Thats the kind of defender you want around the football. He earned PFF grades in 2020 that were impressive in all facets of play we measure and even had eight total pressures from 31 snaps on the blitz as a rusher. 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. He has lined up in the slot on more than 200 snaps in a season for the past seven years and should get the chance to replace. Hand: 9.50. Something of a journeyman at the position, Tashaun Gipson Sr. is with his fourth team in the NFL, but his first year in Chicago was one of the best of his career and saw him post grades of at least 69.9 in every facet of play PFF measures. Arm: 31.13. at He still has a knack for making big plays at the most critical times, as he came down with a pick in both the AFC championship and the Super Bowl, two of seven he had in total last season. 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. If an NFL team's scheme has a defined box safety role, theres not a better player to fill it in the draft class than Skinner. 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. Subscribe to Please check your email for a confirmation. Tier 2 are the players projected to be taken Day 2. https://draftwire.usatoday.com/lists/2022-nfl-draft-rankings-safety-kyle-hamilton-dax-hill-jaquan-brisker-lewis-cine/, 12. JL Skinner will be one of the more impressive prospects in Indianapolis this week. He collected 16 stops in the run game this past fall and proved to have one of the more versatile skill sets in the draft class. Now, those players. Poyer allowed just 8.7 yards per reception from 55 targets last season. His ability to adjust on the fly and break laterally is arguably the best in the draft class. NFL Draft Buzz is on the lookout for new contributors who would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the NFL draft. This has been true for a long time, but it seems to be getting more extreme. He is a tall, high-waisted player capable of flashing downhill or impacting pass lanes. Will Cam Smith and Devon Witherspoon pass the speed test? Production often translates and Anderson has the height, weight and speed to be a top-10 edge rusher in the NFL. Its the 2022 NFL Drafts most underappreciated group at maybe the most Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M: Round The only worry is thats just about the only role weve ever seen him play. This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. McCourty wasnt the only player who struggled for the Patriots in 2020, so maybe he can bounce back with the reinforcements they have assembled this year. Kevin Byard has been a prototypical free safety since he was a draft prospect. Brown has been making plays ever since he took over as a starter for the Nittany Lions in 2021. The 2023 NFL draft is getting closer, and our analysts are building their draft boards. linebackers, particularly in sub packages, and the league has come to covet other skills for strong safeties. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) 2. You'll now receive the top The Draft Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Catch up with our positional rankings here. 1. Winfield is a playmaker and exceptionally good in coverage, where his ability to read the play quickly really comes to the fore. 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. Adrian Amos has become one of the most underrated safeties in the league. Keeanu Benton is a proven run stopper who showed a bit more pass-rush potential at the Senior Bowl. At almost 34 years old, McCourty is coming off his lowest-graded season since 2011, when he was still playing cornerback for the Patriots. Even the players on this list need to have more strings to their bow than simply stuffing the run from heavy formations. Athletic testing and measurements at the NFL combine this week will either confirm what was seen on tape or inspire a second look. From a testing perspective, theres a chance he puts up the most lackluster numbers at the combine of any player on this list. New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Phillip Brooks (8) runs the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Brian Branch (14) during the first half in the 2022 Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome. There's Bryan Cook was a distinctly unremarkable playing heading into 2021 and looked like a probable UDFA prospect, however, following an Cam Taylor Britt is a good NFL prospect who really elevated his stock with an impressive combine and senior bowl performance. Player Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M: Round DeShon Elliott, S, Texas: Round 1, 3. He also has ideal size, loo Verone McKinley III was an elite high school player, a good college player but may only ever be an average pro. 