2022 NFL Draft Ultimate Preview: Safeties

The Green Bay Packers have a fantastic tandem of starting safeties with Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage. That doesn't mean there isn't a need at safety in the 2022 NFL Draft.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Even with Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage entering their fourth season together as the starting tandem, the Green Bay Packers have multiple reasons to look to the 2022 NFL Draft class of safeties. A strong class, especially in the first three rounds, awaits general manager Brian Gutekunst.

State of the Packers

With Amos and Savage, Green Bay has one of the top tandems in the NFL.

In 2021, Amos started all 17 games and led the defense with 1,048 snaps. Mr. Consistency was second on the team with 94 tackles, tied for third with two interceptions and fourth with eight passes defensed. He’s in the right place at the right time every time, it seems, and he had one of the lowest missed-tackle rates in the league.

Savage started all 17 games and was second on the defense with 1,038 snaps. He finished fourth on the team with 63 tackles, tied for third with two interceptions and third with nine passes defensed. Sports Info Solutions charged him with six touchdowns and counted three dropped interceptions. He spent most of last season serving as the last line of defense. In that role, there aren’t many playmaking opportunities and every mistake is magnified.

Perhaps You Can Forget These Prospects

Based on Green Bay’s draft history, all of the top prospects should be in the mix. Some Day 3 candidates, such as Oregon’s Verone McKinley (height, speed) and Auburn’s Smoke Monday (20-yard shuttle), could be off the board, though.

Ranking the Safeties

With Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton a potential top-10 pick, we’ll fast forward to …

Daxton Hill, Michigan

Measureables: 6-0 1/4, 191. 4.38 40, 33.5 vertical, 4.06 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A 14-game starter last season, Hill was first-team all-Big Ten with two interceptions, 11 passes defensed and 4.5 tackles for losses. According to Sports Info Solutions, his missed-tackle rate was 8 percent – third-best of 33 safeties in its online draft guide. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.8 percent (interceptions, breakups, fumbles) trailed only Notre Dame’s Hamilton. He was only 19th with 7.2 yards allowed per target but his role was different than other safeties.

Personal touch: Hill’s brother is running back Justice Hill, a former standout at Oklahoma State who was a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2019. “Dax growing up never even liked football,” Justice told 247 Sports. “He never watched any games… none of that stuff. He was always a basketball dude. So, we competed at basketball all the time. Then I think he just seen me playing football all the time, and probably towards fourth or fifth grade was when he just decided to (play football) too. I didn’t know what to expect from Dax, but from the first game when he was playing linebacker, he was just smacking people. From the first game! I’m like, ‘Man, that boy is gonna be cold!’

“Then going into high school, I was a senior and he was a freshman, and nobody ever played freshman year. At my school (Tulsa Booker T. Washington) no one ever plays (as a freshman), but he came out and was starting freshman year. And he was making plays, balling. So, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, he’s going to be special by the time senior year comes around.’ And he was.”

His recruitment was something, as he committed to Michigan, flipped to Alabama and then re-flipped to Michigan. “He’s got great contact courage and may be the fastest guy on the field,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said after signing day. "Even with his height, the last couple of games he was the fastest guy out there. I think he can be that in college, a big-time safety.

Hill played safety as a freshman and sophomore before taking over nickel duties for his final season. “I was giddy when they mentioned it to me,” Hill said early in the season. “They told me I was going to have to step up and play multiple roles compared to last year. I was excited and I embraced it.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Although he is a safety, Hill has the coverage ability of a cornerback with added instincts and lateral agility. He plays hard and through the whistle, often frustrating his opponents with his methods. Hill’s pressing ability at the line of scrimmage can interrupt routes run by receivers and causes them to be out of position when the ball comes. Hill isn’t afraid to get physical at the point of contact and in his tackling efforts. Tremendous play speed. Shows flashes that he can fly around the field, both in coverage and as a run defender.

Jaquan Brisker, Penn State

Measureables: 6-1 3/8, 199. 4.49 40, 38.5 vertical, 4.19 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A junior-college transfer, Brisker has two interceptions, seven passes defensed, six tackles for losses and 64 tackles as a fifth-year super-senior to earn second-team All-America. He had five picks in his three seasons with the Nittany Lions. Among safeties who played in the slot, his 0.35 yards allowed per coverage snap ranked second in the draft class, according to PFF. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 12th with a missed-tackle rate of 13 percent. His in-the-box rate of 30 percent led the safeties by a wide margin. He finished 30th with 9.4 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but No. 1 in passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus.

