Bernard Pollard

Pollard is a blue chip prospect with a blue-collar work ethic. It is very rare to see a player of his caliber also toil on special teams, but it is role he takes great pride in. One of the top kick blockers in the collegiate ranks, he has been so effective in run support that he could also be considered a possible outside linebacker at the next level in a Cover-2 alignment. Pollard was rated the third-best player in Indiana and the No. 36 safety nationally by Rivals.com during his senior year at South Side High School. He was a first-team All-State and Area Player of the Year as a senior after recording 111 tackles with two interceptions and 13 fumbles forced. Pollard was a finalist for Indiana Mr. Football honors and selected to the Big 33 squad. He caught 14 passes for 173 yards (12.4 avg) and two touchdowns. He recorded 103 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries his junior season. He participated in basketball and track, and was a member of the school's Honor Roll. Upon arriving at Purdue, Pollard quickly seized a starting position at strong safety. He earned Freshman All-American honors after ranking fifth on the team with 66 tackles (42 solos). He had 3.5 stops for losses, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up while starting twelve times in 2003. Pollard earned second-team All-Big Ten Conference honors in 2004. He led the team with a career-high 96 tackles (58 solos), including one sack and three stops behind the line of scrimmage. He caused two fumbles, deflected five passes and intercepted another. He also set a single-season school record with four blocked kicks. Pollard led the team in tackles again as a junior. He totaled 92 tackles (64 solos) with 1.5 stops for losses and a fumble recovery. He picked off three passes, deflected three others and set a school career-record with his fifth blocked kick. In 36 games at Purdue, Pollard started 35 times. He produced 254 tackles (164 solos) with a 3-yard sack and eight stops for losses of 26 yards. He caused and recovered a pair of fumbles and deflected nine passes. He gained 19 yards on four interceptions, adding 48 yards on three blocked punts while registering a total of five blocked kicks.

positives

Fast-twitched athlete with a solid frame who shows good muscle development in the chest and arms, good bubble, calves and quadriceps...Shows good balance and feet with quick change of direction motion...Quick to recognize blocking schemes and locate the ball...Has a smooth backpedal and a good closing burst on plays in front of him...Has a good feel for the ball playing the deep zone, getting a quick jump on the play...Not really a ballhawk, but can time his leaps to compete for the ball at its high point...Has better than adequate quickness to catch up and close on the ball...Good run force safety with the toughness to take on blocks and fill...Better tackler in the open field, as he shows proper wrap-up technique and a good understanding for angles...Does a nice job of working through traffic to locate the ballcarrier...Has the size and strength to split double teams...Has very good special teams potential as a kick blocker.

pollard is a very productive run support defender with the size and power base to deliver pop on contact. he is a tough player with good top end speed to close on plays in front of him. he has the body control and proper pad level to string plays wide, and enough agility to redirect and neutralize the cutback lanes. he shows no hesitation coming up to fill the rush lanes and shows good urgency making plays along the line.

His weakness is exposed in pass coverage. While he has a smooth backpedal, he is high in transition and has enough hip stiffness to cause him to struggle when trying to quickly turn and run on the ball. He plays deep in the zone, but spends a lot of time peeking into the backfield and lacks a good feel for handling the switch-off.

negatives

Has good strength, but needs to be more forceful with his hands in attempts to take on and shed blocks when working in tight quarters (short arms some)...Better run supporter than in pass coverage, as he looks uncomfortable matching up one-on-one with receivers, giving up too much cushion...Has a smooth backpedal, but is a little stiff turning and running out of his breaks...Plays deep in the zone to keep plays in front of him, but does eye the backfield too much and is slow to react on switch-offs...Has decent hands, but needs to do a better job of turning his head to look the ball in...Limitations in pass coverage could see him add some bulk to his frame and convert to a Cover-2 linebacker.

pollard shows decent pass/run keys and does a good job of reading the flow of the play. he has enough quickness to cover in the flat and uses his hands effectively to press and reroute vs. the tight end. he has the speed and range to make the open field tackle and does a good job of taking angles to close.

With his aggressive style of play vs. the run and developing frame, some team might look to bulk him up a bit and play him closer to the line as a Cover-2 linebacker. He will need to develop a better feel for pass coverage if he is to produce at safety, but with his speed and closing burst he could develop into a Cato June (Colts)/Shawn Barber (Eagles) type of linebacker. He will also bring immediate value as a kick blocker on special teams.

2006: Could not complete the shuttle runs or three-cone drills at the Combine due to left knee/hamstring strains.

Combine: 4.59 in the 40-yard dash

2.67 20-yard dash

1.58 10-yard dash

36.5-inch vertical jump

10'11" broad jump

33 ¼-inch arm length

8 ½-inch hands.

Did not participate in the 225-pound bench press.

Attended South Side (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) High School, playing football for head coach Mark Bailey

Rated the third-best player in Indiana and No. 36 safety nationally by Rivals.com during his senior year

First-team All-State and Area Player of the Year as a senior after recording 111 tackles with two interceptions and 13 fumbles forced

Finalist for Indiana Mr. Football honors and selected to the Big 33 squad

Caught 14 passes for 173 yards (12.4 avg) and two touchdowns

Recorded 103 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries his junior season

Participated in basketball and track, and was a member of the school's Honor Roll.

Sociology major

Born Bernard Karmell Pollard on 12/23/84

Resides in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.