Craig Loston is one of the safety prospects that doesn’t seem to get as much hype as the rest, but there is solid reasoning behind it. However, he can do some good. Loston played some of his best football during his junior year. Without having another safety the caliber of Eric Reid, his play suffered some. If coupled with a good free safety, he could form a good tandem.

Strengths

Loston is close to the ideal size that NFL teams look for in a safety. He is close to six foot and over 200 pounds. His frame is well distributed and allows him to be physical. More often than not he will be facing the slot receiver, backs and even tight ends. He doesn’t give up too much size nor will he be covering them too often.

The former LSU Tiger will be more of a box safey. He is very physical and is a likely candidate to get a few fines for his style of play. He is able to break on plays quickly, which allows him to size up the opponent for a bone-crunching hit. This allows Loston to separate the runner from the ball. He's a very good tackler, usually runners don’t escape his tackle attempts.

Weaknesses

One negative aspect of Loston’s physical game is the question of durability. Loston missed 16 games during his time in Baton Rouge, and might be a reason that he doesn’t get the love of the other safeties. Going for the big hit instead of concentrating on the play, could end up with Loston either getting injured or losing playing time as big plays can come from it.

Loston will most likely have to play a special teams role and sit and learn before getting his chance, as Loston can be a liability in coverage against pure speed receivers. He lacks top-end speed and gives up too big of a cushion for him to overcome. His technique will need adjusting at the next level.

NFL Comparison

Craig Loston with his big hits and lack of coverage skills reminds me of Roy Williams. Although Loston is more of a factor in coverage, he showed that with his interception numbers at LSU.

Draft Outlook

Loston is most likely going to need to be a special teams contributor and work his way into the starting lineup. He also needs a team with a good free safety so he can focus on being a box guy.

Best Fits

The Cleveland Browns may be his best option with T.J. Ward on his way to Denver. He can make an immediate impact for that team.