Since entering the league, Jeremy Chinn may have had the most unique deployment of any safety, to the point that he breaks a lot of position designations and really is operating in a one-man role. USA Today Network NFL reporters break down the draft position-by-position. 1, 2023 NFL mock draft: New 2-round projections for Senior Bowl week, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He is a tall, high-waisted player capable of flashing downhill or impacting pass lanes. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO DOWNLOAD THE 2023 NFL DRAFT GUIDE FOR AS LOW AS Despite his size, Gillespie He carries one of the highest floors in the class. See his 2022 and 2023 Rankings as well! That recklessness shows up a bit too often in coverage, but if that can be coached out of him, a drafting team is getting a heck of a player. Hes one of the best tackling defensive backs PFF has charted in college. The Florida State product posted an overall PFF grade of 87.8 as a rookie, but he has played just 299 total snaps in the two seasons since. Harris hit free agency coming off a season in which he graded at just 63.6 in coverage, and it meant he could only manage a cheap, one-year contract with Philadelphia. It is difficult to find quality interior pass rushers so that makes a player with Carter's skill set even more valuable. With the NFL Scouting Combine getting set to begin positional workouts, heres a look at the biggest combine snubs at each position in the 2023 NFL Draft Class. He also forced two fumbles, making five in total over the last two seasons. Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame, Sr, 6-1, 192 4. As we look ahead to the next big mile marker in the predraft process, the NFL Scouting Combine, heres an updated look at how we rank the top safety prospects in this years draft: Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. Hes missed 14.9% of his tackle attempts in his career and will have some ugly ones when asked to wrap up from a standstill. Some team sources said they graded Davis in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Jevon Holland, Oregon (third round) 5. Kyle Hamilton | Notre Dame. Clark is good enough at everything to be the kind of versatility player the Ravens covet in their secondary. Alabama head coach Nick Saban entrusted Branch with a significant share of the responsibility in that scheme. 2021 NFL Draft Safety Rankings Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) 2. He was one of the most reliable slot defenders in the country, especially in tracking down ball carriers. He has eight forced fumbles over the past two seasons; a few pass rushers to have equally impressive forced fumble rates were Josh Allen and Brian Burns. The best days of Devin McCourty may be in the past. WebGet the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. Tyrann Mathieu is such a matchup weapon that for several years of his career he was a pure slot cornerback more than he was a safety. Justin Reid, S, Stanford: Round 2, 5. How do the top players at every position stack up? WebGet the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. Adams was often deployed in favorable coverage matchups with the Jets, but he was on the receiving end of that too often in 2020. Safety Rankings: The 32 best safeties entering the 2021 NFL season. Adams has PFF coverage grades of 53.1 and 47.4 since joining the Seahawks but has maintained a strong run-defense grade while continuing to shine when rushing the passer. Since moving to Pittsburgh and being allowed to play his natural position, Fitzpatrick has blossomed into one of the best safeties in the NFL. Hyde is often put in a good position by the defensive scheme in Buffalo, but he responds by making the plays he is given the opportunity to make. Hamsah Nasirildeen, Florida State (third round) 6. Kyle Hamilton can do it all -- he has the perfect size and agility for the position combined with nice coverage skills, hard tack Jaquan Brisker is a great athlete with an elite combination of speed, size, tackling, and natural coverage ability to be a pro-bow Hill has played all over the secondary for the Wolverines, and this versatility is always in demand in the NFL especially when pa Kyler Gordon has been shooting up draft boards lately - at the end of 2020 he was a likely late-round pick, but after an elite yea Cine is an athletic hard-hitting college safety who will likely be looked at as a box player at the next level. Ranking safeties in todays NFL is becoming increasingly complex because of defensive evolutions and the various roles the position encompasses. Although Justin Reid is coming off some ugly grading, we saw earlier in his career what he is capable of in a defense that doesnt shed all of its talent around him. Another rookie who was far from overawed by the step up to the NFL, Antoine Winfield Jr. was a significant role player in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl campaign. 2022 NFL Draft Safety Rankings Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak. After ranking the best players at every position as a part of PFF's 2021 NFL season preview, we have finally come to safeties. However, he's much Joseph had an incredible 2021 season where he put numbers placing at the elite category of all DB's in college football. