Finding Broncos: Five Sleeper Safety Options

With Justin Simmons potentially about to lose his partner of the last three years due to Kareem Jackson being a free agent, the Denver Broncos have a need at safety. The Broncos did invest in Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson in back-to-back draft picks last year, and Sterns looked good when on the field but they could do with more competition.

Denver's depth at the position could especially use more competition with Johnson and P.J. Locke and safety is often viewed as key for special teams. While the 2022 NFL draft class at safety doesn't have many elite tier-one prospects, it does offer decent depth with some good options when you get to the final day.

That's where you find potential sleepers, and when it comes to safety, you can find good contributors with decent consistency later in the draft. It isn't a significant need for Denver, so there isn't a reason to force the pick, but the team should keep an eye on safeties that start to fall.

Any of these five prospects could do just that.

Smoke Monday | Auburn

A versatile defender, Monday can play in any defensive scheme, play multiple roles on defense, and be a key special teams player. His overall athleticism is good with his agility and speed, and it doesn't come at the expense of his physical nature that he shows when coming downhill against the run. His range is solid, but he is physical enough and athletic enough to offer up a potential one-on-one match with the majority of tight ends in the NFL.

The technique with Monday is solid, as is the case with most college athletes, and would be a focal point of coaching. His size is hard to overlook, and he carries his weight exceptionally well. He isn't the smoothest of prospects, which limits him in matching up with some wide receivers in the slot, but there is enough to handle some wide receivers. Monday projects as a special team ace that can be a No. 3 safety in the NFL, but his upside to be a starter is limited.

Quentin Lake | UCLA

While Lake is a solid athlete, he doesn't show the desired level of physicality of play as a defender. He is very much a drag-down tackler instead of taking them head-on approach, which was easy to shake for a few ball-carriers he met, though he rarely had his tackle attempts broken. Regarding physicality, there are concerns about what he can offer on special teams where you want to meet the returner head-on instead of risking a significant return.

That said, Lake has enough speed, quickness, and agility for the NFL, and it often shows in coverage. His instincts are outstanding and he is rarely caught out of position as a result. His value is hard to place because he has the intangibles, but not the physical traits teams desire, which could lead to him going undrafted.

Nick Cross | Maryland

Cross is a bigger safety that many are likely to pigeonhole him into being that hybrid linebacker/safety playing close to the line of scrimmage, but it isn't hard to see that he offers up more than that. He can play in multiple schemes and do whatever is asked of him, and he has shown that over his 21 college starts. That versatility will play a huge factor in his overall value because he is more so a defensive weapon on defense.

Teams can play Cross closer to the line as a linebacker in obvious passing situations, play him in the slot, as a two-high safety, covering tight ends or running backs in single coverage, and has even shown the ability to handle a single-high role with good range. If he can do all that in the NFL will depend on making him more consistent with his reads, technique, and, most important, angles. However, he has so much to work with, and they're traits that you can't coach, which, combined with his versatility and ability on special teams, gives off early Day 3 value for a team like the Broncos.

Bryan Cook | Cincinnati

It took a while for Cook to stand out, stuck behind some talented safeties at the Cincinnati program. However, in his one year as the starter, he showed his versatility as a defender to play all over the field, and his ability to read and diagnose helped him. Coming downhill against the run was great, but he showed he has a lot to work with when in coverage as well.

Cook's best role, early on, is on special teams as the coaching staff works to develop the traits he has in coverage. He does a good job keeping leverage and hanging with receivers when they enter his zone, but more technical work must be added to stay in phase through a receiver's routes. The expected scheme for Denver is ideal for Cook, and the team has the pieces in place that wouldn't force Cook to start right away but allow him to compete.

Percy Butler | Louisiana

Butler has plenty of experience and has had significant playing time since entering college. His run defense is consistent, and he diagnoses the run as it develops, often putting himself in the right place to make the play. He comes downhill quickly to fill the right gap or even shoot the hole to get to the ball-carrier.

However good his run defense is, Butler has his fair share of issues in coverage, mainly due to being a limited athlete. There isn't much versatility with Butler, who either needs to work closer to the line of scrimmage or a limited cover role in a two-high scheme while offering up special teams ability. With the defensive scheme Denver is expected to run, Butler doesn't make much sense, but he could be viewed as a potential special teams ace.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

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