We finish up our NFL Draft position rankings with safeties. I can’t tell if the safety position is consistently undervalued or if it’s just hard to find an elite-level guy to fill that role on a team. It’s probably a little of both. There is a decent crop of safeties in this draft, but no danger of needing to list 10 like I did with corners and wide receivers. There are five guys that separate from the pack pretty definitively.
Up next is the 2017 NFL Mock Draft 2.0, then I’ll make every selection for all 32 NFL teams based off that mock with my perfect drafts.
5. Desmond King, Iowa (5-10, 201)
2016: 58 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, seven passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recivery, three interceptions, one defensive touchdown
King has been consistently dominant for the last three seasons. Hell, in 2015 he had eight interceptions and 72 tackles. Which means the only thing different about last season is that teams were too afraid to test him. He’s the prototype free safety centerfielder like an Ed Reed. His ball-tracking skills and body control are elite and will make him an immediate impact player on an NFL defense.
Ideal situation: Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins
4. Budda Baker, Washington (5-10, 195)
2016: 70 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, two interceptions
Baker is a hybrid safety. He’s officially listed as a free safety, but he plays close to the line just as much as he plays deep. He has great vision to slip past blockers and a tremendous blitzer from the edge. When he is in coverage, he plays it just like a corner, planting himself in a receiver’s hip pocket and waiting until the last possible milisecond to play the ball to knock it away or pick it.
Ideal situation: New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles
3. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (5-11, 213)
2016: 66 tackles, 13 for a loss, three sacks, one pass defended, one interception
When you watch Kam Chancellor play for the Seattle Seahawks and wish your team had a player like that, well, here he is. Peppers is so good at patrolling sideline to sideline he’s listed as a linebacker on a lot of scouting reports and actually worked out with the linebackers and safeties both at the NFL combine. Peppers is such a playmaker that Michigan gave him 29 touches on offense last season and he scored three touchdowns. He’s also a monstrous hitter and one collision with Peppers will give wideouts, tight ends and running backs plenty to think about.
Ideal situation: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Jamal Adams, LSU (6-0, 214)
2016: 76 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, one sack, four passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception
Jamal Adams is a constant threat to knock another player’s teeth completely out of his head. He brings the hurt on nearly every hit, the exceptions being the times he ties up a guys legs. He too can play at the line or deep. He has those Inspector Gadget arms that close in like a vice, weather it be on an offensive player on on the ball during a recovery or a pick.
Ideal situation: Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1. Malik Hooker, Ohio State (6-1, 206)
2016: 74 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, 0.5 sacks, four passes defended, seven interceptions, three defensive touchdowns
Malik Hooker is the best out of an elite group of safeties. He’s a game-changer, like Troy Polamalu or Eric Berry. His vision, ability to read the quarterback’s eyes and his body control are already at an elite NFL level before he’s even played a down. He closes in on ballcarries like a cruise missile, but his greatest asset is his ability to track down a deep ball on the sidelines from his spot in the middle of the field and steal it right at the last second. He did it to DeShuan Watson and Clemson in the College Football Playoff and he’ll do it in the NFL.
Ideal situation: San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers
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