2022 NFL Draft Preview: Safety sleepers and Broncos fits
Apr 20, 2022, 6:43 AM
The Denver Broncos are set at the safety position, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be looking at a talented group of safeties in the 2022 NFL Draft. While I don’t expect them to select a safety early in this draft, I could see the Broncos spending a late-round pick to further strengthen the position.
Justin Simmons is one of the best safeties in the game. He’s a total professional and capable of leading this Broncos defense into the postseason. Simmons is smart, rangy and can make plays on the ball. A natural leader, Simmons is the type of player others in the locker room will follow – and he’s a great locker room guy.
The Broncos let Kareem Jackson explore free agency, but the best plan for both sides was to bring him back on a one-year contract. Jackson may not be the player he used to be, but the team has Caden Sterns to take on a larger role when he’s ready. I thought Sterns played better than expected as a rookie, and he’s got the ability and versatility to be a fine starter when he’s surpassed Jackson.
In this article, I will look at the market for the position. I will also write about sleepers at the safety position and some players who could fit what the Broncos need in the 2022 NFL Draft.
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Market Watch
I think two safeties, and maybe three, will be selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. It all depends on how the draft shakes down, but two for sure – including a player who might be the best player overall in this draft regardless of position.
Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame) could be a generational talent. Hamilton plays like a more physical version of Justin Simmons. He’s got length, strength, speed and intelligence to his game and there’s really nothing Hamilton can’t do. He’s a versatile player who can move all over the formation, and Hamilton does a good job of diagnosing plays as they unfold in front of him. He also is adept at baiting quarterbacks into bad throws – and he can get his hands on the ball (Hamilton led Notre Dame in interceptions two of three seasons). He may not go no.1 overall, although some think he should, but Hamilton is a top-10 pick with All-Pro upside.
Dax Hill (Michigan) brings a lot of speed to the field from the safety position. He may not have the size of a player like Hamilton, but his instincts and athletic ability put him around the play often. He should be considered more of a coverage standout as he doesn’t bring the wood the way other safeties in this class do. That’s okay given his speed – that others in this class don’t have. Hill is a reserved player, but he does play with intensity. He doesn’t back down from a challenge and has the speed to stay in the back pocket of anyone he’s tasked with covering.
If there is a third safety selected in the first round, I think Lewis Cine (Georgia) is that guy. He learned under Deion Sanders in high school at Trinity Christian near Dallas and has some “prime time” to his game. The size and length is there with Cine, meaning he can make up ground in a hurry. Cine’s game is all about attitude and intelligence. He has all the physical tools you’d want in a safety, stuffing the run with ease and shining in coverage.
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Sleepers
The safety class has some sleepers who should be on the Broncos radar. I look at sleepers a little differently than others. A sleeper in this safety class (to me) is someone who didn’t have the national spotlight that other Day 3 safeties had. I like finding these type of players and giving them more attention in the pre-draft process.
Tycen Anderson (Tulane) is a day-three pick worth keeping an eye on. Originally a cornerback when he enrolled at Tulane, Anderson has been playing strong safety since 2017. He’s a smart but sometimes overly cautious player who loves to strike. His leadership skills and team-first mentality make him a coach’s favorite, and that work ethic will do him good in the pros. Anderson has a ton of special teams ability and should be able to make a roster out of training camp just based off those skills.
Markquese Bell (Florida A&M) is a late-round pick, but he could be a player who turns into a solid starter in the NFL. Originally playing for Maryland, Bell transferred to Coffeyville Community College before ending up at Florida A&M. His 2019 tape was the best, when he led A&M in passes defensed (14), forced fumbles (2) and interceptions (5). Bell has the proper size and is rangy, covering a lot of ground with his long stride. He played free safety for the Rattlers and understands route concepts based on down and distance – and film study. Bell is a worker who should stick on a roster with the potential to develop into more.
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Broncos Fits
If the Broncos do take a safety, it should be on day three of the draft. With the strength and the depth they currently have on the roster, they don’t need to reach for a player at the position. Instead, they need to let the draft come to them and see what’s there in the final rounds.
Tariq Carpenter (Georgia Tech) fits exactly what the Broncos need at safety. He got a late call up to the Senior Bowl, but Carpenter is the type of player scouts want to see more from. Carpenter has an over 81-inch wingspan and can wrap up opponents with ease.
He’s a “tweener” who is built like a linebacker but plays like a safety. I’m not going to say he’s Isaiah Simmons but think of Simmons when you think of what Carpenter could develop into if he plays up to his full potential.
Carpenter plays with great instincts and arrives to the play with bad intentions. He does a good job of avoiding “trash” on his way to the play, and Carpenter has a closing burst that must look very intimidating when he comes in for the attack. In addition to what he can do on defense, playing linebacker or safety, Carpenter has a ton of special teams experience which boosts his chances of making a team.
I see Carpenter as a late-round pick, likely in the final (seventh) round of the draft. I like his game and potential so much that I would recommend the Broncos add him on the last day of the draft rather than let him fall to the priority free agent list where he can choose to sign anywhere.
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