2024 NFL Draft | Rookie Safety Rankings: Tyler Nubin, Javon Bullard, Kamren Kinchens, Cole Bishop, Calen Bullock and More
There may not be a clear-cut first-round safety prospect , though there may be quite a few who hear their names called on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
In my final batch of 2024 NFL Draft positional rankings, I'm taking a closer look at the safety position. Yes, I've covered it all on defense, and you can find links to each position below.
Rankings: Defensive Tackles | Edge/Defensive Ends | Linebackers | Cornerbacks
In this pass-happy NFL iteration, safeties are being asked to do more and more. There are specialists who play more in the box, line up in man coverage in the slot, and roam free from play to play, and only a select few can do it all well.
There are young phenoms who can explode onto the scene like Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton or wily veterans who find a second wind like New England's Jabrill Peppers. Safety play is more subjective because a great defensive front doesn't need their safety to be responsible for so much.
For example, a great defensive tackle occupies double-teams and allows the inside linebackers to run free in pursuit. A dominant linebacker in coverage can provide inside leverage against slot receivers and take away portions of the middle of the field. Ultimately, all defenses need each other. One failure can bleed into another player's evaluation.
It often boils down to having a solid supporting cast that allows a defensive coordinator to tailor a specific player's tactics to their strengths.
So often, a cohesive team defense elicits the best out of its players. The individual selflessness and underlying trust between players allow them to be most effective as a unit. Individual talents can only carry a player so far, as one player's success helps the other and the next.
This is to say that football is a team sport, and a single player's evaluation must be considered within the context of their team. This is just some food for thought when we think about scouting reports.
Let's break down the best safeties from the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
Despite being the top safety in my rankings, some might say Iowa's Cooper DeJean is the best safety in this class, as I and many others believe he could become a safety.
In any case, Nubin is a heady player with next-level instincts and feel for the game. It comes second nature for him. He plays with great positioning and is bigger and tougher than his frame would suggest.
He is athletically mediocre, though most of the concerns are too concerned about his straight-line speed. Nubin's reactionary style of play keeps him a step faster than his peers. Excellent ball skills and his nose for the game are exactly what you want to shore up your secondary.
Nubin is likely an early to mid-second round choice.
2. Javon Bullard, Georgia
Bullard's game has perceived limitations, but what he does well closer to the line of scrimmage should also be considered a strength. He has linebacker instincts in run support and can cover short to intermediate routes well.
He is very tight in his hips and needs to improve in man coverage. He works the zone well and is at his best with the play in front of him. The trouble is when he has to flip his hips and get downfield. His short strides don't do him any favors.
I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually moves to linebacker, as Bullard is a hybrid player who's not quite a nickel corner and not quite a strong safety - he projects as a Round 2 pick on draft day.
3. Kamren Kinchens, Miami
Kinchens is an undersized safety who plays like he's 10 feet tall. He's looking to dislodge, disarm and impact every play. He has a great sense of timing and plays with cat-and-mouse tactics to force quarterbacks into bad throws.
He lacks the ideal straight-line speed needed to cover everything effectively as a free safety. Inconsistent recognition led to big plays allowed and blown coverages. His athleticism and short-area burst aren't there.
Toughness is off the charts and a lead-by-example player. He has room to grow if he can become more flexible in his lower half and contribute more in man coverage. Kinchens ranks as an early third-round option.
4. Cole Bishop, Utah
Bishop's plus athleticism and tenacious style of play are attracting the eyes of scouts. His thin frame could use more mass, but there's a good template for his game's versatility.
Bishop excels at using his length as an advantage in coverage by jarring balls loose and keeping his body between the ball and the receiver. His above-average man coverage skills can be impressive, but he relies a lot on peeking at the quarterback's eyes, which can also lead to trouble.
He navigates traffic well, and his hard running style looks good when he can swarm the ball carrier. However, blockers swallow him up, and Bishop needs to improve his ability to use good footwork to hold the edge or not over-pursue, which creates cutback lanes.
Bishop projects as a mid-Day 2 draft pick.
5. Calen Bullock, USC
Bullock's tape contains a lot of inconsistent play, and riddle may be the apt word to describe him. There are moments when he looks like the best safety in this class, but the next play makes him look outside the top five.
His next-level burst and short-area quickness give him excellent recovery. A ball hawk at heart, he excels in coverage, where his free-flowing play puts him in a position to make plays almost drive. The problem boils down to his play recognition and instincts as a run defender.
Bullock struggles as a run defender. His pursuit angles don't make sense; he gets swallowed up by blockers instead of at least using his position to the defense's advantage. He doesn't tackle well or wrap up consistently.
His tape's big positive and negative swings could take him off the board for some teams. Some may feel they can coach him up. His coverage skills are worthy of a first-round pick. His run support is an undrafted free agent. I'll average the two and put him toward the back half of Round 3.
