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Safety Scouting Reports - 2025
Bird’s Eye View: Positional Analysis
The 2025 Safety class is top loaded with potential future starters, led by Malaki Starks (Georgia), Billy Bowman (Oklahoma), Xavier Watts (Notre Dame), Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina), Malachi Moore (Alabama), and Andrew Mukuba (Texas). Only Starks is likely to be selected in the first round but all six prospects look like starters, potentially as early as their rookie years. Other potential future starters include Lathan Ransom (Ohio State), Jonas Sanker (Virginia), Kevin Winston (Penn State), and Hunter Wohler (Wisconsin).
Positional Grade: B-
Bryan Addison / UCLA
Transfer from Oregon. Former WR who converted to safety. 7th year senior and first year as a starter. Excellent height with a solid frame and adequate mass. Extremely long arms and possesses a significant reach. Has a long, wiry build. Good range to handle Cover 2 responsibilities. Very good speed – could play as a single high safety due to his speed and range. Plays the ball in the air well and has developing ball skills – recorded two INTs and five passes defensed in 2024. Very good hands – extends and snags the ball like a WR. Very good in zone coverage where he can read the QB’s eyes and jump the route (see pick six v Oregon). Lack of size and strength leads him to fall off too many tackle attempts. Improving his strength would aid his coverage ability on TEs.
Bryan Addison / UCLA
Player Comparison:
Camryn Bynum / Minnesota
Trikweze Bridges / Florida
Player Comparison:
Tristin McCollum / Philadelphia
Trikweze Bridges / Florida
Transfer from Oregon. Looks the part of an NFL safety possessing the desired height, length, and mass. Effective in zone coverage – tracks the QB’s eyes well. Body type and skill set that may interest teams looking for long and physical press CBs. Has experience at CB late in 2024 due to injuries and has enough upside to be developed as on outside CB. Physical and competitive in man coverage – could be prone to INT calls in the NFL. Quality ball skills – recorded two INTs and six passes defensed in 2024 – and is developing the ability to bait the QB into bad throws. Has minimal playing experience with 2024 being his first year starting.
Billy Bowman / Oklahoma
5’9 & ¾” / 198 / 29 & ½” Arms / 69 & ½” Wingspan
Lacks the desired height, frame, mass, and length and has a build and game similar to Budda Baker (Cardinals). Very short arms and reach. Displays outstanding range due to foot speed, agility, and instincts. Fantastic instincts and is rarely fooled in coverage or by play action. Plays with a great level of anticipation that allows him to make plays he should not have been able to do. Physical, hard hitter who supports aggressively against the run. Reads keys extremely well and fills the alley hard. Good tackler who sometimes goes for the big hit and fails to wrap up. Excellent ball athlete with good hands – has recorded eight INTs and seven passes defensed over the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Tracks the ball in the air like a CB and has the hips and fluidity to play slot CB. Very aggressive and sometimes finds himself out of position in man coverage as a result. Well-rounded safety that can be employed in a variety of positions – slot CB, in the box strong safety, or as a classic free safety deployed in the deep half of the secondary.
Billy Bowman / Oklahoma
Player Comparison:
Budda Baker / Arizona
Nick Emmanwori / South Carolina
Player Comparison:
Kam Chancellor / Retired (Seattle)
Nick Emmanwori / South Carolina
Fantastic frame, length, and mass for a safety – LB size. Very good straight-line speed and displays good enough range to be deployed as a free safety. Brings the hammer in run support – hits like a LB. Very good read and react skills – keys quickly and fills hard. Sheds blocks effectively. Very strong and physical. Good zone defender who reads the QB’s eyes and jumps routes – excellent ball skills. Recorded four INTs in 2024, returning two for TDs (Kentucky and Oklahoma) and has recorded six INTs and ten passes defensed over the last two seasons. Very well-rounded player with tremendous potential he is just starting to scratch. Not used as a blitzer but has the athletic profile to potentially excel at those duties in the NFL. A likely first round pick in April.
Dan Jackson / Georgia
5’11 & 3/4” / 194 / 30 & ½” Arms / 72 & ¾”
Good height, frame, and mass but arms and reach are shorter than desired. Very instinctive and aware – smart and assignment responsible. Keys quickly to plays in front of him – comes down hill in run support and hits with violent intentions. Breaks down well to secure the tackle in the open field. Battles in coverage and works back to the ball even when beat – extremely competitive. Physical and willing hitter – will bring the lumber on the hit. Enforcer type who looks for the big hit even when making a play on the ball would have been the easier play. Very little ball production with only three INTs and four passes defensed over the last two seasons – prefers the big hit to making a play on the ball. Great mental and physical makeup for special teams in the NFL.
Dan Jackson / Georgia
Player Comparison:
Divine Deablo / Las Vegas
Malachi Moore / Alabama
Player Comparison:
Kerby Joseph / Detroit
Malachi Moore / Alabama
Looks the part of an NFL free safety with the desired height, frame, and mass desired at the position. Has experience as a slot CB and is playing a more traditional strong safety role this year. Breaks down well and gets into proper position to tackle the ball carrier. Very good range to play Cover 2. Physical tackler who crashes down in run support. Adept at knocking the ball out of the ball carrier’s arms and forcing fumbles. Very good in zone coverage where he can watch the QB’s eyes and jump the route. Better in zone than man coverage but has the agility, quickness, and speed to be developed in covering TEs in man. Quality ball skills – has recorded three INTs and 13 passes defensed over the last two seasons. Good leaping ability – displays the ability to high point the ball and win at the catch point. Dependable and durable player.
