Eagles 2025 Draft Preview: The Safeties

PHILADELPHIA - There is turmoil on the back end of the Eagles’ defense tied to the somewhat surprising trade of C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans.

Gardner-Johnson’s story is well-known. An enormous personality, perhaps only dwarfed by his playmaking skills, the former always seems to overwhelm the latter in the end.

While the Eagles tied the decision to move on from Gardner-Johnson for a second time to the need to get their financial ducks in a row for what’s up around the bend on the contract front for their emerging young stars (and that’s part of it), if Gardner-Johnson wasn’t a high-maintenance player that decision likely would have been made after the 2025 season.

Instead, Philadelphia went the proactive route, and the final report card for Gardner-Johnson with the Eagles is going to be tough to replicate. He tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions during the 2023 season despite missing five games en route to an NFC Championship with the No. 2 defense before overplaying his hand on the contract front and taking a one-year sojourn to Detroit.

The Eagles' defense fell apart in 2024 without Gardner-Johnson, finishing 30th in pass defense with a young defensive coordinator (Sean Desai) and a host of injuries in the secondary.

The answer was to bring back Gardner-Johnson, who wore out his welcome with the Lions after one injury-plagued season, and the result this time was six interceptions for the No. 1 defense, and a Super Bowl LIX championship.

The wild EKG-like ups and downs of the Philadelphia defensive performance over the last three seasons can’t all be tied to Gardner-Johnson, but it would also be disingenuous to act like he wasn’t a big part of the success.

His playmaking skills, energy, and physicality helped define the identity of what was a pair of great modern defenses.

Healthy after a difficult rehab from a 2023 Week 18 torn ACL, third-year talent Sydney Brown will have the inside lane to replace CJGJ among the current in-house options, but the Eagles have been clear that they don’t want to hand jobs to young players.

More competition is coming, whether it’s a high-level draft pick or a Justin Simmons-like signing post draft.

The on-field leader of the secondary remains Reed Blankenship, who has developed from a lightly-regarded undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State into a player who has started all 34 games (including the postseason) he’s played over the past two seasons.

Blankenship has a high football IQ, has an excellent feel to play center field, and the size and physicality to be a good modern tackler as the last line of defense.

For now, the backups are Tristin McCollum, Lewis Cine, the No. 32 overall pick in the 2022 draft who did not develop in Minnesota, and 2024 practice squad player Andre Sam’.

While some fans have gotten excited by Cine’s pedigree, McCollum is the one who has earned the Eagles’ trust as a reserve.

DRAFT DAY BOTTOM LINE: The Eagles could add a Day 1 starter if the board falls the right way in Georgia’s Malaki Starks. Otherwise, expect at least a Day 3 option with some versatility to help back up multiple positions.

EAGLES S DEPTH CHART:

FS - Reed Blankenship, Tristin McCollum

SS - Sydney Brown, Lewis Cine, Andre Sam’

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ON SI TOP 10 (we asked three former NFL scouts for their top 10 at the position and came up with a cumulative list):

-First Round/Second Round

1. Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

2. Malaki Starks, Georgia

-Day 2

3. Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

4. Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma

5. Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State

-Day 2/Day 3

6. Andrew Mukuba, Texas

7. Jonas Sanker, Virginia

-Day 3

8. Lathan Ransom, Ohio State

9. Jaylen Reed, Penn State

10. Malachi Moore, Alabama

Small School Sleeper - Kenyatta Watson, Georgia State

Boom or Bust - Nick Emmananwori, South Carolina

BUILDING THE PERFECT SAFETY

Ball Skills - Xavier Watts, Notre Dame - When the football is in the air, Watts has the feel, instincts, and hands to go get it, something exemplified but his 13 interceptions over the past two seasons.

Center field - Watts - Watts is on the football from the crack on the bat with the ability to drive from split-field alignments. This is your cover-2 safety.

Run support - Nick Emmanwori - Emmanwori is an athlete with size who can punish ball carriers.

Open-field tackler - Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State - Winston is a physical presence who isn’t afraid of space.

Versatility - Malaki Starks, Georgia - Starks can play single-high, split alignments, in the nickel, or play a hero-type position. His high football IQ has many translating him to a Vic Fangio-style defense.

Best blitzer - Jonas Sanker, Virginia - Sanker has a natural feel to create angles off the edge.

EAGLES PRE-DRAFT PROCESS NOTES:

The Eagles kicked the tires on Malaki Starks and also had visits with Penn State safeties Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr. Reed is more of a box player but proved he could play deep when taking over for the injured Winston Jr. last season.

The team also had a local visit with Navy prospect Rayuan Lane, who could develop as a high-character, versatile reserve with special teams ability.

EAGLES POTENTIAL PICKS:

Day 1 - Malaki Starks, Georgia

Day 2 - Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State; Andrew Mukuba, Texas

Day 3 - Jaylen Reed, Penn State; Rayuan Lane, Navy

The Eagles are still more likely to go offensive or defensive lineman with their first selection, but don’t assume safety is off the board because of the positional value. Perhaps that would be the case in the top 15, but not at 32, where everything could be on the table, including Starks.

However, don’t expect the targeted trade-up at safety, that’s reserved for positions deemed as higher-value targets.

Mukuba is a bit undersized but brings some CJGJ traits as far as coverage instincts, and would be a good fit as a Day 2 option. Winston Jr. could also fit in that mold on Day 2.

Reed would be a home run as a versatile backup on Day 3, while Lane is a late Day 3 backup/special-teamer.

MORE NFL: Eagles 2025 Draft Preview: The Cornerbacks