Jesse Custer
Ill-tempered Texan
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Probably the fastest safety in the draft. What's scary is Emmanwori isn't far behind him despite being LB-sized.
Analysis Our List of Top 10 Safties in 2025 Draft (2 Viewers)
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Jesse Custer
Ill-tempered Texan
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I totally forgot that he was a former nickel corner who got moved to safety after he transferred to UT. No wonder he looks so comfortable in the box. He also hits like a truck for a smallish guy.
Get him on the Juggs Machine and he'll get 10 picks. He's got good instincts, diagnoses well and breaks down and avoids traffic pretty well.
Get him on the Juggs Machine and he'll get 10 picks. He's got good instincts, diagnoses well and breaks down and avoids traffic pretty well.
madsaint1967
Healthy Inactive
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Emmanwori is the guy I want, size and speed. Derwin James clone.
Jesse Custer
Ill-tempered Texan
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I wouldn't worry about it. We're gonna take some guy from a community college who finished his last three seasons on IR.
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B_doggman47
Hall-of-Famer
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Here is prospect #4 Andrew Mukuba. We watched plenty of games and clips of Mukuba and I think we came up with a pretty good analysis, and we also have some good information to start things off. His college career started at Clemson, where he made an immediate impact. In 2021, he became the first true Freshman defensive back to start a season opener since 1973. He earned ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-American Honors, in 3 seasons with Clemson. Mukuba amassed 149 tackles, 20 PBU's and 1 INT. After transferring to Texas for his final collegiate season, Mukuba brought a wealth of experience and accolades to the Longhorns secondary. He had 41 tackles, 5 INT's, 6PBU's and 1 FF. I like his ability to excel in multiple defensive back roles and his track record against top-tier competition. Al this makes him an interesting prospect for NFL scouts looking for a dynamic and battle-tested safety. Mukuba has blazing speed with a 4.33/40 time. He is considered to be a Man-Zone Slot/Nickel safety and he can play CB. He is predicted to go in the late 2nd round.
#4- Andrew Mukuba- (S) Texas (6'0"/190#)
Mukuba has elite speed and athleticism that translates well to covering ground quickly in the defensive backfield. He's a versatile defender capable of playing multiple positions in the secondary, including both safety spots and cornerback. He has strong coverage skills in both man and zone schemes, showing fluid hip movement and quick change of direction. Mukuba has exceptional ball skills, with a knack for breaking up passes and creating turnovers in crucial moments. He has a high football IQ and instincts, evident in his ability to diagnose plays quickly and react appropriately. He's a solid tackler in space, demonstrating good form and consistency when wrapping up ball carriers. Mukuba has proven performance against top competition in the ACC and SEC, showcasing his ability to compete at the highest level.
Mukuba is slightly undersized for the safety position, which may cause some concerns about matching up with bigger TE's and WR's. His run defense could use a little improvement, especially in better diagnosing and attacking rushing plays more consistently. His occasional overaggressive play in pursuit can lead to taking poor angles and missing tackles in the open field, which is what I saw happen in some of his games and a couple of times in their college playoff game a couple of weeks ago. Mukuba's limited experience as a single high safety may require an adjustment period in certain NFL defensive schemes. He could improve on his consistency in finishing plays and limiting yards after contact in tackling situations.
Mukuba's combination of elite speed, athleticism, versatility and proven production against top-tier competition makes him an attractive prospect for NFL teams. His ability to play multiple positions in the secondary will be highly valued in today's pass-heavy league. While his size may be a concern for some teams, his speed and coverage skills should translate well to the next level.
Scheme fit-wise, Mukuba best fits in a defense that utilizes multiple defensive back sets and values versatility. He could excel in a system that allows him to play both in the box and in deep coverage, maximizing his range and playmaking ability. His experience in both man and zone coverage schemes gives him the flexibility to adapt to various defensive philosophies.
Overall, Mukuba has the potential to be an immediate contributor in nickel and dime packages while developing into a full-time starter at safety. His unique background and rapid ascension in college football suggests a high ceiling and strong work ethic, which should appeal to NFL teams looking for a dynamic playmaker in their secondary.