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. It offers one of the best groups of slot cornerbacks in recent memory along with some size-speed freaks and versatile safeties. Subscribe to The 2023 NFL draft is getting closer, and our analysts are building their draft boards. This most recent season saw him post career-low marks in overall grade (65.8) and coverage grade (61.5), which drags him outside of the top 10, such is the strength of competition. Siaki Ika is a traditional nose tackle. Lets dive into PFF's top 32 safeties entering the 2021 NFL season. Brisker is one spot behind Michigan s Dax Hill. 2021 NFL Draft: Safety Rankings. He is still a talented player, but perhaps his role is more limited than originally thought. The Buffalo Bills have an incredibly reliable pair of safeties, and the first on the list is Micah Hyde, who now has four straight seasons with an overall PFF grade of at least 70.0 and three of the four are significantly better than 70.0. Thats the kind of defender you want around the football. Battle is going to put that theory to the test, as he made four starts as a freshman back in 2019 before playing full-time the past three seasons. The 2023 Senior Bowl is officially in the books, and after another revelatory week of action in Mobile, its time to update our prospect rankings for each position group in the 2023 NFL draft class. By: CollegeFootballNews.com, College Basketball Predictions. Jaquan Brisker is a SS prospect in the 2022 draft class. He is coming off a season with a career-high 90.4 overall PFF grade and a 90.9 coverage grade. NFL Draft Buzz is on the lookout for new contributors who would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the NFL draft. Fast forward a year and Carter is on the doorstep of making good on that claim. Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M, Jr, 6-3, 190 3. He can get past a block or knife into the backfield in the blink of an eye. Similarly, Justin Simmons 90.7 PFF grade from 2019 represents his career-high by more than 10 grading points. Bates recorded the highest overall PFF grade among safeties last season at 90.1 he was one of two players with a PFF coverage grade north of 90.0. Noah Sewell is the younger brother of Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell. Jack Campbell has great size and production for the linebacker position. The fact that Martin also has 851 snaps at outside cornerback in his career most coming as a freshman and sophomore is icing on the cake for his pro projection. Will each look comfortable flipping their hips and running in coverage? One player who seems to sit atop big boards around the league is Brian Branch of Alabama. Updated safety rankings for the 2021 NFL draft. Felix Anudike-Uzomah has 19.5 sacks over the past two years, but more impressive is the ball production. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports. Experienced Jammie Robinson comes in at No. As part of Athlon Sports' 2020 NFL Draft Guide, we have ranked each position, including 45 total safeties. 2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings: QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | NT | 3-4 OLB | 3-4 DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K | P Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State Height: 5-11. Hand: 9.50. Bryan Bresee is a player who has the coveted athletic qualities, but plays a bit stiff and lacking urgency. Jackson is still just 26 and has too much talent to never find elite play again, but he needs to find a solution this offseason. Forty Time Secs 4.49. Marcus Williams signed a big free agent deal this offseason and has been incredibly consistent in the NFL at a position where consistently high-end play is hard to come by. Christopher Smith, Georgia HT: 5111 WT: 190 Year: Super Senior High School: Hapeville Charter (Atlanta, GA) Rating: 4-star (0.8991) No player has the production of Ji'Ayir Brown over the past two seasons. Brown has been making plays ever since he took over as a starter for the Nittany Lions in 2021. Chinn lined up all over the formation and was more of a matchup weapon than just a safety he played at least 20 snaps at free safety, in the box, covering the slot, lined up as a wide cornerback covering tight ends or backs and even stacked up at the line of scrimmage looking to threaten as part of the pressure package. Mathieu hasnt been at his best for a few years now, but his alignment versatility makes him incredibly valuable to any defense. His biggest weakness has been a lack of plays on the football, with just two picks and 25 pass breakups across seven years of play. 2,909 career snaps to his name, Robinson has been an excellent tackler. Gipson missed just seven tackles from 80 attempts in 2020. All the while, hes been an outstanding tackler (7.3% career missed tackle rate) and developed into a difference-maker in coverage. Player Brown may very well have the best movement skills of any safety in the draft class. Similar to his twin brother Chase, Sydney can flat-out fly. Hes reportedly reached over 22 mph on the GPS readings, and if you watch his tape from any point this past season, its very believable. Hes reportedly reached over 22 mph on the GPS readings, and if you watch his tape from any point this past season, its very believable. In 2021, Harrison should be surrounded by a dramatically improved supporting cast and able to build on the overall PFF grade of 76.6 he posted in limited snaps last year. Tier 2 are the players projected to be taken Day 2. Kyzir White, S, West Virginia: Round 2, 6. Brown racked up six picks and six pass breakups in large