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 | Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling updates his safety rankings for the 2023 NFL draft following Senior Bowl week 2023 NFL draft: Post-Senior Bowl safety rankings Teams 1 overall PFF grade at the position and is the only safety who has put up a 90.0-plus grade over that time. By: CollegeFootballNews.com. After ranking the best players at every position as a part of PFF's 2021 NFL season preview, we have finally come to safeties. Buffalo runs a scheme that puts them in position to succeed, but they take advantage of it extremely well on their own. Thats a tremendous rate for a player often working out in space. Hes been starting since he was a true freshman at South Carolina in 2019 and now has 2,909 career snaps to his name. Now, those players are linebackers, particularly in sub packages, and the league has come to covet other skills for strong safeties. Theres nobody better at this than Derwin James. Tuli Tuipulotu was used as an edge rusher in Los Angeles, but projects to the inside. Amos is often underrated and overlooked because he doesnt make as many spectacular plays as other safeties he has just nine interceptions in six years but he produced the highest PFF coverage grade among all safeties in 2020 (91.5), with seven pass breakups and three picks on the year. 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. the ones that do often turn into quality starters in the NFL. As part of Athlon Sports' 2020 NFL Draft Guide, we have ranked each position, including 45 total safeties. WebGet the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. Bryan Bresee is a player who has the coveted athletic qualities, but plays a bit stiff and lacking urgency. 9 of 11. Both players have shown elite upside and play, but they havent been able to maintain that peak for as long as some others. DeShon Elliott, S, Texas: Round 1, 3. But when the team traded Adams to Seattle, Maye was able to step into that role and show that he can also do a bit of everything well. He has converted three of his five interceptions into touchdowns over the past three seasons. 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. Projected Round (2019): 1-2. PFF BIG BOARD RANK: 112. 8:58 am ET. His 2022 tape is littered with such splash plays, as he attacks with no fear despite being on the smaller end for the position. He is still a talented player, but perhaps his role is more limited than originally thought. NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns NFL Draft Profile: Robert Carter, Safety, West Georgia Wolves NFL Draft Profile: Gurvan Hall Jr, Safety, Utah State Aggies 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. Bench: 16. Kyle Hamilton | Notre Dame. Theres nobody better at this than Derwin James. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds. Johnson has earned overall PFF and coverage grades of at least 80.0 in every healthy season he has played in the NFL, and now he gets the opportunity to show he can stay at that incredible level with a new team after his offseason move to Cleveland. Keilahn Harris, Oklahoma Baptist, rJr, 5096, 179, 4.45e, No.33 ranked WR. 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. Brown may very well have the best movement skills of any safety in the draft class. 75 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports. 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. 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. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO DOWNLOAD THE 2023 NFL DRAFT GUIDE FOR AS LOW AS That marked his third career 80.0-plus coverage grade, and it was also the third time he was aligned at free safety for more than 600 snaps over a season. Justin Reid, S, Stanford: Round 2, 5. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2023 draft class. 2021 NFL draft rankings: Safety. One player who seems to sit atop big boards around the league is Brian Branch of Alabama. His 90.7 run-defense grade led all safeties in college football, while his 24 run stops ranked fifth most in the FBS. Just behind his teammate is Poyer, a similarly versatile safety who allows the Bills to run any kind of coverage shell they want to. 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. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Hamsah Nasirildeen, Florida State (third round) 6. Smith can really cover some ground. 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. Now he is a year removed from that injury, and a return to that PFF coverage grade of 78.0 or better this season would see Thornhill likely even climb higher on this list. Over the past two seasons, he has 177 pass-rushing snaps on the blitz and has racked up 27 total pressures on those rushes. Rankings the 2023 NFL Draft safety prospects with all of their scouting reports linked to their draft profile. Get ready for the 2023 NFL Draft with positional and big board rankings from the team at The NFL Draft Bible. Henry To'o'To'o had a higher grade last year than his teammate, Christian Harris, who went No. 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. Budda Baker is a heat-seeking missile in the Arizona defense, amassing 160 defensive stops in just five seasons of play. Over the past two seasons, Martin has missed all of seven tackles on 129 attempts. Collins isnt that far removed from a genuine Defensive Player of the Year kind of season, but he has declined sharply since that spectacular 2016 season. That all gives Robinson one of the higher floors at the safety position in the class. 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: Sign up for the The Draft Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. The now fifth-year safety missed just two tackles from 67 attempts in 2020. The Fighting Illini secondary was no joke in 2022, and Martin was a big reason why. