Jeremy Chinn eagerly awaits NFL Draft

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The 2020 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night at 7 p.m. with the first round and will be televised live on ESPN and the NFL Network. Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn is projected by many draft analysts to be an early-round draft pick. The Salukis have had 27 players selected in the NFL Draft all-time, including two 1st Round picks — defensive lineman Lionel Antoine (1972, Chicago Bears) and cornberback Terry Taylor (1984, Seattle Seahawks). The last Saluki player drafted was tight end MyCole Pruitt (2015, 5th round, Minnesota Vikings). Other possible 2020 draft picks from SIU include cornerback Madre Harper, tight end Nigel Kilby, running back D.J. Davis and defensive tackle Malik Haynes.

Comments from NFL draft analysts on Jeremy Chinn:

Matt Miller
Senior NFL Draft writer at Bleacher Report
Chinn wasn't ranked in the top 50 on my board until a conversation with a scout opened my eyes to his potential. "How many guys in this class move like him? How many guys have his positional versatility? You can't be in love with Isaiah Simmons and not at least really like Chinn."

Ourlads Draft Guide
Imposing size and length for a safety, Chinn has remarkable athletic ability for his size. He can lay the wood at times. Flashes take-on ability coming downhill with ability to use long arms to shed on the move. Outstanding range in deep coverage. At his best in quarters with matchup skill to mirror inside receivers. As a short zone player, his length impacts the quarterback's ability to work intermediate zones.

Daniel Jeremiah
NFL Network analyst
Southern Illinois LB/S Jeremy Chinn is going to land in 2nd round. Rare testing numbers and a very productive player on tape. Wouldn't be shocked if he ended up as first safety off the board.

Bucky Brooks
NFL.com Analyst
Jeremy Chinn could crash the party as a late-rising prospect. The Southern Illinois standout has an impressive combination of skills as a big-bodied safety with cornerback experience and linebacker-like toughness.

WalterFootball.com
He had a solid week at the Senior Bowl and interviewed well with teams. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Chinn put his great skill set on display, ripping off an electric 40-yard dash time of 4.45 seconds. With his unique skill set and impressing teams in the interview room, Chinn has been a prospect on the rise.

Damond Talbot
DraftDiamonds.com
Jeremy Chinn the Southern Illinois safety has grown on NFL scouts but he has always been a top player on our boards. Chinn had the highest score of all safeties hitting 30 out of 50 on his Wonderlic test.

Tony Pauline
ProFootballNetwork.com
Aggressive, fires around the field and works hard to make plays. Plays to his speed and moves quickly in every direction of the field. Tracks the pass in the air, displays a burst to the action and works hard to defend throws. Smooth and fluid in his backpedal in man coverage and quick in his hips to transition and run with receivers.

Jackson Thompson
SI.com
Chinn's combine performance is hardly his best attribute as an NFL prospect; however, but it has brought attention to one of the most under-the-radar college careers by a safety over the past four years. A diverse skill set has earned Chinn comparisons to Clemson's Isaiah Simmons. Chinn's size, speed, and athletic ability have made him particularly effective in zone coverage at the backend and block-shedding in the box.

TheDraftNetwork.com
His turnovers aren't right place, right time type of gimme plays. He's making standout plays in coverage where he's attacking the ball out of the air and winning the competition at the catch point. Extremely heady prospect as a run defender and when in coverage. Many of his interceptions have been a result of anticipating where the ball is intended based on the head and direction of the thrower's vision. Possesses a quick trigger as a run defender and is quick to run downhill and fill holes.