2022 NFL Draft Prospects: Safety

12/11/21: Hamilton totaled 31 tackles, three interceptions and three passes defended in 2021. A knee injury suffered while tackling USC's Drake London took Hamilton out for rest of the season.

Hamilton is a dynamic playmaker and difference maker. He has phenomenal size, speed and athleticism to go along with instincts and intelligence. With his size and tackling ability, Hamilton is a highly impactful run defender who flies downhill and is capable of being the eighth man in the box. With his speed and range, Hamilton can also be a free safety who locks down the deep part of the field. Hamilton also displays some ability to handle man coverage on tight ends. The only thing he does not look exceptional at is man coverage on slot receivers. Hamilton has the skill set and upside to be one of the best safeties in the NFL.

7/17/21: Hamilton totaled 56 tackles, an interception and six passes broken up in 2020. In 2019, he put together an excellent freshman season for Notre Dame, showing good ball skills with four interceptions and six passes broken up to go along with 41 tackles.

On top of playing well, the 6-foot-4, 216-pounder has upside as well as very good height and length for the position. Hamilton shows the versatility to play free safety or strong safety, to serve as the eighth man in the box, and or to handle man coverage on tight ends. The only role he should not be assigned is playing man on slot receivers, but he is a tough run defender who has excellent instincts in pass coverage. Hamilton has intelligence, good vision, and superb closing speed. He has the potential to be an excellent NFL safety.

12/11/21: Brisker is a talented player with speed, instincts and versatility, plus he is willing to get physical. He has 43 tackles, two interceptions and four passes broken up so far this season. Brisker has a tendency to get banged up and gets more attention from trainers than NFL teams like to see.

7/17/21: In 2020, Brisker flashed at times for the Nittany Lions while recording 57 tackles, four passes defended and an interception. He totaled 31 tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended in 2019. Brisker projects as a free safety for the NFL, and he has a good skill set for the next level. With his size, speed and athleticism, Brisker could be a riser over the 2021 season.

12/11/21: Hill has flashed some nice ability over the past two seasons for the Wolverines. In 2019, he had 36 tackles, an interception and three passes defended. Hill was even better in the shortened 2020 season, recording 45 tackles, an interception and four passes broken up. He has 65 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes broken up so far in 2021. Hill is a solid tackler who showed solid instincts and improved coverage skills as a junior. He could stand to gain some weight to tackle and avoid injury in the NFL.

12/11/21: In 2021, Pola-Moa has 57 tackles, a pass breakup and an interception.

7/17/21: Pola-Mao has produced two good seasons for the Trojans. He broke out in 2019 with 73 tackles, four interceptions and two passes defended. In the mini-2020 season, Pola-Moa recorded 40 tackles, an interception and five passes broken up. He has a good skill set and the potential to rise. Pola-Moa possesses good height and length to play free safety in the NFL.

12/11/21: In 2021, Hawkins has 54 tackles, two forced fumbles and four passes broken up. He's a strong safety type for the NFL who might also receive sub linebacker consideration.

7/17/21: Hawkins has been a solid run defender and tackler for the Wolverines over the past few seasons. He has the potential to rise as a senior if he can show more pass-coverage ability. Hawkins has zero interceptions and only four passes broken up in his carrer, so making more plays on the ball in 2021 would help his draft stock.

12/11/21: Roderick was suspended for the 2021 season opener. He's recorded 58 tackles and two forced fumbles thus far this year.

7/17/21: Former South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp and defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson recruited a lot of excellent defensive back prospects while at South Carolina, Auburn and Florida. Roderick is left over from the Muschamp era, and the NFL advance scouts were impressed with the Gamecocks strong safety. As a freshman in 2018, he had 56 tackles. He followed that with 55 tackles and two interceptions in his sophomore season. Roderick (5-11, 203) is an asset in coverage and was nicely developed by Robinson.

12/11/21: Corker has played well for Kentucky in 2021, including a really impressive game against Missouri. He has 74 tackles, one sack and eight passes defended on the year.

7/17/21: Corker was solid, but not overly impressive, for Kentucky in 2021. He needs to make more splash plays in coverage to rise for the 2022 NFL Draft, but he is a reliable coverage safety in the deep part of the field. Corker was a dependable tackler and run defender for Kentucky in 2019, which was his first season as a starter. Teams project Corker more as a free safety for the NFL.

12/11/21: Duncan is a quality strong safety and a good tackler. He has 76 tackles, three passes broken up, one sack and one interception so far in 2021.

7/17/21: Duncan showed some consistent ball skills over his three years playing for Georgia Southern, recording two interceptions in each season and a career-total 14 passes broken up. In 2019, he also logged 79 tackles. It will be interesting to see if Duncan can stay consistent against better competition in 2021. He has quality size, but faces some speed concerns.

12/11/21: Cine is a mid-round prospect who has played well for Georgia in 2021. He has 61 tackles, an interception and eight passes defended on the year. Cine has a quality skill set of size, quickness and athleticism. In 2020, he recorded 52 tackles and three breakups.

12/11/21: Grant has yet to put together a massive season of production, but he has a good skill set with the traits of a NFL starter. He is a tall, quick, long, and rangy free safety for the back end. Grant has 50 tackles, nine passes broken up and two forced fumbles in 2021, but has shown his ability to defend the back end. Grant had two interceptions in each of the previous two seasons to go along with eight breakups and 51 tackles in 2019.

12/11/21: Blount has been a productive player for the Cavaliers and is having a solid season, providing a lot of stops in the ground game. In 2021, Blount has 86 tackles, three interceptions and three passes defended. In 2019, he recorded 95 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble, three interceptions and three passes defended. Blount took advantage of a fifth season and will enter the NFL with a lot of experience from his time with Virginia. He is a strong safety type for the NFL.

12/11/21: In his fifth season at Cincinnati, things finally came together for Cook, who has been a tough safety for the Bearcats. Cook (6-1, 210) is a solid run defender with the ability to tackle and be the eighth man in the box. His ball production has been decent in the passing game, but it would help him to show diverse coverage skills at the Senior Bowl.

12/11/21: Wright has had a mixed season for Alabama. He put together some impressive games but also had some in which he was beaten for plays downfield. Wright needs developmental time for the NFL.

7/17/21: It took some time for Wright to see the field in Alabama's loaded defensive backfield, but he finally broke out in 2020 with 60 tackles, two interceptions and three passes defended. Now that he has experience, Wright could produce more in 2021 and be a riser.

12/11/21: Battle has 74 tackles, three interceptions and three passes broken up thus far in 2021. He has played solid football for Alabama, but he has not been overly impressive. He is more of a strong safety type for the NFL.

7/17/21: Battle was a tough defender for Alabama in 2020, totaling 58 tackles, an interception and four passes defended. Over the course of the season, Battle illustrated that he has a good skill set and upside to improve as he gains experience.

12/11/21: Thomas is a safety who has some buzz in scouting circles. He has the size and strength to play strong safety and the speed and range to serve as a deep free safety. Along with his good skill set, Thomas is known to be a vocal leader. He can have issues with missed tackles, which he needs to clean up. Thomas should return for his senior year.

7/17/21: During the past two seasons, Thomas was a solid run defender for the Yellow Jackets. He has potential to rise if he can make more plays in pass coverage. Thomas has a good skill set with a strong frame and speed. NFL teams project him to strong safety.

12/11/21: Weatherford has been solid this season, recording 66 tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended to date. He is a sleeper who could rise. Weatherford also could be a candidate to add weight to grow into being a sub-package linebacker in the NFL.

7/17/21: Weatherford put together an impressive 2019 season, collecting 98 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception and 10 passes defended. He only had three games in 2020, but he played well with 18 tackles and four passes broken up. Weatherford has good size, but speed concerns for the NFL.

12/11/21: Butler has 59 tackles, an interception and four passes broken up thus far in 2021. He's been a steady safety for Louisiana.

7/17/21: Butler has played well for the Ragin' Cajuns over the past two seasons. In 2019, Butler was a solid run defender, and he improved his pass coverage production in 2020. NFL advance scouts project Butler as a strong safety for the next level.

12/11/21: Proctor was solid for the Buckeyes in the first two games, but in Week 2, he fractured his leg and went out for the year. He should take a medical redshirt and return to Ohio State for 2022.

7/17/21: Proctor has the potential to rise in 2021 because of his good skill set. It has taken time for him to earn playing time given the Buckeyes' roomful of future NFL defensive backs. Proctor flashed during the 2020 season and could be a riser leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft.

12/11/21: Turner-Yell has 48 tackles, three interception and pass broken up thus far this year. He missed almost the entire month of October with injuries.

7/17/21: Turner-Yell is an undersized safety, but has good speed to cover ground in the backend of the field. He showed run defense and tackling ability in 2019. It would help Turner-Yell to generate more ball production in 2021.

12/11/21: O'Neal has been solid in 2021, recording two interceptions, 58 tackles and five passes defended so far.

7/17/21: O'Neal was respectable for Texas A&M in 2020, showing an improved ability to make plays on the ball. He also had a decent sophomore season for the Aggies. While O'Neal has potential as a free safety downfield, he could stand to improve his run defense in 2021.

12/11/21: Team source have said they've been disappointed with Bolden this season. They say he has issues with missed tackles and takes bad angles. Therefore, he's facing third-day grades for the 2022 NFL Draft.

7/17/21: Bolden was one of the breakout players of 2020, flying all over the field for the Hurricanes. He provided a big presence and showed the instincts to make some splash plays. Bolden was also solid in pass coverage, displaying length, quickness and feel. Some team sources said Bolden needs to cut down on missed tackles and taking bad angles in 2021. They said he has some similarities to Browns safety Grant Delpit.

12/11/21: Multiple team sources told me they graded Harvell-Peel as a late third-day pick for the 2022 NFL Draft. They view him as a backup and special teams competitor.

7/17/21: Harvell-Peel was solid for the Cowboys in 2020, but he also did not show enough in pass coverage to be a riser. Harvell-Peel put together a really good 2019 season for Oklahoma State, contributing well in run defense and pass coverage. He had a lot of production and splash plays for the Cowboys while showing a big improvement over his sophomore season. Harvell-Peel is more of a strong safety for the next level.

12/11/21: Pitre has played well for Baylor in 2021. He is a good college player, but he has some limitations for the NFL. Pitre has received grades of being a future backup and special teams player.

7/17/21: Pitre played well in 2020, showing some natural free safety skills in the deep part of the field. He logged 60 tacklesm two interceptions, two passes defended, 2.5 sacks and two defensive touchdowns. Pitre's 2019 season ended after four games due to a torn ACL, but he returned to the field in 2020 and impressed NFL advance scouts.

12/11/21: Monday has played well for Auburn this season, but he has limitations for the NFL. Some team sources say they are projecting him to the late rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

7/17/21: Smoke Monday broke out for Auburn in 2020 with 73 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defended, one sack and one forced fumble. NFL advance scouts project Monday to free safety in the NFL, but with his size and tackling ability, he could end up being an interchangeable safety capable of playing both free and strong safety.

12/11/21: Hall hasn't impressed for the Hurricanes in 2021.

7/17/21: Hall formed a solid safety tandem with Bubba Bolden during the 2020 season. Gurvan collected 43 tackles and three passes defended on the year. In 2019, he recorded 66 stops, two sacks, an interception and three passes broken up. Gurvan is undersized and needs to add weight for the NFL.

12/11/21: Sterling totaled 13 tackles in 2021, only playing in two games before suffering a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery. He should take a medical redshirt and return to Oklahoma State for 2022.

7/17/21: In 2020, Sterling was a solid run defender for Oklahoma State and contributed some plays in coverage. Improving his cover skills in 2021 would help him to rise. Sterling has missed some time with injuries in his career, so his medical evaluation will be important as well.

Sterling had a solid debut as a starter for the Cowboys in 2019, showing some ability to tackle and contribute in coverage. He has upside to develop and could improve in 2021. Sterling should add weight for the NFL, and it would help him to make more splash plays in coverage.

12/11/21: On the year, Brooks has 40 tackles and two passes broken up.

7/17/21: Brooks has been a ballhawk for the Green Wave over the past two seasons, notching four picks in 2019 and three in 2020. He improved his run defense production from 25 tackles in 2019 to 58 in 2020. Brooks is a sleeper who could rise. He projects as a strong safety for the NFL.

12/11/21: Even though Anderson did not have a very productive season, he earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl. During the 2021 season, Anderson totaled 42 tackles with one forced fumble, one pass broken up. In 2019, he had 84 tackles for Toledo. Anderson has good size for the NFL. He might be a late-round backup and special teams candidate.

12/11/21: McCrary-Ball has recorded 28 tackles, an interception and two passes defended so far this season.

7/17/21: McCrary-Ball missed the 2020 season with an injury, and he was wise to return to Indiana for 2021 to try to prove he is healthy. McCrary-Ball was a tough strong safety for Indiana over the previous few seasons. He is strong and a quality run defender, but he needs to make more plays in pass coverage and show more cover ability to rise for the 2022 NFL Draft. McCarary-Ball is put together well and times well in the 40, but the medical concerns are a hurdle for him to overcome.

12/11/21: Smith has 26 tackles and two interceptions thus far this year. Team sources say they have projected Smith as a late-round or undrafted free agent for the 2022 NFL Draft.

7/17/21: Smith is a fast and athletic safety who has good instincts and coverage skills, but he will need to gain weight to tackle in the NFL. As the Bulldogs free safety in 2020, Smith did not produce a big year statistically, but he impressed the advance scouts with his coverage ability.

12/11/21: Van Zandt has 38 tackles, one sack and one pass defended so far in 2021.

7/17/21: Van Zandt was buried on the depth chart behind Trevon Moehrig and Ar'Darius Washington in past years, but Van Zandt rotated into the game and did well enough to make it on scouts preseason watch list. He recorded 43 tackles, two interceptions and four passes defended in 2020, which was very good production for a backup. Van Zandt is a sleeper who could rise.

12/11/21: Bell recorded 15 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble before no longer playing after mid-September.

7/17/21: Bell has not produced much in college, but his skill set is good enough for NFL advance scouts to have put him on their preseason watch list. Bell needs to turn his potential into production during the 2021 season.