Bucs’ 2025 Draft Needs: Safety Prospects

The NFL draft is quickly approaching, and as the combine winds down it’s time to start preparing for whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will announce as their selections on that stage at Lambeau Field. To simplify this process, I’ve ranked seven of the Bucs needs:

This week we’ll be starting with Safety. Currently the starters look to be former All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith, especially with the team opting out of Jordan Whitehead’s contract. The only other Safeties on the roster right now are Josh Hayes, Christian Izien, Kaevon Merriwether, and Marcus Banks, while Izien figures to play Nickel Corner with Smith moving to Safety.

All this to say, the Bucs could use a dependable backup at the position, so they make the list at #7.

Rather than just listing drills and a bunch of numbers, I’ll be using the RAS system, created by Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb and @mathbomb.bsky.social on Twitter and Bluesky). RAS, or Relative Athletic Score is a composite scale that factors height, weight, speed, and agility drills to spit out one number that can be viewed as a percentile. For example, QB Mac Jones had a RAS of 7.15, meaning he is just below the 72nd percentile for physical traits among QBs, while former WR Calvin Johnson’s 2007 combine and Anthony Richardson’s 2023 combine scored them a perfect 10.00 for their respective positions.

Until pro days start, I’ll be using combine measurements as well as available film to break down each prospect, which means if they didn’t test certain drills at the combine, their RAS may be incomplete.

Athleticism is not a huge driving factor for prospects at the safety position, not nearly as much as others. In a similar vein, safeties are not typically a super valuable position in the draft. While they can elevate a good defense to being great, an elite safety can’t do much to save a bad defense.

So what is the ideal safety to pair with Antoine Winfield Jr. and potentially Tykee Smith? We know that Winfield Jr. is an elite run support safety while his coverage skills lag a little behind. Tykee Smith was also great against the run in his time as a Nickel Corner, and he even received a better coverage grade than Winfield Jr. in coverage. So a complementary safety would ideally be elite in coverage, and ought to be the priority for the Bucs if they were to spend an early pick on the position.

Malaki Starks (Georgia)
6’0” ⅞ 197 lbs
40 Yard dash: 4.5s
Vertical: 33in
Shuttle: 4.45s
Unofficial RAS: 5.49

While he is only slightly above average athletically, his IQ and coverage skills at Georgia were off the charts. He’s adept in deep zone coverage, press man, and able to play slot corner when necessary. He was one of the highest graded safeties against the run this past season, and while he doesn’t have quite as much pop behind his pads as other prospects, his missed tackle rate was one of the best in college football, and he very well could go in the top 20 picks in this draft.

Fit Grade: B

Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)
5’11” 6/8 204 lbs
Unofficial RAS: ???

While Watts did not participate in any drills at the combine, he is set to participate at Notre Dame’s pro day on March 27th. He was originally a WR coming out of high school, and his ball skills are absolutely elite. While he misses quite a few tackles (his primary weakness), his 13 interceptions over the past two seasons lead all of college football during that span. He doesn’t lack physicality on tape, and his versatility bumps him even further up the ladder amongst the safeties. While his tackling and run defense is supremely concerning, so don’t be surprised if he falls to the third round, but I think he would be a great fit next to Antoine Winfield Jr., and perhaps his nose for the football makes him worthy of playing Nickel next season.

Fit Grade: A-

Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
6’3” ⅛ 220 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.38s
Vertical: 43in
Bench: 20 reps
Unofficial RAS: 10.00

That athleticism score really pops. You don’t see 4.38 speed on a 6’3” 220lbs frame everyday. His RAS would be a perfect 10.00 as a CB, a 9.65 as a LB, and a 9.99 as WR. We are talking about the rarest of the rare athleticism. He’s another safety with elite range, speed, and coverage skills. Originally recruited to play Linebacker, he played a lot in the box for South Carolina, and I think he could benefit more in deep coverage. His size lends itself to playing inside, as he did have plenty of coverage reps against Tight Ends. A lot of his comparisons include heavy hitters like Kam Chancellor, and I can’t say I disagree.

Fit Grade: B+

RJ Mickens (Clemson)
6’0” 199 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.49s
Vertical: 41.5in
Unofficial RAS: 8.51

Mickens is a deep sleeper in this class, and will likely slip to day 3. While he certainly could stand to pack on some weight, his speed and vertical are both very impressive. The son of former NFL player Ray Mickens, RJ seems to have a nose for the football. While his tackling is lackluster, it seems like he’s always in the right place at the right time, whether it’s tracking deep balls or blowing up outside runs. He played a pretty even mix of deep coverage and box safety, and his 24% incompletion rate pops, as does his 89.8 coverage grade. While he doesn’t have the notoriety or success of other names on this list, he certainly has the reps, with 37 games played at Clemson over the last three years.

