Wrapping up our prospect previews on the back end of the defense with the safeties! It's a versatile bunch of guys, each bringing unique skillsets to the table that teams will need to account for as they search for their best fit. Regardless, some real talent to be found at the position, with some possible mid round boomers to consider.
Maleki Starks:
Georgia 6' 1" 205 lbs. 4.50 40-Time
Embraces contact, routinely playing in the box with a willingness to bang with running backs or wideouts on quick screens. Solid in man to man coverage, with speed to hang and soft hands to make quarterbacks pay for poor throws. Zone coverage is decent but he occasionally overcommits. Useful on blitzes, effectively disengaging with blockers in pursuit of the QB. Great sideline to sideline speed, never quitting on a play.
Hips are a little tight, may struggle at times with shiftier receivers. Willing to press receivers but doesn't recover particularly well once beat. Angles aren't always the best, occasionally resulting in arm tackle attempts or complete misses.
Summary: Much more of a strong safety than a center fielder, Starks is a gamer around the line of scrimmage. The Georgia product is fearless in the face of blockers and ball carriers alike, asserting himself as a force to be reckoned with in the run game. His pass defense is solid, though not quite to the same caliber, which will ultimately limit his ceiling as a pro. If he find himself in a system that helps him mask those deficiencies, he'll end up as a versatile enforcer. Reminiscent of a young Tony Jefferson.
Xavier Watts:
Notre Dame 6' 0" 203 lbs. 4.49 40-Time
Absolute ball hawk, with 13 interceptions over the last two seasons. Supreme in zone coverage, baiting QB's before breaking with lightning speed once the ball's in the air. Former receiver with exceptional hands for the position. Impressive in run support, chasing ball carriers down from sideline to sideline while making devastating contact upon arrival. Truly versatile, showing success in the box and as the deep man. Experienced special teams contributor.
Could clean up his tackling, often looking to 'drop the boom' rather then fundamentally wrapping runners up. Needs to improve man defense or be drafted into a system more tailored to his skillset. Aggression can be used against him, with savvy quarterbacks being able to play him with their eyes before hitting big plays downfield.
Summary: Xavier Watts is a true do-all safety, playing strong deep coverage one minute while making quarterbacks pay for their misreads the next. He's a turnover machine that isn't afraid to lower his shoulder and get his jersey dirty. His trademark aggression can be exploited at times, but that's a risk many would be willing to take given his production and versatility on the defensive side of the ball. Watts is guaranteed to contribute immediately on special teams, but more likely to earn a starting nod at either free or strong safety-- wherever his new team sees best fit.
Nick Emmanwori:
South Carolina 6' 3" 227 lbs. 4.38 40-Time
Tall, long, strong and boasts a big frame. Straight line speed that matches his 40, thumping opposing ball carriers when he gets to them and refusing to surrender extra yardage. Impressive football IQ, jumping routes or blowing up screens before they develop. Monster in man coverage, using his length and speed to matchup with receivers and tight ends alike. Great ball skills, and a threat to score once he's secured the rock. Special teams ace, who'll cut his teeth on the third unit early on.
Plays a little high at times, which can be problematic against shiftier receivers. Hips get a little stiff when changing direction, a slight downside to his larger build. Room to improve in his zone coverage skills, often relying on instincts and athleticism rather then fundamentals.
Summary: As imposing of a safety as you'll come across, Nick Emmanwori has a sky high ceiling. He's a matchup nightmare for bigger pass catchers who are used to having their way with smaller defensive backs, with unmatched athleticism and physical traits. His run defense is strong as well, fearlessly working through the riff raff to put ball carriers on their backside. Likely to be the first safety off of the board, and could very well be an All-Pro before long in the right situation.
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| Photo: 247Sports |
Malachi Moore:
Alabama 6' 0" 201 lbs. 4.50 40-Time
Captain for the Crimson Tide, earning respect from teammates and coaches alike. Helpful in run support, building up a full head of steam before engaging with running backs. Disguises coverages well, often covering a large amount of ground in the process. Able to contribute effectively on the back end of formations as well as near the line of scrimmage. Advanced route recognition, consistently finding himself ahead of breaks. Versatile special teams contributor, as a member of coverage units and a punt returner.
