The safety prospects in the 2025 NFL draft are reviewed below from the Ravens perspective. Edge linebackers were previously reviewed here.
The Ravens have a clear need at safety. Currently, without Ar’Darius Washington under contract, the Ravens only have one starting caliber safety (Kyle Hamilton) on the roster, with backups/special teamers Beau Brade and Sanoussi Kane. The Ravens like to incorporate three safety packages and, even assuming Washington returns (he seems likely to do just that), there’s a real need for at least one more starting-caliber player. There are some good options in this draft. Let’s take a look at the safety prospects.
Malaki Starks
Starks is 6’0.5”, 197 pound and 21.5 years old out of Georgia. To start off, Starks is very versatile and can play everywhere: on the back end, in the slot, and in the box. He makes plays in both the passing and running games. He can play single-high safety and the nickel, though he’s not perfectly suited to deal with the twitchiest slot receivers, which showed up in his very slow short-shuttle time.
Starks brings explosiveness. He can run with receivers and stay in phase. He’s quick to get in and out of his breaks. And he will threaten throwing lanes in zone packages while maintaining his leverage. Starks’ read and react in zones was very good. And he offers excellent ball skills.
Starks has the skillset to recognize, plant, and drive on shorter throws. He has the hip fluidity to turn and run with them on crossers and verticals. He’s excellent at tracking the ball in the deeper parts of the field. He will high point the ball and has good tracking skills.
Starks’ biggest challenges have been in man coverages, where he hasn’t always properly positioned himself. But he’s very smart, diagnosis well, and can attack plays accordingly. He’s a natural leader. Starks brings a high football IQ. He offers natural run support ability, and triggers downhill with determination. Starks is a very good, but not powerful, tackler. He’s slightly smaller than ideal size.
Starks offers you almost everything you look for in a safety. Round 1. Ravens – Yes.
Nick Emmanwori
Emmanwori is 21.2 years old, 6’3 and 220 pounds out of South Carolina. He’s a big safety, yet ran an electrifying 4.38 forty. He has decent ballhawk instincts but doesn’t always get his head around. Although he has straight line speed, he sometimes lacks the agility to make all of the turns and can wind up in a less than desirable tackling angle. His reactive ability is sometimes a tick slow. There are occasional zone lapses on tape, and it would be nice to see more play-to-play consistency in his game. Emmanwori is probably not best suited for single high safety looks.
Emmanwori is equipped to play in the box. He triggers downhill very quickly and is able to sort through blockers and hit his man. Emmanwori tackles well when he gets there. Covering tight ends and running backs falls into Emmanwori’s wheelhouse.
Emmanwori is somewhat of a difficult evaluation. He’s a hybrid linebacker-safety who has definite strengths and weaknesses. He brings just average fluidity, yet he has excellent recovery speed. He’s best suited, in my view, more in the box than on the back end. But that position is already manned by Kyle Hamilton. I think the Ravens prefer someone who is more comfortable assuming back-end responsibilities, including the ability to play single-high when called upon.
On the other hand, Emmanwori could fit well in three safety looks, which the Ravens like to deploy. In certain respects, Emmanwori is more traits than skill at this point. I don’t see him as the perfect fit for the Ravens. Many draft pundits see Starks and Emmanwori as an entry. I don’t. Emmanwori will likely be drafted in the first round, but I don’t give him that grade. Round 2. Ravens – Pass.
Kevin Winston Jr.
Winston is 21.4 years old, 6’1 and 213 pounds from Penn State. He ran a 4.51 forty on his pro day. Winston suffered a torn ACL early last season and only played two games. He only started 15 games in his college career, and its safe to say that he needs more development, particularly in his coverage reads and overall play recognition. But he is long and physical, and showed good instincts in 2023.
It’s always hard to evaluate a player who missed all/most of the prior season. With Winston, there’s a lot of projection as a result. In 2023 he demonstrated good coverage ability. He played nickel and single-high safety. He struggled in zone reads. His size gives him a great advantage in covering tight ends. Winston was an excellent tackler and showed very tough in the run game. Based on 2023 alone, his best position is playing in the box rather than the back end. Winston did not show much ball productivity, with only one interception in his career.