Andrew Mukuba / Texas
Transfer from Clemson. Average size and frame but a little thinner than desired. Average length and reach. Extremely experienced with three-years starting at Clemson before coming to Austin. Very good ball athlete – recorded five INTs and seven passes defensed last season. 2024 was his best season and he is an ascending talent after posting six passes defensed and no INTs during his first season in Austin in 2023. Excellent leaper – high points the ball effectively and can win at the catch point. WR-level concentration on the INT. Excellent range. Very nice closing burst on the ball. Very instinctual with quality read and react skills. Reliable and secure tackler – brings pads on contact and delivers blows. Lacks some core strength and can be outmuscled by more physical receivers. Increased strength may aid his ability to become a more impactful, physical hitter.
Andrew Mukuba / Texas
Player Comparison:
DeShon Elliott / Dallas
Jaylen Reed / Penn State
Player Comparison:
Ar'Darius Washington / Baltimore
Jaylen Reed / Penn State
Plays slot CB for the Nittany Lions. Very good frame and size with solid, well-distributed mass. Good length and reach. Very fluid and smooth with the agility to handle two-way goes out of the slot. Very active in run support. Very good tackler who seems to relish contact. Matches up well with TEs and most WRs operating out of the slot. Displays the ability to stay in-phase in man coverage with most TEs and WRs. Very effective in zone coverage where he can read the QB’s eyes and jump the route. Only average ball production with five INTs and four passes defensed over the last two seasons. Reliable, open field tackler who breaks down well in space.
Shilo Sandeers / Colorado
Transfer from Jackson State (via South Carolina). Average size and frame for a safety with solid mass. Adequate length and reach. Tough player with good playing strength. Son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Very physical and intense player. Best in the box in run support where he can shed blocks, break down, and secure tackles in space. Very good hands fighter. More likely to go for the big hit than the ball in pass coverage – prone to penalties throughout his career – but flashes the ball skills and closing burst desired at safety. Minimal ball production with only one INT and five passes defensed over the last two seasons. Breaks down well in the open field to secure the tackle. Plays with a swagger. Has a great temperament for special teams play.
Shilo Sanders / Colorado
Player Comparison:
PJ Locke / Denver
Jonas Sanker / Virginia
Player Comparison:
Benny Sapp / Atlants
Jonas Sanker / Virginia
6’ & 1/8” / 206 / 32 & ½” Arms / 77” Wingspan
Looks the part of the modern-day safety with good height, great frame, solid mass, and fantastic length with a huge reach. Flashes the ability to utilize his size and length in locking up TEs in coverage – displays solid man cover ability. Strong and fills the alley hard in run support. Very physical and aggressive in run support – brings his pads and unloads on the ball carrier. Big time hitting ability. Excels in run support with 205 total tackles recorded since 2023. Minimal ball production with only one INT recorded over the last two seasons. Fits the mold of the old-school strong safety who prospers in the box but has the athleticism and agility to be developed into a more versatile safety that is the norm in the NFL.
Malaki Starks / Georgia
Looks the part with the frame, mass, length, and athleticism NFL teams want at safety. Athletic and smooth with great range – ideally suited as a single high safety in a Cover 1 scheme. Displays dynamic playmaking skill as a difference maker on the back end. Fluid with the hips and movement skills to match up with WRs in the slot. Matches up exceedingly well with TEs in coverage due to length and athleticism. Superb leaping ability – high points the ball well. Very good ball skills – has recorded four INTs and ten passes defensed over the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Solid tackling ability – breaks down well to secure the tackle in space. Flashes big hitting ability. Needs to improve core strength to improve his ability in run support. Potential Top 10 pick in April.
Malaki Starks / Georgia
Player Comparison:
Jevon Holland / Miami
Xavier Watts / Notre Dame
Player Comparison:
Donovan Wilson / Dallas
Xavier Watts / Notre Dame
Looks the part with good height and frame and a solid, filled-in build. Good arm length and reach. Superb instincts and ball skills – always near the ball down field. Has recorded 13 INTs and 14 passes defensed over the last two seasons, recording six INTs (one returned for a TD) and 10 passes defensed in 2024. Excellent closing burst and plays the ball in the air like a WR. Very soft hands – can extend and snag the errant pass and complete the INT. Reads the QB’s eyes and jumps routes extremely well. Very effective in man coverage against TEs. Physical tackler who excels at stripping the ball. Very good foot speed and range – responsible for covering the deep middle and adept at doing so. Very active in run support and either causes or recovers fumbles regularly – has recorded a forced fumble in each of the last two seasons. Sometimes dropped into the box where his aggressiveness causes him to take some bad angles and subsequently lose containment. Not used much in man coverage but has the athletic profile to excel at those duties. 2023 Nagurski Award winner as the best defensive player in the nation. Two time All-American.