Sometimes relies too much on power rather than technique when tackling ball carriers. History of injuries which prospective teams will want answers on through physicals. Not the largest safety out there, may struggle versus larger backs and tight ends on the next level.
Summary: Alabama's certainly known for churning out defensive players and Malachi Moore is no exception. He boasts a high football IQ and versatility that'll give him the inside track on passing downs right off the jump. While Moore may not be outstanding at any one particular thing, he's more than solid at most, including special teams. His floor projects as an above average depth piece, but the right coaching staff could surely coax much more out of him.
Andrew Mukuba:
Texas 6' 0" 190 lbs. 4.45 40-Time
A heavy hitter with great ball skills, as evidenced by his five interceptions last year. Versatile enough to play in the box on nickel and dime sets or over the top in base defenses. Adept in both man and zone defenses, with above average football IQ and hip fluidity to hang with quicker receivers. Closes distances between him and the ball with impressive speed.
Leaves his feet a bit more during tackles than you'd prefer to see, rather then driving through his targets. Rocks a really light frame that'd immensely benefit from adding some weight at the next level. Aggression can be used against him at times, resulting in blown coverages.
Summary: From Zimbabwe to Austin, Mukuba's had quite the journey to get to this point in his life. The senior Longhorn is coming off his most productive collegiate campaign, intercepting five passes as the team made it to the College Football Semifinals. He's willing to leave it all on the field, aggressively pursuing the ball in the air or in the hands of opposing players. A natural athlete with the measurables to hang with even the quickest receivers, though his size limitations could rear their heads against more physical pros. A surefire day two pick with a basement floor of a valuable sub-package guy.
Kevin Winston Jr.:
Penn State 6' 2" 205 lbs. 4.45 40-Time
Breaks to the ball quickly in the air, with active hands to force incompletions. Fantastic in run support, unafraid to engage as a tackler, initiating heavy contact before dragging runners to the ground. Prototypical frame for the position, with speed to hang in man coverage.
Needs to turn head and find the ball when making up ground against pass catchers-- likely to draw penalties on the next level. Zone coverage leaves room for improvement. Change of direction skills aren't superb, allowing quicker receivers to put him on skates. Turnover production leaves something to be desired. Partially tore his ACL last season, which'll be under heavy scrutiny through the draft process.
Summary: A true thumper at the position, Winston Jr. plays with a fearless tenacity that any team would welcome. He's pretty average in coverage, but the run defense is a phenomenal cornerstone to build off of. Between his injury red flags and lack of starting experience, there'll be plenty of questions for prospective teams to sort through, but whoever ends up taking the Penn State product is going to get a hell of an enforcer.
Billy Bowman Jr.:
Oklahoma 5' 10" 192 lbs. 4.42 40-Time
Useful in run support, choosing good angles before breaking to the ball carrier. Scheme versatile, with the ability to play in the slot or deep. Good ball skills, boasting 11 career interceptions-- three of which went to the house. Strong in zone coverage and adequate in man, with natural instincts for the position. Bountiful special teams experience, where he'll likely get the bulk of his action early on.
Straight line speed doesn't quite correlate with his impressive 40-time. Missed over 25% of his career tackling attempts, too often showing hesitation or inconsistent fundamentals when engaging-- an area he'll be forced to improve upon at the next level. Light and small compared to other pro safeties; will likely be overpowered by bigger backs and blockers.
Summary: A really polarizing player here. Some see a playmaker who can step up into the box or the slot a couple times a game to keep opposing quarterbacks on their toes, while others can't seem to get past his gaudy missed tackle percentage and relatively tiny frame. It seems for every play Bowman Jr. makes, he has an equally bad play on the horizon. He'll need to improve his consistency if he wants to be a factor in the league, but he's got the pure instincts to roll the dice on. A real boom or bust prospect here, who'll at least contribute on special teams.
Honorable Mention:
Sebastian Castro, Jonas Sanker, Lathan Ransom, Jaylen Reed, Upton Stout
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@Choppinglines
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