Top Safeties In The 2019 Draft

1. Mississippi State SS Johnathan Abram – Senior – 5-11, 205 – 4.45
Abram is a strong, fast safety with the versatility to play at the strong safety position or flex into the nickel cornerback role if the package calls for it. He’s got decent coverage skills when needed, but he shouldn’t be leaned on to lock guys down. He’s at his best when tasked with playing in the box, as he’s got great tackling ability to stop the run game and has the range to play sideline-to-sideline. Over his three years playing at Mississippi State he totaled 15.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. Abram, as one of the nation’s top safeties, is projected as a first-round selection.

2. Florida SS Chauncey Gardner-Johnson – Junior – 5-11, 210 – 4.48
Gardner-Johnson is a great athlete with a lot of versatility at the safety position. He’s fast, he’s got decent coverage skills when put into zone coverage and has the physicality and range to be a single-high safety or play in the box. His biggest weakness comes with slow diagnosing of plays that leaves him a step behind on some plays. Depending on what a team sees from him or where they feel he could help them the most, Gardner-Johnson could go as high as the second round and has the look of an immediate starter.

Delaware DB Nasir Adderley – Photo courtesy of Univ. of Delaware

3. Delaware FS Nasir Adderley – Senior – 6-0, 206 – 4.54
Adderley played at Delaware where he racked up 11 total interceptions over his three seasons there. A safety with good size and length, he’s best suited when tasked with being a ballhawk to attack the ball in the air and flip possession, but has the experience to play both safety or cornerback with decent coverage skills. His biggest weaknesses also lie in his coverage though, as he has noted issues, according to scouts, with play recognition and being taken out of the play by scheme or play design forcing him to focus on a single target as opposed to remaining aware of the whole field. Adderley is projected as a second- to third-round pick, and some teams may view him as a cornerback where he played early in his career. The Bucs are interested in Adderley, who was coached by Tampa Bay safeties coach Nick Rapone last year.

4. Maryland SS Darnell Savage, Jr. – Senior – 5-11, 198 – 4.36
Along with having one of the best names in the draft, Savage enters draft season as one of the nation’s top-regarded safeties. He’s undersized, despite entering the combine at a heavier weight than expected, but he’s a supremely athletic player with great measurables. Savage ran one of the fastest times at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.36 time in the 40-yard dash and that speed shows up on tape. He’s supremely versatile due to advanced coverage skills that allow him to either play deep at the safety position or up in a box safety/slot coverage role. Savage is projected as a second-round pick and the Bucs had him in for a pre-draft Top 30 visit.

5. Washington SS Taylor Rapp – Junior – 6-0, 208 – 4.74
Rapp has prototypical size for the position but his lack of burst limits his ball skills in coverage. He has the play recognition skills to make plays on the back end but, again, is limited from a speed standpoint. Rapp thrives as a directional player with great tackling skills and production as a blitzer. He bring power to his tackles and has great success when attacking the passer, stopping the run with the ability to be a sure tackler in open space. Rapp would be a first-round pick if he ran faster, but could slide into the third round.

6. Alabama FS Deionte Thompson – Junior – 6-1, 195 – N/A
Thompson finished his three years at Alabama with just three interceptions and three forced fumbles, but the Crimson Tide safety isn’t quite a finished product. At his best he’s a physical ballhawk that can play single-high safety while making an impact in both the run game and pass coverage, but over-commits at times. While he’s got some refining to finish up at the next level, he’s a great raw talent that will likely be taken in the second or third round.

7. Virginia FS Juan Thornhill – Senior – 6-0, 205 – 4.42
Thornhill had great production in college, totaling 13 interceptions and 12 tackles for loss in his three years as a starter at Virginia, and enters the draft as a supremely versatile safety in this year’s class. As a former cornerback with a great mix of size, physicality and coverage skills he can play all over the defensive backfield, from both safety spots to cornerback if needed in a pinch or package. As is the case with this deeply talented safety class, he could go as high as the second round when the draft comes depending on which team decides they like his skill set and where they want to take him.

