2025 NFL Draft Summer Scouting: Top 10 Safeties

We’re wrapping up our Summer Scouting series here at NFLTR with the final installment after a few weeks of going position by position breaking down the preliminary top prospects for the upcoming collegiate season and the 2025 NFL Draft cycle.

Today I’m breaking down the safeties. This is an exciting group, with as many as four first-round prospects after initial evaluations. Safety is one of the positions where scheme fit matters so much, as they can be asked to do wildly different things by different coverages. The top players in this class are all quite versatile, adding to their intrigue as guys who could fit almost any scheme.

You can find the other positions done so far here:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Offensive Tackles
• Interior Offensive Linemen
• Edge Rushers
• Defensive Tackles
• Linebackers
• Cornerbacks

Let’s take a look at the top 2025 safety prospects heading into college football season:

1: Malaki Starks, Georgia

A consensus five-star recruit, Starks chose to stay in his home state of Georgia to play for the Bulldogs. In high school, Starks played quarterback as well as safety, in addition to doing track and field. His multi-sport and positional versatility speaks to his natural athleticism and work ethic, and despite joining an immensely talented Georgia defense, Starks started as a true freshman.

In two seasons as a starter, he’s totaled 99 tackles, 12 pass breakups and four interceptions. In 2023, he was named a consensus All-American and made first-team All-SEC. Now entering his junior year, Starks is recovering from shoulder surgery and is already one of the top prospects on most evaluators’ boards.

Starks is an elite athlete, blazingly fast and impressively quick. At 6-1 and 205, his best attributes are on display in coverage, where he uses his length and speed to disrupt receivers in a variety of schemes. He gets into his backpedal quickly, covering a lot of ground and maintaining good positioning against explosive offenses. With experience in the box, at nickel corner and as a free safety, Starks can provide NFL defenses with support in multiple roles. To say he has quick-twitch feet is an understatement — Starks can redirect faster than most players I’ve scouted. He has the length and agility to play true press coverage against NFL-caliber receivers, which is rare for a safety prospect.

As a run defender, Starks uses his explosiveness to bury running backs off the snap. There’s no wasted motion or hesitation in his movements. He’s patient in navigating a blocking scheme before bursting forward to make a tackle. His track background is evident in his play, as he is supremely fast and capable of running down backs and receivers. Starks is a balanced player with rare coverage ability for his position.

There truly aren’t many weaknesses to Starks’ game. He can overly aggressive at times, leaving him susceptible to cutbacks and double-moves, but this already improved in his sophomore year. In coverage, he can be a step late to react at times. Given his confidence and decision-making on most snaps, this is likely simply a matter of inexperience. Scouts will want to see him clean that up in 2024.

It’s no exaggeration to say Starks is in contention for the top overall player in this draft. Just based on positional value, he’s a long shot to be seriously considered for the top pick, but the top five could be very much in play. Another year of starting on Georgia’s ridiculously loaded defense will help him continue to grow as a player. It’s an easy first-round grade for me, Starks is one of the top players on my board.

2: Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa

Staying in-state and becoming the highest-rated recruit in Iowa history isn’t the only surprise in Nwankpa’s career. A standout high school safety, he was deemed a five-star recruit by most sources and committed to the Hawkeyes, where he played immediately as a true freshman. By his sophomore year in 2023, he had solidified his claim to a starting spot, impressing with his athleticism and ball skills. For his Iowa career, Nwankpa has 54 tackles, three pass breakups and two interceptions, including a pick-six in the 2023 Music City Bowl. As one of the anchors of the vaunted Iowa defense, Nwankpa has big expectations for his junior year, and a chance to become a top draft prospect in the process.

Standing at 6-2 and 210 pounds, Nwankpa has excellent size for a safety. As an athlete, he’s among the elite of the elite, with incredible speed, agility and length on display on his tape. He can play free or strong safety comfortably, with the versatility to flip between a single-high or two-high safety from play to play. Rangy safeties are valuable for the freedom they give other players in the defense, and Nwankpa is as rangy as they come. He flies around the back end, with true sideline-to-sideline speed. He backpedals to his spot in a flash and eliminates plays down the field.

