1. sydney brown • illinois

#33 overall // style comparison: talanoa hufanga

Grade: 7.5

RAS: 9.66

Strengths: 🪃 🏝 🏎 🕹️ 🧠 🪵

This safety class is not gonna go down in the history books, but that’s ok. There are specific strengths in a lot of prospects that can net you an impact guy as long as you’re not asking them to be a five-tool player. Brown is a freak athlete with a bullet-train mentality who can absolutely lay you out when he’s coming downhill. I see some Talanoa Hufanga to his game. He’s explosive, has the speed and agility to stick with TEs if asked, and seems to be in on every tackle in every game. But he’s not at his best in man coverage if he doesn’t get a chance to reroute at the line, and while he has range, he’s not as impactful reacting as he is dictating. You can line him up in two high, but I’d keep him free without too much over the top zone responsibility and let him affect the LOS.

2. brian branch • alabama

#36 overall // style comparison: taron johnson

Grade: 7

RAS: 5.09

Strengths: 🪃 ☄️ 🔒 🏝 🧠 🪵

I’ve come around on Branch through the process. I don’t see an amazing athlete when I watch him, which is true. He’s not a freak. But he’s so damn smart and reliable that he doesn’t have to be. The NFL sees more base nickel every year, and even if Branch ends up becoming best suited to stick there, he’ll be impactful. Takes smart angles, keeps himself and his backfield mates in position pre-snap, diagnoses quickly, and tackles very well. He’s a good player, who has no real weak spots in his coached game, but he can be run by, and he can be out-quicked, so he’ll need to be protected over the top more than some people want to admit. But he has great ball skills and again has such amazing anticipation that his physical limitations were often moot in college. I go back and forth, as you can tell, but I think he’s a solid starter who won’t cause issues even if he doesn’t often come away with game-changing plays either.

3. christopher smith // georgia // grade: 6 // #82 overall

4. jartavius martin // illinois // grade: 6 // #83 overall

5. ji’ayir brown // penn state // grade: 6 // #94 overall

6. jammie robinson // fsu // grade: 6 // #98 overall

7. antonio johnson // texas a&m // grade: 6 // #100 overall

8. christian izien // rutgers // grade: 6

9. jay ward // lsu // grade: 6

10. jl skinner // boise state // grade: 5.5

11. jordan battle // alabama // grade: 5.5

12. daniel scott // cal // grade: 5

13. anthony johnson // iowa state // grade: 5

14. kaevon merriweather // iowa // grade: 4

15. gervarrius owens // houston // grade: 4

16. quindell johnson // memphis // grade: 4

17. ty okada // montana state // grade: 3.5