New York Giants Draft Prospect: SAF Javon Bullard

The Giants could probably use some additional depth at safety. So why not look at Georgia's Javon Bullard?

Sep 30, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Javon Bullard (22). / John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Javon Bullard, Safety

Height: 5’10 ½”

Weight: 198 lbs

Hands: 9”

Arms: 30 ¾”

Class: Junior

School: Georgia
Stats

MEASUREMENTS

40-yard dash: 4.47

10-yard split: 1.51

A former three-star recruit out of Baldwin High School in Milledgeville, Georgia, where he was the 70th prospect and the 82nd cornerback in the 2021 class. He was initially recruited as a CB but moved to safety. Bullard played 510 snaps at nickel CB in 2022. The two-time National Champion played 726 career snaps at nickel, 408 at free safety, and 169 in the box throughout his three seasons as a Bulldog. Here are his career statistics:

He was a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2023. He played in 27 games over the last two seasons; he missed a few games in 2023 with an ankle injury against Ball State in Week 2.

Strengths

* Solid overall size for a nickel

* 0-100 burst - good speed and acceleration

* Fluid athlete with excellent change of direction and agility

* Excellent closing burst on contact - good physical nature

* Good feet as a nickel - mirrors WRs well and is sticky in man coverage

* Exercises patience in coverage to read, react, and attack

* Good understanding of routes - high football IQ

* Quick trigger downhill to drive through underneath routes

* More strength than one would think when rerouting receivers from the slot

* Spatially aware player in coverage

* Deep half range

--Ole Miss Q2 1:06

--TCU Q2 6:45 (2022)

* Lacks ball production, but does appear to have good ball skills

* Good range for a single high role

* Huge hits on tape (Marvin Harrison Jr. 2022)

* Good range for a single high role

* Blitzer from the nickel

* Solid overall force defender when rotated down

* However, he can take shallow angle

* When aligned against WRs who are stagnant, he drives through targets with authority

* Respectable level of burst into contact - with good physicality - in run support when he doesn’t miss or take poor angles

* Huge TCU performance in 2022 National Championship

* I like his tape at nickel more than his tape at FS

* Competes his backside off - not scared to hit

[View more draft prospect scouting profiles.]

Weaknesses

* Lean with sub-optimal size for a safety

* Adequate recovery speed when beat or late

* Success in run support from depth waned - angles in run support

* Frustrating missed tackles throughout his tape

* If aligned, can get eliminated by blockers

Summary

Javon Bullard is a versatile defensive back with the range/fluidity to play post-safety in a single-high and the change of direction skills to man the nickel. His inability to consistently execute angles from depth may limit his upside as a full-time safety, but his inexperience at full-time safety could plausibly mean he may improve in the area of path discernment. He certainly is not scared to fill in run support; it just appears unnatural to him right now.

Georgia frequently leveraged Bullard’s range with Two-Man Trail Coverages, with him in half-field responsibility. The combination of Bullard’s judgment, processing, fluidity, and burst allowed him to be disruptive over the top of WRs, who gave the illusion that they were open against a trailing CB.

Bullard can execute safety responsibilities well in obvious passing situations, and there’s potential for that skill set to grow. Still, he can be an impact nickel cornerback early in his career.

GRADE: 6.25

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart / Nick Falato

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