theScore's NFL draft prospect rankings series gives you everything you need to know about the top players on the board. You can revisit other position rankings using the links below.
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
EDGE | DL | LB | CB | S
Starks was used all over the field at Georgia, including as a slot corner, but he seems best-suited for a role in the deep middle. He makes his greatest impact in the passing game when he can use his instincts and range in coverage. While he's not the most spectacular straight-line athlete, you'd never know it based on his ability to cover ground. Starks' fluid movement skills are a big part of that equation. He tracks the ball in the air like a center fielder, and he's shown the ability to go up and get it for takeaways. His tackling ability ran hot and cold in college, but he flashed enough upside to indicate he could be a strong run defender. Starks is a do-it-all weapon who should make an instant impression for his next team.
Emmanwori isn't just the most athletic safety in this draft - he's one of the best athletes we've ever seen make the jump to the NFL. The South Carolina product put on a show at the combine, earning a perfect 10.0 on his Relative Athletic Score profile. His speed and explosiveness testing results would be off the charts for any defensive back, let alone one with his size. You might expect a player like this to lack fluidity or short-area quickness, perhaps creating a weakness in man coverage, but that's not the case. Emmanwori demonstrates the ball skills to be a playmaker in the pass game, too. He'll need better instincts in order to be a sound zone defender on the back end, and strangely, he doesn't play with the physicality or tackling consistency to match his size. But his next team will be betting it can unlock those abilities at the next level. Emmanwori has the most upside of this group if everything comes together.
Mukuba's 2024 season was as good as any safety's in this draft. He's an instinctive player who processes the game at a high level, regularly putting himself in position to make breaks on the ball and disrupt the catch point. He's a smooth mover on the back end with the fluidity and short-area quickness to burst out of transitions and the speed for range over the top. He's also an aggressive downhill player in the ground game, showing the ability to run the alley and finish with more physicality than you might expect at his size. His frame is the big question mark for the NFL, as tackling could become an issue when taking on big bodies. Wear and tear will also be a consideration because of his playing style. Mukuba has the chance to be a playmaker as a deep-ranging safety. If he can overcome the size-related concerns, he could be one of the biggest steals of this draft.
Winston is the best run-defending safety in this class. He is a physical, downhill presence who takes good angles to the ball, shows an ability to navigate traffic, and finishes as well as any defensive back. He missed only two tackles during his college career and none in 2023, his only full season as a starter, according to PFF. Winston is also an effective cover man in underneath zones, and he's got the movement skills to match tight ends in man-to-man assignments. He's not yet as productive in the deep zones, lacking the instincts to make timely breaks on the ball. It seems possible that he could have made progress in that area if a knee injury hadn't ended his 2024 season after just three games. Winston could be a standout box safety who makes a major impact from Day 1. He's got potential for more as long as he has the chance to get his development back on track.
Bowman is a really fun prospect: an instinctive safety with impressive processing and recognition skills to break on routes. His athleticism helps in this regard, as he's a fluid mover with great short-area burst and the speed for good range on the back end. Measurables are the main concern, as Bowman is well below average in height, weight, and length. Those shortcomings could hinder him in contested-catch situations downfield. They probably play a significant role in his tackling inconsistencies, too - he missed 58 tackles over the last three years, according to PFF. That being said, his sheer determination to fly downhill and get involved in the run game may compensate for the occasional whiff. Bowman could be one of the hidden gems of this class if he gets overlooked because of his size.
Watts is a true ball hawk. His 13 interceptions over the past two seasons were a product of elite coverage instincts and a nose for the football. The Notre Dame standout processes the pass game at an extremely high level, consistently putting himself in position to break on routes and create turnovers. And when he has a chance to make a play, he's got the ball skills to finish. His athletic profile is a bit of a question mark for the NFL, as he doesn't have great speed and he's not the most fluid mover in man-to-man coverage. Those factors could make fit an important part of the equation, but there should be plenty of ways for him to shine at the next level. Watts would have a particularly strong chance of leveraging his processing ability and playmaking skills into effective play as a safety in a two-high zone defense.
Sanker is an exciting prospect who isn't getting nearly enough attention. He's a smart player who demonstrates good instincts to process the game as a run defender and in pass coverage. He's most impressive when triggering downhill. In the run game, that can lead to some tone-setting stops at the line of scrimmage. In coverage, Sanker often makes sudden breaks on underneath routes to disrupt the catch point. His transitions aren't as smooth as you'd like when he has to turn and run, and his trouble with change of direction could give him some issues mirroring receivers at the top of their routes in man coverage. Sanker is a natural fit as a box defender in a zone-heavy defense, and he could also thrive as a deep safety who can attack plays developing in front of him.
Moore seems to have been overlooked throughout the pre-draft process due to his average athletic traits. The lack of burst and top-end speed probably do limit his playmaking upside in many respects, and he's not exactly a punishing force in the run game. But there's something to be said for reliability on the back end. Moore is the latest in a long line of Alabama defensive backs to provide exactly that. He's a smart player who demonstrates impressive instincts in the pass game. His advanced processing skills almost always put him in the proper position, and the ability to break early gives him more range than his movement skills would suggest. He's also a dependable presence in the run game, finishing last season with just five missed tackles, according to PFF. Moore could prove to be a fantastic value if teams overthink the athleticism aspect.
Ransom is a force in the run game. He has a knack for triggering downhill, takes good angles to the ball, and finishes plays with physicality. His processing skills are an asset in this regard and as an underneath coverage defender. Position fit will be key, as Ransom doesn't quite have the same upside in coverage downfield. His average athleticism limits his range and short-area quickness, and he doesn't demonstrate the instincts of a deep-zone defender to compensate. Ransom could be an immediate contributor in a role that primarily keeps him in the box, simplifies his coverage responsibilities, and allows him to do what he does best: attack the run game around the line of scrimmage.
Roberts is a bit of a home-run swing. He's undersized for the position, so play strength is a concern looking ahead to the NFL. And after two years at Marshall, the Wake Forest transfer is in for a significant jump in competition. But he plays with great instincts as a deep free safety, showing the processing skills and anticipation to jump routes. Roberts is also a fluid athlete who demonstrates outstanding transition quickness, the explosiveness to break on the ball, and the speed for true sideline-to-sideline range. A phenomenal pro-day performance backed up the eye test: His 1.46-second 10-yard split was faster than any time recorded at the combine this year. He'll need to improve at the catch point, having finished the season without an interception, but he led all FBS safeties with 13 pass breakups, according to PFF. He's also a solid tackler when flying downhill in run support. Roberts' unique ability to operate as a true center fielder makes him one of the most interesting players in this safety class.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.
