Ranking the Eagles top draft prospects at safety following NFL Combine workouts
The names speak for themselves. Think about guys like Andre Waters... Brian Dawkins... Michael Lewis... Malcolm Jenkins... Rodney McLeod... If safeties aren't important and if the guys mentioned above don't play a 'premium position', then the Philadelphia Eagles damn well could have fooled us.
Here's why we bring this up. It's 2024. None of those guys are coming back, and Philly has obvious needs at the safety position. Year after year, it feels like we keep saying that. Year after year, we keep hearing Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman doesn't respect the position
Sure, we know Howie is notoriously negligent in stocking his team with respectable talent to patrol the backend of the Eagles' defense. We would still like to present Exhibits A, B, and C as evidence.
Philly's first three selections in the 2002 NFL Draft were secondary players (Lito Sheppard, Michael Lewis, and Sheldon Brown). We may never see that again under the current Eagles draft model even though those decisions worked well for them. Those decisions suggest investing in secondary players early can be wise.
Once upon a time guys like Jessie Bates, Jamal Adams, and Minkah Fitzpatrick were mentioned as potential Eagles trade targets. None of the smoke led to a fire. Philly typically adds defensive backs late in the offseason instead of doing so early. We'll see if that changes this time around. We doubt it, but what can we say? We're allowed to dream.
Here's a ranking of the Eagles' top saftey options in the 2024 NFL Draft now that the most recent NFL Combine is behind us.
We entered the 2024 NFL Combine believing Kamren Kinchens was the best safety prospect in the coming selection meeting. We've backed off that theory, but we still see him as worthy of being mentioned among the top five. Here's our most recent ranking. Tyler Nubin, as you can see tops our list. He's number one on the Pro Football Focus big board as well.
- Tyler Nubin, Minnesaota
- Javon Bullard, Georgia
- Jaden Hicks, Washington State
- Kamren Kinchens, Miami (Fla)
- Calen Bullock, USC
- Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech
- Sione Vaki, Utah
- Tykee Smith, Georgia
- Cole Bishop, Utah
- Beau Brade, Maryland
Nubin, a redshirt senior, racked up 53 tackles and five interceptions in 2023. Javon Bullard collected 56 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass breakups. The rest of the top ten consists of some of the best and brightest the coming draft has to offer.
This list will change throughout the pre-draft process, but all of these guys will find NFL homes come April. This NFL Draft class is stocked with talent at the safety position, and Philly should find a good one if they go fishing.
Honorable mention: Cooper DeJean (cornerback/safety hybrid from Iowa), Bud Clark (TCU), Akeem Dent, (Florida State), James Williams (Miami)
Cooper DeJean appears to be a great NFL slot cornerback in the making, but he also has experience in playing safety. His versatility should serve him well if there's any team that wants him to play safety.
Bud Clark, Akeem Dent, and James Williams earn spots on our lists of honorable mentions. They should be Day 3 guys.
There are other guys that we can mention. Malik Mustapha (Wake Forest), Evan Williams (Oregon), and Jaylin Simpson (Auburn) come to mind. Those guys also figure to be Day 3 prospects. If not, they make sense as rookie free-agent additions, but all should find an NFL home somewhere.
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