Safety could be a hot position in the 2013 NFL Draft. Among other teams, the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins all could look to improve their safety play early in next year’s draft.
2013 NFL Draft Safety Rankings
There is no better way to defend a tight end in the NFL than with a safety who can hit and play man coverage. The 2013 NFL Draft features several of those players.
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For now, the top senior is T.J. McDonald. The dependable safety has seemingly been at Southern California since the turn of the century. McDonald has good size to cover tight ends, is a sure tackler and is just fluid enough to drop into zone coverage. Closely behind McDonald is Kenny Vaccaro of Texas. Playing in the fast-paced Big 12, Vaccaro excels at making a play on the ball while its in the air.
LSU junior Eric Reid has the potential to be the best of the group. He’s often overlooked on a loaded defense, but Reid is a hard hitter with speed and coverage skills. The Buccaneers used a top 10 on Mark Barron this year. Reid profiles as a similar type of player who could ascend to that level.
SENIORS
| 1. T.J. McDonald | 6'3, 205 pounds | Safety | Southern California |
| 2. Kenny Vaccaro | 6'1, 215 pounds | Safety | Texas |
| 3. Shawn Williams | 6'1, 217 pounds | Safety | Georgia |
| 4. Robert Lester | 6'2, 210 pounds | Safety | Alabama Prospect notes |
| 5. Bacarri Rambo | 6'0, 218 pounds | Safety | Georgia |
| 6. D.J. Swearinger | 6'0, 212 pounds | Safety | South Carolina |
| 7. John Boyett | 5'10, 205 pounds | Safety | Oregon |
| 8. Shamarko Thomas | 5'10, 206 pounds | Safety | Syracuse |
| 9. Zeke Motta | 6'2, 215 pounds | Safety | Notre Dame |
| 10. Jordan Kovacs | 6'0, 202 pounds | Safety | Michigan |
| 11. Vaughn Telemaque | 6'2, 200 pounds | Safety | Miami |
| 12. Drew Frey | 6'3, 212 pounds | Safety | Cincinnati |
JUNIORS
| 1. Eric Reid | 6'2, 208 pounds | Safety | LSU |
| 2. Matt Elam | 5'10, 206 pounds | Safety | Florida |
| 3. Tony Jefferson | 5'10, 212 pounds | Safety | Oklahoma |
| 4. Lamarcus Joyner | 5'8, 195 pounds | Safety | Florida State |
| 5. CJ Barnett | 6'0, 202 pounds | Safety | Ohio State |
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