2020 NFL Draft Preview: Safety sleepers and Broncos fits

This class of safeties has a wide array of talent. There may not be any safety selected in the first round, and if there is it’s likely only to be one – maybe two. However, once the second round hits then we should see a run at the position.

The Broncos have their starting safeties wrapped up, and what a dynamic duo they have in Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons. However, they did let Will Parks get away in free agency to the Eagles. Losing a “Swiss Army knife” player like Parks is going to sting a little unless they can replace him with a similar player in the draft.

In this article, I will look at the market for the position. I’ll also write about sleepers at the safety position and some players who could fit what the Broncos need in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Market Watch

The second round is going to be full of safeties going off the board. We could see as many as six get picked during that round, but in this article let’s just look at the top four. Xavier McKinney (Alabama), Jeremy Chinn (Southern Illinois), Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne) and Grant Delpit (LSU) are those players and provide varying skill sets that different teams are going to covet.

McKinney is arguably the best safety in this draft. He played free safety for Nick Saban at Alabama and seemed to always find a way to create turnovers for himself (interceptions) or others (forced fumbles). McKinney is not afraid to play close to the line of scrimmage and can meet the ball-carrier with a ton of force. In coverage he struggles when he has to flip his hips, but with the proper cushion he can be more than capable in this aspect.

Chinn is the nephew of Broncos great (and Pro Football Hall of Famer) Steve Atwater, but he is a different player from his uncle. In coverage is where he stands out because of his length and ability to find the ball quickly. He has incredible length and a wingspan that helps him knock away passes regularly. Chinn was incredibly consistent in college and had at least three interceptions every year he played at Southern Illinois.

Dugger is my favorite small-school player in this draft. When you play Division II football yet get invited to the Senior Bowl – where you stand out amongst the nation’s best seniors – you can play at the pro level. Like Chinn, Dugger could be asked to play inside linebacker in addition to lining up at safety. Dugger is not afraid to get his hands dirty in run defense. He has a linebacker’s mentality when he scrapes-and-flows to get to the play, avoiding large blockers on his way to the ball.

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Sleepers

How about a sleeper from the XFL? Yes, I know this is a college draft, but Kenny Robinson decided to leave college early (before he was eligible to play in the NFL) to help out his family financially. Robinson can best be described as an aggressive ballhawk. That’s a great description that gets teams excited. Robinson arrives at the ball with natural violence but there are times when he overruns plays as he’s looking for the big hit. In coverage, Robinson has a knack for batting away passes and does a good job of sticking with his man down the field.

I’m a big fan of J.R. Reed from Georgia. First, it’s his bloodlines as he’s the son of former NFL receiver Jake Reed. Second, it’s his highly elevated football intelligence as Reed rarely puts himself in a bad position to make a play. Finally, Reed does a great job of covering slot receivers and tight ends. He has a background playing on offense and brings that playmaking mentality to the defensive side of the field. Reed can diagnose plays quickly as things unfold in front of him, and that puts him in a good position most every snap he plays.

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Broncos Fits

I’d like to see the Broncos go with Chinn or Dugger if they do not address the inside linebacker position in the first round with someone like Isaiah Simmons (Clemson), Kenneth Murray (Oklahoma) or Patrick Queen (LSU). Yes, Chinn and Dugger are safeties, but as aforementioned, they could play inside linebacker and shine at the pro level.

There should be more hype around Jared Mayden from Alabama. Sure, he’s only a one-year starter for the Crimson Tide, but in that one year (2019), he led the team in interceptions. Mayden played safety for Alabama, but he also lined up at nickel cornerback and outside cornerback. I love his range and the way he can play all over the field. Mayden has great click-and-close ability, so he will swoop down quickly to stop players in front of him. As a one-year starter, Mayden has limited experience but a team with patience could eventually get a Pro Bowl caliber starter if he fully develops.

Brandon Jones from Texas would be a nice fit for the Broncos on day three of the NFL Draft. Put him in a zone defense like the Broncos have and Jones would be able to fly all over the field. He is incredibly fast and knows how to stay with receivers down the field. Jones does not cover as well when he has to line up close to the receiver, but with proper cushion there are few who could get by him deep. He’s smart and tough, playing through a couple of different injuries – and playing well – over the last couple of years. He was a defensive captain for the Longhorns in 2019 and has plenty of special teams experience as well. We should see Jones go off the board early on day three of the draft, but there’s some team who might take him late in the third round.

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