2023 NFL DRAFT: TOP 8 SAFETIES

BY ADAM GREENE

Here it is. We made it. With the NFL Draft upon us, it’s time to rank the final position group, the perennially undervalued safeties.

Why are safeties undervalued? For the same reason that running backs and linebackers are. There are too many talented guys at that position coming out of NCAA football at the FBS and even FCS and Division II levels, every single season.

While it might be bad news for a guy’s long term contract payout (and let’s not shed too many tears. If you have a nice NFL career, you’ll be a millionaire at worst at the end of it), it does mean there’s a great chance he’ll land on a team. There are plenty of special teams units populated by late round safeties and linebackers.

I feel as if only one of these guys will hear his name on Day One, but plenty will on Day Two of the NFL Draft. Here’s my ranking of the Top 8 safeties entering the 2023 NFL Amateur Player Selection Meeting.

1. BRIAN BRANCH, ALABAMA

Age: 21

Size: 6-0, 190 pounds

2022: 90 tackles, 14 for a loss, three sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defended

PFF Grade: 89.5

Odds to be 1^st cornerback selected: +2500

Well, here’s a shocker and I hope you’re sitting down. The guy at the top of my cornerback rankings also makes the highest marks in the safety rankings. Like Jalen Ramsey out of Florida State a few years ago, Branch could go either way as a pro. His production was off the charts last year for one of the best teams on the planet who must play the best teams on the planet pretty much every week. His 40-time wasn’t elite at 4.58, but that’s plenty fast enough for safety at the NFL level. In 2022 he was an Associated Press second team All-American and missed just 3.2 percent of his tackle attempts.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: No. 10 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles

2. JL SKINNER, BOISE STATE

Age: 22

Size: 6-4, 209 pounds

2022: 65 tackles, 0.5 for a loss, four interceptions, five passes defended

PFF Grade: 74.7

This is probably the highest I’ve ever ranked a smaller school player in my draft ranking history. I’ve been accused of having a Power 5 bias and I freely admit it. I like to see guys put up film and stats against the best players in college football. I want to judge a man’s NFL ability when matched up against other former future NFL players. So why does Skinner, who played in the Mountain West, rank this high? Because his ridiculous size and production. When you’re a potential NFL player in a conference (and on a team) not known for producing NFL talent, you should look like a man among boys and Skinner did exactly that. His junior season might have been even better than 2022, when he recorded 92 tackles, seven for a loss, two interceptions, three passes defended, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Skinner was named to the All-Mountain West first team and was a second teamer in 2021. His 40 time is reportedly a tad faster than Branch’s at 4.55.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A projected to be a second, third or fourth round selection

3. JORDAN BATTLE, ALABAMA

Age: 22

Size: 6-1, 209 pounds

2022: 71 tackles, 0.5 for a loss, one interception, two passes defended

PFF Grade: 81.5

Here’s another Draft ranking mystery. This is probably the highest you’ll see Battle placed on any draft list and that boggles my mind. The numbers he put up, for the team he played for, the teams he played against and the conference in which it all happened are next level. Plus, he did it all in the same defensive backfield as Brian Branch. His 2021 was just as good, with 85 tackles, one for a loss, three picks, two defensive touchdowns and three passes defended. Battle wrapped his 2022 as a Associated Press third team All-American and, over the last three seasons, is ranked in the Top 10 in the SEC in tackles, interceptions and defensive touchdowns.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A Projected to be a second, third or fourth round selection

4. ANTONIO JOHNSON, TEXAS A&M

Age: 21

Size: 6-2, 198 pounds

2022: 71 tackles, five for a loss, one sack, one pass defended

PFF Grade: 81.6

Antonio Johnson is another physical specimen and pure safety, delivering the goods for Texas A&M in the SEC West for the last two seasons as a starter. His 2021 was just as good as his final season. He finished that campaign with 79 tackles, 8.5 for a loss, one sack, one interception and five passes defended. Johnson can run a 4.52 40-yard dash and finished his 2022 as a first team All-SEC selection to go with a second team nod in 2021. In 2022, Johnson finished with the third most tackles per game at 7.9 among all SEC defensive backs.  

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A projected to be a third, fourth or fifth round selection

5. JARTAVIUS MARTIN, ILLINOIS

Age: 23

Size: 5-11, 194 pounds

2022: 64 tackles, three for a loss, three interceptions, 11 passes defended, two forced fumbles

PFF Grade: 73.2

Jartavius Martin wasn’t a four year starter for the Illini, he was a five year starter, thanks to the 2020 Covid-19 season. The dude maxed out his college experience and as a guy who told both his kids to stay in school as long as they could because the real world is a nightmare garbage fire, I can’t blame him. His last two seasons have been his best. In 2021, he finished with 56 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, one interception and six passes defended. Martin was a third team All-Big Ten coaches selection and received the fourth highest tackling grade, 90.4, from Pro Football Focus.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A projected to be a third or fourth round selection

6. MARTE MAPU, SACRAMENTO STATE

Age: 23

Size: 6-1, 166 pounds

2022: 76 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, one sack, two interceptions, four passes defended

PFF Grade: 80.0

You want a small school guy? He’s your small school guy that leaps off the board. I talked earlier how a draftable guy from a smaller program must jump off the film. Here’s what Mapu did for Sacramento State. Mapu finished as an Associated Press, Stats Perform and Athlon Sports first team All-American. He was an AFCA and Phil Steele second team All-American and a Hero Sports third team All-American. Mapu was the Big Sky conference Defensive Player of the Year, a first team All-Big Sky selection and, as well as he played in 2022, he did just as well in 2021 with 65 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, four interceptions and 10 passes defended.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A projected to be a Day Three selection

7. SYDNEY BROWN, ILLINOIS

Age: 23

Size: 5-10, 211 pounds

2022: 60 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, one sack, six interceptions, one defensive touchdown, seven passes defended, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble

PFF Grade: 78.4

Two Alabama guys on the same list shouldn’t shock anyone, but two Illinois guys? It’s true. Like Martin, Brown maxed out his college football career, using the Covid-19 redshirt to play a fifth season for the Illini. Brown is smallish for a safety and might project more as a slot corner in the NFL. He’s got the speed for it, running a 4.47 40-yard dash, but he could have that kind of versatility. He’s certainly not afraid to tackle. In 2021, he picked up 81 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, one sack, three passes defended and two forced fumbles. Brown was a 2022 first team All-Big Ten selection and led the conference with six interceptions and finished third in all of the FBS.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A projected to be a third, fourth or fifth round selection

8. DANIEL SCOTT, CALIFORNIA

Age: 24

Size: 6-1, 208 pounds

2022: 85 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, three interceptions, four passes defended, two forced fumbles

PFF Grade: 66.8

Our last player on the list is another who decided to forgo the real world for an extra year thanks to the Covid-19 redshirt. It was a good thing, because Scott was primarily a back up in his first three seasons with the Golden Bears, but took over as a full time starter in 2021 and thrived. He put together back-to-back elite seasons to finish out his NCAA football experience. In 2021, Scott had 82 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, one sack, three interceptions, one defensive touchdown, two passes defended and one forced fumble. Scott was the second fastest safety at the NFL Combine, posting a 4.45 40-yard dash. He finished 2022 tied for fourth in the Pac-12 in interceptions and tied for fifth in forced fumbles.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Prediction: N/A Projected to be a Day Three selection

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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