Safety Class
Early-round talent: B+Mid-round: C
Late-round: C
Overall grade: C+
2025 prospects vs 2024
Nick EmmanworiMalaki Starks
Xavier Watts
Tyler Nubin
Javon Bullard
Cole Bishop
Calen Bullock
Tykee Smith
Billy Bowman
Hunter Wohler
Just to be clear, this article and series are all my opinion. I base my evaluation on my own film study and also on information I’ve gotten from general managers, directors of college scouting, national scouts, area scouts, and NFL coaches who know way more than I do.
Last year, there were zero safeties selected in the first round, but there were some good prospects taken on day two. This year has more top-end, first-round talent but is not as strong on day two as the 2024 class. If you were to merge the two classes together, Emmanwori and Starks would be the top two safety prospects. Xavier Watts is also better than Tyler Nubin, who was the first safety drafted in 2024. There is a big drop-off after Watts for the 2025 group. Bowman and Wohler are not as good as the second and third-rounders from last year and would be behind Bullock and Smith.
Safest Pick: Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina 
Previous Picks:2024 Cooper DeJean
2023 Brian Branch
2022 Kyle Hamilton
2021 Jevon Holland
2020 Xavier McKinney
2019 Johnathan Abram
2018 Minkah Fitzpatrick
2017 Malik Hooker
2016 Jalen Ramsey
2015 Landon Collins
2014 HaHa Clinton-Dix
2013 Kenny Vacarro
This year was not a difficult choice as Emmanwori is a very good football player while also having a tremendous skill set. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder is a huge safety with rare coverage ability for a big safety. Emmanwori is a freak athlete with instincts and speed and can flash some physicality. He is not just a workout warrior as Emmanwori produced three years of excellent tape in the SEC. He is a safe pick to be a very good pro.
Biggest Bust Potential: Sebastian Castro, Iowa 
Previous Picks:2024 Sione Vaki
2023 Brandon Joseph
2022 Vernon McKinley
2021 Caden Sterns
2020 Ashtyn Davis
2019 Deionte Thompson
2018 Ronnie Harrison
2017 Jabrill Peppers
2016 Darian Thompson
2015 Gerod Holliman
2014 Ed Reynolds
2013 Eric Reid
This was a tough decision because no player was really jumping out at me. I ended up settling on Castro because there are some projections of him being a day-two pick, and he had some media hype coming out of the Senior Bowl. However, Castro has athletic limitations for the NFL, and I could see him topping out as a backup who contributes on special teams. As a day-two pick, I think Castro could have the potential to be a bust.
Safety Rankings by Attributes
Man Coverage:
NFL prototype: Xavier McKinney, Packers- Malaki Starks
- Nick Emmanwori
- Xavier Watts
- Billy Bowman
- Hunter Wohler
Recap: The NFL is a passing-driven league, and safeties with the ability to play some man coverage are a hot commodity. Many safeties are too stiff to match up against a slot receiver, a tight end or a receiving running back. Offenses seek out those mismatches, so good safeties have some man-coverage ability.
Starks is the top-rated because, along with being able to play safety, Starks is a capable slot or outside cover corner with size, speed, and athleticism. With feel, anticipation, and route recognition, Starks is able to run with receivers and prevent separation. In the NFL, Starks could be an excellent coverage asset with the man coverage skill to take on tight ends, slot receivers, or big wideouts on the outside.
Emmanwori has a versatile skill set with his tremendous combination of size, speed, and athleticism. He has enough speed and quick twitch ability to play some nickel corner, cover tight ends in man, and help on big receivers on the perimeter.
Watts is not a super-gifted athlete, so he may not be a great fit to play man coverage on slot receivers or twitchy tight ends. Bowman and Wohler were not man-coverage safeties in college. Bowman showed some ability to pick up receivers in zone, but he also gave up some separation and plays downfield. Wohler has a lack of speed and athleticism for the NFL. He could really struggle and get beat by pro receivers and tight ends in man coverage.
Zone Coverage:
NFL prototype: Jesse Bates, Falcons- Nick Emmanwori
- Malaki Starks
- Xavier Watts
- Billy Bowman
- Hunter Wohler
Recap: The ability to play well in zone coverage is a must in the NFL. There are teams that weigh this heavier than others due to scheme. Zone safeties need to be intelligent and cover a lot of ground while playing disciplined and instinctive football. They have to be able to pick up receivers who work through the short and intermediate parts of the field. None of these safeties looked bad in the zone.
