Who Are the Top 10 Safeties in the NFL?

The safety position remains one of the most undervalued in all of football. Their job is to secure the field up top, making it difficult for teams to throw deep, but also to provide some versatility to a defense. Whether it is a bigger guy who can line up in the box or a hybrid coverage player who sets up in the slot, the role of the safety has changed exponentially in recent years. Many have been picked in the first round of recent drafts, including two on this list. This year, it was Malaki Starks, a ball-hawk up top, and that could very well continue with players like Caleb Downs and Koi Perich eligible to be drafted in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Here are the top 10 safeties in the NFL today, starting with an already proven superstar in Baltimore.

1. Kyle Hamilton - Ravens

Kyle Hamilton was not only ranked as the best safety in the NFL by coaches, scouts, and executives in an annual poll conducted by ESPN, but all the hype surrounding him is backed up by his stats. The former Notre Dame superstar ranked top-three in every major safety stat, per PFF, including a 90.1 overall grade. Hamilton is a true defensive Swiss Army knife, meaning he is used all over the field. As a nickel-back, he rushes the quarterback at an extremely high level, as only Jamal Adams has had a better PFF grade on such plays out of anyone who blitzed as consistently as Hamilton, who does so more than any other safety in the league. His versatility is the backbone of the Ravens' defense, which is a remarkable thing to say, considering he is just 24 years old and plays on the same team as Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey.

2. Brian Branch - Lions

The eye test might be the most important thing in the world of player evaluation, and Brian Branch passes it with flying colors. He quite literally jumps off the screen, whether he is headed downhill to wrap up a running back or making plays down the field as a free safety. Branch plays much beyond his years, and the reason he fell so far in the 2023 NFL Draft still has analysts confused. The former Crimson Tide defensive leader has taken his already stout coverage skills and turned them elite, which helps the Lions because they have been searching for a slot corner ever since they were unable to retain C.J. Gardner-Johnson a couple of years ago. Although Branch played the slot position much less in 2024, he is more than capable of sliding down there in a pinch.

3. Kerby Joseph - Lions

Kerby Joseph boasted a 91.3 overall grade in 2024, per PFF, which was the highest safety grade in the NFL. He was also the highest graded safety in coverage. Joseph is a true ball-hawk over the middle, as his nine interceptions led all NFL defenders. Another important thing to note when talking about Joseph is how often he is on the field. He played the sixth-most snaps out of any safety in the NFL, and made the absolute most of his opportunity in only his first year as a full-time starter. The duo of Brian Branch and Joseph is the top safety tandem in the NFL, and that is quite frankly not up for debate.

4. Xavier McKinney - Packers

It seemed as though all that Xavier McKinney needed was a change of scenery. As the leap he took in 2024 was exponential, to say the least. McKinney put on a clinic in deep-zone coverage, as he posted a 90.0 grade in coverage, per PFF. His run defense needs work, but at just 25 years old, he has so much time to improve in that area. He has finally found a scheme that allows him to lurk deep in coverage, where he is most comfortable, and the emergence of rookie Evan Williams really helped him, as Williams excels at playing downhill and in the box.

5. Derwin James Jr. - Chargers

A lot of the attention that Derwin James Jr. garners is negative due to excessive fines and plays labeled as dirty, but he is the most impactful player on a Jim Harbaugh-run defense and is utilized in so many ways. He can play in the slot due to his extraordinary instincts. He can play up top because of how well he reads the quarterback’s eyes from way down the field. James Jr. can also line up in the box, where he can put his A+ tackling skills on display and force fumbles or blitz the QB. The former Seminole is a team leader and captain, too.

6. Budda Baker - Cardinals

Budda Baker is a perennial Pro-Bowler and the definition of a leader for a young Cardinals secondary. His understanding of the game is up there with some of the greats, and it is obvious that he just flat-out loves the game of football. Baker is not the biggest or fastest guy, but his intensity just jumps off the screen. If he is hanging out inside the numbers, QBs will not throw there, and if he is in the flat, the pass will often result in a turnover or pass breakup.

7. Brandon Jones - Broncos

Brandon Jones’s 90.0 PFF coverage grade was good for second among all NFL safeties. It also helped the Broncos defy expectations in 2024, making the playoffs with a rookie QB in Bo Nix and surely nipping at the Chiefs’ heels in years to come. Jones’ impact is felt all over the field, and his great play had a lot to do with Pat Surtain II winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. His prowess up prevents opposing QBs from taking shots down the field, and his help in coverage allows Surtain II to press his man at the line of scrimmage, where he really makes his money. 

8. Antoine Winfield Jr. Buccaneers

After a down year in 2024, Antoine Winfield Jr. will look to bounce back and put himself back into top safety conversations in 2025. Winfield Jr. was drafted as a box safety, a guy who can line up with the linebackers and make plays over the middle. That is the kind of player he is, and it is how he should be utilized. Last season, he took more snaps as a deep safety, so that could be why he saw dips in both production and PFF grades. His leadership did not falter, though, as he remains one of the top vocal captains across the NFL. 

9. Jevon Holland - Giants

For some reason, Jevon Holland still is not viewed as a top safety in the NFL, and it makes no sense. He is a great deep safety, but also can disrupt plays in the flats and cover tight ends. He just signed the second-highest paid safety deal in this year’s free agency class, and the Giants will look to utilize him very similarly to how the Packers use the aforementioned McKinney, an ex-Giant himself. This year, he is expected to be a key piece in a young secondary, so a significant jump is anticipated, and it could very well happen given how often the G-Men play zone coverage, where Holland excels.

10. Jessie Bates III - Falcons

As Jessie Bates III enters his thirties, and what some would call his twilight years, he remains one of the more underrated players in the league. He possesses exceptional ball skills, as well as excellent instincts. His prowess in deep zone coverage is huge for this Falcons defense, and head coach Raheem Morris will look to utilize him the same way he has been for the past couple of seasons. Bates III is a major part of this Falcons defense and just continues to produce.