Nwankpa reacts quickly to plays unfolding, making smart decisions and eliminating wasted time. He’s a strong tackler, utilizing a good form and rarely missing. With the fluidity of a cornerback, Nwankpa excels in zone match schemes, where he can switch from zone to man principles in an instant and lock down his man. Though he doesn’t do it often, he’s capable of playing press coverage, and his length and ball skills make him incredibly disruptive throughout routes.

Most of Nwankpa’s struggles come from a lack of experience. He can be too aggressive in run support, failing to maintain proper pursuit angles. He also has a bad tendency to get washed out of plays, especially if he’s asked to make a backside pursuit. In coverage, he just needs more reps reading and diagnosing complex offensive systems. He might not get many opportunities in the Big 10, but experience will be a boost regardless.

With his combination of athleticism and work ethic, NFL coaches will fall in love with Nwankpa. I have a solid first-round grade on him, and he can be a perfect NFL safety. Teams will love his versatility and reliability, and he may have untapped potential as a slot corner. Nwankpa is both a safe and high-ceiling prospect, and those types of players get drafted very highly.

3: Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State

Winston, a 6-2, 204-pound safety, was a four-star recruit in the class of 2022. He played sparingly as a freshman before seizing a starting spot in the Nittany Lions’ secondary in 2023. Last year, he dominated the Big 10, racking up 60 tackles to go with an interception and five pass breakups. Now heading into his true junior season, Winston will look to continue his ascent in college football and solidify his draft position as a potential first-round pick. Penn State has high aspirations in 2024, and Winston is a big reason why.

The surest tackler in this safety class, Winston is incredibly scheme versatile. He can play in single- or two-high looks, while also moonlighting at linebacker and slot cornerback. This versatility will help him in the draft process, especially at a position so predicated on scheme fit. As a run defender, Winston uses his instincts well, firing off the snap to fill gaps and make tackles. The pursuit angles he takes are solid and he rarely overextends or overruns a play — Winston plays with sound technique and fundamentals.

In coverage, Winston uses his quickness and twitch to backpedal into his zones rapidly, cutting off passing lanes for opposing offenses. He has the hip flexibility to mirror receivers in man or zone match schemes and the length to be disruptive at the catch point. With excellent long speed for a safety, he has the range to be a true single-high safety in the NFL, a critical position for several coverage schemes. Winston tracks the ball well in the air, leading to turnover potential on nearly every snap.

For as sound a player as Winston is, he’s only an above-average athlete, not an elite one. He’s fast, but his change-of-direction and strength profiles don’t stand out as much among his fellow draft candidates. Specifically, he doesn’t have the mass and upper-body strength to meet bigger runners in the open field with as much force as you’d like to see. He also gets a little grabby in downfield coverage, which needs to be cleaned up.

I have a first-round grade on Winston, even accounting for his flaws. He’s such a reliable player with big-play upside, and his scheme versatility is a legitimate weapon. Defensive coaches will love his grit and mentality and he has the length and speed to succeed in the NFL. Winston’s ceiling may not be as high as the names above him on this list, but he’s an NFL safety through and through.

4: Andrew Mukuba, Texas

After playing three seasons at Clemson, Mukuba transferred to Texas for his final college season. He has a fascinating story, as he was originally a refugee from Zimbabwe who immigrated with his family to Texas when he was nine. Quickly finding joy in football, Mukuba was an elite two-way high school player and settled at safety once getting to Clemson. He started as a true freshman and made the freshman All-American team, and now for his senior year he will look to make his impact in the SEC and climb draft boards.

Mukuba checks in a 6-0 and 195, and he is the fastest safety I’ve ever scouted. Based on the reported 40-times I’ve seen listed, Mukuba would have checked in as one of the fastest receivers in the 2024 NFL Combine. That speed is a weapon, and one he knows how to use. He can play cornerback as well as strong or free safety, and he has legitimate man-coverage skills. Agile hips and bursty acceleration let him keep up with even the fastest and most skilled receivers he’s faced, and in the NFL, he may be asked to do this frequently.

