Michael Brantley Can Jog: A Timeline of Mishaps and Mistakes
February 15, 2018What of the Cavaliers narratives? While We’re Waiting
February 16, 2018The 2018 NFL Scouting Combine is drawing closer and closer as we pass each day. The Scouting Combine is the first big up close and personal examination of the draft prospects in the upcoming draft. So, the road to the 2018 NFL Draft is on!
Here at WFNY, we have been getting you ready early for the upcoming draft. In particular, Joe Gilbert and Jake Burns have guided you through each position group, giving their early glance at their top five prospects and overall thoughts of each positions class. The two have hit on almost all of the offensive positions and today the duo finishes up the defensive side of the ball.
Joe Gilbert and Jake Burns finish on the defensive side of the ball with the safety draft class. Both men will give their top five safeties and their overall opinions on the class. So with that, let’s take a look at the 2018 NFL Draft safety class.
2018 NFL Draft Early Glance Series: Running back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard/Center, Interior Defensive Line, Edge Rusher, Linebacker, Cornerback
Joe Gilbert’s Top 5 Ss | Jake Burns’ Top 5 Ss |
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1. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama | 1. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama |
2. Derwin James, Florida State | 2. Derwin James, Florida State |
3. Jessie Bates, Wake Forest | 3. Kyzir White, West Virginia |
4. Armani Watts, Texas A&M | 4. Ronnie Harrison, Alabama |
5. Ronnie Harrison, Alabama | 5. Justin Reid, Stanford |
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Best of the Rest: Marcus Allen (Penn State), Terrell Edmunds (Virginia Tech), Jordan Whitehead (Pittsburgh), DeShone Elliott (Texas), Damon Webb (Ohio State), and Tray Matthews (Auburn)
Which safety do you feel stronger about than most people?
Joe: I feel stronger about Jessie Bates of Wake Forest than most people. Bates has good athleticism. He is a player who is exceptional in coverage with the ability to cover in man and zone. He has good movement abilities to cover receivers in man coverage. In zone, he reads the play quickly and can explode out of his stance to break on the ball. Even though he does not have great size and physicality, he has shown a solid ability to tackle in space. I think he will be a quality free safety in the NFL.
Jake: I lean toward favoring Justin Reid out of Stanford. His tape has enough in it to show that he can play either safety position, and he can cover ground deep if need be. He has a complete game and just runs the field well with proper angles, while being what seems to be one the class’s best tacklers. Much of his future will depend on who drafts him and what position they want to plug him into. Day 2 is where I expect him to go, and he will be an NFL safety for a long time.
Who is your No. 1 safety in the class and why do you believe he is the best safety?
Joe: My No. 1 safety in the class is Minkah Fitzpatrick of Alabama. He has everything you want. As an athlete, he has good size and excellent athleticism. In coverage, he has the ability to play in man coverage against almost any pass catcher. In zone, he is quick to react, using his athleticism to break on the play quickly. At Alabama, he was used in almost every role. He was used as a cornerback, safety, linebacker and even a rusher. Against the run, he can track down runners from behind and is a solid tackler. Some people believe he could be a cornerback in the NFL, but I think his best role is as a safety where he can fully utilize his whole skill set.
Jake: Much like Joe, my No.1 safety is Minkah Fitzpatrick. The versatility is key for him. Alabama didn’t pigeon-hole him into any one spot consistently, but he is able to do it if need be. He seems to translate best as a free safety, and that is where he would be most useful for the Browns, but it remains to be seen if they stick him there or let him work some at corner. His reactions play well, he’s a sure tacklers, and he covers as well as anyone in the class. He is the name to keep an eye on with the Browns second first-round pick.
What are your thoughts on the overall safety class? How would you rate the class?
Joe: I think the safety class is good and quite deep, with the class stacking up quite equal to last season’s talented crop. The only difference is that there is just one elite talent in the class this season in my opinion, while last year had two elite players. But, this year’s class is pretty flush with interesting options to help upgrade a team’s safety position. There should be some really good players who come from this class.
Jake: This class is really solid from top to bottom. Like Joe said, it mirrors 2017, and it has the top end talent that will translate well from right away on Sundays. There’s plenty to like at the top with Fitzpatrick and Derwin James, but the middle tier including Kyzir White, Ronnie Harrison, and Armani Watts can all get after it as well. Even some late day three names like Ohio State’s Damon Webb will find their way to contribute to their respective roster.
Who has the best single skill set and what is that skill set?
Joe: The best single skill set in the class is Minkah Fitzpatrick’s coverage ability. He was tasked to cover man-to-man on many of his overall snaps this season. He did it extremely well, leading to some to think he can be a corner. He is that good in coverage. In zone coverage, he has the athleticism and IQ to react and break quickly to make a play on the ball. His coverage ability is just outstanding.
Jake: For me, Derwin James ability to come down and play the box with physicality is tough to top. Not only that, but he was also able to display good instincts and rare combination of size, speed, physicality and versatility. James fits as a strong safety who is a tough eighth defender in the box. James has some coverage limitations as a free safety, but he could be a really dangerous box safety and extra rush defender.
Who is a sleeper safety who you are keeping an eye on?
Joe: A sleeper safety to keep an eye on is Siran Neal of Jacksonville State. He is a player with experience of playing cornerback. He is able to play in man and zone coverage. One of his best assets is his physicality. He is a good tackler who can lay some big hits on the ball carrier.
Jake: A bit undersized for the position at the NFL level, but I enjoy South Alabama’s Jeremy Reaves. He has the makings of a potential mid-round sleeper for the draft. Reaves is considered especially adept as a tackler and run defender. He was a favorite of Pro Football Focus rankings this year, and he will have a solid combine to back up his Senior Bowl appearance.
What is the impact of this safety class to the Browns?
Joe: The Browns need a free safety because Jabrill Peppers in that role was not good. So, the Browns will definitely look closer at this safety class. I think the Browns will go pretty high in trying to address this with a pretty high possibility they take Minkah Fitzpatrick at No. 4 to fill this hole.
Jake: It will be interesting to see what route the Browns take here. Will they keep letting Jabrill Peppers develop deep as a free safety–where came on strong late in the year–or will they draft the likes of Minkah Fitzpatrick. The plan of moving Peppers up to play the strong safety role with Derrick Kindred makes sense, but the need will then be heavy on a rookie free safety again as Gregg Williams has shown the desire to use a deep center-fielder. I expect the Browns to take a free safety type in one of the first three rounds.
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Minkah Fitzpatrick Highlights
Derwin James Highlights
Kyzir White Highlights
Armani Watts Highlights
Jessie Bates Highlights
Ronnie Harrison Highlights
Justin Reid Highlights