Colts' safeties small in stature, not impact

Young safeties Bob Sanders and Mike Doss are as big a part of the Colts' defense as the frenetic front four.

Updated: December 14, 2005, 3:48 PM ET
By Gary Horton | Scouts Inc.
Sure, their defensive line wreaks havoc on the opposition, racking up 37 sacks this season. Sure, their linebacker corps is the best it has been in Tony Dungy's tenure. But if you ask people within the Colts organization what the biggest difference is in their defense this year, they'll tell you it's Bob Sanders and Mike Doss, their young safety duo.

The biggest impact they've made has been in run support. They both fly to the ball and can tackle extremely well in the open field. The most unusual thing about them, though, is their size. Typical run-stuffing safeties are bigger bodies, like Donovin Darius (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) and Roy Williams (6-0, 226), but these guys are relatively small. Doss is only 5-10, 207, and Sanders is only 5-8 and 206.


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Gary Horton

Scouts Inc.
Gary Horton spent 10 years in the NFL as a scout and another 10 years at the college level as an assistant coach and recruiter. He is the founder and most seasoned member of the Scouts Inc. staff, and his extensive experience at all levels of football make him an excellent talent evaluator.

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