With strong ball skills and the ability to read plays quickly, Mukuba is a huge asset on the back end of the defense. As a tackler, he knows how to wrap up consistently and doesn’t sacrifice sure plays for style points. He has experience in multiple zone schemes and can effectively play in even complex rotations and zone disguises. At least on film, he appears to have long arms, which helps to offset some of the concerns with his overall size.

As mentioned, one of the potential concerns with Mukuba is that he’s a bit undersized for the position. This hasn’t been a consistent issue on tape, but occasionally he will struggle to match a bigger tight end, which raises concerns when projecting to the NFL. Additionally, he needs to be more aggressive in his run support. Not that he should be forgoing discipline in his attack angles, but rather he needs to be more willing to stick his nose in and make a play. NFL coaches will want to see this.

Mukuba is incredibly fast, and this trait alone will be appealing to NFL teams. Combine that with his versatility and coverage skills and you have an intriguing player with serious upside. I have a borderline first-round or early second-round grade on Mukuba, and a big year at Texas could move him firmly into the first round. I’m a fan of his game, and I may be higher on him than most, but I see the vision with him.

5: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

A 5-11, 198-pound athlete out of Nebraska, Watts was originally a wide receiver before converting to safety in South Bend. Understandably, he got off to a bit of a slow start after making the conversion, but his senior year in 2023 was sensational. He totaled 52 tackles, four pass breakups, and seven interceptions, winning the Bronko Nagurski trophy as college football’s best defender. Now back for his Covid year, Watts continues to acclimate to the safety position and has many draft scouts intrigued by his potential, even for someone so inexperienced.

Unsurprisingly for a former receiver, Watts’ best skill is his ball-hawking nature. Seven interceptions are a lot, and he consistently puts himself in a good position to make big plays. He can read offenses quickly and reliably, and as a leader on Notre Dame’s defense in 2023, was an effective communicator on the back end. With a tough, physical mindset and playstyle, Watts will endear himself to defensive coaches everywhere. He embodies grit and savvy.

Like most of the others on this list, Watts has some flexibility to play across the defense, though he’s most effective in the box. In run support, he’s decisive and impactful, showcasing the ability to shed blocks and make plays. Watts has the requisite athleticism to be effective in deep coverages, and his ball skills make him a dangerous player to throw near.

Watts is still learning the position, and this rawness is most evidence in his coverage. As it currently stands, he is not a reliable man coverage defender, and his zone principles aren’t always kept intact. Ideally, he’ll use this additional season to improve and gain valuable experience on the defensive side of the football. He has the traits you’d like to see for a powerful safety, so hopefully his experience and skill catches up.

For someone so new to the position, Watts continues to impress. His instincts and ball skills are special, and he’s already an excellent run defender. With more experience on the back end, he can improve as a coverage defender and dramatically boost his stock. I have a second-round grade on Watts, which is projecting some continued growth in coverage. 2024 will be a big year for him to prove 2023 wasn’t a fluke and to build upon his success.

Best of the rest

6 — Rod Moore, Michigan: Versatile, sound safety with athletic upside. Built for deeper coverages and mirroring receivers, gets washed out of run plays too often.

7 — Shilo Sanders, Colorado: Undersized, ball-hawking safety with a knack for big plays. Big hitter, though lacks strong man coverage skills.

8 — Keon Sabb, Alabama: Young safety with intriguing size and traits. Limited experience as a starter and questionable long speed, but a lot of potential with a big 2024 upcoming.

9 — Lathan Ransom, Ohio State: Physical, disruptive safety with strong pursuit speed. Lacks experience for an older prospect and sometimes struggles when asked to defend on an island.

10 — Sebastian Castro, Iowa: Older prospect with limited athleticism. Still a phenomenally impactful player with sound principles and is battle-tested against the best competition.