Zak Drapeau's Top 10 Safeties 2025 NFL Draft
- Zak Drapeau
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
In the final positional rankings of my series, the Safety class is the last and in this case is also the worst. A top-heavy class, with 2 prospects in the first round and 2 prospects in the 2nd, the rest of this class are all potential Day 3 picks with very low floors and decent potential.
The Safety position is supposed to be home to the best athletes in the country and besides Nick Emmanwori, there are very few in this class that would meet that threshold.
A big discussion will surround Kevin Winston's injuries and could cause him to fall deeper in the draft but if not, all 4 of the top Safeties I could potentially see going in Round 1. Then after that it could be a while before we hear any other names.
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1. Malaki Starks
Georgia 6'1" 197 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 11
Archetype: All-Around Versatile Safety/Nickel
Starks was coast-to-coast the best Safety in this class and it's hard not to see why; he does EVERYTHING well. His deep coverage, flat coverage, man coverage, tackling pursuit and leadership are all good to great and his experience starting in the SEC for 3 years is the cherry on top. Starks' lack of high-end athleticism make some mock drafters have him going after Emmanwori and I'm here to tell you that'd be a mistake. Look for Starks' drop in the draft to be similar to Kyle Hamilton's in 2022 and leave 15-ish teams shaking their heads on a missed opportunity.
Pro Comp: C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Draft Projection: Round 1
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2. Nick Emmanwori
South Carolina 6'3" 220 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 24
Archetype: Athletic Coverage Strong Safety
Emmanwori may be the most intriguing player in the draft after having a breakout season in South Carolina's secondary, Emmanwori would then LIGHT UP the Combine. With the best performance at the event of anyone regardless of position while also having 88 tackles and 4 INTs this season, Emmanwori has the kind of high-end potential teams can only dream of. He ranks a bit low because of poor tackling mechanics and some agility concerns. His skill set isn't quite high enough to start right away but his athleticism makes him someone you don't expect to be on the bench for long.
Pro Comp: Obi Melifonwu
Draft Projection: Round 1
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3. Kevin Winston Jr.
Penn State 6'2" 215 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 42
Archetype: Athletic Run Stopping Strong Safety
Winston Jr. was a projected First Round Safety until he partially tore his ACL in September. As an athletic freak being his biggest trait the injury will set him back a bit but he should come back with the same intensity and skill as when he left. Never afraid to make a tackle, Winston will be used often in the box as a downhill Safety. He will need to improve some zone coverage instincts to be an every down Safety and will need to do well in his rehab but Winston should overcome all of that and have a pretty decent career ahead of him.
Pro Comp: Kevin Byard
Draft Projection: Round 2-3
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4. Xavier Watts
Notre Dame 6'0" 204 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 44
Archetype: Ball Hawking Free Safety
Watts had 13 interceptions in his 2 years at Notre Dame and is the best FS in this class. His man coverage is almost as good as his zone coverage which already is elite and his size and smarts for the position are ideal. Watts will have to improve on tackling to be used in the box or in the slot which he excelled at at Notre Dame but that should come with time and with NFL coaching. Most experts have him above Winston Jr at this point but I believe Watts has a bit more to learn and won't be getting so many "gimme" interceptions in the NFL.
Pro Comp: Juan Thornhill
Draft Projection: Round 2
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5. Andrew Mukuba
Texas 5'11" 186 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 77
Archetype: Deep Zone Free Safety
Unfortunately for Mukuba this is where the class really falls. Mukuba has some good NFL potential as a Free Safety with good ball hawking and intelligence but his lack of tackling ability and awareness are major concerns. Mukuba's slender frame will be an issue as well, needing to gain probably 10 or 15 pounds if he wants to be anything more than a deep Free Safety. Still, if Mukuba works on his tackling and gains some weight, he could turn into a very nice all-around Safety after a few years in the league.
Pro Comp: Devin McCourty
Draft Projection: Round 3-4
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6. Sebastian Castro
Iowa 5'11" 203 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 96
Archetype: All-Around Box Safety/Nickel
The best example of a Cornerback, Safety hybrid in this Tier 3 of Safeties, Castro has the agility and zone coverage knowledge to be a solid Nickel in the league and has the downhill run stuffing to be a Strong Safety. His athleticism is the downfall, unable to be on the corner for his lack of speed and agility and unable to make a home at strong safety for his lack of downhill speed and cover skills. Castro is nonetheless as versatile as anyone in this class but will have to consistently make up for his slowness with instincts and tackling.
Pro Comp: Chris Smith II
Draft Projection: Round 3-4
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7. Billy Bowman Jr.
Oklahoma 5'10" 192 lbs. Big Board Rank: 111
Archetype: Fast, Ball Hawking Free Safety
A 3-year starter at Oklahoma, Bowman's coverage ability and speed will make him a key Free Safety on a Nickel defense but his size and tackling issues will make it hard to be anything more. A gifted ball hawk who's instincts and speed have gotten him 11 interceptions in the past three season, Bowman can really make a difference to a team just looking for a playmaker. His tackling is the worst you'll find on this list however and for that reason, may not make it on the field except for 3rd downs. A Safety with that little playing time has too low of a floor for me to see him drafted anywhere before Day 3.
Pro Comp: Jalen Pitre
Draft Projection: Round 3-5
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8. Jonas Sanker
Virginia 6'0" 206 lbs.
Big Board Rank: 125
Archetype: Run Support Strong Safety
Sanker will have some appeal to teams as a tough tackler with a lot of special teams upside. He will need some work on his man cover skills and to add a bit of weight to ever make it as a starting caliber Nickel in the NFL but his run support and his leadership traits at Virginia certainly give him a good background to do so. Sanker projects as one of those guys drafted late that keep working and impressing his coaches before getting a shot 3 or 4 years down the line and doing well with it.
Pro Comp: Shades of Bryan Cook
Draft Projection: Day 3
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9. Lathan Ransom
Ohio State 6'0" 206 lbs.
Archetype: Tough Zone Nickel Corner
Ransom had 2 solid years at Ohio State and displayed incredible toughness and instincts for the position. His lack of athleticism and average coverage will stop him from being a starting Safety in the NFL but if he improves his tackling mechanics he could see some decent playing time in the slot for a team with good potential at both zone coverage and run support.
Pro Comp: Shades of Kyler Gordon
Draft Projection: Day 3
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10. Upton Stout
West Kentucky 5'9" 181 lbs.
Archetype: Fast Zone Nickel Safety
Upton Stout was impressive enough at the Senior Bowl and Combine to crack this list. Stout is only 5'9" and 181 pounds which will immediately scare away a lot of NFL GMs and his injury history won't help his cause. He is however a good football player at his core, with great speed and tackling, Stout has the ability to play deep, on the corner or in the slot at the NFL level. His mirroring and agility will probably stop him from being a corner but his tackling and blitzing ability could make him a flyer in the slot that a lot of team would be interested in on Day 3.
Pro Comp:
Draft Projection: Day 3
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-Z.D.
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