Seattle Person
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 3, 2021
- Messages
- 308
- Reaction score
- 323
Rolling now with the safeties. The national guys seem down on this safety class but I think there is a lot of value throughout the whole draft. So much versatility!
In the modern NFL, you want guys that can do it all. Most of the safeties on this list are jacks of all trade. I want my safeties to do a little bit of everything. It helps that they can run fast but they have to be smart and versatile. The backend is extremely important for the disguise aspect of MacDonald's defense. Although there some thumpers on this list, most of them are in the mold of Julien Love than Jamal Adams.
1st Round
Cooper DeJean: 6'0, 203 lbs, 31'' arms. Injured and has not tested. I don't think DeJean is an outside CB. I think he gives up way too many easy catches. He's a react player. I want the play in front of DeJean. Move him around and let him react. Pretty good tackler but he's not a pure coverage guy. I think he will be a hell of a safety. Not sure where his home is. Stiff as a CB but he'll transition well as a safety.
2nd Round
Cole Bishop: 6'2, 206 lbs, 30'' arms, 4.45 (40-yard), 39'' (Vertical): Bishop certainly has surprised me with his speed. He can shoot the gaps and play run support. He can cover bigger TEs and probably bigger inside WRs. Not sure he is shifty enough for slot WRs. Versatile. Smart. There is a lot to like with him. I like Nubin here as well but he lacks the gear that Bishop does.
3rd Round
Jaden Hicks: 6'1, 211 lbs, 31.5'' arms, 4.50 (40-yard), 37.5'' (Vertical), 6.88 (3 Cone): Like Bishop, There is a lot to like about Hicks. Versatile. Can do it all. Tackling is a bug-a-boo. He needs to be better period. He lined up everywhere for WSU. I think most of us already know his name and game. I like him a lot and he might go earlier because of better testing numbers.
4th Round
Kitan Oladapo: 6'2, 216 lbs, 32'' arms, 4.58 (40-yard), 36'' (Vertical), 15 reps (Bench): He is a little more stickier in coverage than Hampton. He has better hips to flip. Uses his arms very well to disrupt the pass and WRs. He can read and go and brings a thump. Oladapo as an open field tackler can become a problem though. He needs to clean that up. He can struggle in off-man or zone coverage at times. Doesn't always close as fast as other safeties or DBs.
5th Round
Dominique Hampton: 6'2, 215 lbs, 33'' arms, 4.51 (40-yard), 39'' (Vertical), 6.83 (3 Cone), 20 reps (Bench): Hampton has played everywhere at UW. He is going to be very comfortable moving around. He's a very smart player. Athletic dude that can run. He isn't great at anything but does a little bit of everything. Him and Oladapo are pretty similar players but Hampton is more athletic.
6th Round
Trey Taylor: 6'0, 206 lbs, 32'' arms, 4.59 (40-yard), 37.5'' (Vertical), 22 reps (Bench), 6.90 (3 Cone), 4.13 (Shuttle): This guy does not care about his health. Heat seeking missile to the ball. He's relatively unknown because he went to Air Force. He's not straight line fast but he's agile and pretty quick. He can blitz very well. There is a role for him in a 2 deep safety scheme. Remember, the Ravens safeties weren't the best athletes. They were smart and versatile. He wants to hit you.
7th Round
Ryan Watts: 6'2, 208 lbs, 34.5'' arms, 4.53 (40-yard), 40.5'' (Vertical), 6.82 (3 Cone), 4.13 (Shuttle): He started at Ohio State and ended up at Texas. He has played CB and Safety in college. I think he'll be a better safety than CB. He is one of the most explosive DBs in this draft class. As a pure coverage DB, he struggles. Shifty guys gives him a lot of problems. Keep the ball in front of him. He already tries to hit like a safety. Has huge upside as a 2 high safety.
UDFA
Akeem Dent: 5'11, 203 lbs, 31'' arms, 4.46 (40-yard), 33.5'' (Vertical), 6.78 (3 Cone), 4.41 (Shuttle), 16 reps (Bench): To me, he has a lot of qualities of Jerrick Reed. Smallish with good speed. They aren't the most agile dudes but can pack a punch. I was a big fan of the FSU secondary this past season.
