Marqui Christian signs with Rams off waivers

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/marqui-christian?id=2556277

SS MARQUI CHRISTIAN

5’10”
196 LBS.

OVERVIEW
Christian won the Cliff Harris Award as nation’s top small-college defensive player in 2015.

PRO DAY RESULTS
40-yard dash: 4.46 seconds (with the wind)
Vertical: 35 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet
Short shuttle: 4.27 seconds
3-cone: 6.85 seconds
Bench: 14 reps of 225 pounds

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Ran a faster 40 than scouts expected at his pro day and there is an outside shot that he has another gear to access. Instinctive and a tape eater. Shows feel for the flow of the play. Reads quarterbacks fairly well and recognizes pattern development. Will restrict windows in zone coverage. Tough and has the stomach for box work. Loves to hit. Has ability to physically reroute and bang tight ends off the line of scrimmage. Will come downhill to stick his nose in as a run supporter.

WEAKNESSES Could be limited in his scheme fit. Played some single­-high safety in college, but tape shows a lack of range and desired play speed to be trusted as a center fielder on the next level. Average to below average man cover skill. Ball skills are just average. Doesn’t have the plus burst or break on the throws to impact enough catches.

BOTTOM LINE While Christian might be somewhat limited to box safety duties, he’s got the toughness and instincts for the position and has the ability to handle box responsibilities on an NFL level. His angular frame looks like it can handle even more muscle and he has the attention of teams who are looking for a player with his skill set. Christian has a good shot of hearing his name called on day three and of making an NFL team as a backup safety with kick coverage ability right out of the gate.

With pads on, Marqui Christian gets to be himself

ADAM GREEN | August 2, 2016

link: http://arizonasports.com/story/750610/with-pads-on-marqui-christian-gets-to-be-himself/

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Marqui Christian was one of the stars of Arizona’s offseason practices, showing well in rookie camp, OTAs and mini-camp.

In fact, there was considerable buzz surrounding the defensive back, who was chosen in the fifth round of the draft out of Midwestern State, with many talking him up as the next small-school find by Cardinals GM Steve Keim.

While he had shown pretty well in the first couple training camp practices, it has been since the pads went on where Christian has been, well, himself.

“I was excited to put the pads on, I couldn’t wait,” Christian said after practice Monday, the team’s second straight in pads. “Coming out there yesterday with the pads on, it was fun just being able to fly around with the pads on with the guys.

“It’s been fun. I’m just trying to stack brick-by-brick every day, trying to improve day-by-day.”

Christian, who won the Cliff Harris Award as the nation’s top small-college defensive player in 2015, is known for bringing good speed and instincts to the table. As a senior, he tallied 95 tackles, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two tackles for loss.

He is also known for being a big hitter, and therefore it should be no surprise that he is a different player with pads. After all, while he’s not out on the field trying to light anyone up, the ability to tackle — or at least hit someone — makes all the difference.

“He’s a hitter; that’s what we loved about him coming out,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “He’s a hitter and you’re not allowed to hit anybody in shorts. He’s one of those guys that looks real nice right now.”

Christian said he’s been learning as much as he can from his teammates, and is pleased to be on what he says is a special team that allows him to compete with so many great players. That has allowed him to pick things up quickly.

“Now we’re in the speed of things, we’re in pads, I feel like I’m playing comfortably, I’m being myself,” he said. “I know what I’ve got to do. I hear the play, I get lined up and I just play fast.”

The biggest challenge, Christian said, has been trying to get the playbook down, which comes with the territory of being a rookie. He understands there is a long way for him to go, noting how he’s only been threw a handful of training camp practices.

All Christian can do right now is put quality performances on film, and he’s confident he’s been doing just that as the feedback from his coaches has been “pretty good.”

He’ll most certainly still have his rookie moments, but as long as the good outweighs the bad, Christian may yet carve out a significant role. For him, though, this moment — his first NFL training camp — has not been too overwhelming.

“It is what I thought it would be,” he said, admitting he figured the speed would be a little faster once the pads came on and noting having a couple of practices before the veterans reported allowed the acclimation process to go smoother. “So ever since we stepped on the turf with everybody it’s just been football, like before.”