Siran Neal | South | CB | Jacksonville State

Last year during training camp we saw the Buccaneers deploy a defensive formation called a “big nickel.” What that entailed was a safety coming in as the nickel cornerback instead of a regular corner. This allowed them to better matched up against tight ends when they were lined up in the slot when playing nickel and also brought an extra sense of edge control if the player from the nickel were to be blitzing because safeties are normally bigger and stronger.

Jacksonville State’ Siran Neal is a big nickel player. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Neal is a former linebacker, a former cornerback and a former safety who for the last year has played a hybrid role for JSU where he’s the nickel cornerback when the offense goes three wide and is the linebacker when they are in base formation.

Neal has 112 total tackles and three interceptions in his four-year career at multiple positions. He’s a true hybrid who will get to show what he can do guarding some of the best tight ends in the draft class at the Senior Bowl.