The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy gives his top 10 safeties in the 2020 NFL Draft:
1. Xavier McKinney, Alabama, 6-0, 201:
Box safety or nickel linebacker against the run? Yes. Center fielder who can cover the deep seam? Yes. Back-seven versatility here.
2. Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota, 5-9, 203:
Fundamentally sound ballhawk who keeps the ball in front of him but has injury history because he plays bigger than his body.
3. Grant Delpit, LSU, 6-2, 213:
Likes to deliver a big hit — maybe a little too much that it leads to sloppy tackling. LSU used him in a variety of roles at both safety spots.
4. Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne, 6-1, 217:
Filled the box score, including as a punt returner, and won Division II Defensive Player of the Year honors despite playing just seven games due to injury.
5. Ashtyn Davis, California, 6-1, 202:
Former track star and football walk-on still is learning to read quarterbacks. Cornerback might be better fit once developed.
6. Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois, 6-3, 221:
Played all over the field, as you might expect at FCS level. Hybrid linebacker-safety who could solve tight end mismatches.
7. Julian Blackmon, Utah, 6-0, 187:
Converted cornerback who could play nickel. Still learning cutoff angles one injury-shortened year into a new position.
8. Brandon Jones, Texas, 5-11, 198:
Team-first leader plays like a strong safety but has recovery speed to track the deep pass.
9. Terrell Burgess, Utah, 5-11, 202:
Converted cornerback, just like the other half of Utah’s duo. Considered a student of the game experienced in four primary special teams.
10. J.R. Reed, Georgia, 6-1, 202:
Lacking some athleticism but showcases football IQ and other intangibles as he tries to become the third NFL player in his family.
Late Riser
Winfield: Put on an all-around athletic display at NFL Scouting Combine, reminding teams he has good genes. His father was a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback.
Falling Fast
Delpit: Considered a top-10 overall prospect before a poor finish to his season that could knock him out of the first round. Comparisons to All-Pro Jamal Adams do him no favors.
Small-school Wonder
Dugger: Lenoir-Rhyne’s last draft pick was in 2000 but Dugger was the best player on the field every game and backed it up as a combine standout.
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