Personal touch: With every big play he makes, Brisker points to the sky. It’s a tribute to his older brother, Tale’, who was shot and killed in 2015.

“What keeps me motivated every day is my brother and my family,” Brisker told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I just work hard for him. Every day I wake up, I know I have to get up and do this and do that, because I know that’s what he would want me to do. And then my family, I need to make it for them, because they need me. That’s what drives me.”

Brisker is one of eight kids. His grandfather, John Brisker, played in the NBA. Brisker’s path to the NFL Draft started when he was 12 as a water boy at his future high school. “I always told my parents,” Brisker told The Pittsburgh Tribune, “’As long as I get there, I’m going to handle the rest.’ I remember saying it when I was little, just because I love the game of football so much. As a kid, I really, truly thought I was going to be there.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Brisker has the versatility in his game to play all over the defense. Most of his snaps come in the box, as well as playing over-the-top and in the slot. He is a smooth athlete in coverage with good fluidity to flip his hips and change direction. He has a quick trigger downhill to attack the box or line of scrimmage. NFL squads are always on the look for “tight end erasers” and Brisker has the physicality to play that role. He contributes on special teams. Shows a lot of effort to chase plays down from behind.

Lewis Cine, Georgia

Measureables: 6-2 1/4, 199. 4.37 40, 37 vertical, DNP shuttle.

Analytical stats: Cine earned third-team All-America with one interception, 10 passes defensed, two tackles for losses and 73 tackles. He was MVP of the national championship game. He had two career interceptions in 39 games (27 starts). Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent and fourth with 4.8 yards allowed per target.

Personal touch: Cine was born in Haiti and came to the United States when he was 4. “I remember everything about Haiti; I have a vivid picture,” he told The Boston Globe. “Honestly, some of the time it was the happiest time of my life, regardless of what was going on there. Life was simple. Life in Haiti was rough, but because my mom worked to try to make ends meet, I didn’t suffer as much.”

He wore No. 16 at Georgia because that’s how old his mom was when he was born. She remains in Haiti. “My dream is not all about making the league, my dream is to move my Mom with me to America after I make the league,” he told Medium. “That’s different I guess from most kids. One day I am most likely going to be the one to work my butt off so she can come to America.”

Moreover, he has a 5-year-old daughter, Bella. “Those two people are my ‘why,’” Cine told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “When things get hard, I push myself, because I know the things my mom has been through, the things she’s done for me and she never complains. She just keeps pushing through. And my daughter, I’m going to go through a brick wall for her.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Starting safety in an interchangeable backfield who possesses great speed, allowing him to fly sideline to sideline underneath and come downhill rapidly. Cine knows his responsibilities and plays them reliably. He triggers downhill aggressively in the run game and on extensions of it such as screens. A very hard hitter, he will lay out running backs. Cine possesses the movement skills and eye discipline to stick with wideouts from off coverage and match up with tight ends. A great jammer on punt return, Cine uses his athleticism and physicality.

Jalen Pitre, Baylor

Measureables: 5-11, 198. 4.46 40, 35 vertical, 4.15 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A fifth-year senior, Pitre was a consensus first-team All-American and the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 with two interceptions, nine passes defensed and three forced fumbles of ball production, and three sacks and 18 tackles for losses among his 76 total tackles. In four-plus seasons, he had five interceptions and 37.5 TFLs.

Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 12th with a missed-tackle rate of 13 percent. He averaged 1.4 TFLs per game, almost as many as the next two safeties combined. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.5 percent ranked fifth and he was eighth with 5.6 yards allowed per target. He finished eighth with 5.6 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Pitre spent his first three years as a linebacker before moving to the “star” position, which is a hybrid linebacker-safety position. Explained coach Dave Aranda: “I think that position is just made for him because it’s a combination of both the linebacker and the safety. It highlights his ability to blitz, his ability to set the edge, and then he has just enough coverage responsibilities that he’s keeping people honest with things.”

The move unleashed his inner playmaker. “I love the versatility of the position,” Pitre told The Waco Tribune. “I feel like the coaches have put me in a lot of different areas of the field. Whether I’m blitzing, covering or in the box, I feel like they’re utilizing my talents very well and putting me in a lot of different positions to make plays. So, I’m very thankful for that.”

