2027 Draft: Safety

[mayoclinic]

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[manxman2601]

Both very high on Jelani

 

[manxman2601]

Davaughn Patterson, Wake Forest
6-0, 217

Ryan Roberts has him ranked as his #8 safety - he's a newish name for me.

2025 grades

Coverage - 71.5 (0 INTs, 4 PBUs)
Run Defense - 72.1 (12.2% missed tackle rate)

Played as a slot corner and strong safety last year.

 

[manxman2601]

Ty Bryant, Kentucky
6-0, 196

Joe Deleone has him as his 4th ranked safety, Ryan Roberts as his 6th. Bryant isn't even on the consensus big board so a good name out of nowhere.

78.5 coverage grade in '25 with 4 INTs
73.6 run defense grade with 10.5% mtr

Good grades but a tad undersized.

 

[mayoclinic]

I like this. New names.

Ty Benefield shows up once, Zach Lutmer and Dashawn Spears not at all.

Bolden, Tae Johnson, McDonald and McClain are my top 4 for now, but the field is wide open. Which is very good, as I'm hoping to grab a S round 4 next year.

 

[manxman2601]

I have a new name for safety consideration.

Brice Pollock, Texas Tech.

Yes he's a cornerback but he's pretty much a zone only CB (88 snaps only in man coverage last year). However, he has outstanding ball skills in zone and is an excellent tackler and run defender.

Funnily enough, after coming up with this idea, I went to the Daft on Draft podcast discussion and the first thing Cory Kinnen had to say about him was "I left Brice Pollock's evaluation thinking are we sure this guy's not a safety".

More from Cory on Pollock

"I do think the instincts and the eyes and discipline in zone coverage are really, really good man"

James:

"his ball skills in zone coverage, yeah"

Cory:

"I don't want this guy in man coverage even for a snap"

.....

Cory:

"He'll tackle his ass off, his ball skills are top notch and his zone instincts are really strong"

 

[Clonamery]

I have a new name for safety consideration.

Brice Pollock, Texas Tech.

Yes he's a cornerback but he's pretty much a zone only CB (88 snaps only in man coverage last year). However, he has outstanding ball skills in zone and is an excellent tackler and run defender.

Funnily enough, after coming up with this idea, I went to the Daft on Draft podcast discussion and the first thing Cory Kinnen had to say about him was "I left Brice Pollock's evaluation thinking are we sure this guy's not a safety".

More from Cory on Pollock

"I do think the instincts and the eyes and discipline in zone coverage are really, really good man"

James:

"his ball skills in zone coverage, yeah"

Cory:

"I don't want this guy in man coverage even for a snap"

.....

Cory:

"He'll tackle his ass off, his ball skills are top notch and his zone instincts are really strong"

Is it any different than moving College OTs to IOL because of arm length, physical ability, etc.? Makes too much sense.

 

[manxman2601]

Is it any different than moving College OTs to IOL because of arm length, physical ability, etc.? Makes too much sense.

I don't think he's quite as smooth a conversion candidate as Stukes was but there are some similarities to Devin McCourty. Both sub 6', 200 and both run in the mid 4.4s in the forty.

 

[manxman2601]

 

[mayoclinic]

McClain S4 for me right now, but I'm a big fan.

 

[manxman2601]

KJ Bolden, Tae Johnson and Jelani McDonald. Spoiler alert. They really like them.

 

[mayoclinic]

They are the "big 3". Up there with Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman and Treydan Stukes.

I think Jaylen McClain could make a run at joining them.

And then there's Dashawn Spears, Zach Lutmer, Ty Benefield and Koi Perich, and a few others, all with potential.

 

[manxman2601]

They are the "big 3". Up there with Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman and Treydan Stukes.

I think Jaylen McClain could make a run at joining them.

And then there's Dashawn Spears, Zach Lutmer, Ty Benefield and Koi Perich, and a few others, all with potential.

Both James and Cory had Tae Johnson as safety 1 and Cory thinks he can be 'blue-chip'. both liked Bolden plenty and while Cory had Mcdonald at 33, James wasn't quite so keen. Thinks he's a good strong safety though. Neither think he's a single high free safety.

Both were high on the safety class as a whole.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think McDonald can play any combo, including single high. But Jaylen McClain has the best range of anyone.

Bolden is a very fluently lesser version of Caleb Downs, does everything well and makes the entire defense better.

 

[manxman2601]

But Jaylen McClain has the best range of anyone.

We'll see who Ohio State play in the FS role, Terry Moore or Mcclain. I think Moore's getting the nod there with Mcclain in the slot. i'm sure they'll rotate however. Two nice options for the Buckeyes there.

 

[manxman2601]

I remember a post from last year, posted by @mayoclinic , that talked about how the Patriots use the safeties in the run game. Namely that they are used as force players to make the tackle on outside runs. Essentially, the Edges crash inside so that the run is forced outside, the CBs set the edge so that the run doesn't get bounced to the very outside and the safeties come up and make the tackle in between the EDGEs and the CBs.

I've been thinking about that and what it would mean for the type of safeties we draft.

1. Obviously good tacklers. 10% or better MTR.
2. Big enough to take on a blocking FB or TE
3. No specialists. You really need the same type of safety on both sides to cover runs to either side. So no FS/SS split.
4. Need to be well graded run defenders.
5. Still need to be good in coverage, they just shouldn't be a FS only.

And the safeties that fit?

Based upon grades this is a list of safeties that best fit the criteria above. These are ranked by tackling grade but need 70 in both run defense and coverage and a 10% or better MTR:

1. Jelani Mcdonald, Texas
2. Tae Johnson, ND
3. KJ Bolden, Georgia
4. Jaylen McLain, Ohio State
5. Faletau Satuala, BYU
6. Alex McLaughlin, Washington
7. Dashawn Spears, LSU
8. Bray Hubbard, Alabama
9. Ty Bryant, Kentucky ( a little undersized but don't sleep on this one)*
10. Keon Sabb, Alabama
11. Corey Myrick, Clemson (nor this one)*

* Bryant and Myrick were just a little over the 10% MTR

I think this will my starting point for a safety watchlist.

Nb. 2024 Xavier Scott of illinois would have made this list but is a little undersized. 2024 Terry Moore misses out with a 16% MTR but scores well in the other areas. Zach Lutmer misses out on MTR too.

 

[manxman2601]

I wish he was a couple of inches taller, but I do like Ty Bryant of Kentucky. For some reason, Bryant isn't on the consensus big board.



Corey Myrick is stepping up from So. Miss to Clemson but I love some of his tackling in this highlight reel. Stops runners dead at times. Great size.

 

[manxman2601]

Zach Lutmer, Jaylen McClain and Ty Benefield

 

[manxman2601]

Zach Lutmer, Jaylen McClain and Ty Benefield

Both are very positive about Jaylen McClain. Both have him as safety 3 (26th and 29th on their boards).