In zone coverage, Emmanwori, Starks, and Watts are superb. They cover a lot of ground, pick up receivers that come into their area, and have instincts to make game-changing plays. They enter the next level as valuable middle of the field coverage safeties.
Bowman was a solid zone coverage safety in college. He can bite on some playfakes, so improving his eye discipline is a point of development. Wohler lacks play speed and is a limited athlete. Hence, he does not cover a lot of ground and could be a liability in coverage at the pro level.
Run Defense:
NFL prototype: Kyle Hamilton, Ravens- Hunter Wohler
- Nick Emmanwori
- Malaki Starks
- Billy Bowman
- Xavier Watts
Recap: The NFL doesn’t have as large of a need for the big, physical safeties of the 80s and 90s who were mini linebackers. Still, coaches want safeties who are good tacklers and run-defenders who are capable of playing in the box. All of these players showed some solid run defense during their collegiate careers.
In the ground game, Wohler can drive downhill and tackle in the box. He is adept at making open-field tackles and preventing offenses by getting stops at in the second level. He is physical and is super aggressive. Wohler is a dependable tackler and will dish out some hard hits. For the NFL, it might help him to improve his ability to get off blocks.
In the ground game, Emmanwori is a willing tackler who will come downhill to attack ball carriers. Sources say Emmanwori is not overly physical, but his physicality is adequate and is not a weakness. Emmanwori definitely has the size and strength to be the eighth man in the box.
Starks is not a liability as a run defender, but he is not elite in this regard. He is a quality tackler but is not a physical force that is an intimidator in the middle of the field. At the same time, Starks is a willing tackler who comes downhill to make stops in the ground game and is adept at defending the perimeter screen game. Starks looks more comfortable in coverage and more natural playing deep over being the eighth man in the box.
Bowman is a gamer and gritty defender that is willing to tackle. He will come downhill and get after ballcarriers. However, Bowman will bite on playfakes and his vision needs to improve for the NFL.
Watts is a willing tackler in run support, as he will come downhill. However, Watts is inconsistent in his tackling, and his technique needs to improve for the NFL.Ball Skills:
NFL prototype: Kerby Joseph, Lions- Xavier Watts
- Billy Bowman
- Nick Emmanwori
- Malaki Starks
- Hunter Wohler
Recap: The NFL is always looking for safeties with a knack for picking off passes. Safeties with the ball skills to catch errant throws or slap passes away from receivers are a great asset. Elite safeties have a knack for creating turnovers.
This year’s class has a few ballhawks led by Watts. He is a true ballhawk with his ability to undercut passing lanes and pick the ball off. He has soft hands and is a dangerous defender to test in coverage. He was an amazing turnover machine in college as he totaled 13 interceptions and 13 passes broken up over the past two seasons. Watts has tremendous instincts that lead him to making plays on the ball.
Bowman has some busts, but he also makes some huge plays for his defense. Over the past two years, he has eight interceptions with seven passes broken up. Bowman is a gambler, but he is a gamer, and that will pay off with some huge plays.
Many big safeties struggle to play the ball well, but Emmanwori is an exception, as he has impressive ball skills. He had six interceptions and 10 passes broken up over the last two years. Emmanwori had some game-changing interceptions last season, and his excellent instincts put him in a position to make big plays.
Starks had decent ball production over the past three seasons for the Bulldogs. He showed nice hands and used his length well to high-point the ball.
Wohler had zero interceptions last year and two the year before. His speed and athletic limitations are a factor, and he probably won’t have big ball production in the NFL.
Tackling & Hitting Ability:
NFL prototype: DBrian Branch, Lions- Nick Emmanwori
- Hunter Wohler
- Malaki Starks
- Billy Bowman
- Xavier Watts
Recap: Even though the NFL is trying to reduce the knockout shots that put some safeties in the Hall of Fame, a safety who is a hard hitter and can separate the ball is loved by coaches. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that tackling is getting worse, considering how much players are restricted on hitting. It seems that tackling is getting worse in the NFL. It isn’t hard to see why, as players don’t get to practice tackling very often. Even in the rare padded practice, players very rarely take a ball carrier to the ground. The union has restricted contact while teams want to avoid injuries. Tackling is becoming a lost art.
Emmanwori and Wohler are good form tacklers who show steady technique to get ball carriers on the ground. Both of them are strong and physical. Starks is a good tackler and reliable. Bowman is a bit of feast-or-famine in this regard. He can dish out some hard hits and punish ballcarriers. Watts was an inconsistent tackler in college.
