Michael Griffin should change his name to Beastly McBeastington. Why? Because that's a fitting moniker for a guy who was undeniably a top 4 safety in the AFC during his first full season at the position. Grif was drafted as a prototype of the FS/cornerback type player; so much so that he started out at CB last year.
Griffin is an instinctive ballhawk, rangy centerfielder and a force in run support. He tackles extremely well in the open field and is right at home blowing-up plays behind the line of scrimmage just like he is reading routes 20 yards off the line. His diverse skill-set complements his fellow safety Chris Hope's skills almost perfectly. Hope is a little more physical and Grif is a little quicker, but they'll both make you pay if you think they're one-dimensional.
You want negatives? His dreads and slight build sometimes make him look like Reynaldo Hill if you're squinting. That's about it. Still, once he lays the wood or picks it off and runs it back the other way, there's no mistaking who it is.
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*A big thanks to MCM reader Ryan Sax for creating the graphic above. He has agreed to make one for every player in the series. You can check out some of his other work by clicking here.