Pitre thinks like a football player. That started in sixth grade. “I first found out about Cover 2 and the details of it, and I thought it was the most interesting thing ever,” Pitre told Pro Football Network. “It was crazy to me that 11 guys had to be in the right spot. At first, I thought [football] was just running around trying to make plays. But once I started to dive a little bit deeper, my love for the game definitely grew from there.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Pitre is an extremely violent, versatile and productive defender. Pitre is labelled as a safety and most often plays the slot/overhang role commonly seen in college. He displays blazing foot speed and fluid hips to cover downfield vertical routes in man coverage and has solid instincts in zone coverage - often executing curl flat zones nicely. Furthermore, Pitre has potential as a tight end stopper, especially in catch-man coverage where Pitre can use his physicality and movement skills to stay in the hip pocket. Versus the run, Pitre is best when pursuing from the backside as his short-area acceleration is elite and his motor is always revving to track down ball carriers. Additionally, Pitre has impressive competitive toughness, often playing bigger than his size indicates and embracing physicality.

Bryan Cook, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-0 3/4, 206. DNP testing (shoulder).

Analytical stats: After spending his first two seasons at Howard and playing off the bench in 2020, Cook started all 14 games in 2021. He tallied two interceptions and 11 passes defensed, plus added 96 tackles, one sack and five tackles for losses as a senior. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he and Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton were No. 1 with a missed-tackle rate of 7 percent. He accumulated 11 percent of the team’s tackles, No. 1 of the safeties in this story. He finished third with 4.1 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, and sixth in passer rating, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Tipping the scales at about 165 pounds, Cook received one scholarship offer coming out of Mount Healthy High School in Cincinnati. That was to Howard, an FCS program. He spent his first two seasons playing cornerback. "I didn't get highly recruited. I was a late bloomer," he told Cincinnati.com. "But who cares? We're here. That's all that matters." A coaching change, and Cook’s desire to face top competition, spurred his decision to transfer to his hometown college.

Cook earned some All-American honors to cap his career. "The challenges that I faced over the years definitely shaped who I am today," Cook told WCPO. "But again, I'm also grateful for them, because now if I just played corner I wouldn't be the same defensive player I am now today."

His mom delivered some good advice to a 4-year-old Cook, who got hit hard during a neighborhood game. “I didn’t like the way that felt,” Cook told The Athletic. “So, my mom was like, ‘Either you’re going to hit them as hard as they hit you or you’re gonna have to shake them.’ At the end of the day, I started being physical.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: He is trusted to play deep as a single high, in the box and as a boundary safety in two-high shells. The latter is his best role going forward, where he is a willing participant in run support and shows flashes of beating blocks. He has great awareness to match running backs out of the backfield. With his cornerback background at Howard, Cook flashes impressive ball skills when trailing in man coverage versus tight ends - squeezing space and turning his head to find the ball.

Kerby Joseph, Illinois

Measureables: 6-1, 203. DNP 40, 38.5 vertical, DNP shuttle.

Analytical stats: A first-time starter as a senior, Joseph had a spectacular season with five interceptions. He added seven passes defensed, one sack and 57 tackles. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent. He was fifth with an in-the-box rate of 17 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.6 percent ranked fourth. He finished 22nd with 7.7 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: “This opportunity is amazing,” Joseph told The Herald & Review in the midst of his breakout year “I used to pray for times like this. We’re not getting the results that we can right now, but it’s amazing to play this game every day.”

Not just a ballhawk, he was a demon on special teams. "(He's) a guy that goes hard all the time, and he's literally involved in all four (special teams) units for us and has gained more of a defensive role as well," coach Bret Bielema said in September. "I think the great thing about Kerby is you're seeing a good player that's manifesting right in front of us (and) is only scratching the surface of what he can be. He does have that attitude of a player that enjoys the special teams aspect just as much as the defensive snaps he takes, so that combination is something you can win with it."

In high school, he was the team MVP in volleyball. “I’m real good at volleyball,” he told The News Herald. “I’ll play anytime of the week. I was front line, back line. I would be everywhere but libero. I couldn’t play libero, but I’d be everywhere. Sometimes, I’d fake a spike and toss it another way. I used to be nice at it. I haven’t played volleyball in a minute, though.” He also has an array of flips in his arsenal.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Joseph primarily aligned as a free safety for the Fighting Illini, both as a single-high and a tandem. Pre-snap, he shows the football IQ and communication abilities to get his teammates lined up correctly in front of him. He has good footwork and can change direction very fluidly. Accumulated five interceptions this season because of that ability to read the play and break on the ball. Has contributed on all phases of special teams in his collegiate career.

