Comments: Aggressiveness
is Curtis’ main positive; he is a great tackler and a mean blitzer. He
is a good run stopper, but needs major work on pass defending, but his
tackling gives him a major upside and will give prospective teams something
to work around.
Analysis
by CBS Sportsline:
Positives: Lean, but
well-defined with tapered calves … Shows the balance and agility to close
down hill … Makes quick decisions in the short area, displaying aggression
while making proper reads in run support … Tackles with intensity, relishing
the contact near the line … Catches and secures the ball away from the
framework … Has a strong straight-line charge … Comes off the edge with
explosion, showing the ability to locate and flush the quarterback out
of the pocket … Stays in control, using his hands properly to redirect
the tight ends … Anticipates the pass well, leaping for the ball at its
highest point.
Negatives: Backpedal
needs refinement, as he has lost motions and takes wasted steps in his
transition … Poor footwork prevents him from opening his hips properly,
resulting in his inability to gain leverage, losing a feel for deep coverage
… Seems to lack contact in his tackles … Rather than face up, wrap and
secure, he will generally deliver arm tackles … Is a good edge blitzer,
but gets bounced around when trying to redirect inside … Has a tendency
to run around and jump over blockers … Plays with his pads too high, resulting
in poor body protection … Arrives late on the ball when working in deep
routes … Lacks the range to make crossfield tackles … Will lose his man
and allow separation past the short area … Ball location is marginal working
in space.
CAREER NOTES
Three-year starter who lined up at both
free and strong safety during his career … The three-time All-Big Twelve
Conference selection ranks second on the school's career-record list with
422 tackles (246 solos), topped only by Brad Hastings (480, 1983-86) …
His ten interceptions rank sixth in Tech annals while his 144 yards in
returns rank seventh … Added six sacks for minus 30 yards, 26 stops for
losses of 87 yards and 28 pass deflections.
AGILITY TESTS
4.53 in the 40-yard dash … 2.62 20-yard
dash … 1.6 10-yard dash … 3.88 20-yard shuttle … 6.75 three cone drill
… 37.5-inch vertical jump … 10'4" broad jump … Bench presses 225 pounds
24 times … 33-inch arm length … 10-inch hands … Right-handed … 24 Wonderlic
score.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Coronado (Lubbock, Tex.) High
… Played quarterback primarily, completing 69 of 136 passes for 1018 yards
and five touchdowns … Also rushed for 339 yards and five scores … Named
District 3-5A MVP and first-team All-District … All-South Plains selection
by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal … Helped the team to an 18-6 record over
two seasons … As a junior, the squad went 11-2 and was regional champions
… Played defense on third down situations … Also played basketball and
baseball.
PERSONAL
Restaurant and Hotel Management major
… Son of Joyce and Charles Curtis … Born 7/28/80 in Frankfurt, Germany
… Resides in Lubbock, Texas.
Info
from Pro Football Weekly:
Notes: High school quarterback
who would fill in in the secondary at times on sure passing downs. Moved
to safety as a freshman and wound up as a regular, with his first start
coming in the big Texas game (10 tackles, one interception). Started every
game the past three years. Led the team and conference in tackles in 1999
and was an All-Conference pick. Was a second-team All-Conference selection
by the league's coaches in 2000, when he was playing in an altered defensive
scheme. Began the '01 season at strong safety, moved to free safety and
still earned All-Conference notice. Had 45 tackles, four passes broken
up and one interception as a true freshman in 1998. In '99, had 153 tackles,
six passes broken up and three interceptions and returned a fumble he recovered
86 yards for a score while generally playing close to the line of scrimmage.
In 2000, was backed off the line and playing deep a lot more and had 121
tackles, 13 passes broken up and two interceptions. In '01, he had 99 tackles,
eight tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions and five passes
broken up.
Positives: Team leader. Quarterbacked
the secondary and got people in position. Productive player at both free
and strong safety. Has good size and competes well. Solid hitter and good
tackler who can play up in the box or backed off. Better range against
the run than the pass but has adequate range against the pass. Can blitz
and is learning how to time his blitz.
