Big Ten tiers: Koi Perich and Kerry Brown among best safeties in the conference

Minnesota has two of the best safeties in the Big Ten heading into 2025.

Sep 14, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Kerry Brown (14) runs the ball after intercepting a pass against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the first half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers return Koi Perich and Kerry Brown in 2025, who are two of the best young safeties in the sport. The Big Ten is home to some of the best safeties in the country, so let's break down where everyone stacks up heading into the season.

For the sake of this exercise, I ranked at least one safety on every Big Ten team, and then filled out the final two spots with the best remaining players.

Tier 1: All-American level

• 1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State
  
• 2. Koi Perich, Minnesota
  
• 3. Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

There is no other conference that can compete with the three best safeties in the Big Ten. Downs has an argument to be the best overall player in the sport, Perich could become a household name nationally this season, and Tieneman is arguably one of the best transfers in the country after beginning his career at Purdue.

Tier 2: Potentially Elite

• 4. Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
  
• 5. Rod Moore, Michigan
  
• 6. Kerry Brown, Minnesota
  
• 7. Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
  

The top tier is so talented, but all four players in the second tier deserve some serious recognition. Brown's brilliance as a redshirt freshman last season was overshadowed by Perich, but he finished with 63 total tackles and two interceptions, and he's one of the top returning safeties in the conference.

Related: Gophers recruiting thoughts: Roman Voss vs. Pierce Petersohn

Tier 3: Intriguing transfers

• 8. Louis Moore, Indiana
• 9. Bishop Fitzgerald, USC
• 10. Jett Elad, Rutgers
• 11. TJ Metcalf, Michigan
• 12. Crew Wakley, Purdue
• 13. Key Stewart, UCLA

There was a plethora of talented safeties to transfer into the Big Ten this offseason. Some came from lower levels and others from the SEC, so it's hard to predict how well their transition will work, but they should be solid starters in 2025.

Tier 4: Solid starters

• 14. Malik Spencer, Michigan State
  
• 15. Deshon Singleton, Nebraska
  
• 16. Matthew Bailey, Illinois
  
• 17. Jalen Huskey, Maryland
  
• 18. Damon Walters, Northwestern
  
• 19. Preston Zachman, Wisconsin
  
• 20. Makeel Esteen, Washington

The final tier consists of players who have proven they can be productive safeties in the Big Ten, but they likely don't have as high of a ceiling as players ranked higher.