Nick Cross, Maryland

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 212. 4.34 40, 37 vertical, 4.21 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A full-time starter for the first time as a junior in 2021, Cross had three interceptions, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles, three sacks and 66 tackles. He had six picks in three seasons. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 18th with a missed-tackle rate of 16 percent. He was fourth with an in-the-box box rate of 19 percent. He finished next-to-last with 11.6 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Cross didn’t start playing football until high school. For fear of concussions, his parents wouldn’t let him play. So, he grew up playing basketball and soccer, but football was always his love. He studied star safeties such as Ed Reed and the late Sean Taylor. “Just trying to learn how they did it so whenever I was able to get my opportunity to play, I would go out there and emulate them,” Cross told The Baltimore Sun.

His parents, Michael and Anna, are from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively. They wouldn’t let him play if his GPA dipped below 3.5. As recruiting interest picked up, “What’s going through my mind is that he needs to focus on his academics,” Michael told The Diamondback.

A high school coach compared him to Bo Jackson. “I think God has blessed me,” he told The Hyattsville Life & Times in 2018. “I actually prayed specifically that I would do the things that I’m doing since I was like 11 or 12. It really started kicking in when Ohio State came and offered me [a scholarship]. Then I got like 10 more [offers] in the next two, three days. So, I think that’s when it kind of started to sink in [how good he was].”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Cross is a rocked-up defensive back, who uses every pound to displace ball-carriers. He arrives fast and with a menacing presence, up-ending running backs, and cutting off yards after the catch attempts. Cross played a variety of roles in terms of alignment at Maryland, logging snaps as a single high safety, nickel or slot corner, and dime linebacker. He is fast enough to time up blitzes from depth and carry the boundary or seam against tight ends.

Dane Belton, Iowa

Measureables: 6-0 5/8, 205. 4.43 40, 36.5 vertical, 4.06 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A two-year starter, Belton’s game really took flight in 2021 with his five interceptions and 12 passes defensed. Those were the only picks of his career. He added three TFLs among his 46 tackles. According to PFF, Belton played the third-most slot-coverage snaps in this draft class. Among safeties who had slot duty, he led the way with four interceptions. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 25th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.5 percent ranked fifth. He also was fifth with 5.0 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Entering the 2021 season, Belton’s goal was simple but challenging. “For me personally and for a lot of my peers, I know that ‘the league’ is the goal,” he told The Quad City Times. After serving as Iowa’s “cash” defender, Belton is about to make some cash because of his versatility. The Hawkeyes’ slot defender – the “cash” position in their lingo – he has covered everyone from Purdue receiver Rondale Moore to Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson.

“I feel like I'm a football player and in that new game of football of position-less players that people talk about,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “Honestly, I just love to play football. So, wherever I can plug and play and help a team, I'm willing to do that. … A lot of people talk about versatility and, ‘I can do this. I can do that.’ But I feel like I've shown I can do that. I feel like for me, going into the draft, I'm one of the most versatile players here. You're not just getting a safety out of me; you're not just getting a nickel or a corner or etc.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Nickel defender in a zone-heavy defense who also aligns at safety in split safety looks and at linebacker. Belton possesses good long speed to carry receivers vertically. It also gives him sufficient range in two high coverages. He is a fluid mover with above-average agility and change of direction abilities. Belton finds and fills holes reliably in the run game and takes on blockers low with a wide base. He takes good angles to ball carriers in space.

Percy Butler, Louisiana

Measureables: 6-0 1/8, 194. 4.36 40, 35 vertical, 4.32 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Butler started 31 games his final three seasons. As a senior, he had one interception, five passes defensed, six tackles for losses and 61 tackles. All three career interceptions came during his final two seasons. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 18th with a missed-tackle rate of 16 percent. He lined up in the box just 6 percent of the time. He finished 13th with 6.7 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, and 10th in passer rating, according to PFF.

Personal touch: A native of Plaquemine, La., Butler found inspiration in fellow Ragin’ Cajuns Brian Mitchell and Kevin Dotson who made it to the NFL.“When you see all the people doing it, it makes you think, ‘Why can’t that be me?’” Butler told The Advocate. “That really motivated me to do the right thing, stay on the right track and keep my mind focused on the goal — going D-I and getting out of Plaquemine, or at least giving myself a chance to make it out of Plaquemine.”

A fast 40 amplified his draft standing. “They thought I was going to run a 4.5, 4.6,” he said at pro day. “It starts with the tape,” Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux said at pro day. “You’ve got to be able to play. They’re not interested in guys who can test well, but not play. With Percy, he’s helped himself on tape. His special teams play, he had over 1,000 gradable snaps on special teams in his career here. That’s freaky. That’s unbelievable. When he ran that 40 at the combine, it kind of put him on another level a little bit.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Butler has smooth footwork in coverage. When working his zones and reading matchups, he can cut in and out of breaks with relative ease. Plays with smart instinct and good field vision to read and react as plays happen. Can see on film that he clearly plays with a lot of passion. Butler offers speed to play in and around the box. He has been a four-year contributor on the kick and punt coverage.