Winston is a tough call as a general proposition, but for the Ravens I don’t think he offers the type of versatility that the Ravens need, or, absent that, the ability to handle back-end duties (and certainly not single-high looks) at this early stage in his career. Round 3. Ravens – Pass.
Xavier Watts
Watts is 23.4 years old, 6’ and 205 pounds from Notre Dame. He ran a 4.58 forty on his pro day. Watts was incredibly ball productive, getting six interceptions last year and seven in 2023. A team captain with only one pass interference call in his career, Watts lined up all over the place: one-high, two-high, in the box and on top of the slot.
Watts doesn’t have elite physical traits or top-end speed, but he’s seemingly always in the right place. He is very instinctive. He has excellent route recognition. And Watts makes plays on the ball. But I don’t think he’s perfectly suited to cover slot receivers on a regular basis, though he is large enough to handle tight ends.
Watts is decisive, has excellent instincts and a high football IQ. He has good short-area quickness with solid range on the back end. His tackling technique could stand some improvement as he can come in off-balance and can be inconsistent. He’s played better in zone coverages (both intermediate and deep) where his recognition and anticipation really stand out. Sometimes in man coverage on the slot he can lose contact.
Watts is a player who is ready for the NFL. He offers true positional flexibility and could play for the Ravens both in the box and on the back end. His excellent zone ability also would play very well for the Ravens. Round 2. Ravens – Yes (if the medicals check out).
Billy Bowman Jr.
Bowman is 22.2 years old, 5’10 and 192 pounds out of Alabama and ran an excellent 4.42 forty. Bowman is a player who excels on the back end in coverage. At the Senior Bowl he was utilized at safety and nickel, showing excellent lateral ability and fluidity in space and a top level change of direction ability. Bowman knows what he’s doing and consistently robbed underneath routes. He seems to almost always be in the right place. He has outstanding range and is a natural ball hawk. Bowman attacks the ball. He’s a very smart player with excellent diagnosis ability.
On the other hand, Bowman is a below-average tackler. He’s a head-dropper. He has a career 25% missed tackle rate, which is just horrible. Bowman generally plays low to the ground, and one would think you could utilize him in blitz packages as a result.
Bowman isn’t so much explosive as he is instinctual. He takes consistently good angles to the ball out of the break. He can handle the middle of the field. His smaller size may limit him in man coverage against larger tight ends, and he’s likely better suited in man packages on the back end. Bowman has a lot of special teams experience.
Bowman is ideally suited to play on the back end, both in single high and deep half packages. He should do well in zone packages too. Obviously, there are trade-offs with Bowman. But the Ravens could use a pure back end ball hawk. Bowman is a good fit for the Ravens. Round 3. Ravens – Yes.
Andrew Mukuba
Mukuba is 22.4 years old, 5’11 and only 186 pounds from Texas. Mukuba ran a fast 4.45 forty. Although on the small side, Mukuba plays a tough brand of football and is a very aggressive tackler. However, that smallish size could limit his ability to contest against bigger receivers and make it less likely that he can successfully match up against NFL tight ends. This is a player who is best optimized away from the line and put on the back end where he showed excellent range, and can handle deep areas and attack forward.
Mukuba took a big leap forward in 2024 after transferring to Texas. His recognition and diagnosis ability is now high level. He understands what he sees and attacks it. His instincts are very good.
Mukuba has excellent lateral agility and quickness that allows short area explosiveness, and eases into transitions. If needed, his twitchiness should allow him to handle quickness in the slot. He is well suited both for man and zone coverage schemes. Mukuba is a natural ballhawk, but to date his hands have left some picks on the dirt. Mukuba yielded only a 44% completion rate last year and has not committed a penalty over the last two seasons. His forced incompletion rate was an outstanding 26%.
Mukuba has been effective against the run, and has done a good job in space navigating against blockers. He attacks in the run game and arguably risks his body in doing so.
I see Mukuba as an ascending, excellent prospect for the zone packages deployed by the Ravens. He can play anywhere in the secondary. His combination of speed and coverage skills along with excellent instincts should play very well, but he is not the guy to rotate up into Kyle Hamilton’s position near the line. Instead, he’s the type of guy who allows Hamilton to play in the box knowing the back end is well-manned. Round 3. Ravens – Yes.
