The 2023 NFL Draft is nearly upon us. And with that comes the final edition of the PFF NFL Draft Guide, which comes loaded with scouting reports and advanced data on the class' top draft prospects.
Here are the top 10 safeties in this year's draft class, per PFF's NFL Draft Guide and big board.
1. Brian Branch, Alabama
BIG BOARD RANK: 15
Branch is the definition of a football player. He plays the game you wish every defensive back would. He’s also the best tackling defensive back PFF has graded, missing only four tackles on 174 career attempts.
2. Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
BIG BOARD RANK: 53
Johnson is part of the new age of slot cornerbacks in the NFL. At 6-foot-3, he can shut down windows underneath and then easily close to ball carriers in the run game with a wide tackle radius. He earned overall grades of 81.6 and 87.4 in his two seasons as a starter.
3. Sydney Brown, Illinois
BIG BOARD RANK: 76
Brown started for the Illini ever since his freshman year in 2018, with 3,168 career snaps to his name. It wasn’t until this past fall, though, that we saw his prodigious physical gifts turn into elite production on the football field. He picked off six passes and broke up six more in primarily a box role this past season.
4. Jordan Battle, Alabama
BIG BOARD RANK: 82
Battle may not be a special athlete, but he plays such a steady brand of football that it rarely gets exposed. He earned 80.0-plus coverage grades while playing more than 800 snaps in each of the past three seasons.
5. Anthony Johnson, Iowa State
BIG BOARD RANK: 90
You can't ask for a more encouraging first year switching from cornerback to safety. Johnson has the traits to be a long-term starter at the position.
6. Jammie Robinson, Florida State
BIG BOARD RANK: 103
Robinson is arguably the most complete safety in the draft class. He’s a solid all-around athlete who’s also a tremendous tackler. He’s an easy projection to the NFL with how many hats he’s worn in his career. Across four seasons as a starter, Robinson played 633 snaps in the box, 759 deep and 1,348 from the slot.
7. Marte Mapu, Sacramento State
BIG BOARD RANK: 125
Mapu played safety at Sacramento State, but his physical play style and easy movement skill set at 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds have some teams evaluating him as a linebacker. He earned an 85.8 run-defense grade in 2022.
8. JL Skinner, Boise State
BIG BOARD RANK: 134
Skinner is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound box safety who could even end up in the slot or at linebacker at the next level. He has a nose for the football and the kind of burst to go find it. He notched 58 total defensive stops over the past two seasons.
9. Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State
BIG BOARD RANK: 135
Brown has some of the best ball production in the class, securing 10 picks over the past two seasons. If you’re drafting him, just know you’re getting a risk-taker on the back end.
10. Christoper Smith, Georgia
BIG BOARD RANK: 144
Smith is on the smaller side for a safety and isn’t the kind of player you want in the box consistently. But he is one of the best in the class at filling from deep and making a ton of plays on the back end.
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