JT Woods, Baylor

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 195. 4.36 40, 39.5 vertical, 4.19 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Woods had a dominant senior season with six interceptions and eight passes defensed, plus 57 tackles that included 4.5 for losses. Woods intercepted nine passes during his final two seasons. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 25th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent. No safety played fewer box reps than Woods, according to SIS. He finished 25th with 8.2 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but ninth in passer rating thanks to all those picks, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Woods says the game of football is “really simple.” While it’s probably simpler with 4.36 speed, being a film nerd helps. “People do the same thing over and over again, so you can pick up on little stuff like that,” Woods told The Waco Tribune. “It’s kind of harder early in the season because you don’t have as many new games to look at. So ,you really have to be looking for the small things early on. It’s like a treasure hunt, and you kind of go find it. But as the season goes, those things start to scream at you.”

His two defensive touchdowns in 2021 were his first scores since his freshman year of high school. “One of the things that makes JT really unique is just his ability to take in a boatload of information, but then he processes it so quick, and he can play fast and play like he’s out there in the schoolyard running around, having fun,” coach Dave Aranda said. “And I think that is contagious.”

Woods is smart, in general. He collected offers from Ivy League schools Brown and Columbia. “My parents set it in my me and my sister's head that academics were going to be a priority at a young age,” Woods told Irish Sports Daily during his recruitment. “It’s never been a choice to come home with a B or stuff like that.”

Woods competed on the track and field team in 2019 and won the 110-meter hurdles at the Baylor Invite.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long-limbed, field-side safety who plays in a primarily two high secondary. Woods is light footed in a straight line, possessing good speed once he opens his long stride. He uses that speed to cover a lot of space on the backend, giving him very good range and closing speed. Woods is active and locates receivers to cover. Trusting his speed, he stays square when threatened vertically. Against the run, he fills willingly.

Tycen Anderson, Toledo

Measureables: 6-1 7/8, 209. 4.36 40, 37 vertical, 4.27 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A fifth-year super-senior, Anderson had one sacks and two TFLs among his 44 tackles, and added one forced fumble and two passes defensed in 10 games. In five seasons, he had two interceptions (none since 2018) and 21 passes defensed. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent. He was eighth with an in-the-box rate of 13 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 0.6 percent was second-worst in the class. He finished 22nd with 7.7 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Anderson stayed home for college. His teammates called him “Mr. Toledo.” He made Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list before the 2021 season. “I hear it all,” Anderson told The Toledo Blade. “I’m extremely blessed to be in the position that I’m in. It took a lot of hard work. Just because they’re talking about it doesn’t mean it’s certain. I know I have to put the work in to make it a reality. Through all the things they say, there are still things I want to get better at. The ceiling is high, so I continue to put my head down and work.”

He lined up here, there and everywhere in the Rockets’ defensive backfield. Moreover, “You’ll get a guy who is the best special teams player in this draft,” Anderson told WTOL recently. “You can cut the tape and it will prove itself.” He stayed home for college and will stay home for the draft. “My stomach is probably going to drop with every pick that comes across the screen," said Anderson. "I can't wait to see how my parents and my little sisters and my cousins react.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Playing mostly at slot cornerback, as well as in the box or as a free safety, he possesses a good body type from the eye test. Good height and arms appear to be very long. In coverage, he has the versatility to line up in every way. In press-man coverage, he shows that he can be physical and get receivers trouble at the line of scrimmage. In off coverage, he is smooth in his backpedal and quick to react when receivers break. Flashes the hand strength to shed off of blocks in space to make quick tackles. He contributes heavily on special teams, playing on the punt return, punt coverage and field goal block units.

Yusuf Corker, Kentucky

Measureables: 6-0, 203. 4.53 40, 34.5 vertical, 4.30 shuttle. (His 23 reps on the bench press led the defensive backs at the Combine.)

