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• Tyler Owens Headlines as the best athletes in the class At over 6-foot-2 You can also find out more about the following: 216 pounds (both above the 80th percentile, by the way), Owens recorded a 41-inch vertical and a 12-foot-2 broad jump, the second longest broad jump since 1999 – insane explosiveness.
•Tyler Nubin andCalen Bullock Get the nodr best in coverage: Nubin has a PFF coverage score of 88.9 in the free safety role compared to Bullock’s 91.0. Both have six interceptions but Nubin has eight forced incompletions.
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Our 2024 prospect superlatives conclude with the safety group. The safety position has become very streamlined in the last few years. Teams will value certain roles differently, which means that the superlatives of the position will be more important.
Best Athlete: Tyler Owens, Texas Tech
Owens was the most athletic safety player at the combine. We didn’t get to see his full athleticism, but he proved it. At over 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds (both above the 80th percentile, by the way), Owens recorded a 41-inch vertical and a 12-foot-2 broad jump, the second-longest broad jump since 1999 – insane explosiveness. Owens did not get to run the 40-yard sprint, but as a high school sprinter he ran 10.35 seconds for the 100-meter dash. That is championship-level fast. He’s the most athletic of the group, due to his size and athleticism.
Best Tackler Javon Bullard, Georgia
Bullard is my favorite prospect in this class. Bullard, who is just under six feet tall and weighs 200 pounds, has been a safety/slot defender for many years. Georgia‘s defense over the last two years. He was able gain this responsibility in a talented defensive unit as a junior because of his play style. He made 39 solo tackles and seven tackles-for-loss with a 10% miss tackle percentage in the last two years. He may not be the biggest safet, but he is a tackler.
Wake Forest Safety is paramount Malik Mustapha It is also a heavyweight in this class. However, he has missed tackles a lot more than Bullard.
Best Ball Skills Calen Bullock, USC
Calen Bullock He may only be in the second percentile for weight, but he is able to cover and make plays with the football. In the last two seasons, he’s had seven interceptions and 11 forced incompletes. These are also impressive plays with the ball. Bullock displayed his elite range in order to reach the catch point, and then come down with the ball himself.
Best Cover Player at Free Safety Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
Nubin and Bullock were very close in the previous superlative. Nubin’s PFF coverage grade for free safety roles is 88.9, while Bullock’s is 91.0. Nubin has eight forced incompletions, while Bullock has six interceptions. Both yards and QBR allowed were very similar. Nubin won out because I like him better as a player. He’s a little slower and not as rangy as Bullock is, but he seems to see the field better.
Best Cover Player in the Box: Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State
Oladapo, when he is in the safety position, looks like a box-defender. With a height of 6’2″ and a weight of 216 lbs, he is well above the 80th per centile in both height and body weight. He was the highest-graded box safety with a minimum 200 snaps (84,9). The fact that he has a 91.3 PFF overall run-defense score from all alignments shows how important this is to his game. He recorded 14 solo tackles with two forced fumbles.
Best Cover Player in the Slot: Tykee Smrk, Georgia
I sometimes see Tykee Smrk Smith is listed as cornerback in the NFL database. However, since he’s listed as safety in that database, we will call him safety and give him superlative for the best slot. Smith is the second best safetie in the FBS for the past two years. He has the eighth-best PFF grade for run-defense (90.5), the seventh-best PFF grade for pass-rush (84.8), and the sixth-best PFF grade on coverage (85.8). No one else has that kind of efficiency all around.
Most Versatile: Jaden Hicks, Washington State
Hicks, a safety in this draft’s top tier, is a standout. He has played over 1,500 snaps in the last two seasons and has not recorded a grade below 70.0 for any of his categories (overall, pass rush defense, run defense). He can be used either as a strong or free safety in single-high or two-deep shells. His missed tackles can be improved, but his tackles for losses and solo stops both made a big leap forward in 2023. He’s a smart, confident safety who has a good mix of size, speed, and agility.
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