2020 NFL Draft safety rankings and analysis: X marks the spot
In the second tier of 2020 NFL Draft safeties, teams can find early contributors for their defense, but they might not be as well-rounded or have the upside or readiness to play of the top guys in the 2020 NFL Draft class.
7. Terrell Burgess, Utah
Terrell Burgess is a very versatile defensive back in the 2020 NFL Draft who came on strong this season as a senior. In 2019, Burgess totaled 81 tackles, 7.5 for loss, an interception, two fumble recoveries and five pass breakups.
With a background as a corner, Burgess has the ability to play a nickel role at the next level. He is physical enough to take on tight ends and quick enough to stay with shifty slot receivers. He has solid instincts in deep zone coverage and could excel as a two-deep zone safety as well.
Additionally, Burgess is physical and a great tackler in run support around the line of scrimmage as well. With Burgess, there isn’t really one thing that he does at an extremely high level, but he does so many things above average.
He displayed his versatility throughout his college career and should be able to replicate that success to some degree at the next level. He can wear a lot of different hats and his role early in his career will likely depend on the needs of the team that drafts him.
I’d guess Burgess plays a bit of a nickel role, keeping him around the line of scrimmage to allow him to contribute in the run game, man up some slot targets and occasionally drop back into a zone and make a play on the ball.
8. Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
Jeremy Chinn is a very athletic and versatile defensive player who is very raw but has outstanding potential. Chinn can do a little bit of everything out on the field. He has good ball skills when dropping back in zone coverage and could get by as a two-deep zone safety if need be.
He doesn’t have quite the awareness and instincts that far back as of now, but he is plenty athletic and the mental side will come. Chinn is more effective closer to the line of scrimmage. He has good size to body up tight ends and receivers off the line and offers athletic prowess in run support.
He shows flashes of good instincts around the line of scrimmage but will need to continue to improve his mental processing. He is certainly capable of making nearly every play on the football field, physically. He should thrive as a strong safety at the next level, using his size, athleticism and versatility to his advantage.
Dropping back in zones with plus ball skills, coming downhill as an explosive playmaker in run support, manning up in the slot against both big and shifty targets and everything in between. In the right hands, Chinn can be molded into a swiss army knife of a player and is gaining a lot of buzz as a potential first-round prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft.
9. Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame
Alohi Gilman is a tackling machine as a safety. Gilman began his career at Navy, ultimately decided to transfer to Notre Dame so he could make this direct transition to the NFL. At Navy, and even after a year off in his two seasons at Notre Dame, Gilman racked up 244 total tackles in three seasons (over 81 tackles per year). He had five pass breakups in each of his first two playing seasons and forced three fumbles in 2019.
Gilman clearly excels around the line of scrimmage with great instincts in the run game. He is willing and able to take on a block and brings great grit and power to his play all across the field. He is a good penetrator and gap shooter and has the athleticism and length to track and bring down ball carriers. Gilman isn’t just a box player, though.
He shows flashes of good ball skills as a two-deep zone safety and has the size and physicality to body up tight ends in man coverage. Gilman has also contributed on special teams at Notre Dame and that will clearly be a valuable trait at the beginning of his career at the next level.
Gilman should play special teams right away and get a shot at a strong safety role for a team that may have a bit of a void at the position and takes a chance on him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
10. Brandon Jones, Texas
Brandon Jones is a downhill, box safety who plays fast and plays hard. He has sufficient ball skills and athletic ability to occasionally rotate back into a zone but lacks the instincts to consistently play deep down the field.
However, for the style of game that Jones plays, weighing under 200 lbs, he is a little small to maintain that level of physicality at the next level. He is a sound tackler, big hitter and is not afraid to take on blockers, he just may have to bulk up a bit before he can do that effectively in the NFL.
Playing around the line of scrimmage, Jones has the athletic ability to stay with some slot receivers, as well as the physicality (if not the size) to compete with tight ends over the middle of the field.
He has great instincts in the run game, shooting gaps, shedding blocks and speedily chasing down ball carriers to lay a big hit. Jones returned punts at Texas and will likely contribute on special teams early in his career in the NFL.
Even if it takes a year or two, Jones has the makings of a solid strong safety if he can bulk up a bit without sacrificing his speed and athleticism. He is fairly versatile, and if he can continue to grow his body and his game I think he could be a legitimate starter down the line.
11. Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
Playing at Lenoir-Rhyne in Division II, it was clear that Kyle Dugger was a far superior athlete than most players he came across. He probably could have played running back the way he made other teams look when returning punts. On defense, Dugger was given the ability to read and react, almost as another linebacker a bit farther down the field.
He shows decent instincts and ball skills in zone coverage down the field, but he’ll be living around the line of scrimmage at the next level. Dugger has the size and athleticism to bring a lot to the table. He is physical enough to take on blockers in the run game and has the explosiveness to break through and make a play.
He can use that physicality to man up bigger targets in the slot or on the end of the line, using his long arms and big hands to stay right there throughout the route. He has the speed and agility to roam around the field and make plays and will certainly make more of them as he improves and develops mentally.
Dugger will be a versatile strong safety at the next level out of the 2020 NFL Draft who can contribute as a return man and a special teams staple early in his career, with the potential to develop into a difference-maker on the defensive end.
12. Geno Stone, Iowa
Geno Stone is a versatile playmaker who loves to fly around and play downhill. He has great instincts and is in pursuit of plays before they really even begin developing. Stone plays faster than his 4.62 40-time suggests and can close a gap to make a play in a flash.
He has good instincts and ball skills in zone coverage and is great at breaking up passes even if the receiver gets his hands on it. Stone shows some good shadowing traits that lend themselves to solid man coverage, although they were usually displayed when picking up a receiver who ran through his zone as a deep safety.
Stone can play up around the line of scrimmage as well with great grit and tenacity. He has a high motor and can deliver big hits, especially for his size. His size may limit him a bit, but Stone has a lot of desirable, intangible qualities that help him succeed in a variety of areas of the game.
He should be able to contribute on special teams and as a depth option early in his career, but he shows enough promise for me to believe he can start in the near future out of the 2020 NFL Draft.
13. Julian Blackmon, Utah
Julian Blackmon is a versatile defensive back with legit starting experience at cornerback and the traits to be either a true free safety or play down in the box.
He has been pretty consistently productive over the last three years of his collegiate career, with at least 48 tackles (60 in 2019) in each of his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. As a sophomore and senior, Blackmon grabbed four picks and had a career-high 10 pass breakups as a junior.
He is effective in run support, can mirror receivers in man coverage and displays flashes of great ball skills and improving instincts in deep zone coverage. His versatility should be a great asset at the next level but the knee injury he suffered in the 2019 PAC 12 Championship may cause his stock to fall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Blackmon can be used in many ways at the next level and it will likely depend on the team that drafts him what his role will be at the next level. He’ll likely find a sort of tweener, nickel role early in his career where he can use his man coverage skills while still developing his safety instincts in an occasional deep zone.