A look at Dolphins’ safety options in first three rounds and who has starter potential
The Dolphins don’t have a single veteran safety on their roster who has started more than 22 games. (And it has taken Ashtyn Davis five seasons to make those 22 starts.)
If that remains the case, that would leave ample opportunity for a safety drafted by the Dolphins to immediately compete for a starting job, at least one drafted in the first three rounds.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said this week that he believes the team’s starting safeties are already in the building, but he’s open to adding a high-level safety.
None of the top safeties under contract have been full-time starters: Ifeatu Melifonwu (14 starts in 37 games over four years with Detroit), Davis (those 22 starts and 69 games in five years with the Jets), Elijah Campbell (three starts and 278 defensive snaps in four years with Miami) and Patrick McMorris, who played just eight defensive snaps in six games for Miami last season after beginning the season injured.
A look at the eight safeties who could go in the first three rounds:
▪ Georgia’s Malaki Starks: Experts differ dramatically about his appropriate draft range. NFL Network’s lead analyst, Daniel Jeremiah, has him earmarked to Miami at 13. ESPN’s lead analyst, Mel Kiper Jr., and one of their other draftniks (Jordan Reid) both have him falling to 27th.
“The further we get into the evaluation process, the more teams I find that are in love with Starks’ game,” Jeremiah said. “He would be a plug-and-play replacement for Jevon Holland, with the versatility to play as a high safety or nickelback.”
He was a first-team All American in 2023 (when he had three interceptions) and a second-team All American in 2024 (when he had one interception). He allowed 34 of 51 passes in his coverage area to be caught last season for 453 yards (13.3 per catch) and 2 TDs, equal to a 99.6 passer rating against.
“Starks does a little bit of everything on the back end. He can step up into the box and stop the run,” Kiper said. “He can drop over the slot in coverage. And he can patrol center field with his closing speed.”
He’s a possibiity at 13 for Miami.
▪ South Carolina’s speedy Nick Emmanwori: He has risen in the eyes of some evaluators after picking off four passes last season and posting some of the fastest times among safeties in the Combine. The Dolphins brought him in for a ‘30’ visit.
Because he had four picks and no touchdowns allowed, he permitted an incredible 37.1 passer rating in his coverage area last season, among the best in the nation for high-usage safeties He allowed 24 completions in 38 throws, but for just 8.3 yards per catch.
Kiper has him going 18th: “We witnessed Emmanwori’s speed (4.38 in the 40) and explosiveness (43 inches in the vertical jump) at the combine, and we saw his ball-hawking traits (four picks) last season.”
He could make sense in a slight trade down for Miami.
“The assessment of Emmanwori’s tape could depend on which games you watch,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said. “He’s a physical specimen with rare size and outstanding speed, but he doesn’t always play with a “first to the action” mentality in run support.
“When he gets it cranked up, he becomes a much more effective tackler and overall run stopper from sideline to sideline. He’s capable of playing over the top, inside the box or even matching up with pass-catching tight ends…. He has rare NFL traits and talent, so a boost in urgency could take him from a good starter to a Pro Bowl-caliber player.”
▪ Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts: He’s widely considered the third best safety in the draft and NFL.com’s Chad Reuter mocks him to the Dolphins with the 48th pick.
Zierlein’s assessment: “Safety with the versatility and ball skills to make plays from a variety of alignments. Watts plays with rare feel and instincts on the back-end, allowing him to range over the top in single-high or read and drive on throws as a split safety.... Watts lacks pursuit discipline and fails to break down in space, leading to open-field misses and back-breaking mistakes. The tackling lowers his floor some, but I expect him to drift toward his ceiling because he’s so good on the back-end.”
▪ Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr.: NFL.com’s Reuter mocks him 56th overall.
He missed the final 13 games last season with an injury. The production has been modest: He has five passes defended and one interception in 26 games. But the Dolphins brought him to team headquarters on a ‘30’ visit.
“Winston has NFL size and traits but is lacking in the instincts and recognition column on the back end,” Zierlein said. “He can cover both in-line and slot tight ends and hassle their catch space. However, he struggles with anticipation and footwork when asked to play on top of the defense. Safeties with traits and tackle talent usually stick around as starters, but Winston might be somewhat limited unless he develops his field recognition enough to handle what NFL passing schemes will throw at him.”
▪ Texas’ Andrew Mukuba: Reuter mocks him 114th, early in the fourth round:
But ESPN’s Reid has him going late in the second round, noting that “his breakout senior season resulted in a career-high five interceptions, proving he has the ball skills (and instincts as a run defender) to be an early starter.”
He was a four-year starter and his metrics last season were incredible: 10 completions in 23 attempts for 74 yards, no TDs allowed and five interceptions. That computes to a 12.1 passer rating against, best in the country for high-volume safeties.
“He plays the game with the instincts and awareness of a player who has seen a lot of football,” Zierlein said. “Mukuba possesses the character, physicality and playmaking instincts that will draw NFL teams to him as a future starter.”
▪ Ohio State’s Lathon Ransom: NFL.com’s Reuter mocks him 84th, 14 spots before the Dolphins’ third round pick.
He allowed a 95.4 passer rating against, with one TD, one interception and 21 completions in 30 targets for 272 yards (13.1 per catch).
Zierlein says he’s “an experienced starter and natural strong safety with adequate size, all-day toughness and a proactive approach at the position... He’s a disruptive, physical safety who can positively impact games and has future starting potential as a middle-rounder.”
▪ Kansas State’s Marques Sigle: NFL.com’s Reuter mocks him 88th, 10 spots before the Dolphins third round pick.
He was a two-year starter for the Wildcats and had an 88.8 passer rating against last season, with five TDs yielded but also three interceptions.
NFL.com’s Zierlein doesn’t expect him to become a starter: “Sigle is well built and plays the game with ideal aggression. He’s a physical run defender who can blow up plays in the backfield but is in too big a hurry as a tackler, resulting in a higher miss rate. Sigle is listed as a safety, but he will need to play near the line of scrimmage or as a big nickel with coverage limitations. He has NFL backup potential with good special teams traits.”
▪ Virginia’s Jonas Sanker: Reuter mocks him 118th, and he’s not expected to become a starter.
He had an 87.6 passer rating against last season, with two touchdowns allowed and an interception.
Zierlein said he “possesses good size and strength with a willingness to play downhill that led to a high tackle count. Sanker’s traits and special teams value could lock him into an NFL roster early on and give him a chance to work his way up.”
