Nick Cross is the classic new breed box safety. He has the requisite size of a classic strong safety - 6’0”, 212 pounds. But he also has the blistering straight line speed – a 4.34 forty – that puts most wide receivers to shame. Now in his fourth season, the University of Maryland alum has developed into one of the Indianapolis Colts’ most essential defenders.
Cross’s exceptional speed does not necessarily translate into exceptional pass coverage. That may seem counterintuitive, but the ability to guard a pass receiver has far more to do with technique and agility than pure speed.