NFL Combine preview: 5 safeties the Lions should watch

Identifying which safeties the Detroit Lions should be keeping an eye on during the 2024 NFL Combine.

The 2024 NFL Combine is in full swing, and with televised coverage of on-field drills set to take place on Thursday, we are nearing the end of our Detroit Lions prospect preview series. So far, we have examined the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles, interior offensive linemen, interior defensive linemen, edge rushers, and cornerback groups.

In this article, we identify some of the best fits at safety.

What skills to watch for during on-field drills

While a lot of the same traits we discussed with the cornerbacks group apply here—are they balanced through their hips and how fluid are they when unlocking their hips?—there are a few differences. For example, the biggest thing that will separate safeties is their ability to click and close, so any drill that highlights a change of direction will be helpful in understanding a player’s positional range.

Team need

The Lions safety group went through a lot of changes last year, a domino effect of two young players—Brian Branch and Ifeatu Melifonwu—simply being too good to keep on the sidelines. As a result, the Lions ended up finishing the season with three young players in starting roles—Branch, Melifonwu, and Kerby Joseph—and the veterans taking a backseat.

Gardner-Johnson did work his way back from injury and into a rotation, but he is a pending unrestricted free agent. Tracy Walker went from a starting role in training camp to a healthy scratch in the playoffs and has since been released in a salary cap saving move. The only other safety on the roster was Brandon Joseph, who spent all of last season on the practice squad and signed a futures contract for 2024.

While the Lions are firmly set at all three starting safety spots, there is simply no depth behind them at this time, leaving the Lions in a spot where they may look for players who can step into a larger role in case of injury—either in free agency or the draft—while also grabbing a younger player to develop.

Javon Bullard, Georgia (5-foot-10 ¹⁄₂, 197 pounds)

With Branch locking down the Lions’ nickel spot, I pushed off looking at defensive backs who appeared to be slot-only options, which included Bullard based on what I saw during the college football season. But when I went back and watched him for a second time, I walked away with a much broader view of what his positional range could be and fell in love with the dog mentality to his game.

From an athletic standpoint, Bullard likely won’t be at the top of this class, but his instincts and intelligence are off the charts, and he hits like a truck. There are a lot of teams that are going to want to slide him into the Branch role, but if he lands in Detroit, he has the range to play beyond the slot and could develop into a starter with time.

Cole Bishop, Utah (6-foot-2, 209 pounds)

A three-year starter at Utah, Bishop approaches the run game with aggression and violence. Bishop can play a variety of roles in the secondary but his best traits typically show up when he is allowed to attack downhill, relying on his instincts, acceleration, and tackling chops. He can hang with tight ends in coverage but is still developing parts of his game when playing from traditional two-high looks—though he is experienced in split-zone concepts like the Lions run.

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech (5-foot-10, 189 pounds)

Taylor-Demerson’s not as big as most of the safeties the Lions have targeted over the past three seasons, but he has the positional range to play all over the field and experience in split-zone coverage that could potentially lead to him backing up all three safety spots. His instincts and anticipation in coverage, nose for the football when it’s in the air, combined with his aggression in the run game will also suit Detroit’s playing style.

Sione Vaki, Utah (5-foot-11 ¹⁄₂, 211 pounds)

While Bishop is the more talented safety in Utah’s secondary, Vaki’s willingness to do anything to help his team succeed will grab coach Dan Campbell’s attention. He is a technique power tackler and is experienced in split-zone coverage, but his biggest strengths will likely come via his special teams contributions as a rookie.

Vaki’s dedication to his team showed up in 2023 when injuries in the running backs room led to a unique situation. Vaki was asked to play both ways this past season and took snaps at running back to help lighten the load on offense. In total, he ran 42 times for 317 yards and two touchdowns, while also making 11 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Not bad for a safety.

Ryan Watts, Texas (6-foot-3, 212 pounds)

Watts was likely miscast to play cornerback at Ohio State and Texas, and most NFL teams appear to be looking at him to make a transition to safety at the next level—which is the position he played at during the East-West Shrine week. The Lions have already successfully converted Melifonwu from corner to safety, so they have a plan in place for making that transition a smooth one. Watts is a terrific run defender, and his coverage traits will transition to lining up against tight ends, but he’ll probably make his biggest impact on special teams early in his career.