In the modern NFL, you want guys that can do it all. Most of the safeties on this list are jacks of all trade. I want my safeties to do a little bit of everything. It helps that they can run fast but they have to be smart and versatile. The backend is extremely important for the disguise aspect of MacDonald's defense. Although there some thumpers on this list, most of them are in the mold of Julien Love than Jamal Adams.
1st Round
Cooper DeJean: 6'0, 203 lbs, 31'' arms. Injured and has not tested. I don't think DeJean is an outside CB. I think he gives up way too many easy catches. He's a react player. I want the play in front of DeJean. Move him around and let him react. Pretty good tackler but he's not a pure coverage guy. I think he will be a hell of a safety. Not sure where his home is. Stiff as a CB but he'll transition well as a safety.
2nd Round
Cole Bishop: 6'2, 206 lbs, 30'' arms, 4.45 (40-yard), 39'' (Vertical): Bishop certainly has surprised me with his speed. He can shoot the gaps and play run support. He can cover bigger TEs and probably bigger inside WRs. Not sure he is shifty enough for slot WRs. Versatile. Smart. There is a lot to like with him. I like Nubin here as well but he lacks the gear that Bishop does.
3rd Round
Jaden Hicks: 6'1, 211 lbs, 31.5'' arms, 4.50 (40-yard), 37.5'' (Vertical), 6.88 (3 Cone): Like Bishop, There is a lot to like about Hicks. Versatile. Can do it all. Tackling is a bug-a-boo. He needs to be better period. He lined up everywhere for WSU. I think most of us already know his name and game. I like him a lot and he might go earlier because of better testing numbers.
4th Round
Kitan Oladapo: 6'2, 216 lbs, 32'' arms, 4.58 (40-yard), 36'' (Vertical), 15 reps (Bench): He is a little more stickier in coverage than Hampton. He has better hips to flip. Uses his arms very well to disrupt the pass and WRs. He can read and go and brings a thump. Oladapo as an open field tackler can become a problem though. He needs to clean that up. He can struggle in off-man or zone coverage at times. Doesn't always close as fast as other safeties or DBs.
5th Round
Dominique Hampton: 6'2, 215 lbs, 33'' arms, 4.51 (40-yard), 39'' (Vertical), 6.83 (3 Cone), 20 reps (Bench): Hampton has played everywhere at UW. He is going to be very comfortable moving around. He's a very smart player. Athletic dude that can run. He isn't great at anything but does a little bit of everything. Him and Oladapo are pretty similar players but Hampton is more athletic.
6th Round
Trey Taylor: 6'0, 206 lbs, 32'' arms, 4.59 (40-yard), 37.5'' (Vertical), 22 reps (Bench), 6.90 (3 Cone), 4.13 (Shuttle): This guy does not care about his health. Heat seeking missile to the ball. He's relatively unknown because he went to Air Force. He's not straight line fast but he's agile and pretty quick. He can blitz very well. There is a role for him in a 2 deep safety scheme. Remember, the Ravens safeties weren't the best athletes. They were smart and versatile. He wants to hit you.
7th Round
Ryan Watts: 6'2, 208 lbs, 34.5'' arms, 4.53 (40-yard), 40.5'' (Vertical), 6.82 (3 Cone), 4.13 (Shuttle): He started at Ohio State and ended up at Texas. He has played CB and Safety in college. I think he'll be a better safety than CB. He is one of the most explosive DBs in this draft class. As a pure coverage DB, he struggles. Shifty guys gives him a lot of problems. Keep the ball in front of him. He already tries to hit like a safety. Has huge upside as a 2 high safety.
UDFA
Akeem Dent: 5'11, 203 lbs, 31'' arms, 4.46 (40-yard), 33.5'' (Vertical), 6.78 (3 Cone), 4.41 (Shuttle), 16 reps (Bench): To me, he has a lot of qualities of Jerrick Reed. Smallish with good speed. They aren't the most agile dudes but can pack a punch. I was a big fan of the FSU secondary this past season.
Last edited:
