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Top 10 Safeties in College Football 2022 Rankings | NFL Draft 2023 Safety Rankings

Ranking College Football’s best Safeties of the NCAA 2022-2023 season and the 2023 NFL Draft

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By admin | February 2, 2023

The landscape of College Football is loaded with a ton of talented teams all competing for a National Championship. Many of those great teams have found a way to build perennial powerhouse defenses to go along with high powered offenses.

One member of helping to build these powerhouse defenses is the safety position as College Football offers is loaded with a nice tier of top tier safeties.

This includes the top ten safeties landing on the Top 10 College Football Safeties 2023 Rankings that are all game changers who can make a big play on any play.

Headlining the list of the top safeties in College Football is the Alabama Crimson Tide starting safety Brian Branch. Branch is a true game changer and potential first safety to hear his name come off the draft board during the 2023 NFL Draft.

As Branch headlines the group of top safeties in College Football, others landing on the list include Kamren Kinchens of the Miami Hurricanes, Calen Bullock of the USC Trojans, Antonio Johnson of the Texas A&M Aggies, and Christopher Smith of the defending National Champions the Georgia Bulldogs. Here is a look at the Top 10 College Football Safeties 2023 Rankings.

Honorable Mention

Jordan Battle

School: Alabama Crimson Tide

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

One team consistently producing top tier defensive standouts is the Alabama Crimson Tide and that can be said for their senior safety Jordan Battle.

Battle has played in multiple big games for the Crimson Tide including in the 2021 CFP National Championship. Battle is known for his aggressive nature while slotting in at the strong safety position.

Since arriving in 2019, the Crimson Tide safety posted at least 66 tackles in each of the last three seasons while recording six total interceptions with three returned for touchdowns.

Kenny Logan Jr.

School: Kansas Jayhawks

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

Another senior just missing the Top 10 College Football Safeties 2023 Rankings list is the Kansas Jayhawks Kenny Logan Jr. Logan Jr has solid size and decent speed to go along with a high motor that helps him in coverage as well as stepping up to make a play on a ball carrier.

Over the past two years Logan Jr has been all over the field while recording 110 tackles during the 2021 NCAA Football season, and 106 tackles during the 2022 NCAA Football season. In addition, Logan Jr added one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and four passes defended.

Top 10 College Safeties

10. Jammie Robinson

School: Florida State Seminoles

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

Landing in at number 10 on the Top 10 College Football Safeties 2023 Rankings list is the playing making safety for the Florida State Seminoles Jammie Robinson.

Robinson has officially announced for the NFL draft after a strong college career that saw him post at least 62 tackles in each of his four seasons and at least one interception.

Robinson set a career high with 99 tackles during the 2022 NCAA Football season while also posting five passes defended, one fumble recovery, and one sack.

9. Kaevon Merriweather

School: Iowa Hawkeyes

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

One safety expecting to be a playmaker at the next level is the Iowa Hawkeyes senior safety Kaevon Merriweather. Merriweather put together his strongest season of his career while developing into a playmaker against the run as well as in the pass game.

The Hawkeyes safety finished the season with a career high 47 tackles to go along with one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and a career high three interceptions. 

8. JL Skinner

School: Boise State Broncos

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

If you are looking for one player among the safeties from the 2022 NCAA Football season that has all the tangibles to play the position look no further than JL Skinner.

Skinner has tremendous size at 6-foot-4 inches while also showing solid speed and ability to react fast to the play in front of him.

The Boise State Broncos star wrapped up 2022 with 62 total tackles to go along with four interceptions and four passes defended.

7. Sydney Brown

School: Illinois Fightin Illini

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

One safety all around the football during the 2022 NCAA Football schedule was the Illinois Fightin Illini senior safety Sydney Brown.

Brown posted a career seven takeaways during the 2022 football season including a career high six interceptions to go along with one fumble recovery.

In addition to the six interceptions, one of the six was returned 47 yards for a touchdown while also adding one fumble recovery and seven passes defended. His strong play in his final college football season now has him ranked among the best safeties entering the 2023 NFL Draft.

6. Jason Taylor II

School: Oklahoma State Cowboys

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

Riding career highs in a number of statistics for the 2022 NCAA Football, Jason Taylor II of the Oklahoma State Cowboys ranked among the best safeties in College Football last season.

His strong play has propelled him to the tops of the safeties on NFL Draft boards leading into the 2023 NFL Draft later this year. Taylor II finished the season with a career high 99 tackles to go along with one fumble recovery, six interceptions, and seven passes defended.

Down the stretch the Cowboys safety played strong posting interceptions in three of his last four contests while recording double digit tackles in three of his final five contests.

5. Christopher Smith

School: Georgia Bulldogs

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

Rounding out the top five on the Top 10 College Football Safeties 2023 Rankings list is the Georgia Bulldogs safety Christopher Smith.

Smith was a key contributor and role player on a Bulldogs team that repeated as National Champions. After finishing last season with 34 tackles, three interceptions, and five passes defended, Smith was able to increase his production during the 2022 NCAA Football season. 

Smith finished this season posting a career high 60 tackles to go along with one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, three interceptions, and five passes defended.

The Bulldogs safety also allowed just a 50.6 quarterback rating when opposing quarterbacks targeted the receiver he was covering.

4. Antonio Johnson

School: Texas A&M Aggies

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

The Texas A&M Aggies safety Antonio Johnson is as good as any safety within college football no matter the stat sheet he turned in at the end of the season.

When it comes to seeing how great of a defender Antonio Johnson is it comes down to his subpar game film where you consistently showcases his talent.

In addition to his game film, Johnson has all the size and tangibles to excel at the next level. Johnson finished the 2022 NCAA Football season with 71 tackles, one sack, three forced fumbles, and one pass defended.

3. Calen Bullock

School: USC Trojans

NFL Draft Status: Returning to USC Trojans in 2023

One of the top performing safeties in all of College Football during the 2022 NCAA Football season was the USC Trojans stud sophomore Calen Bullock.

Bullock finished the season with 48 tackles, five interceptions including one returned 93 yards for a touchdown while also recording six passes defended.

In addition to the five interceptions, Bullock racked up six stops at the line of scrimmage, while holding opposing quarterbacks to under a 90 quarterback rating over the 13 games played.

2. Kamren Kinchens

School: Miami Hurricanes

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

When it comes to the top two safeties in College Football both are worth mentioning as rank among the best according to Pro Football Focus.

Nonetheless only one could land at the top with the Miami Hurricanes Kamren Kinchens sliding in at number two on the list. The sophomore safety ranked 3rd in all of College Football with six interceptions while also recording one 99-yard touchdown return.

In addition, Kinchens added 59 tackles to go along with five passes defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

1. Brian Branch

School: Alabama Crimson Tide

NFL Draft Status: 2023 NFL Draft

In at number one on the Top 10 College Football Safeties 2023 Rankings list is the Alabama Crimson Tide safety Brian Branch.

Branch, who is expected to be one of the top safeties during the 2023 NFL Draft posted a career high 90 tackles during the 2022 NCAA Football schedule.

To go along with the 90 tackles, Branch was all over the field recording three sacks to go along with two interceptions while also defending seven passes. Branch excels both against the pass but more importantly against the run while seeing the field with great vision.

How would you rank the Best College Safeties in the 2022-2023 BCS season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings

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Players Count 10
  1. Robert Spears-Jennings

    Safeties
  2. Xavier Watts

    Safeties
  3. Antonio Johnson

    Safeties
  4. Christopher Smith

    Safeties
  5. Jason Taylor II

    Safeties
  6. Sydney Brown

    Safeties
  7. JL Skinner

    Safeties
  8. Kaevon Merriweather

    Safeties
  9. Jammie Robinson

    Safeties
  10. Kenny Logan Jr.

    Safeties
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