By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @PetePelegrin

You probably have seen this before at FIU Stadium: a 6-foot or in this case a 6-1, 185-pound long-armed FIU freshman defensive back out of North Miami Beach High with dread locks flowing out of his helmet and a savvy playmaking ability around the football on a consistent basis.

Johnathan Cyprien was that freshman in 2009. Cyprien parlayed those football attributes during his four-year FIU career to become the program's all-time leading tackler, a second round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars and currently one of the rising safeties in the NFL.

Current FIU freshman Emmanuel Lubin, one inch taller than Cyprien as a freshman, has displayed a Cyprien-like playmaking ability in his first college training camp. Lubin has intercepted more than a half dozen passes in camp -- including one Thursday morning, ironically enough, in front of a Jacksonville Jaguars scout -- and shown the instincts to be in the right place at the right time defending the pass.

"He's been good," FIU secondary coach Ron Cooper said. "He's learned fast. He's got real good athletic ability. He's just got to continue getting better. He has long arms, can run, can play corner, can play safety. He's not afraid. He will tackle you. It's hard to find that in a true freshman that can cover real well or can tackle and he's a good learner."

Initially, Cooper said the three freshmen defensive backs (Lubin, Kenyatta Anderson and Jestin Green) would all play cornerback before one would move to safety. Cooper said Lubin will remain a cornerback, which keeps him at the same spot as Lubin's brother, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback E.J. Biggers. It was Biggers and Cyprien that were big influences on Lubin in his youth.

"I've known [Cyprien] since I was 9," Lubin said. "He with my brother taught me technique on how to play in the secondary and how to stay focused. They told me to stay in the playbook so you can learn your plays and get on the field."

Getting on the field has not been an issue thus far as Lubin has been lining up with the second team defense. It's tough to crack the starting lineup at cornerback when you have stalwarts Richard Leonard and Jeremiah McKinnon in front of you.

Leonard was a freshman when Cyprien was a junior at FIU. Although physically Lubin reminds one of Cyprien, Leonard sees more of his cousin, McKinnon in Lubin.

"I see a little Jeremiah in Emmanuel," said Leonard, the Conference USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year. "He's a quick learner. He's got long arms and he knows how to catch the ball and react to the ball. Every freshman will mess up from time to time, but when he does he goes to correct it in the film room. He takes what coach preaches to him and he brings that out on the field. He's very smart. I like that."

As you might imagine Lubin, like any freshman, has had to adjust to the regimented college life. There is a tighter schedule to follow now. College football is played at a faster tempo than its high school counterpart. There are more plays to learn and when classes begin Monday, Lubin will have to balance school and football.

"There's definitely more to take in," Lubin said. "I liked the campus and the school when I came on my official visit. [Cyprien] told me FIU is a good school and has a good football program. I think I've taken to it all well so far."

Lubin has plenty of support at home should he encounter any bumps in his first college year. At FIU, Lubin can also lean on his cornerbacks coach Greg Moss, who was a freshman on FIU's inaugural football team in 2002.

"There is so much thrown at you as a freshman that you are swimming a little bit," Moss said. "But through it all you have to believe in yourself and constantly focus on learning and asking questions, being a sponge and don't be afraid to make a mistake because you're going to make mistakes. Emmanuel has something that you can't coach: instincts and playmaking ability that just pops through his veins. He listens and asks questions so that he can make those plays. By him making those plays he's gaining confidence as a freshman."