New England Patriots Draft Profile: Georgia Safety Javon Bullard - Going 'Deep'?

The New England Patriots are in need of help in their secondary. Might Georgia Bulldogs standout Javon Bullard be the answer to their void in their defensive backfield?

Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard (22) celebrates after picking off a pass from Ole Miss / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

FOXBORO — With the on-field start of the new NFL year fast approaching, the New England Patriots may find themselves in need of a versatile presence in their defensive backfield — primarily at safety. 

Despite boasting one of the league’s top depth charts last season — headlined by veteran Jabrill Peppers and 2020 second-round pick (No. 37 overall) Kyle Dugger — the Pats' acumen at the position has thinned since the start of the league year on March 13. 

Should the team choose to upgrade their safety room via April’s draft, the Pats may wish to keep an eye on University of Georgia standout Javon Bullard.

Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard (22) celebrates after picking off a pass from Ole Miss / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bullard earned 56 tackles, two interceptions and five passes defensed last year for the Bulldogs, despite battling through an ankle injury suffered in Sept. During his time in Athens, Bullard won two College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championships, while earning the CFP Defensive MVP award in Georgia’s 33-18 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2022. He also received second-team All-SEC honors in 2023.

The 5-11, 180-pound hybrid defensive back is a tough, physical player, with great instincts and field awareness. While he may need to add some bulk to an admittedly thin frame to be effective in the NFL, Bullard’s standout practice performances during the Senior Bowl earned him the honor of being selected “top deep safety,” as voted by his peers. He followed up his showcase in Mobile with a more-than-respectable showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds.

Last season, Dugger and Peppers formed one of the top defensive backfield tandems in the NFL, routinely leading the team in snaps taken on defense. Peppers put up Pro Bowl-worthy numbers, finishing the year with 78 total tackles, eight passes-defensed, one sack and one interception — as well as a forced fumble and a recovery. Dugger led all defensive backs with 109 total tackles, while also compiling seven passes-defensed, two interceptions and 1.5 sacks. Jalen Mills settles into the third spot along the depth chart, earning 45 total tackles and a forced fumble. Lastly, Adrian Phillips continued to play an elder-statesman, advisory type role, despite a drastic reduction in his defensive snap counts. 

Following Phillips’ release and Mills signing a free agent deal with the New York Giants, the Pats are a bit thin at the position. Despite applying the transition tag to Dugger, the Pats still run the slight risk of losing their top safety to an offer sheet they are unwilling to match. Beyond Peppers, the Pats have third-year defensive back Joshuah Bledsoe and the recently-signed Jaylinn Hawkins under contract for 2024. 

Accordingly, New England is expected to address the position in the mid-to-late rounds in next month’s NFL Draft. Though the Patriots are widely expected to seek help on offense on Day 1 and early Day 2, they may look to trade up to fill a position of need with a promising, young option such as Bullard at some point during Day 2.