Seahawks 2023 Combine Confidential: Safeties
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Kicking the offseason schedule into overdrive, coaches, scouts and executives will descend upon Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine this week to continue evaluating and assessing top prospects for the upcoming 2023 draft.
Holding two first-round selections, including the No. 5 overall pick courtesy of the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos last March, the Seattle Seahawks face one of their most critical drafts with a prime chance to further fortify their roster after a surprising playoff berth last season.
Talent-wise, the Seahawks have one of the deepest, star-studded safety groups in the NFL when healthy. Unfortunately, however, Jamal Adams missed all but one game in 2022 with a torn quad tendon and has battled persistent injuries since being acquired from the Jets before the 2020 season. Aside from the ever-so-reliable Quandre Diggs, Adams health and Ryan Neal's pending restricted free agency create significant questions at the position.
Heading into this week's festivities at the combine, here's a look at 10 safety prospects who the Seahawks should be keeping close tabs on as potential first-round, second/third round, and day-three targets to either replace Neal or provide additional depth as insurance in the secondary.
First Round
Brian Branch, Alabama
A dynamic all-around play-maker who wore multiple hats in coach Nick Saban's defense over three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Branch did a bit of everything in his college career. An All-American recipient from ESPN and CBS and Second-Team All-SEC selection as a junior amongst a loaded defensive backs group, he racked up 90 tackles, two interceptions, three sacks, and 14 tackles for loss.
Capable of playing both safety positions as well as slot cornerback, Branch offers the versatility NFL teams covet and demand in modern defenses. He isn't the biggest defender at 6-foot, 190 pounds, but he flies to the football, exhibits great physicality as a tackler, and offers plus ball skills from multiple positions and alignments. Thanks to his multiplicity, he could go as early as the first 10 picks in April's draft with an impressive combine performance.
Christopher Smith, Georgia
As good of a pure free safety as found in college football the past two seasons, Smith starred for back-to-back Bulldogs national championship teams as a ball hawk in the secondary. Along with picking off six passes and returning one of those interceptions for a touchdown in those two campaigns to close out his college career, he earned consensus First-Team All-American honors and First-Team All-SEC distinction in 2022.
A highly instinctive cover safety, Smith excels at jumping routes and positioning himself to make plays on the football. Where he struggled at times, however, was bringing down bigger backs, receivers, and tight ends as a tackler where his smaller 188-pound frame can be problematic. Still, his coverage prowess and ability to create turnovers could push him into the first round discussion and fast testing times would only further help his cause.
Second/Third Round
JL Skinner, Boise State
A former multi-sport star in high school, Skinner possesses all the physical traits teams crave in a modern NFL strong safety. Standing 6-4 and weighing 218 pounds, he's an ex-track standout with excellent straight-line speed and underrated ball skills, as evidenced by his four interceptions in 2022. He also recovered a trio of fumbles in his final two college seasons, showing a propensity for creating turnovers.
While a physically gifted prospect who put up gaudy numbers for the Broncos, Skinner won't be able to participate in the combine due to a torn pectoral muscle, limiting his chance to disprove critics who question his change of direction and lateral movement skills. But after playing well at the Senior Bowl and holding his own against elite competition in Mobile, he should still be one of the first safeties to hear his name called in April and interviews behind the scenes will play a role in how high he is selected.
Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
Starring in College Station for an Aggies squad that didn't meet expectations over the past two seasons, Johnson stacked up quality numbers with 150 tackles, two sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles in 2021 and 2022. Despite his team's lack of success in the win column a year ago, he joined Smith as the second First-Team All-SEC safety a year ago, a clear sign of respect for his individual talent.
One of the bigger safeties in this year's class, Johnson stands 6-foot-3 with a long, lean frame that should allow him to add a bit more muscle at 195 pounds. A capable hitter in the box, he registered more than 70 stops each of the past two seasons while finding himself in the backfield with high frequency. At the same time, his coverage numbers in terms of ball production underwhelmed with just one pick and four passes defensed in three college seasons, which could limit his ceiling in terms of draft stock.
Jordan Battle, Alabama
Yet another talented safety emerging from Saban's secondary, Battle played substantial snaps right away in Tuscaloosa and wasted little time coming through with game-changing plays. In his sophomore and junior seasons, he returned three interceptions for touchdowns while also amassing 151 combined tackles. To close out his career, he earned First-Team All-SEC distinction from coaches with 71 tackles and a pick in 13 starts.
