Bucs’ Best Bets At Safety

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 1-3: Maryland SS Darnell Savage, Jr.

Tampa Bay could use more play-making ability at the safety position as the team’s current group of safeties have just six collective interceptions – with free safety Justin Evans having four of them. Savage recorded eight interceptions in college, including seven over the past two years with two pick-sixes. He’s great in coverage, whether it’s from the slot as a strong safety in the box or in centerfield as a single-high free safety.

The Bucs like Savage and had him in for a Top 30 pre-draft visit. Tampa Bay loves his 4.30 speed and striking ability, and would play him in the slot at strong safety due to his ability to cover one-on-one, as well as his physicality in run support. Bruce Arians drafted safety Deone Bucannon in the first round in 2014, and Jason Licht drafted Evans in the second round in 2017. Both Bucs leaders know the value of good play at the safety position and could select Savage on Day 2.

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 4-7: USC SS Iman Marshall

Marshall spent all four years at cornerback for the Trojans where he made an instant impact recording three interceptions as a freshman and three more the next year as a sophomore. He failed to record another pick over his last two years, which has diminished his stock a bit, and some NFL scouts believe he’ll need to make the transition to safety to succeed at the next level due to his lack of twitchy athleticism and the speed to go deep and hang with fast wide receivers.

Marshall is similarly built to M.J. Stewart, who was over-drafted by the Bucs last year in the second round when he should have been a fourth-rounder, and Marshall might even be a better prospect because he’s better in coverage. Tampa Bay is looking for a player capable of playing in the slot, and that’s an area that Marshall excelled at for the Trojans. At 6-foot-1, 207 pounds, Marshall is a big, physical press defensive back that could thrive in Todd Bowles’ defense drafted as a strong safety in the box or a slot cornerback in the fourth round.