Jonas Sanker
Sanker is 22.5 years old, 6’ and 206 pounds from Virginia and ran a 4.48 forty. Sanker is made to be a box safety. He’s an excellent player against the run and will do anything to make a tackle. Sanker consistently takes good angles to the ball. He plays very physical and fast. Sanker is a very smart and savvy player who processes well.
Sanker is not, however, a full field back end safety. He’s not the most fluid or twitchy athlete and his stiff hips make it hard for him to stay mirrored. Man coverage will not be his forte, and he is likely better suited in half-field zone assignments. Sanker just doesn’t have one elite trait. He played hard at the Senior Bowl practices but did not stand out. He lacks the explosiveness to consistently drive on the ball. I don’t think he fits what the Ravens need. Round 3-4. Ravens – Pass.
Malachi Moore
Moore is 23.6 years old, 5’11 and 197 pounds from Alabama and ran a 4.57 forty. Moore is a tough and smart player but I see him as having definite limits on the back end. He’s not well suited for single safety sets, with just average speed and range ability. He is not a particularly physical player and is not stout as a run defender. His burst is mediocre.
Now Moore is a very competitive player. He’s probably best suited to defend intermediate areas of the field with the play in front of him. But, I don’t see any great trait in Moore’s game. And his lack of athleticism likely leaves him as a liability in NFL man responsibilities.
I see Moore as overrated by most observers. Round 5. Ravens – Pass.
Jalen Reed
Reed is 22.2 years old, 5’11 and 211 pounds from Penn State and ran a 4.49 forty. Reed is a long and very physical player who makes big hits, though he missed on almost 15% of his tackle chances over his career. He is a smart player and has played a lot on the back end, in the box, and at the nickel.
Reed is not an elite athlete, and is not particularly explosive on plays in front of him. Nor is he an elite transitioner. For that matter, Reed has not proven to be a regular playmaker. In cover schemes I don’t see him as offering any single-high potential and he’s best suited for split field assignments and underneath zone packages.
Reed will attack downhill in the run game, and he’s strong enough to win against blockers in space. He can be an effective blitzer. As noted, Reed is not a consistent tackler.
At this point, I see Reed as being a special teams ace with backup safety potential. He has to grow more to see the field as a starter. Round 5. Ravens – Yes, if they believe he’s a special teams improvement over their existing backup safeties.
Lathan Ransom
Ransom is 22.8 years old, 6’ and 203 pounds from Ohio State, and ran a 4.59 forty. He’s very experienced, having started 35 games at Ohio State. He’s not a tremendous playmaker, with only three career interceptions and 16 passes defensed. Ransom is a ferocious hitter. He runs so hot that his miss rate is a bit too high. But he’s a very tough cookie against the run. That power hitting ability played well on special teams for Ransom, too, and Ransom should find plenty of NFL reps on teams.
Ransom is not particularly gifted with range abilities on the back end. He’s also not a top end threat in space, lacking the high-level fluidity that you’d like to see. Ransom has trouble mirroring. He’s best suited for zone packages, and the closer you get him to the line of scrimmage, the more effective he will be. He’s smart but lacks those back end gifts. Ransom plays very hot, and will chase runners wherever they go.
Ransom’s best role in the NFL is one that the Ravens don’t need at this point. He’s best suited at or near the line of scrimmage, attacking the run and defending in short areas. I think the Ravens are intending to go in the other direction with a safety, i.e., someone who can play on the back end and in zone coverages. As a result, I don’t see Ransom as an attractive candidate for the Ravens. Round 3-4. Ravens – Pass.
Maxen Hook
Hook is 23.7 years old, 6’ and 201 pounds out of Toledo and ran a 4.55 forty. I didn’t like what I saw from Hook in the Senior Bowl practices. He yielded way too much space in his man coverages and looked stiff. His average-at-best athleticism was obvious as he struggled backpedaling; he’s just not blessed with the hip fluidity you like to see. This is a guy who will likely have issues in space. I don’t think he will fare well if tasked with single-high safety responsibilities, nor with man or slot assignments. Rather, he’s better suited for split-field assignments and in zone coverages underneath.
On the other hand, Hook is an excellent tackler in the open field and provides very strong run support. His missed tackle rate was in the single digits.
