks back-up Chris Maragos in the offseason, and then drafted former Stanford free safety Ed Reynolds with their fifth round pick. After the draft on Saturday, the Eagles then added Lowe. There are some major positives and major drawbacks for Lowe's chances of making the team with this overhaul.

Things are for the most part wide open. Yes, Jenkins is the veteran and should garner the majority of the snaps just because of that, but with a new team, and new set of coaches, what he's done in the past isn't going to hold as much weight as it probably should. Maragos is the "middle child" here so he's probably as safe as any of these players. Reynolds is a rookie, just like Lowe, and the only thing separating them is that Reynolds was a draft pick. A fifth round pick though, can be overcome by a undrafted free agent. The financial loss of a fifth round pick is minimal so there is no fear about losing a guy like that. So with competition wide open, that will allow for the best man to win, which will be likely Jenkins. He's still going to need a back-up though. That is where Lowe and Reynolds are going to come in. Whoever wins that position battle will be on the team, and the other will likely be put on the scout team. Either way someone is getting a paycheck, just one is significantly larger than the other.

Looking closer at the one-on-one between Reynolds and Lowe, Reynolds definitely looks more like an NFL free safety. Reynolds has the size, 6'1'', and the weight, 207, to be able to play the way an NFL safety should. Lowe is what most NFL coaches would consider undersized. At the Oklahoma State pro day, Lowe came in at 5'11'' and weighed 195. Lowe may be faster than Reynolds, but in today's NFL, the safety position is an extension of the linebacker position than an extension of the cornerback position.

I think Lowe will make a hard push for that third free safety spot, but once again with today's NFL, teams are more than likely going to go with the bigger, more linebacker frame safety than the cornerback of the middle of the field. Lowe should definitely make the Eagles practice squad, and I think that Lowe could if the right things happen, could make a position change to corner that might change the direction of his career for the better.