Cole’s Corner: 2021 Safety Prospect Rankings

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Quite a few teams need safeties this year but it does not appear to be the top need for any team out there. Due to this, I would not be surprised to see all of Thursday go by without a single safety selected.

This safety class is a bit confusing. There is a good amount of talent and they almost seem interchangeable. A player with second round talent could easily go day three or vice versa. Plenty of safeties with decent grades might even go undrafted due to the position being in a fairly good spot already in the league.

Here are my top Safety prospects:

1. Jevon Holland – Oregon

Holland is S2 for most people out there. I personally believe his ability and clever tactics warrant the number one spot. He is an interception machine, pops ball carriers in open space and works smarter rather than harder. What I mean by that is the fact that he does not try to push through blockers, he actually tries his best to work around them. He should see immediate action and even start at some point this upcoming season.

Pick Range: Late 1^st – 2^nd Round

2. Trevon Moehrig – TCU

Moehrig is a playmaker. He is an excellent tackler 1v1 in space and gets his hands on many passes in his direction. He has the tendency to get too aggressive against the run and get caught out of position. His upside is immense, yet he was more flaws to iron out than Holland.

Pick Range: 2^nd Round

3. Talanoa Hufanga – USC

Hufanga is most definitely a hybrid between linebacker and safety. He is extremely physical, hits harder than any other safety out there and reads the field extremely well. If any team out there plays with a deeper safety and lets Hufanga work closer to the box, then they are set. Putting him 30 yards back from the line of scrimmage will ruin his game.

Pick Range: 2^nd – 4^th Round

4. James Wiggins – Cincinnati

If Wiggins went to a power five school and was on national television every weekend, I truly believe he would be talked about like a possible first rounder. He is an athletic freak and even reminds a bit of my favorite safety prospect from last season in Antoine Winfield Jr. He always finds a way to punch the football loose and make a big play. Injury issues will be the normal calling for why not to draft him, but I say 100 percent take the chance.

Pick Range: 2^nd – 4^th Round

5. Paris Ford – Pittsburgh

Ford is way too undervalued in this class, so I am putting the respect on his name. Ford is quick to jump towards the way the ball is going, which makes him perfect to sit as a single-high deep safety. He is a very willing tackler at 190 pounds and flies downhill. Sometimes he does get over aggressive and miss which is an inconsistency. That is something to work with though. At least he is eager and not scared to hit a bigger player in space.

Pick Range: 2^nd – 4^th Round

6. Hamsah Nasirildeen – Florida State

Nasirildeen is the tallest safety of the group. Standing at 6’4” and weighing 213 pounds, he offers some size in the secondary. He is extremely rangy and can really do whatever coaches ask of him. He takes great angles and tackles exceptionally well. He tore his ACL in 2019 so that is something to watch for since he only played twice in 2020.

Pick Range: 2^nd – 4^th Round

7. Jamar Johnson – Indiana

Johnson has been climbing up the list of safeties as of late. He has great positioning and a surprising bit of power when fighting through blocks. I expect him to be solid at the next level but I question the immediate impact. The 2020 season was a great year for him, yet it’s not a lot of time to evaluate him playing at the top of his game.

Pick Range: 2^nd – 4^th Round

8. Andre Cisco – Syracuse

Cisco’s film is lots of fun to watch. His college career is highlighted by 13 interceptions and 14 pass breakups. Cisco has to be a magnet because the ball just finds him. He is inconsistent when it comes to tackling but if your team is in the division with an elite QB, this would be a smart pickup.

Pick Range: 2^nd – 4^th Round

9. Richie Grant – UCF       

Grant had a productive career where he showed off his versatility. He is a plug-and-play guy who would add valuable depth. Grant just needs some more coaching to fix minor issues with angles and processing.

Pick Range: 3^rd – 5^th Round

10. Joshuah Bledsoe – Missouri

Bledsoe will instantly be next in line for a nickel or slot position in the NFL. He is best when jamming slot receivers at the line of scrimmage or shooting gaps on the blitz or against the run game. Limiting him would be sticking him in a two-safety situation without much versatility.

Pick Range: 3^rd – 5^th Round

11. Darrick Forrest – Cincinnati

Forrest is a more disciplined safety with ability in pursuit as a strong tackler. He plays smart and within reason which keeps him in position at all times. Forrest does not pop off the screen but he adds fantastic value to your team.

Pick Range: 4^th – 6^th Round