2020 Draft Preview: Safeties

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March 31, 2020

by Steve Thomas

We continue to slowly march through our draft preview series each week, and next up is the safety group.  Here’s the list of what we’ve covered so far:

The Redskins have already made significant changes to their safety contingent this offseason, releasing Montae Nicholson after bringing in Sean Davis as his replacement.  With the highly-paid Landon Collins set at one side, or strong safety in a single-high defense, and Davis on a one year contract with only 2018 4th round pick Troy Apke, special teams ace Deshazor Everett, and undrafted free agent Jeremy Reaves behind them on the depth chart, it’s safe to say that safety is on the team’s list of needs, albeit somewhere down the page.  This year’s class isn’t overly top-heavy, but nonetheless some significant talent will be available if the Redskins choose to go in this direction.  In that spirit, let’s take a look at some of the prospects.

1) Isaiah Simmons, 6’4” / 238, Clemson: Simmons is a consensus top 5 overall selection; however, he’s listed as a linebacker, not a safety. In fact, I listed him as both my #1 outside and inside linebacker.  He’s that good.  However, Simmons is so athletic and versatile that, in my view, he would also be the best safety in this class if put at that position.  He did play some safety in college. Simmons played 44 games in for years for the Tigers, making a total of 238 tackles, including 148 solo and 28.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and 4 interceptions, including 1 returned for a touchdown.  In 2019, he played all 15 games, making 104 tackles, including 67 solo, 8 sacks, and 3 interceptions, and was a unanimous First Team All-American.  He also won the 2019 Butkus Award given to the top linebacker in the country.  Simmons is an uber-talented, elite athlete who wowed the entire football world by running the 40 in 4.39 seconds and jumping 39 inches in the vertical leap test at the Combine.  The most important thing his film shows is his incredible versatility.  Clemson lined him up all over the defense – at inside linebacker, on both edges, as an outside linebacker, as a safety, and even in an outside defensive back position.  Simmons is an elite-level playmaker with good coverage skills, and is able to consistently use his athleticism to his advantage.  His long frame makes him look a bit lanky by inside linebacker standards, and he better suited to an outside linebacker position in the NFL where he can best use his athleticism to pursue and make plays.  Regardless, he can play every linebacker position and would automatically become the Redskins’ best linebacker at a position of critical need; however, with his range and athleticism, he would also be a tremendous safety.  Dare I say it?  This guy reminds me a little bit of the late Sean Taylor in terms of his body type, athleticism, and versatility.

2) Xavier McKinney, 6’0” / 201, Alabama: McKinney played three seasons for Alabama, with 32 total games, 175 tackles, including 108 solo, 6 sacks, and 5 interceptions, with 2 returned for touchdowns.  In 2019, he played in 13 games, making 95 tackles, including 59 solo tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 interceptions, including 1 returned for a touchdowns and earned First Team All-SEC honors.  At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.63 seconds, jumped 36 inches in the vertical leap and 10’2” in the standing broad jump, and did 19 bench press reps.  McKinney’s 40 time isn’t ideal by NFL free safety standards, but beyond that limitation, he is versatile to play in both single-high, cover 2, and as the in-the-box safety.  McKinney is not known for his ball skills, but most view him as having a high football IQ, toughness, and high-level anticipation.  Plus, coming from the vaunted Alabama defense would be an obvious benefit in Washington.  He could be an ideal compliment to Collins in the Redskins’ defensive backfield.  Most view McKinney as a 1st round pick.

3) Grant Delpit, 6’2” / 213, LSU: The Hog Sty’s Jamual Forrest did a film study of Delpit, which is available here.  Delpit spent 3 years with the Tigers, with 40 games, 199 tackles, including 230 solo tackles, 7 sacks, and 8 interceptions.  In 2019, he played 14 games and had 65 tackles, including 38 solo, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions.  He was a Consensus All-American in both 2018 and 2019.  Delpit elected not to participate in drills at the NFL Combine, planning to instead show his abilities at LSU’s pro day until it was canceled.  His 2019 was seen by some analysts as disappointing compared to his 2018.  As Jamual showed in his film breakdown, Delpit is known as having good balls skills, versatility, and decent range, but has had problems with tackling.  He has the potential to be a starter early in his NFL career.  He is most likely going to be a 1st round pick.

4) Antoine Winfield Jr., 5’9” / 203, Minnesota: Winfield played for Minnesota for 4 years, but saw both his 2017 and 2018 seasons both ended after just 4 games due to injury.  In total, he played 30 games, making 172 tackles, with 122 solo, 4 sacks, and 9 interceptions, including 2 returned for touchdowns.  In 2019, he played 12 games, making 83 tackles, including 58 solo, with 3 sacks and 7 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and was named as a Unanimous 1st Team All-American.  He participated in the NFL Combine, running the 40 yard dash in 4.45 seconds, and jumping 36 inches in the vertical leap and 10’4” inches in the standing broad jump.  Winfield’s obvious deficiency is his below-average height by NFL safety standards, but scouts feels as though he makes up for this via his outstanding instincts and fundamentals that were no doubt built by his father, 14 year NFL vet and 3x Pro Bowl corner Antoine Winfield Sr (who was also 5’9”).  His injury history is also a concern.  Look for Winfield to go early on day 2.