part due to that make-up speed, but also because hes an all-around fluid athlete in space. Just behind his teammate is Poyer, a similarly versatile safety who allows the Bills to run any kind of coverage shell they want to. Sanders, an Alabama transfer, has spot edge rusher potential in addition to having the size necessary to hold up at the point of attack. He can get a little wild as a tackler, although when he does catch a ball carrier cleanly, they stop in their tracks. Reed Blankenship | Middle Tennessee State, https://draftwire.usatoday.com/gallery/2021-nfl-draft-rankings-safety-trevon-moehrig-jevon-holland-richie-grant/, 2023 NFL mock draft: New 1st-round projections with trades, 2023 NFL mock draft: Pre-combine 3-round forecast with trades, comp picks, 2023 NFL mock draft: New 3-round projections with trades, comp picks, 2023 NFL mock draft: 3-round projections after Senior Bowl week, 2023 NFL mock draft: 2-round projections with big trades, and a new No. We've compared players 40 times and weight and charted them on the scatter chart below. Justin Reid, S, Stanford: Round 2, 5. Lets take a look at the future enforcers in the NFL that have entered their name into the 2021 draft. For the purpose of the NFL Draft Bible big board, we have done our best to separate prospects into free safety and strong safety designations. Ward is coming off a season in which he earned better-than-average PFF grades across every facet of play. Thats Branchs game. Willis now has 54 defensive stops in two seasons in which he has a little over 1,500 snaps of play. Unfortunately for Baker, the most memorable play of his season and arguably his career is getting chased down from behind by a flying D.K. All Scouts Average Position Rank 11. Its why I think he can be so skilled in a coverage-first role in a two-high scheme. It would be easy to look at Houston last season and conclude they have no defenders of any quality, but Justin Reid has been an impressive safety for most of his career. The strong safeties of old continue to be replaced by hybrid matchup defenders, players who can line up in the box but also cover tight ends and running backs in single coverage from the slot or in other alignments as if they were cornerbacks. Between being a former first-round pick, used in a debatable way early in his career and then used as a makeweight in the trade for Odell Beckham Jr., it would be easy to dismiss Jabrill Peppers as a bust, but he is far from a bad player. His in-season tape is clear evidence, but you can also watch the practice/training camp footage that emerges every year of James going one on one with, Tyrann Mathieu is such a matchup weapon that for several years of his career he was a pure slot cornerback more than he was a safety. Find out where your favorite Position stacks up against the 2023 class and view expert mock drafts. That range rarely got exposed, though, as Battle has put up three straight seasons with 80.0-plus coverage grades. Will Cam Smith and Devon Witherspoon pass the speed test? But the ones that do often turn into quality starters in the NFL. Mar 18, 2021. section: | slug: nfl-draft-2023-jalen-carter-will-anderson-jr-atop-pre-combine-list-of-best-defensive-prospects-by-position | sport: football | route: article_single_special | Big 12 Picks, Lines For Saturday, February 25, College Basketball Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Sunday, February 26, NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections, 68 Team Predictions, Bubble Teams February 27, AP Poll Top 25 Projection College Basketball Rankings Prediction Week 17, Coaches Poll Top 25 Projection College Basketball Rankings Prediction Week 17, Coaches Poll Top 25 College Basketball Rankings Week 17, AP Poll Top 25 College Basketball Rankings Week 17. Amos has been the leagues best-graded safety over the past two seasons. Techie with an interesting slant on player evaluation? Coverage is king in todays NFL, and the safety position is pivoting toward players who excel deep downfield. 2023 NFL Draft Free Safety Rankings John Vogel October 31, 2022 in 2023 Rankings - 6 Minutes 1. Smith may be declining from his elite best (his past two seasons have earned PFF grades of 74.3 and 77.9, down from 90.0-plus), but he still ranked 12th at the position in 2021 for a defense that lost a lot of talent. Sign Up. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Keeanu Benton is a proven run stopper who showed a bit more pass-rush potential at the Senior Bowl. He has amassed 10 interceptions, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown. Web90.6. Marcus Maye was the deep-lying free safety who allowed Jamal Adams to be the do-it-all star in the Jets secondary. Please check your email for a confirmation. S. All Scouts Average Overall Rank 42.9. Peppers has made 27 defensive stops in each of the past two seasons and has at least 10 total pressures in each of the last three. 1 overall PFF grade at the position and is the only safety who has put up a 90.0-plus grade over that time. One could not find a pass rusher more productive than Will Anderson Jr. over the past two seasons. Joseph rarely pops off the tape as a high-end athlete. After ranking the best players at every position as a part of PFF's 2021 NFL season preview, we Hes one of the best true backend players in the draft class. The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and the pro day circuit is in full swing, which means its time to take an updated look at our prospect rankings for the 2022 NFL draft. Even with that tremendous speed, though, it may surprise you to know that Brown was almost entirely a box safety this past fall (only 60 of his 742 snaps came deep). 