For the first time since 2011, no safeties were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft last spring.
Are you ready for an encore?
A position group low on impact players awaits NFL teams when the draft commences Thursday night. Prospects hoping to get taken in the first round might have to wait until Friday to hear their names called.
In 2020, the first safety didn’t come off the board until the No. 36 overall pick, but five were selected in the second round. That’s an indication of a class that lacked star power but had an abundance of solid picks waiting in the wings.
Pro Football Focus rated safety as the second-worst position group in this class, trailing only interior defensive linemen.
“There are far more question marks than answers in this safety class,” the website wrote in its rankings.
The lone exception is TCU’s Trevon Moehrig. He’s the only safety ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay rated as a first-round pick.
Moehrig, a junior, won the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. In two seasons as a starter, Moehrig broke up 19 passes and intercepted six.
“I love Moehrig,” McShay said. “I went into this year thinking Oregon safety Jevon Holland would be the best in this class, but after studying the tape of Moehrig, I fell in love with him. He’s got length and has great ball skills. His ball production is outstanding.
“Usually, you get a safety who has great athleticism who is a ball hawk and has great range, but isn’t great at run support. I think he’s a really complete player.”
NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah also believes the team that drafts Moehrig will get the best player, although perhaps not the flashiest, at his position.
“He’s like a double off the wall,” Jeremiah said. “Ozzie Newsome used to say that. You get carried away in the first round trying to hit home runs and swing for the fences. There’s nothing wrong with a double.”
The next tier of safeties includes two with red flags: Oregon’s Holland opted out of the 2020 season, and Syracuse’s Andre Cisco lasted only two games before incurring a season-ending injury. However, UCF’s Richie Grant gathered 10 interceptions as a three-year starter, and Indiana’s Jamar Johnson had six interceptions in two years and was the first Hoosiers safety to be named first-team all-conference in 25 years.
The sweet spot of this safety class is in the middle rounds, and the Steelers could look for help a year after selecting Antoine Brooks in the sixth round. Sean Davis, a former second-rounder, signed with Indianapolis after spending most of last season playing special teams. Jordan Dangerfield, the Steelers special teams captain, remains unsigned.
The Steelers are set for 2021 with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds — two of the three safeties selected in the 2018 first round — as the starters. The intrigue at the position will come after the draft. The Steelers have until May 3 to exercise the fifth-year option for both safeties. Fitzpatrick’s option is worth $10.612 million, and Edmunds’ is $6.753 million.
The only other safety on the roster is John Battle, a former four-year starter at LSU who spent most of last season on the Steelers’ practice squad.
TOP 5 SAFETIES
1. Trevon Moehrig, TCU, Jr., 6-1, 202
Moehrig was recruited as a cornerback but converted to safety upon arriving at TCU. He was a first-team all-conference pick as a sophomore, and he was a second-team All-American in 2020.
2. Jevon Holland, Oregon, Jr., 6-1, 207
Holland’s decision to sit out the 2020 season could push him down draft boards. He had five interceptions as a freshman, then added four more as a sophomore for Oregon.
3. Jamar Johnson, Indiana, Jr., 6-0, 205
His 2020 season was Johnson’s only one as a full-time starter at Indiana, but he led the Hoosiers with four interceptions. He also had 43 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, in eight starts.
4. Richie Grant, UCF, R-Sr., 6-0, 197
Grant made the most of his nine games as a senior, contributing a team-high 72 tackles. He also had three interceptions, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
5. Andre Cisco, Syracuse, Jr., 6-1, 216
A collision with a teammate in pregame warm-ups led to an ACL tear for Cisco, ending his 2020 season after two games. He finished his college career with 13 interceptions, including seven as a freshman.
Best fit for Steelers, Day 1
Trevon Moehrig, TCU
He’s the only safety with a first-round grade. But after selecting Terrell Edmunds in the first round in 2018 and trading for Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2019, the Steelers will look at other positions here.
Best fit for Steelers, Day 2
Andre Cisco, Syracuse
His ACL tear could scare off teams, but the way he was always around the ball could make him an attractive third-round pick.
Best fit for Steelers, Day 3
Divine Deablo, Virginia Tech
After finding Edmunds at Virginia Tech, the Steelers might want to take a look at one of his former teammates. A 6-foot-3, 226-pound redshirt senior, Deablo was a three-year starter for the Hokies. He had four interceptions and four pass breakups in nine starts last year.
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe by email at jrutter@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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