Seahawks Draft: Ranking S Prospects - Another Young Stud for Seattle?

While the Seattle Seahawks have high hopes for their star-studded safety group, age and injury histories could make the position a bigger need than advertised in the draft. Reporter Corbin Smith ranks his top safety prospects, including a trio of Illinois standouts.

With less than two weeks remaining until the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks will soon be on the clock with the fifth overall pick and hold 10 total selections, presenting a prime opportunity to bolster their roster with young talent.

On paper, the Seahawks have one of the best safety groups in the NFL when healthy and with Jamal Adams set to return after missing most of the 2022 season alongside Quandre Diggs and newcomer Julian Love, there's no shortage of talent at the position. However, with Diggs now 30 years old and Adams coming off multiple significant injuries, the team may be on the lookout for insurance to reinforce the depth chart in the upcoming draft.

As part of my annual prospect rankings, here's where each of the top safety prospects from the 2023 class falls on my top 300 with quick scouting reports and reported visits with the Seahawks if applicable.

*Players are listed in order by position with overall ranking in parenthesis.

Tier 1 - First-Round Talent

© Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

1 (13). Brian Branch, Alabama

A dynamic all-around playmaker who wore multiple hats in coach Nick Saban's defense over three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Branch played both safety positions as well as slot cornerback in Tuscaloosa, offering the versatility NFL teams covet and demand in modern defenses. He isn't the biggest defender at 6'0, 190 pounds, but he flies to the football, exhibits great physicality as a tackler, and offers plus ball skills from multiple positions and alignments, making him the clear and obvious choice as top safety in his class.

Tier 2 - Second/Third-Round Talent

2 (51). Sydney Brown, Illinois

Brown measured in at a smaller 5'10 in Indianapolis at the combine, 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 with six interceptions, 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. He may have squashed some of those concerns with an excellent combine workout, however, and could be the first safety off the board on day two.

3 (56). JL Skinner, Boise State

Reported Visit: Combine Formal

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. Hard hitting by nature, he also recovered a trio of fumbles in his final two college seasons, showing a propensity for creating turnovers. Unable to test at the combine, his change of direction and lateral movement skills remain questioned, but in the right scheme, he has a chance to be a star in the league.

4 (58). Jordan Battle, Alabama

Bigger than his counterpart Branch, Battle measured in at 6'1, 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 he can play a bit out of control, but those areas can be coached up in the league.

5 (60). Christopher Smith, Georgia

A highly instinctive cover safety whose savvy offsets significant athletic limitations, including 4.62 40-yard dash speed, 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 should lead to a day two selection with the chance to vie for snaps on defense early.

© Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

6 (82). Jartavius Martin, Illinois

Reported Visit: Top-30 Official

A physical defender with plus ball skills, Martin saw snaps at cornerback as well as safety throughout his five seasons in Champagne, showing a penchant for helping as a tackler against the run and getting his hands on the football frequently with seven picks and 15 pass breakups in his career. While his 4.4 testing speed doesn't always show up on the field and he's been dinged up time to time, he has enough size coupled with a diverse skill set to shine as either a safety or a cornerback with inside/outside flexibility.

7 (88). Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

One of the bigger safeties in this year's class, Johnson stands 6-3 with a long, lean frame that should allow him to add a bit more muscle to his 195-pound frame. 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 and he didn't test well, which could cause him to plunge to late on day two.

8 (94). Jammie Robinson, Florida State

Reported Visit: Top-30 Official

On the smaller end for a box safety at 5-11, 194 pounds, Robinson plays much bigger than his weight class and brings a feisty, aggressive demeanor 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. That versatility and potential special teams contributions could lead to a third round selection.

Tier 3 - Day Three/Undrafted Talent

9 (100). Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame

Possessing good 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 he didn't do himself any favors with subpar testing numbers at the combine. Production could push him into day two, but the fourth round looks like a sweet spot.

10 (107). Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State

A two-year starter in the Buckeyes' secondary, Hickman always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, looking especially comfortable playing closer to the box against tight ends and bigger receivers in coverage. He's adept at punching out the football and displays good instincts filling against the run, but he could be a high floor, low ceiling prospect due to average speed and agility that create limits for him schematically in coverage.

11 (157). Daniel Scott, California

On the heels of another productive season with three interceptions, Scott lit up the combine with great testing numbers, including a 6.75 3-cone drill time exhibiting elite change of direction skills. He will turn 25 during his rookie season, so age may deter teams from picking him earlier, and he's been suspect to busted coverages. Still, he has a solid all-around game with plus-ball skills and tackling ability. Add in his special teams value and standing as a former captain and he should go mid-day three.

