As the NFL draft nears, USA TODAY High School Sports will look back at the high school careers and draft prospects for former American Family Insurance ALL-USA selections. Today’s installment features Southern California linebacker/safety Su’a Cravens.
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Su’a Cravens of Vista Murrieta High was the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
PLAYER PROFILE:
Position: Linebacker/safety
High school: Vista Murietta (Murietta, Calif.)
ALL-USA history: Named to the American Family Insurance ALL-USA first team and ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2012. Led Vista Murietta to a 13-1 mark and CIF Inland finals with 97 tackles, eight sacks and three interceptions on defense. Also had eight receiving TDs and six rushing TDs on offense and running back/receiver.
College: Southern California
Height, weight: 6-1, 226 pounds
USC linebacker Su’A Cravens runs a drill at the NFL scouting combine (Photo: Darron Cummings, Associated Press)
By the numbers: As a junior last fall, he led USC in tackles (78), tackles for loss (14.5), sacks (5.5) and forced fumbles (2) this season.
Draft positives: Versatile playmaker with short-area quickness and long speed to factor all over the field. Makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Excellent blitzer who makes quick and easy adjustments after locating the ball. Elite cover linebacker with safety-caliber traits. Reliable tackler in traffic and in space. Hits hard and wraps up.
Draft negatives Fails to take on blockers with a presence and stoutness. Too easily moved by blockers. Roams a lot; needs to show more gap discipline.
What he says: “At this point it doesn’t really matter where I see myself. It all depends on the team that drafts me. I feel whether it’s safety or linebacker, I can play the position. I learned it pretty well, the linebacker position, and I feel like I can still
go back and get in the back-pedal at safety. It all depends on what the team wants.”
STATISTICS AT USC
| Year | Tackles | Tackles/loss | Sacks | FrcFum | Int. |
| 2013 | 53 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2014 | 68 | 17.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2015 | 78 | 14.5 | 5.5 | 2 | 2 |
| Career | 199 | 34 | 10.5 | 4 | 9 |
Draft analysis by Dan Shonka, Ourlads.com