As with some of the other safety prospects in this draft, I don’t see Hook as an ideal candidate for the Ravens. He’s just too limited in coverage abilities, and though he’s a top-end run defender (which is always nice to have) that just isn’t the Ravens’ biggest need at this point. Round 4-5. Ravens – Pass.
Caleb Ransaw
Renshaw is out of Tulane is 22.3 years old, 5’11 and 197 pounds and ran a blazing 4.33 forty. He’s an excellent athlete. Ransaw played cornerback at both Troy and Tulane (he could be a slot corner given his exceptional transitional quickness and recovery speed), but also looks like an excellent candidate to move to safety in the NFL. To me, he offers positional versatility, and I would consider him as either a slot corner, safety, or both.
Ransaw had very solid Senior Bowl practices, showcasing an outstanding ability to close and move in space. Ransaw also showcased outstanding short area explosion with excellent hip fluidity. He obviously has elite long speed.
Ransaw showed power and strong hands in the shed drill. On tape, he’s a very physical defender when in the box, able to take on blocks and deliver the hits. He’s a versatile and physical defender, and a very good tackler who’s tackle miss rate was only 5%.
Ransaw was not tasked with playing single high looks in college. He played a high dose of nickel snaps and some two-high looks, and showed very good reactive ability in zone coverages. Ransaw’s mental discipline must improve to fully take advantage of his natural skills. He is well suited for man coverages if that discipline improves, and is physical enough to challenge tight ends in man coverage. Ransaw knows how to attack the catch point, though his production wasn’t as high as it perhaps should be.
I slotted Ransaw as a safety, but could as well placed him in the cornerback group. Regardless, this is a player who I think could be a significant contributor for the Ravens in both capacities, though I don’t see him as a boundary corner. And he is well suited for special teams play. Round 3-4. Ravens – Yes.
Dante Trader
Trader is 22.2 years old from Maryland (McDonough), 5’10 and 200 pounds and ran a slow 4.65 on his pro day. He’s not a particularly great athlete. Trader had 35 starts at Maryland and produced five interceptions with 20 passes defensed. Trader is obviously lacking in long speed. He was generally unimpressive in the Senior Bowl practices, really struggling against tight ends. He wasn’t as fluid as he needs to be in turning and running. He’s not particularly equipped to handle slot receivers either.
Trader is better suited for zone coverages than for man. He has good recognition ability and solid instincts. He’s a solid tackler.
I see Trader as being too limited as a safety prospect to fit the Ravens. Round 5. Ravens – Pass.
Sebastian Castro
Castro is from Iowa, and is 24.5 years old, 5’11 and 203 pounds. He ran a 4.59 forty at the Combine but a terrible 4.70 on his pro day. A much older prospect, Castro is an average athlete who showed reasonably well at the Senior Bowl practices. He’s not particularly sudden but has good technique in man coverages. He is well developed in zone packages, understands angles, and will attack underneath routes. Castro is a physical tackler, comes in low, and attacks at the line of scrimmage.
On the other hand, speed can be problematic for Castro and he’s not particularly fluid laterally. Given his age, it’s questionable regarding how much more upside there could be in Castro’s game.
I don’t see anything that particularly attracts me to Castro as a player in the Ravens defensive backfield. He’s fairly limited to a run defender playing in underneath zone packages. That’s not enough for me. He could help on special teams. Round 6. Ravens – Pass.
Hunter Wohler
Wohler is 22.3 years old, 6’2 and 213 pounds out of Wisconsin and ran a 4.57 forty. Wohler is a fairly limited athlete who lacks burst and top-end speed. As a result, he’s not well suited to play deep coverages. He’s tough and physical and well equipped against the run where he attacks with good leverage. But lacking range as a coverage defender, I think Wohler is destined to find a spot based on his special teams play. If the Ravens think he’s an improvement on teams over what they have, fine. But he’s not worthy of a spot on the defense. Round 6-7. Ravens – Pass.
Keondre Jackson
Jackson is 23 years old, 6’2 and 207 pounds from Illinois State, and ran a 4.69 forty. A bit of a physical specimen, Jackson attacks ball carriers with ferocity when tackling.