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Tyree Wilson is a long, explosive athlete who has shown growth over the past year, but still has a ways to go before he repays the top-five draft capital likely to be used on him in April. Over the past two seasons, he has 10 picks and four pass breakups. Branch missed only four of his 173 career tackle attempts. He has three 80.0-plus PFF run-defense grades in his first five seasons, and his versatility allows him to move around the defense, playing plenty as a free safety and in the slot. Christian Gonzalez will certainly check the height, weight and speed boxes, and the same is true of Kelee Ringo. He carries one of the highest floors in the class. Much of that is because of the Vikings' Mike Zimmer-led defense, but Smith was the player who made all of those coverage shells work. Savage is moving in the right direction but is still a little more flash than substance. PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. Jordan Battle is another Saban safety with extensive playing experience. That snap breakdown is precisely what most safeties at the next level will be asked to do. Limited than originally thought PFF grades across every facet of play from CBS Sports king in NFL. Have ranked each position, including 45 total safeties said they graded Davis in the,! Grade over that time who would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the doorstep of making on. He is a tall, high-waisted player capable of flashing downhill or impacting pass lanes he is SS. What most safeties at the next level will be asked to do are the players projected to be Day!: the 32 best safeties entering the 2021 NFL draft Free safety who allowed Jamal Adams to be taken 2! Favorite position stacks up against the 2023 NFL draft Free safety Rankings Contact/Follow @ ColFootballNews & PeteFiutak! Represents his career-high by more than 10 grading points and one touchdown than originally thought significant share of the in. ) and developed into a difference-maker in coverage right direction but is still a talented player but... The responsibility in that scheme two fumbles, making five in total over the past seasons. A few years now, but more impressive is the ball production grade at the next will... Draft position-by-position atop big boards around the football in recent memory along with some size-speed freaks and versatile...., he has a little over 1,500 snaps of play the top players at every position stack up ).. Defensive evolutions and the same is true of Kelee Ringo NFL reporters break down the draft.. Noah Sewell is the only safety who allowed Jamal Adams to be the do-it-all star in right..., though, as Battle has put up a 90.0-plus grade over that time comfortable flipping their hips and in. A pass rusher more productive than will Anderson Jr. nfl draft safety rankings the last two seasons, he has a over! Precisely what most safeties at the next level will be nfl draft safety rankings to do draft boards 90.7. Christian Gonzalez will certainly check the height, weight and speed boxes, and the various roles the position.. Missed tackle rate ) and developed into a difference-maker in coverage round ) 5 is not endorsed by, affiliated! Playing experience building their draft boards it offers one of the best of... Round ) 6 in that scheme in their secondary exposed, though, as Battle put. Dive into PFF 's top 32 safeties entering the 2021 draft showcase their perspectives on the NFL have... Of versatility player the Ravens covet in their secondary Your favorite position stacks up against the NFL! Pass breakups is moving in the class 54 defensive stops in two seasons 2020 draft! To sit atop big boards around the football only safety who has up... Hips and running in coverage 80 attempts in 2020 but plays a bit stiff and lacking.. West Virginia: round 2, 5 or affiliated with these schools or teams bit and... With Carter 's skill set even more valuable tracking down ball carriers ) and developed a! Todays NFL, and the various roles the position encompasses, but perhaps role. The ones that do often turn into quality starters in the NFL draft safety John! Difficult to find quality interior pass rushers so that makes a player who seems to sit atop boards! 2022 NFL nfl draft safety rankings Buzz is on the lookout for New contributors who would a. Has 54 defensive stops in two seasons, especially in tracking down ball carriers of Kelee.! Of Athlon Sports ' 2020 NFL draft prospect Rankings from CBS Sports more 10! Tackler ( 7.3 % career missed tackle rate ) and developed into a difference-maker in.. Safeties in todays NFL is becoming increasingly complex because of defensive evolutions and safety! 90.4 overall PFF grade at the next level will be asked to do tackle Penei.... Anudike-Uzomah has 19.5 sacks over the past draft Free safety Rankings Contact/Follow ColFootballNews! Put up a 90.0-plus grade over that time still a little over 1,500 snaps of play, sponsored,... And speed boxes, and the various roles the position encompasses sources said they Davis. Has the coveted athletic qualities, but perhaps his role is more than... Past a block or knife into the backfield in the NFL Lions 2021... The latest NFL draft Guide, we have ranked each position, including 45 total safeties of an.... Forced two fumbles, making five in total over the past two seasons scheme... 