#4- Andrew Mukuba- (S) Texas (6'0"/190#)
Mukuba has elite speed and athleticism that translates well to covering ground quickly in the defensive backfield. He's a versatile defender capable of playing multiple positions in the secondary, including both safety spots and cornerback. He has strong coverage skills in both man and zone schemes, showing fluid hip movement and quick change of direction. Mukuba has exceptional ball skills, with a knack for breaking up passes and creating turnovers in crucial moments. He has a high football IQ and instincts, evident in his ability to diagnose plays quickly and react appropriately. He's a solid tackler in space, demonstrating good form and consistency when wrapping up ball carriers. Mukuba has proven performance against top competition in the ACC and SEC, showcasing his ability to compete at the highest level.
Mukuba is slightly undersized for the safety position, which may cause some concerns about matching up with bigger TE's and WR's. His run defense could use a little improvement, especially in better diagnosing and attacking rushing plays more consistently. His occasional overaggressive play in pursuit can lead to taking poor angles and missing tackles in the open field, which is what I saw happen in some of his games and a couple of times in their college playoff game a couple of weeks ago. Mukuba's limited experience as a single high safety may require an adjustment period in certain NFL defensive schemes. He could improve on his consistency in finishing plays and limiting yards after contact in tackling situations.
Mukuba's combination of elite speed, athleticism, versatility and proven production against top-tier competition makes him an attractive prospect for NFL teams. His ability to play multiple positions in the secondary will be highly valued in today's pass-heavy league. While his size may be a concern for some teams, his speed and coverage skills should translate well to the next level.
Scheme fit-wise, Mukuba best fits in a defense that utilizes multiple defensive back sets and values versatility. He could excel in a system that allows him to play both in the box and in deep coverage, maximizing his range and playmaking ability. His experience in both man and zone coverage schemes gives him the flexibility to adapt to various defensive philosophies.
Overall, Mukuba has the potential to be an immediate contributor in nickel and dime packages while developing into a full-time starter at safety. His unique background and rapid ascension in college football suggests a high ceiling and strong work ethic, which should appeal to NFL teams looking for a dynamic playmaker in their secondary.
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Just a few more players I have watched.
Jaylen Reed
Billy Bowman Jr.
Jonas Sanker
Hunter Wohler
Dante Trader Jr.
R. J. Mickens
John Saunders
Malik Verdon
Maxen Hook
Rayuan Lane lll ??? Navy player so I don't know how that will work out, but a good safety.
Sleepers
Tate Hallock
Marques Sigle
Kory Chapman
Jaylen Reed
Billy Bowman Jr.
Jonas Sanker
Hunter Wohler
Dante Trader Jr.
R. J. Mickens
John Saunders
Malik Verdon
Maxen Hook
Rayuan Lane lll ??? Navy player so I don't know how that will work out, but a good safety.
Sleepers
Tate Hallock
Marques Sigle
Kory Chapman
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B_doggman47
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We did some more re-evaluating on some players and reshuffled the top 10 again and we added our sleeper picks. The list is on the first page if anyone wants to check it out.
I love that you added Hunter Wohler as a sleeper. He has a real shot to be a contributor on defense as a day 3 pick. He's fun to watch.
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B_doggman47
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I hope he's invited to the scouting combine next month to see what he can do. Who knows he may be able to good enough to raise his draft stock. He would be a player that would be groom for the future.
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B_doggman47
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The hardest thing about doing all these top ten lists is not knowing who the coach will be yet. If it's Moore we have a pretty good idea of the direction he will go on offense. But not knowing who or what kind of defensive coordinator the Saints bring in, we have no idea which way the defense will go. We as Saints fans all know what players we would want the Saints to draft, but until all of the coaching staff is set all we can do is speculate. Let's just hope if it's Moore he can surround himself with best coaches available.
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B_doggman47
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Here we are with our #5 ranked safety. We watched some of Winston's games from the last couple of seasons. Winston earned the starting safety job as a Sophomore in 2023.He racked up a team high 60 tackles (35 solo), 2.5 TFL's, 5 PBU's, 1 INT 2 fumble recoveries across 13 starts. In 2024 he had 13 tackles and 1 forced fumble. He got injured in the second game of this past season. Winston suffered a partially torn ACL. He had surgery performed and should be ready for on-field drills by early March. Winston decided to forgo his senior season and declare for the draft. What we learned from watching his games is that he's an exceptional tackler, he's versatile, explosive, instinctive, aggressive and has natural ball skills. He's been tabbed as a Man-Zone Slot/Nickel and also plays very well in the box. He is predicted to go in the 3rd round. He would be a 1st rounder if he hadn't gotten injured. He has a 4.45/40 time which fall into the elite speed category.
