2023 NFL Draft Prospects: Safety

4/24/23: Branch recorded 90 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and seven passes broken up in 2022. Team sources think Branch could be a hybrid cornerback/safety similar to Minkah Fitzpatrick. Branch can play nickel corner or serve as a safety in the middle of the field. If Branch were to play full-time safety in the NFL, he should add some weight to his frame to help his tackling. However, Branch is instinctive, athletic and versatile. Some sources say that Branch is one of the best tackling defensive backs they have seen in decades. He looks like a safe pick to become a solid NFL starter.

6/30/22: Alabama has had a lot of first-round cornerbacks under Nick Saban, and the 2023 NFL Draft could see a few more. Branch played well in 2021, showing size and cover skills while recording 55 tackles and nine passes broken up. In 2020, he collected 27 tackles, two interceptions and seven breakups. It would help Branch to generate more interception production as a junior.

4/24/23: Martin is a versatile defensive back who is a weapon in the secondary. He can play safety, nickel corner, or outside corner. Martin is a smooth athlete with instincts. He is sleeper who put together really good tape during the 2022 season. In his final season with the Illini, he recorded 64 tackles, three interceptions, 11 passes broken up, one sack and two forced fumbles. Martin helped himself with an excellent combine showing.

4/24/23: Brown was a solid strong safety for the Fighting Illini over the past few seasons, and the senior was a particularly dynamic playmaker in 2022. On the year, Brown recorded 59 tackles, one sack, seven passes broken up and six interceptions. That was a huge increase in ball production given that he recorded of a total of four interceptions over the previous four seasons. Brown also had 88 tackles in 2019.

Brown put together a quality week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Team sources believe Brown is a good player, plays tough, but he is not a center fielder and not impressive in man coverage on tight ends. They also say Brown gets knocked around some in the box and has some size limitations, but he is a gritty defender who is all football. Brown helped himself with a strong combine workout.

4/24/23: Johnson recorded 71 tackles, a sack, three forced fumbles and one pass broken up in 2022. He played really well for Texas A&M, impressing team evaluators. Johnson went down with an injury against Alabama, and while he missed a good portion of the season, he played well in the final weeks of the year. While Johnson did not have a super fast 40 at the combine, he looked good in field drills.

6/30/22: Johnson is a massive corner who broke out for the Aggies in 2021. The sophomore recorded 79 tackles, an interception and five passes defended on the year. Johnson has phenomenal length and size to match up against NFL receivers. If he does well against speed receivers in the SEC, he could be a high riser for the 2023 NFL Draft. Some evaluators are concerned Johnson could be too tall and leggy to run with pro receivers, so they will be watching closely how he does against top receivers during the 2022 season.

4/24/23: Scott finished up a long career at California with a strong senior year that really helped him with the NFL. In 2022, Scott recorded 85 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and four passes broken up. He totaled 82 tackles, three interceptions and two pass breakups in 2021. Scott has quality size for the NFL.

4/24/23: In 2022, Joseph recorded 30 tackles, forced fumble, an interception and a pass broken up. He was decent, but unimpressive, for Notre Dame. Joseph decided to enter the 2023 NFL Draft rather than return to school.

6/30/22: Joseph was one of 2020’s breakout stars, putting together a dominant season for Northwestern. He was a ballhawk who helped the Wildcats to get to the Big Ten Championship and produced a lot of splash plays with six interceptions, two passes broken up and 52 tackles. In 2021, he collected 79 tackles, four passes defended and three interceptions. Joseph has good size, instincts, quickness and athleticism.

4/24/23: Hellams racked up 108 tackles, one forced fumble, one sack, one interception and seven passes broken up in 2022. He was a solid defender for Alabama and could fit as a strong safety in the NFL.

7/1/22: Hellams first saw the field in 2020, recording 62 tackles and three passes broken up. He produced more in 2021, totaling 87 tackles, three interceptions and three passes defended. Hellams needs to show improvement in pass coverage to rise as a senior.

4/24/23: Brown turned in a solid senior season with 66 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and four passes broken up. In 2021, he was even better with 73 stops, one forced fumble, five passes broken up and six interceptions. Brown is short and lacks length, but he has good instincts and ball skills.

4/24/23: Battle recorded 71 tackles, two passes broken up and an interception in 2022. He was solid for the Crimson Tide, but did not make many splash plays. Team sources shared they feel Battle has limitations, but he could end up being a starter at the next level.

7/1/22: Battle notched 85 tackles, three interceptions and three passes broken up in 2021. He played solid football for Alabama, but he was not overly impressive. Battle is more of a strong safety type for the NFL. He was a tough defender for Alabama in 2020, totaling 58 tackles, an interception and four passes defended. Over the course of the season, Battle illustrated that he has a good skill set and upside to improve as he gains experience.

4/24/23: In 2022, Ward totaled 54 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. He did a decent job.

7/1/22: Ward flashed in 2020, showing some ball skills at cornerback. He recorded 29 tackles, three passes interceptions and nine broken up on the year, which was his first season of serious playing time. In 2021, Ward moved to free safety, and playing in coverage on the back end was a better fit for him. On the year, he collected 69 tackles, two interceptions, four passes defended and one forced fumble. Ward has potential and also needs to fill out his frame for the NFL.