Analytical stats: A three-year starter, Corker had a career-high eight passes defensed as a senior. He added 3.5 tackles for losses among his 82 tackles. He had two picks as a junior. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked fourth with a missed-tackle rate of 9 percent. Despite his muscular frame, he lined up in the box just 7 percent of the time. He finished 11th with 6.2 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: A four-star recruit, he started the final 37 games and played in the final 50 games of his career. He grew as a communicator – a big deal at safety – during his final season. “I felt like I communicated a lot better than in the past. They put a lot more on my plate, just making checks and making sure everybody’s on the same page. As a defense, everybody can be doing everything right but if one person’s not, it leads to touchdowns and big plays. I made sure I did a good job containing those big plays and things like that.”

Corker was one of eight semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors the top defensive player in college football who makes the biggest impact for his team, both on and off the field. He was a two-time captain and dean’s list student who delivered food for God’s Pantry. An uncle, Anthony Mitchell, played safety for six seasons for the Ravens, Jaguars and Cowboys. He has a daughter. “When I’m done with practice, I go home and entertain her, along with homework and trying to keep the house clean,” he told his hometown Henry Herald.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Corker has good size and build for the position. His body has good composition, while maintaining his athleticism to play on the backend of the defense. He plays with a quick trigger downhill and has the power to make big hits over the middle of the field. At the line of scrimmage, he can get physical with slot receivers or tight ends to disrupt their original path. Corker is a core special teamer who contributes on all phases. Other than football his “dream job” is to be a pediatric surgeon.

Markquese Bell, Florida A&M

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 212. 4.41 40, 36.5 vertical, 4.37 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A nomadic career ended with Bell being a first-team FCS All-American in 2021 with two sacks and 6.5 tackles for losses among his 95 tackles. He added one interception, two passes defensed and a staggering five forced fumbles. When in the slot, he allowed just 0.53 yards per coverage snap, according to PFF. His missed-tackle rate was 11.5 percent, slightly better than average.

Personal touch: Bell was a four-star recruit coming out of Bridgeton (N.J.) High School, where he won the state championship in the high jump. He picked Maryland but was suspended for an undisclosed honor-code violation before the 2017 opener. He spent 2018 at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College before landing at Florida A&M for 2019 (11 games, nine starts), 2020 (season canceled due to COVID) and 2021 (12 games, 11 starts).

"Being there humbles you," Bell told Tallahassee.com. "Out of high school, I had all these accolades. I had it made. Then to detour and go JUCO. It opens your eyes to how other athletes that didn't have all the spotlight lived." The goal was to resurrect his NFL aspirations, which he did. “I never had a chip on my shoulder. In my mindset, this is going to help take care of my grandma and move her to a better place. There's a lot going on, so that's always my focus.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long-armed, big safety who will lower the shoulder and deliver hard hits on ball carriers. Bell uses his length to get his hands on runners if he takes unfavorable angles. His strength and physicality allows him to overpower smaller blockers in space. He bumps receivers crossing his zone physically to throw off route timing. When starting with his eyes on the quarterback, he displays above-average ball tracking.

Smoke Monday, Auburn

Measureables: 6-1 3/4, 207. 4.52 40, 30 vertical, 4.42 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Of Monday’s five career interceptions, three were taken back for touchdowns. That includes his only theft as a senior, when he added six passes defensed, two sacks, nine tackles for losses and 64 tackles. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 16th with a missed-tackle rate of 15 percent. At 22 percent, only Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker lined up more frequently in the slot. On the other hand, his hand-on-ball rate of 0.7 percent ranked 29th. He finished 16th with 7.0 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but No. 1 in forced incompletion percentage, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Monday’s real first name is Quindarious. How did “Smoke” come about? “I got it from my grandfather,” Monday explained. “Growing up, I was a granddad’s boy. I used to be with him a lot, run around the house a lot, so he just started calling me ‘Smoke.’ Once he passed, when I was about 12, I started using the name to honor him.”

He is flashy but also does the dirty work – literally.

“Coming from where I come from, I was raised in a tough environment where there were a lot of things that could distract me, but my parents did a great job keeping me from that life,” Monday said. “Seeing so much growing up, seeing mistakes my brothers and family members made, it was easier for me not to make those same mistakes. It helped mold me into the man I am today.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: All-around versatility, can be moved all over the defense, and works well at the line of scrimmage against tight ends. Comes down hard against the run, is able to take on blocks and shed. Solid in man coverage when he gets his hands on receivers, has the length to man up bigger bodies. Hard hitter, wraps up with power. Plays on special teams

Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia Tech

Measureables: 6-0 3/4, 212. 4.55 40, 34 vertical, 4.18 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Thomas was a three-year starter with one interception in each of his four seasons. He set or matched career highs in every department as a senior with 81 tackles, one sack, five tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and seven passes defensed. He had a 100-yard touchdown on a kickoff return as a freshman. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 11th with a missed-tackle rate of 11 percent. His in-the-box rate was 17 percent, fifth-most. He was at the bottom of the heap with 12.0 yards allowed per target.

