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Creating the perfect SEC safety for 2019

Adam Spencer

By Adam Spencer

Published:

The SEC churned out a number of top safeties for the 2019 NFL Draft, with guys like Johnathan Abram, Mike Edwards, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Deionte Thompson and Donovan Wilson heading to the pro ranks.

However, the position is still loaded this fall, especially with the conference’s best teams (such as Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida and Auburn). In fact, one safety from each of those elite programs made the cut for our perfect SEC safety for the 2019 season.

There are sure to be a few more SEC safeties hearing their names called in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they might be high draft picks.

As you can see below, we picked players to embody the attributes of speed, size/strength, ballhawking, run defense and coverage skills, forming the ideal safety for this fall.

Here’s who we picked to make up this year’s perfect SEC safety:

Speed: J.R. Reed, Georgia

For safeties, speed is about getting to the ball as quickly as possible. Reed has shown a knack for that. In addition to possessing 4.5-second 40-yard dash speed, he knows how to use his quickness in bursts.

This play from the 2017 season illustrates that. He gets up to the line of scrimmage to make a play against Notre Dame in a hurry:

And, from the SEC Championship Game last season, this interception shows how quickly Reed can make up the gap between himself and a receiver:

https://twitter.com/_SteveFrederick/status/1069014076527915008

The Georgia secondary is full of talent, but some of the guys are still a bit inexperienced. Reed is a veteran and should be all over the field for the Dawgs this fall.

Size/strength: Brad Stewart, Florida

The Gators’ secondary is loaded, so Stewart often gets overlooked. However, even with CJ Henderson, Trey Dean, Marco Wilson and others back this year, Stewart could really make a name for himself.

He’s everywhere on the field. In 2018, he recorded 41 tackles in 11 games and also had 2 interceptions and a forced fumble.

Here he is coming up and stopping a screen play in its tracks:

And here he is using his 6-1, 200-pound frame to cut down a Tennessee running back for a loss:

Stewart still has some finesse and coverage skills to improve, but with his size and strength, he’ll be a force in the Gators’ defensive backfield this fall.

Ballhawking: Grant Delpit, LSU

Delpit is probably the best all-around safety in the SEC, and could honestly fit any one of these categories, but his ballhawking skills are truly off the charts. He led the SEC with 5 interceptions in 2018 and also made 74 tackles (9.5 for a loss) and 5 sacks.

I mean, look at how much ground he covers to make this diving interception against Ole Miss last year:

https://twitter.com/JaredStanger/status/1145138039515013120

And here he is making plays closer to the line of scrimmage, which is where the Tigers will have him playing more this fall:

Delpit can do it all on the field, but his ability to always be where the ball is truly sets him apart. He should be the first safety off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Run defense: Daniel Thomas, Auburn

Thomas recorded 74 tackles last season, tied for the most among returning SEC safeties. Two were for a loss, and several others came right at the line of scrimmage in run support.

Thomas is not shy about exploding to the line of scrimmage, as you can see in the play below, which was Auburn’s first defensive snap of the 2018 season:

And here he is making a huge play against an attempted option from Texas A&M, causing a fumble:

Auburn’s defense looks like it will be great in 2019, and if Thomas continues to improve, he could put up some impressive numbers once again.

Coverage skills: Xavier McKinney, Alabama

McKinney has the benefit of working with Nick Saban and playing alongside NFL talent in the Crimson Tide secondary, but he is a great player in his own right, too.

The rising junior was everywhere for the Alabama defense last year, recording 74 tackles (6 for a loss), 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles. Here’s his pick-6 against Ole Miss:

Here he is making a great play in coverage against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl:

Overall, he’s the best returning coverage safety in the SEC, allowing only a 46.5 passer rating to quarterbacks who targeted him last season:

This year should be another good one for him, and he could work his way into the Round 1 discussion for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.

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