Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Draft Prospect to Know: S Divine Deablo

After some moves made by other teams in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills could be looking for more versatility on the defensive side of the ball. One player that could address that need is Virginia Tech’s Divine Deablo. Let’s take a look at his profile and how he might fit with the Bills.

Measurables/Stats

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 226 pounds

Arms: 33″

Hands: 9″

Divine Deablo played 41 games over five seasons with Virginia Tech and finished with 206 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, six interceptions, and 11 passes defended.

This past season was one of Deablo’s best, even in a shortened year. He had season highs in interceptions with four and passes defended with four in that category as well.

NFL.com Scouting Report by Lance Zierlein

"He also has a developing skill set that could make him a match for Cover 3 defenses at the Robber spot or as a hybrid player who’s able to handle coverage duties and play near the line of scrimmage. While he has the strength and athletic ability to cover tight ends, he will need to improve his route recognition to make more plays on the football. Deablo has the demeanor to make a living in the box as a bigger body who can slow the run and be used as a matchup defender against teams running heavy 12 personnel. He has the potential to become a starter in the future."

Highlights

How he fits with the Buffalo Bills

One of the things that sets Deablo apart from some of the other big safeties I have highlighted, is he is more of a ball hawk in coverage. The fact that he had four interceptions in nine games is something that should pique the interest of NFL teams, including the Buffalo Bills.

As Zierlein notes in his scouting report, Deablo has the size to be a box safety but can be used when lining up across from 12 personnel, which is when an offense has two tight ends on the field. This could be very valuable when considering the New England Patriots are expected to run more of this formation with the free agent signings of tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith this offseason.

The versatility that Deablo would bring to this defense, combined with the fact that he does have the skill set to eventually take over as a starting safety, should have him high on the Buffalo Bills draft board for the 2021 NFL Draft.