12 (173). Ja'Von Hicks, Cincinnati

Armed with good size (6-2, 206 pounds) and excellent ball skills, Hicks tallied 197 tackles, 10 interceptions, and three forced fumbles in five collegiate seasons. While he won't wow with his athleticism, he's a versatile defender who logged over 500 snaps in the box along with over 1,300 snaps as a free safety. Flying under the radar without a combine invite, he could be a day three gem for teams who value his strengths as a multi-faceted safety coming from a strong program.

13 (187). Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State

One of the country's best ball-hawking safeties, Brown picked off 10 passes over his final two seasons in Happy Valley, adding three forced fumbles and 4.5 sacks as a blitzer as the cherry on top. But while his production is elite, opponents took advantage of his aggressiveness for big gains through the air and he didn't test well at all at the combine, calling into question whether or not his playmaking tendencies will translate to the next level.

14 (201). Brandon Hill, Pittsburgh

For teams desiring athletic traits to mold at safety, the 193-pound Hill has ideal 4.4 speed and plenty of explosiveness to work with. But while he scored two defensive touchdowns in college and can occasionally deliver massive hits playing in the box, he's not a consistent tackler and doesn't play with enough patience dropping back into his zone in coverage. He's a project with a somewhat high ceiling if he takes to coaching and should see special teams action immediately.

15 (206). Kendall Smith, Illinois

After biding his time as a special teams player for four years, Smith finally broke into Illinois' starting lineup and took full advantage of his opportunity. A former receiver who converted to safety, his ball skills were evident with five interceptions last season, a trait that will certainly appeal to NFL teams. He's still raw instincts-wise and will need time to continue developing anticipating routes from center field, making him a roll of the dice on day three with untapped potential and immense special teams value.

16 (208). Jay Ward, LSU

Mentality wise, Ward stands out due to his aggressive mindset hunting down ball carriers and will willingly throw his 6-1, 188-pound body around to make plays against the run. But while he did pick off three passes in 2020 and has played in the slot as well as both safety spots, his ball production has been hit and miss and the lack of any elite athletic traits coupled with a lean build may make finding a long-term position for him a challenge for whoever picks him.

17 (222). Tyreque Jones, Boise State

Overshadowed by Skinner's heroics, Jones capped off his college career with two stellar seasons in the Broncos' secondary. Missed tackles have been a persistent problem for him and last year, his coverage play regressed to an extent matching up with more athletic tight ends and slots. He did post three interceptions and seven pass breakups, however, showing flashes as a pass defender. He'll have to carve out a special teams role early, but could factor on defense down the road.

18 (225). Kaevon Merriweather, Iowa

Built with a thick 6-0, 205-pound frame, Merriweather has the size and physicality to excel near the line of scrimmage and he did make marked improvements in coverage as a senior with three interceptions, suggesting a future as a strong safety. But his film is littered with inconsistency, starting with far too many missed tackles, and he likely isn't fast or quick enough to cover NFL slot receivers. With proper development, a situational defense role appears to be his ceiling as a late day-three selection.

19 (241). Jordan Howden, Minnesota

Reported Visit: Top-30 Official

Proving to be a jack of all trades, Howden more than 600 snaps in the slot along with seeing extensive action as a free and strong safety. An instinctive player with a high football IQ from playing numerous positions, he's capable of sniffing out routes and getting his hands on the football despite not having elite speed or acceleration out of his breaks. He also is a willing tackler, though he'll have to clean up his technique with fewer arm tackles at the next level and projects as a special team standout right away.

20 (244). Rashad Torrence, Florida

Another safety prospect with quality NFL size for either position at 6-0, 202 pounds, Torrence flashed ball skills in spurts and spent some time playing closer to the box for the Gators. 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. Unfortunately, athletic testing only created more concerns, likely dropping him into seventh round or undrafted territory.

21 (245). Christian Young, Arizona

Blessed with elite size and quality speed at 221 pounds, Young started for the Wildcats as a money linebacker and safety each of the past two years, racking up 141 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. There are flashes of coverage ability in man and zone schemes, but he doesn't change direction well and rarely made plays on the football. Add in a bunch of missed tackles and erratic technique and he's a late day three developmental pick who will have to embrace coaching to see defensive snaps.

Previous Positional Rankings

Defensive Tackle | Quarterback | EDGE/Defensive End | Center | Linebacker | Receiver | Cornerback | Running Back

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