One-on-one drills don’t always favor defensive backs, but the Senior Bowl can still be a great proving ground for cornerbacks and safeties looking to themselves apart. Those players can still compete in one-on-ones, make plays in seven-on-seven drills, and show their movement skills in space. Keeping that in mind, what should we expect from the 2022 Senior Bowl safeties, and who can improve their 2022 NFL Draft stock the most?
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2022 Senior Bowl Safeties
Here are the 2022 Senior Bowl safeties currently rostered in Mobile. There are four safeties on the National Team — coached by the Jets — and three on the American Team — coached by the Lions.
National Team
- Kerby Joseph | Illinois
- Jalen Pitre | Baylor
- Joshua Williams | Fayetteville State
- JT Woods | Baylor
American Team
- Tycen Anderson | Toledo
- Yusuf Corker | Kentucky
- Leon O’Neal Jr. | Texas A&M
Top Senior Bowl Safeties
Even with just seven listed safeties at the Senior Bowl, there are quite a few different molds at the position. You have your rangy playmakers, explosive box types, and versatile defenders who can traverse the field from the slot to the boundary. At safety, no box was left unchecked by the Senior Bowl staff.
National Team led by Baylor’s Jalen Pitre and JT Woods
The National Team has four exciting players at safety, but the most recognizable prospects are Baylor’s Jalen Pitre and JT Woods.
While Pitre and Woods have some similarities stylistically with their fast play pace and physical style, their roles are quite different. Pitre is a homing missile in the box who can also shade out into the slot. He projects well into the STAR role in the NFL. Woods, meanwhile, is a long, explosive deep safety with single-high capabilities, able to erase big plays with his range.
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Kerby Joseph and Joshua Williams should also have plenty of opportunities to shine in Mobile. Joseph is another dynamic playmaker with range on the back end. He tied Woods with 5 interceptions this year, and his ball skills could come into play again at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Williams, a Division II star, should also draw plenty of eyes. He’s a versatile 6’3″ cover man who logged 5 picks and 20 deflections over his past two seasons.
Tycen Anderson can take over the American Team
There isn’t a safety that clearly stands out above the rest on the American Team. It’s an intriguing trio, to say the least. All three players offer size and explosiveness. But Toledo’s Tycen Anderson has the most to gain. He’s a long, versatile defensive back who offers great range and closing speed in the box. The Senior Bowl is his chance to prove he belongs among SEC talents.
Of course, he’ll have his work cut out for him if he wants to outshine Leon O’Neal Jr. and Yusuf Corker. O’Neal is a dense, amped-up defender with enough fluidity and short-range burst to be a handful in close coverage. He can take faulty angles at times, but his energetic style will earn fans. Corker isn’t quite as dense but has the ball skills to draw attention — he posted 8 pass deflections in a strong 2021 campaign.