He had a good week at the Senior Bowl practices, which is why I put him on this list. Jackson showed the ability to handle tight ends in man coverage with his physicality He’s certainly not the most explosive prospect nor is he the most fluid. Coming out of Illinois State, he lacks polish in his technique and is not the best covering ground over the top. But Jackson was more effective with underneath routes demonstrating an ability to close quickly. He had a presence in zone packages, showcasing a good read ability.
Jackson is another somewhat limited player who is effective near the line of scrimmage and in short areas. He’s well suited to play special teams in the NFL. He doesn’t project as a back end safety. Round 6-7. Ravens – Maybe.
Marques Sigle
Sigle is 22.8 years old, 5’11 and 199 pounds out of Kansas State, and ran a blazing 4.37 forty. Sigle is a dynamic athlete (he had tremendous long jumps and an excellent 10-yard split time at the Combine). He has the twitchiness needed to play the slot. He is fluid enough to turn and run, with a very good backpedal ability. Sigle has experience as a corner, nickel and safety. He is very explosive. Sigle is well equipped to play man coverages.
Sigle is a high character guy, as he was voted a team captain. He’s tough and physical in run support, and will bring the wood to runners. Although he had a high miss tackle rate, it was more a function of him coming in too hot, something that can be corrected. On the other hand, his strike zone is not large.
His aggressive downhill style combined with his speed and fluidity suggest Sigle has excellent positional versatility. It’s easy to imagine him playing over the top, as a nickel man cover, or as a blitzer in the slot.
I see Sigle as an excellent safety prospect for the Ravens who can be used in three-safety packages, as a nickel, or over the top in split field coverages and potentially at single high. Round 4. Ravens – Yes.
Zy Alexander
Alexander is a 23.4 year old LSU man, and is 6’1 and 197 pounds. He ran a slow 4.56 forty but measured with a long wingspan. Alexander played strictly cornerback at LSU but I see him as a better fit as a safety given his size, comparative lack of speed as a corner and aggressiveness in run support.
As a corner Alexander did a good job in press coverage, using his hands to great effect. He struggled much more staying attached to twitchy receivers as his hip fluidity is just average. His lack of speed was a real negative down the field. Alexander played well as an off-corner, and I think he is best when he’s facing the quarterback. Alexander was also productive as a ballhawk, recording 13 interceptions and 35 passes defensed across 47 starts.
As a run defender Alexander is aggressive and will blast downhill to attack the run. With his long arms he wraps well and brings runners down. I think Alexander’s length, press cover abilities, and run support skills will serve him better as an NFL safety than as a cover corner. I’d move him there. Round 5. Ravens – Yes.
J.J. Roberts
Roberts is 24.6 years old from Marshall, is 5’11 and 192 pounds and ran a 4.41 forty. Roberts is really fast for a safety and had a 1.46 10-yard split (99th percentile), the best for defensive backs. He’s an outstanding athlete. He’s definitely small for a safety, but because of his speed and burst one can easily picture him playing in deep zones in the NFL. In college, he lined up over 70% as a free safety.
Roberts brings very good range and can explode into passing lanes. He’s shown excellent vision and good understanding of what he is doing. He can be impactful in run defense, even from his deep position, because of his explosiveness and speed, allowing him to avoid blocks. There were good instances on tape where he also exploded at scrambling quarterbacks from a long distance away, cutting off running lanes and making the play.
Roberts is likely a player flying under the radar. If the Ravens retain their sixth round picks and haven’t already picked a safety by then, he is worthy of consideration as a back-end only free safety. Round 6-7. Ravens – Yes.
Others
Craig Woodson, Cal – An older prospect at age 24, Woodson ran a fast 4.45 forty and is 6’ and 200 pounds. He has utility in zone packages and offers some late value. Round 6. Ravens – Yes.
Daniel Jackson, Georgia – A special teams candidates who has some traits. Round 6-7. Ravens – Maybe.
Zah Frazier, UTSA – 24.5 years old and a one year starter, Frazier ran a 4.36 forty. He has very long arms at 6’ 186 pounds. Frazier has some intriguing qualities and if not for his age and the fact that he only had ten total starts in his career, he’d likely be a fourth rounder and on the radar for the Ravens. But I keep him off due to that age. Round 5-6. Ravens – Pass.
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