Draft Dreamer: Sebastian Castro

A new league champion has been crowned and the NFL Combine is just around the corner. With free agency and the draft coming at us fast, this is the chance for all teams to reset and fans to renew their hopes. If you have followed my work,  you know this is my favorite time of year and it’s never too early to start breaking down NFL Draft prospects. This class is packed with players who will make an impact at the next level. I will cover each of them from the big dudes in the trenches to the erasers patrolling the secondary. Let's start with a prospect everyone should have very high on their draft boards, linebacker Sebastian Castro of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Background

Sebastian Castro was a three-star safety for the Richards HS Bulldogs in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Castro would play early as a sophomore with 63 total tackles, five TFLs, two forced fumbles, six interceptions, two PBUs, and two defensive TDs. As a junior, Castro recorded 52 total tackles, two TFLs, two PBUs, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. For his senior year, he would register 95 total tackles, with six TFLs, four forced fumbles, three recovered fumbles, six interceptions, and three PBUs. Castro would finish his career with 210 total tackles, 12 TFLs, six forced fumbles, 11 interceptions, and seven PBUs. He would earn 1st Team All-State honors both as a junior and senior.

Castro received just five offers (all Div-I) but his only visit was to Iowa which he would sign to play for. Castro would be ranked the 879th player overall, 71st safety, and 17th best player in the state of Illinois by 247 Sports Composite. Castro would red-shirt his first year with Iowa and only played in one game as a red-shirt freshman. As a redshirt freshman, he would play in all 13 games with six total tackles and five were solo stops. Castro would get his first significant playing time as a redshirt sophomore for the Hawkeyes with 13 games played and seven starts while recording 33 total tackles, 22 solo tackles, a 66.6% solo rate, three TFLs, one sack, two forced fumbles, and five PBUs.

His redshirt junior season was his best statistical season as he played 14 total tackles, 13 starts, 67 total tackles, 47 solo tackles, 70.1% solo rate, eight TFLs, one sack, one forced fumble, three interceptions, 11 PBUs, and one defensive TD. Castro would return to Iowa for his senior year where he would play and start all 12 games, with a season box score of 57 total tackles, 39 solo tackles, 68.4% solo rate, three TFLs, two forced fumbles, one interception, and two PBUs. Castro finishes his Hawkeye career with 53 games played, 32 games started, 163 total tackles, 113 solo tackles, 14 TFLs, two sacks, five forced fumbles, four interceptions, 18 PBUs, and one defensive touchdown.

Player Breakdown

Castro is a physical hybrid safety who has shown the versatility to play either safety position, the nickel spot, or even as an outside linebacker during his time at Iowa. He likely continue to play a hybrid role at the next level, where he can be a matchup advantage. Castro performs at his best when he can trigger downhill versus the run, where his physicality and big-play impact stand out. His willingness to engage versus the run and big-hitting style is energetic and contagious. Castro plays with a team-first mentality and plays with a purpose at whatever is asked of him. He possesses a high football IQ and instincts, with quick play processing. Castro is a tone-setter for the defense in every and leads by example.

In coverage, he can effectively defend multiple positions (tight end, slot receivers, and running backs). Castro has displayed good ball-hawking skills dating back to his high school days. A better zone coverage player than in press, with good awareness and route pass-offs to teammates. Castro isn’t the best of athletes and his aggressiveness can get him into some trouble spots at times. If you can catch him out of position with pursuit overruns or bites on play fakes, which is rare, his recovery speed isn’t elite. What Castro lacks as an athlete he makes up for with his high-motor play and natural football work ethic. Castro needs some work in man-to-man coverages but has good timing and a knack for always being around the ball.

Castro will excel in three-safety sets or playing down in the box where he can be in attack mode making tone-setting plays that energize the team. He’ll have some issues with quick and twitchy type players who can take advantage of his change-of-direction deficiencies. Some teams may knock him on size (5’’11”) and being a slightly older prospect (Age 25), but that doesn’t matter to me if you can play. Proven productive player at the college level, that will translate to the next level. Overall he’s not an elite player, but he’ll make your team smarter and tougher and won’t lose you any games.

NFL & Fantasy Projection

Castro is a reliable player who works hard at his kraft to be better each game. Work ethic and instincts are things that are pretty much you have them or you don’t and he has them. He’s not the cleanest prospect and has things to work on but his effort is unmatched. Teams that like to run heavy three-safety sets or need a linebacker who can both play down in the box and not be a liability in coverage will love him. Castro is easily one of the Top 150 players in this draft class and will carve a nice role himself if not push for a starting job at some point. I see Castro being selected somewhere in the 4th or 5th round of this year's draft and that’s great value for some team willing to send that card in.

When it comes to IDP fantasy, you should be able to get Castro at a really good price. If any owner wants to reach for him, then let them but if you are in the market for depth at safety, you should plan to target him in the 6th round or later. Castro will likely be a backup/special teams option to begin the year as he develops. Iowa has a good track record over the past few years with defensive backs (Cooper Dejean, Riley Moss, and Amani Hooker) in the NFL, and Castro could be the next Hawkeye to shine. As with any rookie that you believe in, be patient and he’ll make an impact for your fantasy teams soon enough.

Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy