The transition to more pass-heavy offenses in the NFL has made the safety position among the most important on the football field. While there is still a long way to go before the 2016 NFL Draft, a number of NFL teams have already packed it in and have begun the process of evaluating their offseason and draft prospects. Safeties will be a hot commodity at the top of the 2016 big board. Here is a look at the top players in the country at the position:
Jalen Ramsey, Florida State Seminoles
Junior
Ramsey is the consensus top cornerback available looking ahead to the 2016 NFL Draft but it is also worth noting that he makes this list as a potential safety because of all of the intangibles he brings to the table. The general school of thought that he would be a better fit at the safety position at the NFL level. Ramsey certainly has the size at 6’1’’ and 204 pounds with elite track star speed, and his ability to make plays at the line of scrimmage.
He is perhaps the most intriguing player on this list because teams love their versatile secondary members. Players like Devin McCourty and Tyrann Mathieu have made popularized the role where a player normally plays safety but can also lineup against a slot receiver as a cornerback when necessary. Ramsey is in that mold. He’ll enter the 2016 NFL Draft as a defensive back that can play both positions and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a team drafted him to fill a need at the latter.
Su’a Cravens, USC Trojans
Junior
Cravens is the top pure safety prospect on the board and is a very different type of player than Ramsey. Cravens isn’t as fast or good in coverage as Ramsey but at 6’1’’ and 225 pounds, he is much bigger. He can blow up opposing players up near the line of scrimmage with his heavy hitting ability and is a real asset in run defense. Cravens isn’t an elite cover safety by any means but his size and instincts make him the perfect prospect in terms of being a safety that can step up in the box and make plays. A lot of NFL teams will love having him as an intimidator in the middle of the field.
There has been some talk about his potential to play weak side linebacker and he has drawn some comparisons to another safety that hits like a linebacker: Kam Chancellor. Cravens’ versatility has been on display at USC this season and right now we have him slotted in as the second-best safety prospect looking ahead to next year’s NFL Draft.
Karl Joseph, West Virginia Mountaineers
Senior
Joseph has better coverage skills than Cravens and has been a ball hawk at West Virginia. However, there is some concern about his 5’11’’, 195-pound frame and how it will hold up at the next level. It’s his instincts, playmaking skills and heavy hits that make him such an attractive prospect but Joseph isn’t the biggest safety. That could lead to him sliding a little lower than some scouts are anticipating. Anyone who invests will believe in his savvy first but also his frame. Remember, he’s still a college player so there is a very good chance that he can put on some more muscle and bulk before lining up in the NFL.
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Jeremy Cash, Duke Blue Devils
Senior
Cash is similar to Cravens in that he is the type of hybrid safety whose skill set could translate favorably to the weak side linebacker position. He is only average as a coverage safety but he has elite size at 6’2’’ and 215 pounds and his ability to play up near the line of scrimmage and make big plays in the running game. He figures to translate as more of a strong safety than a free safey. Cash could fall to the second round depending on his combine efforts but he shouldn’t slide any further as plenty of NFL teams will be looking for help at the back end of their secondary at the 2016 NFL Draft.