Fit Grade: C+

Hunter Wohler (Wisconsin)
6’2” 213 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.57s
Vertical: 37in
Three-cone: 6.72s
Unofficial RAS: 9.55

If not for Emmanwori, this guy would be the most fun on the list. This guy is a baller. His athleticism is nuts, and he hits like a Mack truck. His physicality is eye popping, and his 25% incompletion rate was impressive as well. While his ball skills are nothing to write home about (no interceptions in 2024), he may switch positions to play linebacker and I don’t think his game would suffer at all, as he played the majority of his snaps in the box. Could be a very exciting Day Three pick.

Fit Grade: D+

Kevin Winston Jr. (Penn State)
6’1” 4/8 215 lbs
Unofficial RAS: ???

Winston Jr. could be a steal in any round. He only played 2 games in 2024 before suffering a partially torn ACL. However, his elite 2023 season tells us everything we need to know. Big, physical thumper, impressive tackler, and his range is among the best. I doubt he tests drills at a pro day, but his IQ and decision making would put him atop the class regardless. Despite the injuries, I would not be surprised if he turns out to be the best safety in this class. In a deep, versatile class, he might be the most flexible out of everyone. He’s the only safety who had an 85+ grade in run and pass situations in 2023, and he’s among the cream of the crop in terms of size. He has the ball skills of a corner and the tackling of a linebacker. Worthy of a first round pick if he was healthy, someone ought to take him in the second round at the latest.

Fit Grade: A

Lathan Ransom (Ohio State)
6’0” 2/8 206 lbs
Unofficial RAS: ???

Ransom also didn’t test at the combine, but the tape tells all. His incompletion and tackle rates are average. His coverage is weak. But he hands out CTE like it’s candy on halloween. Ransom is a true thumper, laying down the lumber with the best of the best. He’s probably the best run defender, and would probably be a great middle linebacker if he were taller and heavier. Though he wouldn’t fit in Tampa, he’ll make some GM very happy in the second or third round.

Fit Grade: D

Andrew Mukuba (Texas)
5’11” 2/8 186 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.45s
Unofficial RAS: ???

Mukuba is probably the opposite of Ransom. Mukuba is very, very undersized, resulting in poor tackling, often tackling with his arms without planting his feet. He loses in the open field despite his ability to get in position. But by golly his six interceptions and 25% incompletion rate are already impressive before you factor in that he did it in a new system and uniform for 2024. Another high IQ guy, his anticipation and ball skills will absolutely translate at the next level, but it’s about time to hit the weight room.

Fit Grade: B-

Sebastian Castro (Iowa)
5’11” 2/8 203 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.59s
Vertical: 30.5in
Unofficial RAS: 4.32

Castro had a fairly disappointing 2024 after an exciting 2023. His productivity dipped just about everywhere year to year. He played a whole lot more slot corner than safety at Iowa, and it’s fair to say his combine performance will throw him deeper down draft boards. I think he has a ton of potential, and the film from 2023 is impressive. But in 2024 it seems he forgot how to tackle. Hopefully he finds a way to regain the coverage skills he had in his junior season, but for now he’s a seventh round flier.

Fit Grade: D-

Jonas Sanker (Virginia)
6’0” ⅜ 206 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.48s
Vertical: 36.5in
Unofficial RAS: 8.95

Sanker has the athleticism, the instincts, the tackling, and the ball skills. The run defense is a little lackluster, but Sanker is another prospect who suffers from the depth of the class. He was a great special teamer, and his late round status means he has an opportunity to do it at the NFL level next season. His lack of national recognition, and the overall quality of the defense means he could fall pretty far, but I think he’s a bit of a sleeper. I think he’ll go in the 5th round, well within the range of the Bucs, and while he’s not my favorite, I wouldn’t be mad about the pick either. He has the skills they need in coverage, and his lack of run defense is hypothetically complemented well enough by Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr.

Fit Grade: C

This is a very deep class for safeties, as there are many other players who perhaps deserved to make it into this article, but for better or worse, this is a position the Bucs don’t have much need for. Whatever choice the Bucs made though, expect Licht and Bowles to make the right decision. While they haven’t always hit, successes like Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean & Antoine Winfield Jr. show they’re usually pretty good at picking defensive backs.