2025 NFL Draft: Top 45 Safeties
A look at the updated NFL Draft S Big Board courtesy of NFL Draft Bible.
Welcome to the February 23, 2025 edition of the All Access Football Newsletter, Presented By Sports Management Worldwide Agent Apprenticeship.
2025 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD: SAFETIES
In terms of height and weight measurements, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a position group with more disparateness than the safety spot.
From long, athletic types such as Malaki Starks of Georgia and Nick Emmanwori (photo: SC Athletics) of South Carolina, to the smaller, compact safeties who provide big-time play such as Billy Bowman of Oklahoma and Dante Trader Jr. of Maryland.
We also have several players who carry NFL bloodlines such as RJ Mickens Jr (son of Ray Mickens) from Clemson and Shilo Sanders (son of Deion Sanders) from Colorado. Let us not forget the FCS studs such as Mike Smith Jr. of Eastern Kentucky and Tyron Herring of Delaware.
It makes for the hardest position group to project. Once you get into Day 3 of the draft, each prospects draft value can vary more than most, based on various team-specific scheme and needs, as defensive backs have evolved into becoming interchangeable parts for many organizations.
With that being said, it is not considered to be a very stout class in terms of star-power. Rather, there are a handful or next level starters but plenty of depth for teams in search of role players and utility types.
Since 2020, an average of 57 defensive backs per year have been drafted, approximately one-third chosen are safeties. Surprisingly, the average safety salary ($2.2M) was slightly higher, verses the average cornerback salary ($2.0M) in 2024, according to Spotrac.com. For reference, the average NFL salary last season was $3.2M.
BALDY’S BREAKDOWN SCOUTING SEMINAR #1 — SCOUTING THE CFB PLAYOFF
KEY: HPFA = High Priority Free Agent || PFA = Priority Free Agent || FA = Free Agent
RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTY | HAND | ARM | WING | PROJ
Malaki Starks, Georgia, Jr, 6010, 205, 4.48, Rd1*
Billy Bowman, Oklahoma, Sr, 5096, 198, 4.48e, 0858, 2938, 6958, Rd1
Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina, Jr, 6026, 220, 4.52, Rd1*
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame, rJr, 5116, 203, 4.55, Rd2
Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State, Jr, 6016, 203, 4.50, Rd2*
Andrew Mukuba, Texas, Sr, 6011, 195, 4.55, Rd2
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State, rSr, 6010, 205, 4.51, Rd3
Jaylen Reed, Penn State, Sr, 5116, 212, Rd3
Dante Trader Jr., Maryland, Sr, 5106 196 4.50e, 858 3128 7500, Rd3
Dan Jackson, Georgia, rSr, 5116, 194, 4.52e, 0900, 3048, 7268, Rd4
Malachi Moore, Alabama, Sr, 5106, 196, 4.55, Rd4
Maxen Hook, Toledo, Sr, 5117, 193, 4.52e, 0918, 3228, 7518, Rd4
Sebastian Castro, Iowa, rSr, 5110, 202, 4.58e, 1000, 3100, 7428, Rd5
Craig Woodson, California, rSr, 5116, 202, 4.60e, 0848, 3028, 7538, Rd5
Jonas Sanker, Virginia, Sr, 6001, 206, 4.50e, 0958, 3258, 7700, Rd5
Kitan Crawford, Nevada- Reno, Sr, 5102, 197, 4.45e, 0938, 3128, 7500, Rd6
Alijah Clark, Syracuse, Sr, 6004, 188, 4.55e, 0948, 3028, 7618, Rd6
Shamari Simmons, Arizona State, rSr, 5115, 183, 4.44, Rd5, Rd7
RJ Mickens Jr, Clemson, Sr, 6000, 207, 4.58e, 0878, 3248, 7818, Rd7
Mishael Powell, Miami, rSr, 6006, 210, 4.56e, Rd7
Malik Verdon, Iowa State, rJr, 6035, 220, 4.59*, HPFA
Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin, Sr, 6013 217 4.55e, 938 3118 7428, HPFA
Marques Sigle, Kansas State, Sr, 5111, 196, 4.58e, 0928, 3058, 7338, HPFA
Mike Smith Jr., Eastern Kentucky, Sr, 6007, 213, 4.52e, 0928, 3238, 7718, HPFA
Justin Barron, Syracuse, Sr, 6035, 226, 4.60e, 0938, 3168, 7618, HPFA
Garnett Hollis, West Virginia, Sr, 6002, 203, 4.50e, 0800, 3200, 7600, PFA
Trey Rucker, Oklahoma State, rSr, 5116, 212, 4.60e, 0918, 3068, 7328, PFA
De’Rickey Wright, Texas A&M, Sr, 6031, 214, 4.55e, 858, 3438, PFA
Johnathan Edwards, Tulane, Sr, 6005, 203, 4.58e, 0900, 3228, 7718, PFA
Seyi Oladipo, Boise State, Sr, 5112, 201, 4.60, PFA
MJ Griffin, Louisville, rSr, 6003, 189, 4.55e, 0878, 3238, 7868, PFA
Shilo Sanders, Colorado, rSr, 6000, 195, 4.55, PFA
Bryan Addison, UCLA, rSr, 6042, 185, 4.50e, 0918, 3100, 7478, PFA
Major Burns, LSU, rSr, 6016, 204, 4.48e, 0928, 3168, 7628, PFA
Tyron Herring, Delaware, rSr, 6010, 202, 4.55e, 0938, 3178, 7668, PFA
J.J Roberts, Marshall, Sr, 5106, 181, 4.60e, 0878, 3158, 7528, PFA
Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, Colorado, rSr, 5103, 184, 4.50e, 0838, 2958, 7068, PFA
Corey Thornton, Louisville, Sr, 6002, 194, 4.56e, 0900, 3278, 7968, PFA
Donovan McMillon, Pittsburgh, Sr, 6015, 208, 4.52e, 0938, 3200, 7448, PFA
Tyler Rudolph, UMass, rSr, 6000, 196, 4.55e, 0968, 3078, 7568, PFA
DeShon Singleton, Nebraska, rSr, 6026, 210, 4.60, FA
Kenyatta Watson II, Georgia State, rSr, 6003, 189, 4.50e, 0900, 3200, 7558, FA
Jalen Kimber, Penn State, Sr, 5117, 181, 4.50e, 0900, 3168, 7648, FA
Zion Childress, Kentucky, Sr, 5104, 183, 4.55e, 0868, 3178, 7328, FA
Alaka’i Gilman, Utah, Sr, 5087, 195, 4.70e, 0818, 3048, 7468, FA