There are no first-round safeties in the 2024 draft, but don't let that fool you into thinking there aren't quality players at the position.
Day 2 will be littered with several top-end safety options, and that could be a position the New Orleans Saints target considering their current depth chart behind Tyrann Mathieu.
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MORE POSITION BREAKDOWNS: quarterback | running back | wide receiver | offensive tackle | tight end | cornerback | defensive tackle
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"Today, man, you’ve got to cover," college football analyst Mike Detillier said on WWL. "You just can’t go behind the scenes and just be a run defender. You’d better cover, because if you can’t, I’m picking on you.”
So who are those players, and in what order? Scroll below for Detillier's WR rankings, his takes on several and a draft projection for each of the top 13.
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1. Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
- Mike's take: “He can play free or strong safety. His brother is a running back now at Minnesota. He’s got some genetics. His dad played football at Eastern Michigan, but in talking to him, he said, you know where I get my genetics from? My mom. She ran track at Eastern Michigan, so Tyler Nubin has got some genetics and he can flat-out play. Three-year starter, he played wide receiver and cornerback in high school, was not widely recruited, but man, he’s a heck of a player, very instinctive, good open-field tackler, 207 tackles in his three-year career, 24 pass breakups and he holds the Minnesota record for pass interceptions with 13. He’s a ballhawk, so if you’re looking for a guy that can match up in coverage, then he comes up the seam fast in run support, it’s Tyler Nubin. ... The way he plays the ball in flight, he’s like a centerfielder, that ball is popped up in the air, hey, it’s mine. He’s gonna go out and get it. … I’m a big fan of Tyler Nubin, tough football player, smart guy and always around the football.”
- Draft projection: early to mid 2nd round pick
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2. Kamren Kinchens, Miami
- Mike's take: "He has started since his freshman season at Miami of Florida. I think he came in mid-season, took over the job as a starer and never looked back, 118 tackles the last two years, 11 career interceptions, which tells you he’s a ballhawk. He knows where the ball is in flight, and he matches up well, if it’s a man coverage or a zone coverage, he does a good job. I’d like to see him physically get a little bit stronger to help out in run support, but I like Kamren Kinchens.”
- Draft projection: mid to late 2nd round pick
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3. Calen Bullock, USC
- Mike's take: “He’s one of my favorites in this draft class. Three-year starter for the Trojans, he started at corner, nickel corner, free safety, strong safety, all across the board. 149 tackles in his three-year career there, 13 pass breakups, 9 pass interceptions. He’s a tall drink of water, over 6-2 as a safety, he matches up well in coverage. If you’re playing cornerback at USC, you’d better be able to match up, and he is a really good cover cornerback, but free safety is his spot and he’s got great range, he runs the field well. He’s gotten better in run support. he was a bit of an olé tackler early in his career, going low, but he’s gotten much better as an open-field tackler, so I’m a big fan.”
- Draft projection: late 2nd to early 3rd round pick
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4. Jaden Hicks, Washington State
- Mike's take: “Jaden redshirted his first season at Washington State, then he became a two-year starter at Washington State, declared early, 155 tackles, 8 tackles for loss. That tells me right there, in two years you racked up 155 on tackles and 8 tackles for losses. Man, you’re really good playing close to the line of scrimmage and he plays safety like a linebacker. I mean, he’s right there to try to make that tackle, also gets pressure on the quarterback, 3 pass interceptions, 13 pass deflections. His big issue is sometimes he don’t catch the ball well, so the tease with Jaden is that’s why you’re playing safety, but I’m a big fan of Jaden Hicks also. I think he is a really good."
- Draft projection: Early to mid 3rd round pick
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5. Javon Bullard, Georgia
- Mike's take: “Man, every year they’ve got a safety that can play from Georgia. Two-year starter there. He had to wait his time because the two guys ahead of him were pretty doggone good. Over the last two seasons 102 tackles and 4 pass interceptions, and they use you a lot of different ways. Kirby is a guy that puts a lot of emphasis on safety play and their versatility. He has played in the slot at Georgia, played on special teams, but they use him a lot and you see it coming off the edge as a blitzer, coming up the field in run support. They hang their corners kind of out to dry sometimes, 1-on-1 downfield, no matter where, Bullard was the guy who was making the calls. He’s the chirper the last two years for the Bulldogs on defense, putting everybody in the right place, right spot. ... Really good football player.”
- Draft projection: mid to late 3rd round pick
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6. Cole Bishop, Utah
- Mike's take: “I’d have to talk to Cole a little bit. I don’t know how the hell he got [to Utah] — he played high school football in Georgia, he goes to Utah and he’s a three-year starter for the Utes there. I do know one thing, if you are playing for coach Willingham, you’re one tough son of a gun, because man, Utah, them cats that play on that team, that’s No. 1 priority. You’d better be tough and you'd better hit hard. 197 tackles he’s had over the last three years, but here’s the jumper to me, 21.5 tackles for losses. He’s coming up that seam and fast. Also, 7.5 quarterback sacks, so similar to what Javon Bullard does at Georgia, Cole Bishop was doing that at Utah. They were using him a lot of times he would run up the seam real fast and get pressure on the quarterback, also has had three pass interceptions. He did play wide receiver and he can catch the ball, that I know. I’ve seen him make some difficult pass breakups and interceptions. Cole Bishop is a really good football player.”
- Draft projection: early to mid Day 3 pick
This article is the fifth in a draft preview series with WWL analyst Mike Detillier, check back for breakdowns of other positions leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.