This class of safeties seems to be upside down the best free safeties run slower than we would like and the strong safeties seem to run faster than the free safeties for the most part. There is a ton of talent in the position and I am not convinced that the best safeties are rated where they should be.
Free Safety
1. Calvin Pryor - 5’11” 207 Ilbs. 4.57 40 Louisville – 6.75 -A three year starter who is only a junior and has the size/speed combination to be a safety in the NFL. He is great in pass coverage and his stats prove it granted he has only had eight interceptions over the past three years, he has averaged over 5 pass deflections each year on top of his interceptions. Calvin has gotten better against the run over the years he had 5.5 tackles for loss last season. His stats prove that he is a heavy hitter creating eight forced fumbles during his career. He can cover most slot receivers and some tight ends. I would like to see more interceptions from the number one safety in the draft. Looks like more film is necessary to understand why he is the best safety but I like later round picks for this position anyway.
2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – 6’1” 208 Ilbs. 4.58 40 Alabama – 6.4 - Another junior safety that is a two year starter in the most respected program around to date. Proven ability to defend the pass with six interceptions and 8 other passes defended. Has the range to make plays all over the field. Ha Ha is great in pass defense and does not stray away contact and sometimes looks like an extra linebacker on the field. Clinton-Dix has all the tools you can ask for a safety prospect and might be asked to switch to strong safety due to his heavy hitting attitude.
3. Terrence Brooks – 5’11” 198 Ilbs. 4.42 40 Florida State – 5.8 - A three year starter on a national championship team that has a great size/speed combination. With five interceptions and 14 passes defended over the past three seasons Terrence has proved his worth in pass defense. He has improved tremendously in run support earning eight tackles for loss in the last season and three forced fumbles over the past two seasons. Brooks has tremendous speed and can cover most slot receivers along with having more speed than any tight end, with the right technique he could turn into a true play maker in the NFL. Aggressive playing style that I love to see from a defensive back however it could be an injury concern just like Bob Sanders.
4. Brock Vereen – 6’0” 199 Ilbs. 4.47 40 Minnesota – 5.65 - A three year starter that has great size and speed for the position. With only four interceptions over his career I would think he is not much of pass defender however he has over twenty pass deflections during those three years. The passes deflected shows me that he goes for the broken up pass over interceptions which I like in my safeties it doesn’t matter if you try to intercept the pass if you miss and breaking up a pass is the smarter play which tells me that he has football instincts. He is good in run support but he can be over powered by bigger backs. He has NFL bloodline which is always a plus. He has no serious injuries in college and might just be one of the better safeties in the draft.
5. Dezmen Southward – 6’0” 211 Ilbs. 4.42 40 Wisconsin –5.5- A three year starter from a good college and has a great size/speed combination with a 42” vertical. He has way more passes defended over interceptions which shows decent ball skills but perhaps not playmaking skills. He is average in the run support not recording too many tackles for loss or forced fumbles. He was flagged at the combine due to a fractured vertebre but then he ran a low 4.4 40 a few weeks after so I do not believe that there is too much injury concern. Probably a 3rd or 4th round pick did not show playmaking ability in college which is what I look for in safeties.
6. Marqueston Huff – 5’11” 196 Ilbs. 4.49 40 Wyoming –5.45 - A three year starter that has the good size and speed for the position. With 16 passes deflected along with six interceptions during his career shows he is above average in pass coverage. He is good in run support not showing any concern of contact with the runner. He is not the hardest hitter or the best tackler. Huff will need a year or two to develop however he has the skills to play in the NFL.
7. Daniel Sorensen – 6’1” 205 Ilbs. 4.67 40 Brigham Young – 5.25 - Has been at BYU since 2009 which shows that he is an older player for a rookie, he has good size and below average speed. With six interceptions and 22 passes deflected over the past three seasons Daniel has shown above average pass defense if not better. Sorensen seems like an average defender against the run earning eight tackles for loss over the past three seasons and three force fumbles. He might be asked to switch to strong safety only because of his speed but I could see him as a starting safety in the NFL for a few seasons definitely nothing special but has the skills to last in the NFL.
8. Ed Reynolds – 6’1” 207 Ilbs. 4.57 40 Stanford – 5.0 - A two year starter in one of the smartest programs in the nation. He had an amazing junior season with six interceptions and five passes deflected. Ed had a senior slump of some sorts only having one interception and five passes defended. Reynolds is not that great in run defense only having one tackle for loss during his career and has never forced a fumble in college. Ed needs to land on a team that will teach him how to take better angles and to become a sure tackler. Could be a sleeper like fellow Cardinal Alumni Richard Sherman but I do not see any resemblance, we need to go back and watch 2012 film where he looked like a true prospect.
9. Jemea Thomas – 5’9” 192 Ilbs. 4.55 40 Georgia Tech – 4.9 - A three year starter that redshirted in 2010 which makes him a little older and he in undersized with good speed for the position. Played mainly corner in college but making the transition to Safety in the NFL. He has nine interceptions over the past three seasons along with twenty passes defended in the same time. He is average in run support making most of his tackles down field. Thomas could wind up being a starting safety but it will take development from a patient team.
10. Alden Darby – 5’10” 192 Ilbs. 4.67 40 Arizona State – 4.8 - A three year starter that has good size but bad speed for the free safety position. Even with a lack of speed he has great ability against the pass picking off ten passes over the past three seasons along with 16 passes defended. Alden has some playmaking ability in run support which could be what he asked to do at the next level if he does not show the ability to cover tight ends and slot receivers at the next level. His slow 40 time scares me for a free safety but his stats show that he can defend against good college competition.
11. Kenny Ladler – 6’0” 207 Ilbs. 4.7 40 Vanderbilt – 4.6 - A rare four year starter at the position Ladler has great size but far below average speed for the position. Kenny earned nine interceptions over his career with five coming in his last season and ten passes defended. He has a decent ability to defend the run and seems to be improving in this area with five forced fumbles last season that gives him ten turnovers last season which is almost one per game and could make him a playmaker especially if he can play strong safety.
12. Lonnie Ballentine – 6’3” 219 Ilbs. 4.42 40 Memphis – 4.5 - Lonnie has the best blend of size and speed for the position with the size to match up against tight ends and speed to cover slot receivers. He is a two or three year starter. Ballentine does not show great run support but he does have the ability to learn how to defend the run on a team that is willing to teach him. Ballentine just might be the steal of the safeties in this year’s draft.
Strong Safety
1. Deone Bucannon – 6’1” 211 Ilbs. 4.49 40 Washington State – 6.8 - Deone is a four year starter with an excellent blend of size and speed. Bucannon can do it all do not take this quick right up it is simply because I have no question this guy is going to be a playmaker for years to come. Amazing in pass coverage and great against the run and on top of that he seems he could play free safety as well. Great Prospect. He can cover slot guys or tight ends.
2. Jimmie Ward – 5’11” 193 Ilbs. 4.48 40 Northern Illinois – 6.1 - Ward has started the past three season and has been highly productive also his size speed combination is good might be a little small for strong safety but has the speed to play free safety as well. A secure tackler that averaged 100 tackles the past three seasons. Jimmie defended 17 passes last season 7 being interceptions and he ran one back. There are some concerns about durability but he did not miss a game the past three seasons. Just might be able to play corner as well. I think a team will put him at free safety simply to limit the number of blows he delivers. If he falls to the third round he just might be the steal of the draft.
3. Craig Loston – 5’11” 217 Ilbs. 4.65 40 LSU – 5.9 - Craig has an average blend of size and speed he does have the weight teams like to see in a strong safety. Loston has had six interceptions the past two seasons and seems to be an asset in pass coverage, being able to cover the tight ends in the SEC. Loston does not have a forced fumble in his collegiate career which is not something I like to see out of strong safeties. Craig will probably wind up starting after a few seasons or maybe right away he does have SEC experience which is as close to the NFL you can get in college. Has NFL bloodlines.
4. Ahmad Dixon – 6’0” 212 Ilbs. 4.64 40 Baylor – 5.75 - Dixon has three year starting experience and a good size/speed combination. Does not intercept too many passes but is a reliable last resort. He will need to polish up footwork to be able to cover tight ends in the next level. Ahmad is a reliable tackler and is average in run support. Not too athletic for a defensive back and he also reacts slower than most. A team will have to be patient with Dixon and develop his pass coverage ability in order to be a successful safety at the next level.
5. Tre Boston – 6’0” 204 Ilbs. 4.59 40 North Carolina – 5.6 - Tre has a very good size/speed blend and is a three year starter at NCU. 13 career interceptions and many more passes broken up show that he is a force in pass coverage. Boston racks up tackles and has the speed to make plays in the backfield against the run. He is not a heavy hitter but he wraps up his tackles well. He is underrated however there are concerns about his football IQ and immaturity.
6. Dion Bailey – 6’0” 201 Ilbs. 4.66 40 USC – 5.1 - Bailey has okay size and okay speed and he is a three year starter who decided to come out as a Junior. Last season he had five interceptions and six other passes defended along with a forced fumble (3 for career) and 6.5 tackles for loss last season. His speed only makes him an average pass defender but you cannot ignore his ball skills. Dion has the ability to be a threat in the run game playing some of his career as an undersized linebacker. Guys that find a way to get on the field as a tweener sometimes have the ability to find a way to start in the NFL. Has potential as a developmental prospect who will contribute on special teams.
7. Jonathan Dowling – 6’3” 190 Ilbs. 4.52 40 Western Kentucky – 5.0 - Dowling is a junior that has started the past two seasons and has great size/speed combination the only thing is his weight may be a durability issue. With nine interceptions and 14 passes defended over the past two seasons Jonathan is a force in coverage with the height to match up well against tight ends. Six forced fumbles last season show his ability to defend the run and create turnovers in multiple ways. The only two knocks on him is his weight and that he likes to gamble which sometimes fails.
8. Isaiah Lewis – 5’10” 211 Ilbs. 4.6 40 Michigan State – 4.9- Three year starter with average size/ speed combination. Although he has eight interceptions during his career he struggles against faster receivers. Is at his best in run support however he does not have too many forced fumbles to his credit he has made very few plays made behind the line of scrimmage. Intensity is very high and a coach just might fall in love with the passion he plays with and develops him into a starter.
9. Vinnie Sunseri – 5’11” 210 Ilbs. N/A 40 Alabama – 4.75 - A two year starter with below average athletic ability but has good size. Tore his ACL in 2013 which will not make his speed any better. Below average in pass defense and he is at his best against the run. He has a great head on his shoulders which just might turn him into a starter but I do not see it.
10. Nat Berhe – 5’10” 193 Ilbs. 4.71 40 San Diego State – 4.5 - A three or four year starter with a below average blend of size/speed. Defended 20 passes in his career shows he might be better than average in pass coverage. He seems to be around the ball a lot especially in the running game not a heavy hitter or a sure tackler but seems to have good range despite lack of speed. His range and speed combination show me that he has great instincts and a high motor. Nat could pan out due to his instincts but becoming a starter in the NFL is probably a stretch.
12. Mo Alexander – 6’1” 220 Ilbs. 4.54 40 Utah State – 4.4 - Great size/speed for the position that has started the past two seasons played two years in junior college. Although he has good straight line speed he is limited in coverage. He is at his best when he is in run support with nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season. Mo has some talents that just might turn him into a starter in the NFL but he definitely has to improve his pass coverage ability before then.