#5- Kevin Winston Jr.- (S) Penn State (6'2"/208#)
Winston is an exceptional tackler with a miniscule 2% missed tackle rate, ranking second among FBS safeties. He's a versatile defender capable of playing single-high safety, Nickel corner and off-ball linebacker. He's an explosive downhill player with excellent pursuit angles and sideline-to-sideline range. Winston is instinctive in coverage with the ability to disrupt timing at the line of scrimmage. He utilizes his length effectively to wrap up ball carries and play through receivers hands. His backpedal and fluid hip transition allows him to match up with various receiver types. He has an aggressive play style and his willing allows him to attack gaps in run support. His natural ball skills and tracking ability create turnover potential.
Winston needs to improve on his pad level when approaching contact, especially against larger ball carriers. His frame could use a little additional mass to enhance his play strength at the next level. He can occasionally be overaggressive, leading to some missed tackles or coverage lapses. He must refine his technique to avoid being too handsy in downfield coverage situations. Winton's lower body flexibility and change of direction skills have a little more room for improvement.
Winston profiles as a rangy, physical safety with the versatility to play single-high, in the box or match up against TE's. His click-and-close ability coupled with a low missed tackle rate, projects well to the next level. Winston's experience in multiple alignments at Penn State should ease his transition to NFL defensive schemes.
I believe at the combine scouts will key in on Winston's hip fluidity and backpedal due to the injury he received during this past season. That's if he even participates in the combine. His ability to turn and run with receivers will be crucial. While his instincts and football IQ are plus traits, Winston needs to add a little more mass to his frame to withstand the rigors of the pro game especially when playing in the box.
Winston has all the tool to develop into a starting NFL safety within his first two seasons. His special teams value and positional flexibility make him an attractive day two prospect. With refinement in man coverage techniques and improved play strength, Winston could emerge as a defensive signal caller and impact player in sub-packages early in his pro career.
#5- Kevin Winston Jr.- (S) Penn State (6'2"/208#)
Winston is an exceptional tackler with a miniscule 2% missed tackle rate, ranking second among FBS safeties. He's a versatile defender capable of playing single-high safety, Nickel corner and off-ball linebacker. He's an explosive downhill player with excellent pursuit angles and sideline-to-sideline range. Winston is instinctive in coverage with the ability to disrupt timing at the line of scrimmage. He utilizes his length effectively to wrap up ball carries and play through receivers hands. His backpedal and fluid hip transition allows him to match up with various receiver types. He has an aggressive play style and his willing allows him to attack gaps in run support. His natural ball skills and tracking ability create turnover potential.
Winston needs to improve on his pad level when approaching contact, especially against larger ball carriers. His frame could use a little additional mass to enhance his play strength at the next level. He can occasionally be overaggressive, leading to some missed tackles or coverage lapses. He must refine his technique to avoid being too handsy in downfield coverage situations. Winton's lower body flexibility and change of direction skills have a little more room for improvement.
Winston profiles as a rangy, physical safety with the versatility to play single-high, in the box or match up against TE's. His click-and-close ability coupled with a low missed tackle rate, projects well to the next level. Winston's experience in multiple alignments at Penn State should ease his transition to NFL defensive schemes.
I believe at the combine scouts will key in on Winston's hip fluidity and backpedal due to the injury he received during this past season. That's if he even participates in the combine. His ability to turn and run with receivers will be crucial. While his instincts and football IQ are plus traits, Winston needs to add a little more mass to his frame to withstand the rigors of the pro game especially when playing in the box.
Winston has all the tool to develop into a starting NFL safety within his first two seasons. His special teams value and positional flexibility make him an attractive day two prospect. With refinement in man coverage techniques and improved play strength, Winston could emerge as a defensive signal caller and impact player in sub-packages early in his pro career.
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