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds. 2021 NFL Draft Safety Rankings Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak. Maintaining high-level play in the secondary over time is an extremely difficult task, yet Simmons has had back-to-back excellent years for the Broncos. Jessie Bates III is only a year removed from a 90.1 PFF grade and a truly elite season for the Bengals. John Johnson III backed up his fine play in Los Angeles with a solid year in Cleveland. Similar to his twin brother Chase, Sydney can flat-out fly. You'll now receive the top The Draft Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. In a four-year career, he has played just over 2,000 snaps, which is essentially half of the available playing time. It would have been easy for Marcus Williams to allow his career to be haunted by the Minneapolis Miracle, when he showed up with the worst single play of his career at the biggest moment. The biggest thing preventing him from being the consensus best safety in the NFL is health. Kyzir White, S, West Virginia: Round 2, 6. Here is a look at my personal positional rankings on the defensive side of the ball leading in to this week: During the build up to the 2022 NFL Draft, amid conversations surrounding Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt was the narrative that Jalen Carter was the best prospect along that Georgia defensive front. Coverage is king in todays NFL, and the safety position is pivoting toward players who excel deep downfield. Willis has back-to-back impressive seasons for the Colts since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick. Welcome to College Football News's European Union Experience. Often forgotten men of the team, safeties can make a major difference to the quality of a defense and a secondary. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 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. Antonio Johnson's season was not as inspiring as the 2021 campaign, but he has a versatile skill set. Antoine Winfield Jr. may be entering only his third year in the league, but he hit the ground running for a Super Bowl team and then backed that up with an 86.1 PFF grade that ranked second in the league last year. 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. 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. Super informed fan? 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. 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. Auburn at Alabama Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, DePaul at UConn Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Maryland at Ohio State Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Pitt at Notre Dame Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Oklahoma at Kansas State Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Chicago State at Gonzaga Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Vanderbilt at Kentucky Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Xavier at Providence Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Texas at TCU Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Privacy Notice / Your California Privacy Rights. Last season saw him earn a career-high PFF coverage grade (68.9). He has lined up in the slot on more than 200 snaps in a season for the past seven years and should get the chance to replace Malcolm Jenkins in that matchup role within New Orleans' defense this year. He h Nick Cross is an intriguing prospect who is an elite athlete with outstanding speed and explosiveness. But. Jordan Battle, Alabama, Sr, 6-2, 210 2. Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama: Round 1, 4. Harrisons career wasnt stellar in Jacksonville, but the second he was traded to Cleveland, he began to look like a different player, and that was within a secondary that wasnt loaded with quality. Notre Dame s Hamilton has long been hyped as the top safety in the draft, and he tops Brooks latest top five at the safety position. 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. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The 2021 NFL draft is just a couple of months away, so its time to update our prospect rankings for every position Harrison Smith has long been the prototype for this group of safeties. Your inbox approves See the data Golfweek's top news 's best, via Each can line up anywhere they are needed within the scheme and playing next to one another is clearly a force multiplier for their success. Similarly, Justin Simmons 90.7 PFF grade from 2019 represents his career-high by more than 10 grading points. Techie with an interesting slant on player evaluation? Get ready for the 2023 NFL Draft with positional and 2,909 career snaps to his name, Robinson has been an excellent tackler. Four! Hes proven to be exceedingly versatile, playing 510 snaps in the box, 682 deep and 259 from the slot for his career. Reid was dragged down by the unit as a whole in 2020, and his coverage grade of 67.2 was the lowest of his career, but his previous two seasons had been flirting with an 80.0 grade, and he has increased the number of defensive stops he has made each season. Coverage is king in todays NFL, and the safety position is pivoting toward players who excel deep downfield. 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