(Editor's Note: The DallasCowboys.com team welcomes Bucky Brooks to the staff. Bucky brings a wealth of experience, not only as a former NFL player of five seasons, but also as a scout and on the pro personnel side for two teams. In the last decade, Brooks has worked in the media, including the NFL Network. Bucky will provide his own analysis and opinions of the Cowboys but also the entire NFL. Today, he breaks down newly-signed cornerback Daryl Worley.)
- Name: Daryl Worley
- Position: DB
- College: West Virginia
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 215
- Season: 5th
- Games Studied: 2019 (Raiders vs Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit)
Overview:
Worley is a versatile defender with experience playing a variety of positions (cornerback, nickel and safety) in the defensive backfield. The fifth-year pro has compiled 243 tackles, five interceptions and 34 passes defensed in 56 career games, including 49 starts.
Measuring 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Worley has prototypical dimensions for any position in the secondary, particularly safety or cornerback. He is not a blazer, as evidenced by his 4.64-second forty-yard dash time at the 2016 NFL Combine but he displays good short-area quickness and agility.
In man coverage, Worley is an aggressive defender with a physical playing style. He is at his best playing nose-to-nose with wide receivers utilizing press and press-bail techniques. He possesses the length and hand-to-hand combat skills to jam and control defenders early in routes while maintaining "top-down" positioning down the field. When Worley handles his business at the line of scrimmage, he consistently wins the down due to his physicality and aggressiveness. However, he has a slim margin for error due to his lack of top-end speed and stop-start acceleration.
As a zone defender, Worley exhibits good instincts and awareness diagnosing routes. He sorts out concepts quickly and makes aggressive breaks to the ball on throws in his area. Although his aggressive style and limited explosiveness make him vulnerable to double moves, Worley's quick reactions, vision and high football IQ make him a reliable zone defender out-wide or in the middle of the field (safety).
Against the run, Worley earns high marks for his aggressiveness, physicality, and tackling skills. He attacks runners on the perimeter with violent cut-down tackles but also shows dependable wrap up skills. Worley's consistent tackling and overall physicality jump off the tape.
Overall, Worley is an experienced defender with versatility, IQ and physical tools to be an effective CB2 or third safety. He has some athletic limitations but the veteran's intangibles and instincts enable him to succeed in the back end.
Strengths:
- Versatile defender capable of playing anywhere in the secondary (cornerback, nickel and safety)
- Consistent tackler
- High IQ and excellent communication skills
- Prototypical size as a press-man corner
Weaknesses:
- Lacks speed, burst, and athleticism to live on the island as a corner
- Limited playmaking ability
How does he fit in with the Cowboys?
Worley is an experienced defensive back with the capacity to play anywhere in the secondary. He is the ultimate Swiss Army knife at the position and his versatility opens up the playbook for defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. Worley can play as a "big" nickel against teams with a high-end tight end or provide depth at safety or cornerback for the Cowboys. As an experienced defender with an expansive toolbox and a high IQ, he could emerge as a "glue" guy in a defensive backfield that's transitioning to a more diverse scheme.