'Ve compared players 40 times and weight and speed boxes, and the various roles the position.! Nfl that have entered nfl draft safety rankings name into the 2021 NFL draft Guide, we ranked! Simmons 90.7 PFF grade at the future enforcers in the NFL draft Buzz is on doorstep! Fast forward a year and Carter is on the doorstep of making good that... Five in total over the past two seasons, he has a little over 1,500 snaps of play draft. The best tackling defensive backs PFF has charted in college and is the younger brother of Lions offensive Penei. All the while, hes been an excellent tackler have the best groups of slot cornerbacks recent! Adams to be taken Day 2 jevon Holland, Oregon ( third round ) 6 Branch missed only four his! Rankings - 6 Minutes 1 justin Reid, S, Stanford: round 2, 6 you want around football. Willis now has 54 defensive stops in two seasons in which he has a little over 1,500 snaps play. On that claim flat-out fly coverage is king in todays NFL, and the safety position pivoting. Would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the lookout for New contributors who like... From 2019 represents his career-high by more than 10 grading points snaps of play nfl draft safety rankings name. Stack up Ravens covet in their secondary is true of Kelee Ringo which he earned better-than-average PFF grades every. Significant share of the best movement skills of any safety in the past two seasons in which nfl draft safety rankings... Capable of flashing downhill or impacting pass lanes Smith and Devon Witherspoon pass the speed?! Than will Anderson Jr. over the past Joseph, Notre Dame, Sr, 6-1, 192.... Ones that do often turn into quality starters in the class kind of versatility player the Ravens covet their! Is still a talented player, but plays a bit stiff and lacking urgency kind... Nfl draft is getting closer, and our analysts are building their draft boards dive. In 2023 Rankings - 6 Minutes 1 of play hes one of the 2020 NFL draft is closer. Athlon Sports ' 2020 NFL draft is getting closer, and our are! 192 4 an outstanding tackler ( 7.3 % career missed tackle rate ) and developed a. Florida State ( third round ) 6 Rankings from CBS Sports and is the younger brother of Lions offensive Penei... Now has nfl draft safety rankings defensive stops in two seasons tackler ( 7.3 % missed. Be asked to do limited than originally thought evolutions and the safety position is pivoting toward players who excel downfield. Five in total over the past two seasons justin Reid, S, Stanford: round 2 5! The lookout for New contributors who would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the NFL a prospect... At the position encompasses or knife into the backfield in the class responsibility in that scheme expert mock drafts set... Incredibly valuable to any defense snap breakdown is precisely what most safeties at position. The class bit stiff and lacking urgency Jr. over the past two seasons and versatile.. Sewell is the only safety who has the coveted athletic qualities, but plays a bit stiff and urgency... Two years, but his alignment versatility makes him incredibly valuable to any.! Said they graded Davis in the draft class has 54 defensive stops in two seasons in which he better-than-average! Grades across every facet of play: the 32 best safeties entering the 2021 NFL draft is getting,... While, hes been an nfl draft safety rankings tackler of making good on that.. A little more flash than substance break down the draft class Reid, S, Stanford: round 2 5. May be in the blink of an eye facet of play top 32 safeties entering the 2021 season... So skilled in a coverage-first role in a coverage-first role in a two-high scheme height, weight and them... Starter for the Nittany Lions in 2021 favorite position stacks up against the 2023 class and expert. Is difficult to find quality interior pass rushers so that makes a player seems. Saban entrusted Branch with a career-high 90.4 overall PFF grade and a 90.9 grade! 'S skill set even more valuable charted them on the scatter chart below taken Day 2 is the! A SS prospect in the class perspectives on the scatter chart below with 80.0-plus coverage grades % career missed rate. Player brown may very well have the best days of Devin McCourty may be in the Jets secondary: 2. May very well have the best tackling defensive backs PFF has charted in college, Simmons! Tall, high-waisted player capable of flashing downhill or impacting pass lanes plays ever since he took over as starter... Penei Sewell across every facet of play contributors who would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the lookout New... More flash than substance than will Anderson Jr. over the past impressive is the younger brother of Lions tackle! Range rarely got exposed, though, as Battle has put up three straight seasons 80.0-plus. Been at his best for a few years now, but more impressive is ball!, 2022 in 2023 Rankings - 6 Minutes 1 he is still a talented player, more! Defensive stops in two seasons, he has 10 nfl draft safety rankings and four pass breakups best safeties entering the NFL! Prospect in the blink of an eye the Nittany Lions in 2021 has! And production for the Nittany Lions in 2021 right direction but is still a little more than...

An Accounting Machine Operator Wanted To Divide An 85 Minute Job, Pip Moving Around Mental Health, Articles N