Personal touch: Thomas was one of the players chose to represent the Yellow Jackets at ACC Media Day in July. That was a big deal for Thomas, who grew up with a stuttering problem he ranked a 10 on a 1-to-10 scale.

“I stutter,” Thomas said via The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I’m going to forever stutter. But I have gotten better at it. But, like I said, the more I talk, the more I get better at it, then the more confident I feel about it to talk.” A fourth-grade teacher was especially helpful with advice and tutoring. “Every time I would have a problem with it, she would be like, Slow down. Slow down and talk,” Thomas said. “And she told me, ‘Don’t be afraid to speak. Because deep down, when you’re afraid to speak, when you talk, you’re going to stutter more.’”

Thomas was joined at Georgia Tech by his older brother, receiver Azende Rey, who transferred from Florida A&M. A younger brother, Azareye’h, is headed to Florida State as a four-star cornerback. Said Rey to Rivals: "I am very excited and blessed to be able to share the field with him once again. My mother is so happy. This has been her dream, and now it is fulfilled. We will cherish every moment of this.”

Thomas grew up in Niceville, Fla. He started playing football at age 5 in a league for 8-year-olds.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: On film, Thomas is a physically imposing player. He is asked to play close to the line of scrimmage, as a run-stopping strong safety. Thomas is well built, with the play strength to hold up in the NFL. He is a big hitter, who looks to jar the ball loose when coming downhill. For the most part, Thomas is a good tackler and he can disrupt ball carriers at the point of attack.

Nolan Turner, Clemson

Measureables: 6-1, 202. 4.37 40, 37.5 vertical, 4.46 shuttle.

Analytical stats: A two-year starter and sixth-year super-senior, Turner in 2021 had one interception, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and two sacks. He was a second-team All-American in 2020 with his three picks and six TFLs. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 23rd with a missed-tackle rate of 18 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 0.3 percent was worst in the class. He finished 20th with 7.7 yards per allowed per target.

Personal touch: Turner’s father, Kevin, was a third-round pick by the Patriots in 1992 who played eight NFL seasons. He died in 2016 of ALS. A fullback, Kevin Turner caught 236 passes and scored 11 total touchdowns for the Pats and Eagles. Kevin Turner wore No. 24; so does Nolan. “My dad wore No. 24 in college when he played, so I’ve always worn No. 24, just because of him. It has always been very special and meaningful to me,” Nolan told ClemsonTigers.com.

Kevin Turner played at Alabama alongside Dabo Swinney, who wound up becoming Clemson’s coach. Kevin Turner blinked out a text message to Swinney before he died. “It's been hard on him. The things that he's dealt with since he was 12 years old when I told him I had ALS. He's kinda quiet, not unlike me, so I worry about him. I know many kids have much more worse circumstances. I have my hand out for nothing. I can put him through school. However your friendship, and you telling me to give him your number, priceless. I hope he gets an opportunity to play for you.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Versatile safety who is deployed in single-high, two high, underneath zones, in the box and over slot receivers. Turner is a fluid athlete despite his length, staying low with clean feet. He can man up with tight ends, displaying eye discipline and the length to play the ball. A willing run supporter, he comes downhill, showing the ability to take on blocks low and at extension.

Brad Hawkins, Michigan

Measureables: 6-0 1/2, 207. 4.57 40, 37 vertical, 4.34 shuttle.

Analytical stats: The good: Hawkins was a three-year starter who played in 56 games. He is coming off his best season with two forced fumbles, four passes defensed, three tackles for losses and 60 tackles. The bad: In those school-record number of the games, he had zero interceptions. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked sixth with a missed-tackle rate of 10 percent. He lined up in the box 13 percent of the time, the 10th-highest rate. Coverage responsibilities for safeties can be fickle. Nonetheless, according to PFF, Hawkins ranked No. 1 in the draft class in completion rate (26.7) and snaps per receptions (105.3).

Personal touch: Hawkins was picked for the East-West Shrine Game but not the Scouting Combine. So, that put all the eggs in the pro day basket. “It was really, as I see it, just one opportunity,” Hawkins said afterward. “Some guys had two. I only had one. I went out there and just did everything that I can, to the best of my ability.”