Negatives: Is a little straight-linish
and does not have great man-on-man cover ability. Will lose a step in transition.
Will overrun some plays and miss some open-field tackles. Does not always
play the ball well and seems to have trouble locating it at times. Is a
good hitter but not a blow-you-up type in the John Lynch mold.
Summary: Curtis is a big,
smart safety who quarterbacked the secondary and made the calls and some
adjustments. A quiet leader on the field who works hard and seems to be
respected by all. Has enough ability to play on the next level but does
not have special ability.
Info
from CNNSI.com:
Four-year starter that’s been an
All-Conference selection in one form or another the past three seasons.
Totaled 98/8/4/4/5 as a senior after 121/2/13 as a junior. Led the team
and conference in tackles his sophomore campaign when he totaled 153/3/6.
Hard-hitting run defending safety
that has been productive Four-years running. Aggressive, likes to mix it
up and intimidate opponents coming up the field to take out ballcarriers.
Strong at the point of attack, holds his ground against blocks or defeats
them altogether. Covers well in the short field and displays good hands
going for the interception. Showed better discipline in pass coverage as
a junior but saw a return to form during his senior campaign in which he
was constantly getting sucked up the field and caught out of position.
A bit too aggressive against the run at times and has difficulty with his
deep pass cover assignments, guessing wrong on occasion. Prone to biting
on the play-action pass, blows assignments in zone coverage and does not
help out his quarterback. Showed a pattern of improvement his junior year
then took a step back last year which pushed him out of the first day of
the draft. Must show he is more than a run stuffing strong safety and play
better disciplined, assignment football. Late Fourth Round.
Info
from NFL.com:
Had a full combine workout. Managed
24 strength reps. Had a 37½-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 4-inch
long jump. Ran two 40s for times of 4.50 and 4.52 seconds. Did the short
shuttle under four seconds and the cone drill in under seven seconds. Players
who do this very seldom fail to make it in the NFL. Was a quarterback in
high school and also played basketball and baseball. Played as a true freshman
in 1998. Started the next three years. Led the Big 12 in tackles in 1999
(153). Has played both strong and free safety. Flashes of toughness, good
work habits (first up in drills), good athlete. Needs work on finding the
ball. Was born in Frankfurt, Germany. Very high character person — the
type you can win with.
Info
from FOXSports:
Kevin Curtis was a three-year starter
at Texas Tech who lined up at both free and strong safety during his career.
Brian Bahr /AllSport
Amassing an astonishing 373 total
tackles over the past three seasons, Curtis greatest strength is providing
very dependable tackling and run support. Being quick and agile close to
line is what he's know for, evidenced by his 23 tackles for minus 76 yards
and six sacks since 2000. What he lacks is consistency in pass coverage.
Adequate in the short zone, he doesn't
possess the range, speed, or technique to consistently cover deep. He will
probably see time as a situational player at the next level unless he can
improve his pass coverage skills.
Info
from Football.com:
Strength:
Tackling
Blitzing
Weakness:
Pass coverage
Speed
Assessment:
Kevin Curtis is one of the best
hitters you will see in NFL Draft 2002. Curtis has very good technique
when it comes to tackling and is a very aggressive player. Curtis has been
used on the blitz on numerous occasions at Texas Tech and can disguise
his rush very well. Solid run defender who always seems to have his body
in the right position for making a play fast. Curtis doesn't have the pass
coverage skills you look for in a safety, can be caught out of position
and doesn't have the closing speed to atone for his mistakes. Aggressive
nature gets him in trouble lots of times because he cannot make up the
ground on deep routes. His coverage skills will need major work at the
next level and if he puts on another 15 pounds he could be used as a linebacker
in some packages because he hits so well. I have Curtis as a 3rd or 4th
round pick who offers a lot of upside to the team that drafts him.