4/24/23: Over the past few seasons, Skinner was a solid safety for the Broncos. The senior totaled 65 tackles, four interceptions and five passes broken up in 2022. In 2021, he recorded 92 tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and three passes broken up. Skinner accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. He wasn’t bad in practice, but he looked very thin and needs to gain weight for the NFL.

4/24/23: Smith was a solid back-end defender for Georgia over the past few seasons. In 2022, he totaled 57 tackles, one sack, three interceptions and five passes broken up. In 2021, he recorded 34 tackles, three interceptions and four passes broken up.

Smith is undersized and might be more of a backup and special teams contributor at the next level. At the Senior Bowl, Smith had a disappointing week.

4/24/23: In 2022, Robinson totaled 99 tackles, an interception and five passes broken up. Sources say he is a good player, but undersized. They feel Robinson might have to be a nickelback in the NFL.

7/1/22: Robinson has been a steady contributor and run defender over the past three seasons. He recorded 62 tackles in 2019 and followed that up with 74 of them in 2020. In each of those seasons, he notched an interception and four passes defended. Robinson put together his best season in 2021 with 84 tackles four interceptions, two forced fumbles and three passes defended. Robinson is short and light, so he could stand to add some weight for the NFL.

4/24/23: Mitchell played really well in 2022 with blanket coverage. He recorded 52 tackles, one interception, seven passes broken up, one forced fumble and one sack on the year. Mitchell has good size to go along with instincts and physicality. He also could have sufficient versatility to play safety as well as cornerback at the next level. Mitchell would go higher, but major medical concerns are hurting him around the league.

6/30/22: In 2021, Mitchell was a solid No. 2 corner for Northwestern, and he totaled 48 tackles and six passes defended. He has one interception over his college career and could use more ball production.

4/24/23: Owens recorded 74 tackles, an interception, two forced fumbles and seven pass breakups in 2022. He was a solid defender for the Cougars.

7/1/22: Owens was a quality defender for the Cougars as a junior, recording 52 tackle, two interceptions and three passes defended. He had 28 tackles and 54 stops in the previous two seasons, respectively. Owens needs to improve his ball production and splash plays to rise as a senior.

4/24/23: Howden totaled 58 tackles, two interceptions and five passes broken up in 2022.

7/1/22: Howden has not had big production in college, but has played well enough to get onto NFL teams’ preseason watchlist. In 2021, Howden notched 43 tackles and five passes batted. His best season came in 2019 when he recorded 57 stops, an interception and six passes defended.

4/24/23: Torrence recorded 84 tackles and a pass defended in 2022. While he didn’t play poorly, he wasn’t as impactful as he was in 2021 and missed some tackles. Torrence should have definitely returned to Florida for his fourth season, but he decided to enter the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/1/22: Florida fired Dan Mullen in large part because the Gators had not recruited good talent, as evidenced by their pathetic defense in 2021. The one exception was Torrence. He was very impressive, doing a good job in coverage, putting up quality run defense, and showing solid instincts. Torrence notched 87 tackles, three interceptions and two passes defended in 2021. He is a versatile safety who has upside.

4/24/23: Merriweather recorded 47 tackles, three interceptions, three passes broken up and a forced fumble in 2022.

7/1/22: Merriweather collected 42 tackle, an interception and four passes batted in 2021. He has quality size to him, but needs to show more pass-coverage skills as a senior.

4/24/23: In 2022, Nubin totaled 55 tackles, four interceptions, three passes broken up and a forced fumble.

7/1/22: In 2021, Nubin was a decent defender for the Gophers, recording 49 tackles, three interceptions and two passes defended. For the NFL, Nubin would have to fit as a backup strong safety and special teams contributor to start out his career. Then he may be able to grow beyond that role.

4/24/23: Over the course of 2022, Dean collected 81 tackles and four passes broken up. Team sources said they think he is a better athlete than football player. Dean has received some late-round grades for the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/1/22: Dean has been a steady contributor for the Gators over the past four seasons. He had modest tackle totals in 2018 (26), 2019 (26), and 2020 (34) before breaking out in 2021 with 88 tackles, an interception and eight passes defended. Dean forms a nice tandem with Rashad Torrence, but Dean needs to produce more splash plays to rise as a senior.

4/24/23: Conner recorded 66 tackles and two passes defended in 2022.

7/1/22: Conner has been a quality run defender for the Hokies over the past two seasons, recording 85 tackles in 2021 after notching 81 stops in 2020. His junior year in 2021 was his best season, as he also had two sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and five passes batted. Conner is a strong safety type who needs to show more coverage skills in 2022.

4/24/23: In 2022, McMorris recorded 61 tackles, an interception and five passes broken up.

7/1/22: McMorris was a really good defender for the Aztecs in 2021, recording 90 tackles, four interceptions and nine passes broken up. McMorris could rise as a senior, and he would be rated higher if it weren’t for some limitations.