8. Boston College FS Will Harris – Senior – 6-1, 207 – 4.41
Starting since he was a freshman, Harris has a wealth of experience and maturity as a leader. He’s a remarkable athlete with top speed that lets him catch up to a pass once it’s thrown. He’s a consistent player that a team doesn’t have to worry about when he’s thrown out there, and can be put on a slot receiver or a tight end if he has to because of his size. Harris had 225 tackles and five interceptions during his time at Boston College. His solid senior year capped off with an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he had impressive showing during practice week.

9. Miami SS Sheldrick Redwine – Senior – 6-0, 196 – 4.44
Another safety that had a strong week at the Senior Bowl, Redwine is a physical safety that is at his best when he’s laying hits. He started out at corner, but went over to safety in 2017 and has been well suited there. From previously playing corner, Redwine still has good capabilities in playing man-to-man coverage, and is just as quick as he is physical. He’ll have to read plays faster before they fully develop, but he’s got key traits as a safety. He totaled 164 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five interceptions and 10 passes defended in his career at Miami.

10. Oregon SS Ugo Amadi – Senior – 5-9, 199 – 4.51
Amadi is a cover type of safety. He’s small, and will have to rely on athletic ability on any 50-50 ball, but he can cover. Amadi particularly succeeds in a man-to-man cover role, keeping balance when staying on a receiver’s route. He’ll have to stay on track with maintaining technique, as sometimes his footwork doesn’t stay up to par. Amadi recorded 165 tackles and nine interceptions with Oregon.

Best Of The Rest

11. Iowa SS Amani Hooker – Junior – 5-11, 210 – 4.48
Hooker has great anticipation and readability that suits him best playing in a box. He isn’t the quickest safety in the draft but his has a high IQ that takes him a long way. You can’t coach natural football instinct and Hooker certainly has that. Hooker is sound with technique and could make for a good Cover 2 strong safety at the next level. During his time at Iowa, Hooker had six interceptions, nine passes defended and 125 tackles for the Hawkeyes.

12. Miami FS Jaquan Johnson – Senior – 5-10, 191 – 4.69
As a four-star recruit, Johnson got a chance to start in five games as a sophomore and then started every game for the Hurricanes that he was in as a junior and senior. His junior year was particularly his best, where he tied for the team high in interceptions with four and also took one back to the house. Like his teammate Sheldrick Redwine, Johnson was also invited to the Senior Bowl because of a formidable senior year. While Redwine is physical, Johnson plays with more agility and quickness to cover his opponents. He has quick twitch reactions that keep him close on short routes, which could get him to cover slot receivers in the NFL. Johnson needs to learn to not overreact on some plays, sticking to technique and form to carry out plays. His lack of top-end speed is what will keep him out of Day 2 discussion.

13. Kentucky SS Darius West – Redshirt Senior – 5-11, 208 – 4.39
West is an aggressive player that has the speed to match his physicality. He’s shown the ability to overcome adversity, as he has broken his same leg three times and still plays the same kind of way with no restrictions. He’ll tackle everyone and everything, which will get him a shot on special teams to start out. West performed adequately during Senior Bowl wee, playing against some of the best in college football. He recorded 188 tackles and four interceptions for the Wildcats.

USC DB Iman Marshall – Photo by: Getty Images

14. USC SS Iman Marshall – Senior – 6-1, 207 – 4.53
Marshall, whose nickname is “Biggie,” was a four-year starter at USC as an outside cornerback and as a big nickel corner. In his four years with the Trojans, Marshall racked up 218 tackles, 36 pass breakups and six interceptions, but none over the past two years. He showed well at the Senior Bowl, but some NFL teams believe he’s better suited to play safety because his lack of top-end speed and quick-twitch athleticism. He’s similarly built to M.J. Stewart, whom the Bucs drafted last year as a cornerback and moved to safety this year. Tampa Bay had Marshall in for a Top 30 pre-draft visit.

15. Ole Miss FS Zedrick Woods – Senior – 5-11, 205 – 4.29
Woods had been playing significant time for the Rebels since he was a freshman, and started every game except for one over the next three seasons. While he has good speed with his 40-yard dash time, Woods quickness doesn’t translate as much to in game speed. What does well though is stop the run while in the box, he’ll make plays at the line of scrimmage. Woods totaled 231 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, and six interceptions during his time on Ole Miss.