NFL Draft: Top five safeties
The NFL Draft will be a bit different this year without a combine, but the scouting must go on and evaluations are as important as ever with millions on the line. Here’s a look at my top five safeties in this year's draft and a few sleepers to watch.
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NFL DRAFT: Top five QBs heading into this year's NFL Draft | RBs | WRs | TEs | OLs | DTs | DEs | LBs | CBs
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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1. Trevon Moehrig, TCU
Moehrig is versatile and has those rare instincts you can’t teach a defensive back. He’s always around the ball and is a big play waiting to happen.
Possible teams: Washington Football Team, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers
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2. Elijah Molden, Washington
Molden can play corner, but I think his future in the NFL is at safety and as a guy who can match up well in coverage with slot receivers.
Possible teams: Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders
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3. Richie Grant, UCF
Grant can play free or strong safety. He has ball skills but also excellent instincts playing the run. He helped himself at the Senior Bowl with his outside coverage skills.
Possible teams: Washington Football Team, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills
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4. Jevon Holland, Oregon
Holland opted out of last season and that could hurt him as bit as he needed to show added strength in run support, but you can’t fault his coverage skills.
Possible teams: New Orleans Saints, Washington Football Team, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders
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5. Paris Ford, Pitt
Ford is a cover-first safety who lacks great size but can make plays on the ball and looks like a million bucks when he makes the right read. He’s a bit of a gambler, but that’s part of the strength of his game.
Possible teams: New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys
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SLEEPERS
He’s small - very small at 5-foot-9 or so - but he’s always in position and rarely gets beaten. He’s a middle-round steal for someone.
Possible teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, L.A. Rams, L.A. Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders
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I love the awareness of Hufanaga and don’t understand why he’s not higher on many boards. He isn’t overly versatile, which could hinder him, but give him a role and he will excel at it.
Possible teams: New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Cisco is an all-or-nothing guy who makes big plays or gets burned. In 24 games he had 13 picks, but an ACL could slow him and he will slide to the middle rounds because he gets lost at times.
Possible teams: Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders