The SEC’s 2016 class is already loaded with four- and five-star defensive backs.
Some of the top-rated safeties in the country have committed to SEC schools. Plenty of others play cornerback in high school but most likely will opt to play safety in college — players like Saivion Smith (LSU commit), Jaylon Jones (Ole Miss commit) and Charles Oliver (Texas A&M commit).
But as far as those projected to make safety their primary position, here are the best five currently on board in the opinion of Saturday Down South:
1. Eric Monroe (Houston, Texas) — LSU commit
- The skinny: A four-star safety, Monroe rates as the No. 4 player in the recruiting hotbed that is Texas. The Tigers are hoping Monroe can continue the trend of great safeties in Baton Rouge like LaRon Landry and Tyrann Mathieu.
2. Marlon Character (Atlanta, Ga.) — South Carolina commit
- The skinny: The Gamecocks grabbed themselves a solid defensive back right from under the nose of the Bulldogs. The No. 12-rated safety in the nation, Character was coveted by virtually every SEC team but chose to make Columbia his home starting in 2016.
3. Cameron Lewis (Monroe, La.) — LSU commit
- The skinny: The Tigers are taking care of the back end of the defense with their 2016 recruiting class. While Monroe is a rangy, athletic defensive back, Lewis provides a bigger, hard-hitting option. The two should complement each other very well in Baton Rouge for several years.
4. Alexy Jean-Baptiste (Coconut Creek, Fla.) – Arkansas commit
- The skinny: There’s a realistic chance that Jean-Baptiste will play outside linebacker for the Razorbacks, especially given their immediate need at that position. But at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Jean-Baptiste projects better as a safety, where he would be a monster — as opposed to a smaller, athletic pass rusher.
5. Shawn Jennings (Dadeville, Ala.) — Alabama commit
- The skinny: Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart has a way of getting the best out of players and has been known before to turn a three-star prospect like Jennings into an NFL-caliber player. Jennings is rated as the 15th-best player in Alabama, so perhaps Smart found himself a gem in his own backyard.
Pat Donohue is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter @SportsDownPat.