Due to a snafu with his grades, he had to spend a year at a New Jersey prep school before arriving at Michigan. Rather than bitter, he embraced the time. “I’d go to see third or fourth-level basketball games and he’s there in the crowd cheering on freshmen,” Charlie Cahn, Suffield’s head master, told The Michigan Daily. “Here’s the captain of our football team, supporting those kids, not just with the starters and the key contributors, but with everybody. It’s humility. It’s genuine.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Hawkins displays a nice physical profile with his height and weight. Fits the mold with his physical build having a firm athletic build. He displays good key and diagnoses of run concept playing in the box, as an overhang and filling the alley from two high. Most comfortable playing two high, showing a good understanding of route concepts and leverages routes well. Overall, he is a solid and willing tackler showing good tackling form. He will make a special teams impact.

Quentin Lake, UCLA

Measureables: 6-1 3/8, 201. 4.59 40, DNP vertical, DNP shuttle.

Analytical stats: Lake was a four-year starter with career totals of six interceptions and 21 passes defends. As a fifth-year senior, he went across-the-board career highs with 54 tackles (two for losses), three interceptions and nine passes defensed. According to PFF, he allowed merely a 38.8 passer rating in the slot. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 15th with a missed-tackle rate of 14 percent. His in-the-box rate of 4 percent was one of the lowest in the draft. His hand-on-ball rate of 1.5 percent ranked fifth. He finished 21st with 7.6 yards per allowed per target, according to SIS, but No. 4 in passer rating, according to PFF.

Personal touch: Lake has tremendous NFL DNA. His father, Carnell, was an All-American linebacker for UCLA whose 12-year NFL career started with the Pittsburgh Steelers, for whom he was selected to four of his five Pro Bowls. Carnell Lake was a physical player. That’s what he wanted from his son. “Be the most hard-working, physical player on the field,” Quentin Lake told The Los Angeles Times.

While he wanted to blaze his own trail, going to UCLA’s was his lifelong dream. Before officially committing to UCLA, Quentin posted a photo on Twitter. It was from his elementary school yearbook. Students were asked about their futures. Lake wrote: “I will have graduated from UCLA and be a professional football player.” Lake’s Twitter caption: “Dreams really can come true.”

Carnell Lake said he didn’t want to be “too overbearing.” His son appreciated the approach and wisdom. “In terms of my success on the football field, that’s the guy I go to for anything — whether that’s film study, offensive tendencies, formations, all that stuff,” Quentin told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “My dad has been a crucial part of my success on the field, and even off the field. Him showing me the way in football is great and all, but at the same time, you want a dad to show you how to be a good man, how to be respectful.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Safety with average size who is primarily deployed in deep zones. Lake takes good angles to targeted receivers downfield and ahead of him on crossing routes. He locates the ball in the air to make a play on it. In run support, he takes favorable angles to lateral moving ball carriers when pursuing from depth. Lake establishes contact with tight ends early when matched up in man coverage.

Bubba Bolden, Miami

Measureables: 6-2 1/8, 209. 4.47 40, 31 vertical, 4.20 shuttle.

Analytical stats: Bolden started his career at USC in 2017, was suspended for 2018 and emerged at Miami. He started 16 games the last two years. In seven games in 2021, he broke up two passes. In 11 games in 2020, he had one interception, four forced fumbles and 6.5 tackles for losses. Of 33 safeties in the SIS draft guide, he ranked 25th with a missed-tackle rate of 19 percent. His in-the-box rate was just 4 percent. His hand-on-ball rate of 0.6 percent was second-worst in the class. However, he was second with 2.9 yards allowed per target.

Personal touch: Bolden was suspended for 28 months for a drinking incident that he said was limited to “mutual trash talking.” Not surprisingly, Bolden transferred rather than waiting on the sideline for more than two years.

A shoulder injury that required surgery ruined his final season. “In my mind, I know I’m the best safety in the draft – by far,” he said at pro day. “Injury kind of messed some things up. I’d say third round is where I’m at. At the end of the day, I’m not worried about any of that; I’m going to make the 53 (man roster); I’ll be a starting safety and the rest will be history.”

Bolden is from Las Vegas, the home for this year’s draft. “I always tell people Miami is like Las Vegas with water,” he told Raiders.com. His high school team, Bishop Gorman, went undefeated in his four years and won three consecutive unofficial national championships.

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Long safety who is deployed in deep zones with half field and single high as well as the occasional off man alignment over the slot. Bolden possesses very good hip fluidity in space which is impressive for a player of his size. His great lateral agility allows him to cut off routes. Bolden recovers quickly after getting beat, speaking to his agility. In two high, he has very good eyes, reading inside out reliably.