2024 Draft Preview - Safeties

Jon Cooper
12/04/2023 3:51PM ET

1. Kinchens, Kamren*

Miami 5110 202

Two year starter, Miami, FL. First team All-ACC and consensus first team All-America in 2022. Kinchens is an instinctive and highly productive safety with remarkable range and ball skills. He’s been a force as a one high safety but also has experience in two high looks and rolling to the outside box. A smooth mover with fluid hips and easy transitions he has solid change of direction skill and ability to accelerate out of a break. As a deep zone defender he has eye discipline to see pattern pressure and the quarterback’s delivery key. He’s sudden breaking on throws in front of him. He shows sideline to sideline range and the ability to track the ball with flawless angles on deep outside throws. He has excellent hands for the interception with tremendous extension to the ball. He high points the ball and can take it away at the catch point. Shows solid fundamental tackling skill accelerating and driving through tackles in space. There’s some inconsistency processing route combinations as he can get attracted to an intermediate route instead of balancing or staying deep. With improved consistency he has first round potential.  

 

2. Nubin, Tyler

Minnesota 6016  206

Three year starter, St. Charles, IL. Second team All-Big 10 in 2022. Instinctive safety with imposing size and length. He plays with a high motor and a degree of swagger. He has experience in the box and as a split zone safety in quarters and cover two. As a quarters and box safety he flies downhill and tracks ball carriers with no hesitation. His angles to the ball are normally precise and he makes a lot of plays near the line. He’s a physical tackler making big hits and using his length to wrap up ball carriers in space. He’s a solid underneath cover safety with ability to stress quarterbacks with his range and length in underneath hook/curl/flat zones. He shows remarkable extension to get to interception opportunities. He flashes solid range as a split zone safety to go with ability to read the delivery key and see route combinations. As a somewhat high cut athlete he has some stickiness in change of direction creating some stall in transition. At his best with the play in front of him and in the right scheme he can be a force in the NFL.

 

3. Bullock, Calen*

USC 6030 190

Two year starter, Pasadena, CA. First team All Pac 12 and first team PFF All-America in 2022. Tall, lengthy and slender prospect who flashes outstanding range and ball skills. He’s at his best as a one and two high safety with limited experience rolling to the outside box. Patrolling the deep zones he uses his length to extend to the ball with a remarkable catch radius. A receiver in high school he has outstanding hands and ability to attack the catch point. He’s instinctive to read and react to the quarterback and route combinations. His range is sideline to sideline with normally precise angles to the ball. He’s made some incredible plays on the ball coming from a distance. He flashes physical tackling skills and can separate a receiver from the ball with a violent hit. His length creates a huge tackle radius allowing him to wrap up in space. As a high cut player there is some difficulty gathering on tackles and he’s not the most fluid to turn and run, but the speed makes it hardly noticeable. His physicality has improved and he projects as an NFL free safety.

 

4. Moore, Rod* 

Michigan 6000 198

Two year starter, Clayton, OH. Honorable mention All-Big 10 in 2022. Moore shows fluid hips and movement skill with solid instincts. He’s quick in his backpedal and shows easy transitions in all directions. Smooth to flip or open his hips to gain ground getting over the top in the deep outside zones.  Has experience in multiple coverage including matching inside receivers and moving down into the outside box. Shows outstanding zone awareness reading and balancing multiple routes.  He’s sudden to break and drive reacting to the quarterback delivery key. He makes a lot of plays at the catch on throws in front of him. He takes excellent angles to the ball and has the ball skills to get his hand in the basket and high point interception opportunities. Flashes solid wrap up tackling skill with occasional big hits. Not the most physical as he can get driven back by a physical ball carrier and has a tendency to go too low on tackles. He has been productive in run support and generally gets the job done. His major strength of playing the ball with range will be attractive to NFL teams.

 

5. Ransom, Lathan

Ohio State 6000 211

Two year starter, Tucson, AZ. Honorable mention All-Big 10 in 2022. Ransom plays the Bandit position in the Ohio State defense which is equivalent to a traditional strong safety. He occasionally rotates to a two high look but is often used close to the line as a box safety. He is often used to match a tight end and has shown solid match and mirror skill against some quality tight ends. He can play flat or deep coverage and shows excellent athleticism to flip his hips and run with speed. A high energy player, he plays with an aggressive demeanor in run support. He’s around the ball a lot with a non-stop motor. Can be a physical tackler making big hits coming downhill. Normally solid to hit, wrap and drive through tackles he will occasionally miss by over pursuing a play. He can play out of control at times and pursuit angles will suffer as a result. He’s had a good start to 2023 as he was named Big 10 Defensive Player of the Week vs Notre Dame. The tools are there to be an impact starter in the NFL.

 

6.  Brade, Beau

Maryland  5116  201

 

7.  Mukuba, Andrew*

Clemson 6000 195

 

8.  Bullard, Javon*

Georgia  5110  180

 

9. Smith, Tykee

Georgia  5100  205

 

10.  Williams, James*

Miami 6050  215

 

11.  Bishop, Cole*

Utah 6020  207*

 

12. Moore, Malachi

Alabama 5106 199

 

13. Proctor, Josh

Ohio State 6017  204

 

14. Hicks, Jaden*

Washington State 6020  215

 

15. Richardson, Demani

Texas A&M 6004  214

 

16. Burks, Aubrey*

West Virginia  5110 204

 

17. Oladapo, Kitan

Oregon State 6020  214

 

18. Mustapha, Malik 

Wake Forest  5100  205

 

19  Burns, Major 

LSU   6016  191

 

20. Carlies, Jaylon 

Missouri  6027  225

 

21. McMorris, Patrick

California 6002  208

 

22. Mickens, RJ 

Clemson 5117  213

 

23. Fluellen, Tra 

Middle Tennessee State  6007  209

 

24. Banks, Yam

South Alabama  5116 204

 

25. Simpson, Jaylin

Auburn  5113  175

 

26. Moten, RJ 

Florida  5115  224

 

27  Paige, Makari 

Michigan 6030  197

 

28.  Kane, Sanoussi 

Purdue  5116  206

 

29. Hook, Maxen 

Toledo  6006  207

 

30. Brooks Jr, Greg 

LSU 5091  189

 

31. Perry, Mark

TCU 6002  214

 

32. Bradford, Millard

TCU  5104  194

 

33. Dent, Akeem

Florida State 5115  187

 

34. Catalon, Jalen

Texas  5100  189

 

*Denotes Underclassman