5) Ashtyn Davis, 6’1” / 202, Cal: Davis, originally a walk on to both the track and football teams, redshirted his freshman year and spent a full five years at Cal.  During that time, he played 45 games, with a total of 166 tackles, including 102 solo tackles, and 7 touchdowns.  In 2019, he played 11 games and made 55 tackles, including 32 solo, and 2 interceptions.  He earned First Team All Pac-12 honors in 2018 and Second Team honors in 2019.  Davis elected not to run at the NFL Combine and was never measured in the 40 during the pre-draft process since Cal’s pro day was canceled, but he is an elite sprinter who supposedly has a sub-4.40 second 40 time.  He is inexperienced and inconsistent, but plays tough and has off-the-charts athleticism, and is a player who could become an elite player with time and coaching.  Davis is viewed as a 2nd round pick.

6) Jeremy Chinn, 6’3” / 221, Southern Illinois: Chinn played for Southern Illinois for 4 seasons, with 38 games, including 30 starts, and had 243 tackles, including 185 solo tackles, 1 sack, and 13 interceptions.  In 2019, he posted 71 tackles, with 48 solo tackles, and 4 interceptions.  He was a 2nd Team AP All-American in 2019 and earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in both 2018 and 2019.  He posted huge numbers at the NFL Combine, running the 40 yard dash in 4.41 seconds, did 20 bench press reps, and jumped 41 inches in the vertical leap and 11’6” in the standing broad jump.  He is a unique combination of size, athletic ability, experience, and ball skills.  His downside is that he’s viewed as having below average instincts and football IQ that he was able to overcome in college thanks to his athletic ability.  Chinn is projected to be a second round pick.

7) Kyle Dugger, 6’1” / 217, Lenoir-Rhyne: Dugger spent five years at Lenoir-Rhyne  He played his 2015 freshman year, then redshirted 2016 after suffering a season-ending injury in the first game, then returned to be a full-time starter for the next three seasons.  In total, he played 42 games, making 237 tackles, including 152 solo tackles, and had 10 interceptions. Dugger was also a prolific punt returner, with 67 total returns for an average of 13.9 yards per return and 6 touchdowns.  He won the 2019 Cliff Harris Award given to the best small school defensive player.  His 2019 season was cut short to just 7 games as a result of a hand injury but still earned 2nd Team All-American honors.  At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.49 seconds, performed 17 bench press reps, and jumped 42 inches in the vertical leap and 11’2” in the standing broad jump.  Dugger is a rare combination of size, speed, and athletic ability.  He is versatile enough to play as both a single-high and in the box safety.  Dugger is viewed as a day 2 selection.

8) Antoine Brooks Jr, 5’11” / 220, Maryland: Brooks played 40 games in four seasons for the Terps, making 237 tackles, including 173 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions.  In 2019, he made 87 tackles, including 69 solo, and 1 interception.  He participated in some of the testing at the NFL Combine, running the 40 yard dash in 4.64 seconds, doing 18 bench press reps, and jumping 34.5 inches in the vertical leap.  Brooks’ lack of speed will probably keep him from playing free safety in the NFL, but he’s known as an extremely physical player, a leader on the field, and while he’s a liability in man coverage, he could make a nice fit as a strong safety and on special teams.  Brooks is projected as a mid-to-high day 3 selection.

9) Terrell Burgess, 5’11” / 202, Utah: Burgess played 29 games in four years, but wasn’t a full-time starter until his senior year this past season. In total, he made 116 tackles, with 72 solo tackles, and 1 interception, and was also credited with a half sack.  Burgess has speed, running 4.46 at the NFL Combine, where he also did 20 bench press reps and jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical leap and 10’2” inches in the standing broad jump.  He is inexperienced and is a bit on the shorter side, but he does have speed and both zone and man coverage abilities, and is a decent tackler, so Burgess may be a fit in a cover 2 scheme or as a single-high free safety.  He is viewed by most as an early day 3 selection.

10) Julian Blackmon, 6’0” / 187, Utah: Blackmon played 43 games in four years for Utah, making 158 total tackles, including 118 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 9 interceptions, including 2 returned for touchdowns.  In 2019, he played in 12 games, making 60 tackles, including 41 solo, 1.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions, with one being returned for a touchdown.  He suffered an apparent knee injury in the Pac-12 championship game that was described as “fairly serious” that prevented him from participating in the Combine.  It will also most likely drive his draft value down, moreso since the NFL was forced to cancel its normal pre-draft process and meetings due to the ongoing Zombie Apocalypse.  Pre-injury, he was rumored to be able to run the 40 yard dash in less than 4.50 seconds.   Most scouts don’t believe he has the range or vision to play free safety in a single-hand formation, but his size, abilities, and experience as a corner will allow him to play in a cover 2-style split backfield or as an in-the-box safety.  Blackmon is probably a day 3 draft pick.