In the two-part Draft Prep on WR’s, you saw just how stocked this draft is with quality at that position.

The flip side of having all that talent on the offensive side of the ball, is that the defense has to get stocked with talent in the secondary, to combat those receivers. The good news: there is a tremendous amount of depth in the secondary in this draft (maybe more at corner than at safety, but it’s still deep).

The safety position has two flavors: Free Safety and Strong Safety. Just so we have a point of reference, here are a couple quick definitions of these two positions.

Free Safety: The free safety tends to watch the play unfold and follows the ball. They are typically not really assigned to a specific player (although some would say they are assigned to the quarterback). Free safeties are often described as “center fielders”. Right now, Mike Mitchell is the Steelers free safety.

Strong Safety: The strong safety is usually bigger and stronger than the free safety. That has nothing to do with the name though. They are the “strong” safety because they are responsible for covering the “strong side” of the offense (this is the side that the tight end is lined up on). The strong safety also tends to play closer to the line of scrimmage, and is more responsible for assisting in run support. Sean Davis is currently the Steelers strong safety.

Personally, I like both of the Steelers safeties. I think Sean Davis showed a lot last season. He learned from mistakes, and really solidified the safety position. He will only get better. Fans seem to either love Mike Mitchell, or they don’t. I got nothing but love for Mike. I love his attitude, and I love the swagger he plays with.

Overview

As I said, there is a lot of talent here. Most of these guys are kind of “hybrid” types, meaning they are not really being pigeonholed into either the strong or free safety roles. They can play in both.

There are a few prospects who really are better on one side of that coin than they are on the other, and we’ll call that out when it happens.

Just like the other Draft Prep pieces, we’ll break these guys down into 3 groups: The Cream, The Crop and the Dregs. Much like the wide receivers, the Dregs of the safety position still provide several solid prospects and potential starters.

Let’s take a look at this year’s class of safeties, starting with the top of the class, then returning to the later rounds in Part Two.

The Cream

There are three guys I feel are “Super Cream” and seven more guys who really fit into this category too, but I’m going to limit myself to no more than six players.

But you can see how this is a really talented, and deep, safety draft.

The “Cream” of this years safety class are as follows:

• Malik Hooker (Ohio State)
• Jamal Adams (LSU)
• Budda Baker (Washington)
• Marcus Williams (Utah)
• Justin Evans (Texas A & M)
• Jabrill Peppers (Michigan)

There is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of talent in this group. You have guys who have ball skills. You have guys who can hammer ball carriers and receivers – take your pick.

Of this group, Hooker and Adams will be gone before the Steelers pick. Peppers will probably be gone too. Hooker is more of a pure free safety fit, and Peppers more of a strong safety guy, while Adams could do either. It doesn’t matter, because they’ll be gone, but as with all cases, what if they fall? Should the Steelers consider them?

Let’s take a look at each and see who might be a good fit.

Malik Hooker – 6’ 2”, 205 lbs.

This is what one AFC personnel director said about Hooker on his NFL.com draft profile:

“He’s a player who will come in and look bad his first year and then be an all-pro by his third year. I think that’s his arc.”

Why? Well Hooker really has just one year of experience at Ohio State. Limited film. But the film that is there is absolutely terrific. He’s better against the pass than he is against the run (hence free safety); he misses tackles, and doesn’t finish well on run plays.

Against the pass though, he’s fantastic. He has tremendous instincts which really help him make up for less than elite speed. He diagnoses quarterbacks quickly and with great anticipation. He doesn’t make many mistakes when he is in coverage, and has elite ball skills.

Jamal Adams – 6’ 1”, 213 lbs.

This quote from an AFC scout on his NFL.com draft profile says it all about Jamal Adams.

“He’s a no-doubt first-rounder. He can play all over the field and he could have an immediate impact on defense just like Landon Collins did coming out. I love him. I think he’s a winner.”

Adams has average speed, and average anticipation. He has the physique for the position, and he will not hesitate to bring the lumber when it’s time to attack a ball-carrier or receiver. He’s great a diagnosing misdirection and is really good at getting the secondary aligned.

 

Marcus Williams – 6’ 1” 195 lbs.

Marcus Williams may not go in the first round, and I am not confident that he is a guy I would take at 30. There will be better value, and almost certainly better fits for need.

Williams is a ball-hawk. He’s a much more classic free safety type, and has shown consistent production in college. His NFL.com draft profile says this:

“Ball-hawking free safety who has outstanding ball skills and has shown a propensity for causing turnovers. He can play from a high centerfield spot and utilizes his instincts to swoop down and challenge throws.”

Williams is extremely athletic. Despite being a better pass defender than a run guy, he doesn’t miss tackles often. The truth is, he has more consistent tape than Hooker does, but he doesn’t have some of the splash that Hooker made.

Budda Baker 5’ 10” 180 lbs.

An NFC scout had this to say about Baker on his NFL.com draft profile:

“I would leave him as a center fielder and then roll him down over the slot if you needed too. He’s too small to cover tight ends, but he’s got great instincts in coverage which is why he should shine as a single-high.”

Baker has been compared to Bob Sanders. Not a bad comparison. He likes to tackle with his shoulder, and that bothers me considering his size.

 

I know at least one of my compatriots here at SCU would spend a first rounder on him, and I understand why: the kid is good. I wouldn’t though.

Justin Evans – 6’ 0” 193 lbs.

Evans has great passion for football, and is another guy with really fantastic ball skills. He’s not afraid of contact, and he’s extremely aggressive going for the ball. He can lose his man at times though, and needs to get better at transitioning his eyes between the ball and his man. He can be so focused on his coverage that he sometimes loses receivers who come out of the backfield late.

His NFL.com profile says this:

“Soft-spoken but carries a walloping stick. Plays the game with an elevated sense of urgency and excitement. He is a little undersized, but has plus speed, is an extremely physical hitter and can play deep or near the line of scrimmage”

He can play both free and strong, so he has some position flexibility, which is not a bad thing.

Jabrill Peppers – 6’ 1” 205 lbs.

People want to compare Peppers to Charles Woodson. Here is what an AFC Director of Scouting said on his NFL.com draft profile:

“These comparisons to Charles Woodson are nuts. Both are really good return men, but Woody is one of the greatest playmakers of all-time. Peppers has one interception and I don’t think he’s ever forced a fumble. Michigan might move him around too much.”

I think he’s more strong safety than free, but he is likely going to play a hybrid safety in the NFL. I think that he is a big giant bundle of potential, and it’s possible he goes well before the Steelers draft at 30, and it’s also possible he is still there when the Steelers go on the board in the 1^st but I have absolutely no interest in Peppers at 30.

Conclusion

The bottom line here is that with the 30th pick the Steelers are probably not going safety; not unless someone like Hooker or Adams falls to them there. Some people will be tempted to jump on Budda Baker or Peppers, but as I’ve said, I have no interest in Peppers at all at 30. The only reason I take Baker there is if there is literally no better value.

That is unlikely in this draft.

It bears repeating: this is not a position of strong need. We have two solid safeties, and Robert Golden is a reasonable backup. I won’t rule it out in the second, but I think it’s absolutely unlikely in the first unless somebody irresistible falls into their lap.

The thing is, as we’ll see when we look at the “Crop” and the “Dregs” next, there is value to be had in the second half of the draft.