Bigger than his counterpart Branch, Battle measured in at 6-foot-1, 206 pounds at the combine, looking more like a strong safety than a traditional free safety. But his greatest strengths lie in his coverage ability, as evidenced by his gaudy interception numbers at Alabama, and he has prior experience as a big slot along with playing both safety positions. His tackling can be suspect and his draft positioning may ride on how well he tests athletically this week in Indianapolis.
Sydney Brown, Illinois
One of the most fascinating stories at this year's combine, Brown has evolved from a boxer and figure skater in his youth into a fast rising NFL safety prospect. Playing alongside his brother Chris, who starred at running back for the Illini and should also be drafted in April, Brown broke out with six interceptions as a senior in 2022, receiving First-Team All-Big Ten recognition from coaches and earning himself a Senior Bowl invite.
Listed at 6-foot on Illinois' roster, Brown measured in at a smaller 5-10 in Indianapolis, but he has a muscular 213-pound frame that should serve him well to see some action as a box safety. While his ball production ranked among the best in the nation last year, he did have issues with more athletic tight ends and didn't see much action against slot receivers, casting questions about where he fits at the next level. Testing will answer a lot of questions about him athletically and provide some clues to where he may fit position-wise in the NFL.
Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame
After redshirting as a freshman at Northwestern, Joseph burst onto the scene for a surprising Wildcats team that advanced to the Big Ten title game in 2020, tying for first in the country with five interceptions. He remained productive as a sophomore with three more interceptions before transferring to join the Fighting Irish, where his lone pick resulted in a touchdown in an otherwise quiet season by his standards.
Possessing quality size for a free safety at 6-1, 196 pounds, Joseph checks off all of the boxes in terms of coverage instincts and ball skills with nine career interceptions. He leaves much to be desired as a tackler, often resorting to arm tackles that won't work in the NFL. Compared to some of his peers, his athleticism doesn't always translate on film and the combine will give him an opportunity to show off his speed and change of direction skills with hopes of being a day two free agency candidate for teams.
Jammie Robinson, Florida State
Born to play football, Robinson plays the game with an infectious energy and passion that became even more apparent in a standout week at the Senior Bowl. Starting his career at South Carolina before transferring with two years of eligibility left, the Seminoles deployed him differently with more snaps in the box and he stuffed the stat sheet with over 170 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and five interceptions in two seasons with the program, earning First-Team All-ACC honors both years.
On the smaller end for a box safety at 5-foot-11, 194 pounds, Robinson plays much bigger than his weight class and brings a feisty, aggressive style with him every time he takes the field. He can have some trouble corralling bigger running backs and wouldn't be classified as a thumper by any stretch, but he's a physical gamer with capable ball skills and positional versatility to play either safety spot or the slot. With a fast 40 time in the 4.4 range, he could secure a second or early third round selection.
Day Three Sleepers
Ja'Von Hicks, Cincinnati
Playing on a Bearcats defense featuring several future NFL draft picks, including top-five pick Sauce Gardner, Hicks often didn't receive the recognition he deserved. Armed with good size (6-2, 206 pounds) and excellent ball skills, the Cincinnati native tallied 197 tackles, 10 interceptions, and three forced fumbles in five collegiate seasons, earning Second-Team All-AAC honors as a senior.
Though he allowed a pair of touchdown receptions last season, Hicks also yielded only a 46 percent completion rate and 128 yards in 12 starts according to Pro Football Focus. A versatile defender who logged over 500 snaps in the box along with over 1,300 snaps as a free safety, he has flown under the radar and while he didn't receive a combine invite, he will have a chance to bolster his stock at an upcoming pro day.
Rashaad Torrence, Florida
Seeing significant action as a freshman for the Gators, Torrence maintained his spot in the starting lineup over his final two college seasons with steady production as a run defender and in coverage. Over three years with the program, while he never garnered All-SEC recognition, he accumulated 194 tackles and three interceptions.
Another safety prospect with quality NFL size for either position at 6-foot, 202 pounds, Torrence flashed ball skills in spurts and spent some time playing closer to the box. With that said, he struggled to recover when yielding separation to receivers and inconsistent tackling form led to a lot of missed opportunities left on the field. He's one of the biggest wild cards heading into testing, as better than expected times in the 40-yard dash and 10-yard split would be a feather in his cap heading towards the draft.
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