Editor's Note: In the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft, Phil Perry is identifying the best fits for the Patriots at each position based on the traits that Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf value as well as intel from coaches and scouts.
We've already hit on offensive tackles, interior offensive linemen, tight ends, running backs, quarterbacks and slot cornerbacks. Next up: safeties.
Mike Vrabel had a type at safety during his time with the Titans.
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Through six seasons, the three players who saw the most work for him at that position were Kevin Byard, Kenny Vaccaro and Malik Hooker. While not a totally homogenous group, they brought similar characteristics to Vrabel's defense.
They were versatile, showing an ability to play both in the deep part of the field and in the box. And in order to handle those myriad responsibilities, they had the athleticism to handle everything Vrabel put on their plates.
Byard, Vaccaro and Hooker all measured between 5-foot-11 and 6-feet, and they weighed between 210 and 214 pounds. All showed excellent lower-body explosiveness with vertical jumps of 37 or 38 inches prior to being drafted, and all had the reactive quickness to thrive in multiple roles. All had blazing three-cone times of less than 6.85 seconds and shuttle times of 4.15 seconds or less.
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The Patriots already have a pair of versatile safeties under contract in Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. But neither player has guaranteed salary on their contracts after this year, and both will be 30 years old when the 2026 season begins.
Adding a young and versatile safety in the draft could make a lot of sense for Vrabel and his front office.
Who fits the mold? Let's take a look...
Malachi Starks, Georgia
The first name on this list, as it turns out, happens to be a bit of an outlier for Vrabel at the position given his pre-draft athletic testing. Starks clocked a 7.26-second three-cone time and a 4.45-second shuttle. Not great. He also is a tad undersized for the measurement boxes we're looking to check here (6-foot-1, 203 pounds).
No matter. He's a better athlete than what he showed at the combine. His footwork is clean, and his football IQ is off the charts. He was trusted by Kirby Smart to be used all over the field -- he could play cornerback if the Patriots needed him to -- and was named a first-team All-American each of the last two years.
A next-level communicatory and football-character addition, Starks will make any team better. In all likelihood, he'll be off the board by the time the Patriots are considering someone at his position.
Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
From a physical outlier to a physical freak, Emmanwori would make just about any coach's list as a "fit" at this position when it comes to his athletic profile. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder ran a blazing 4.38-second 40 and jumped like an Olympian with a 43-inch vertical and 11-foot-6 broad jump.
A team captain for the Gamecocks, he's a thumper who would fit right in with Peppers and Dugger. Could he play the deep part of the field effectively at the next level? He doesn't have Starks' diagnostic capabilities, but his frame and explosiveness will get him a shot to try various positions with his next defensive coordinator. See what sticks and let him loose.
Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
When it comes to finding realistic options for Vrabel's defense at this position, Winston might top the list.
The Nittany Lions captain has an injury history that will have to be vetted (limited to two games in 2024 due to a torn ACL) and could knock him down boards. But he is a violent tackler, and we know that's what Patriots coaches are looking for on that side of the ball. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder is able to balance that aggressiveness with a level of discipline, though, that allowed him to play penalty-free in 27 games over three seasons.
If he ends up in Foxboro, the Patriots might want to keep him out of the deep part of the field, which means he may not check the versatility box we're looking for here. But his playing style and mentality seem to mesh with what the Patriots are seeking.
Jaylen Reed, Penn State
The Patriots wouldn't have to go far to find another safety option at Penn State who brings something a little different to the table in terms of his on-field role.
Reed would be a better center field option than Winston, yet he still brings some of the hair-on-fire qualities his teammate brings to the table. The 6-foot, 212-pounder racked up a team-leading 98 tackles and three picks (including one returned for a touchdown), and he'll lay you out if you give him the opportunity.
He's not as disciplined as Winston, and he has some back-breaking miscues on his tape -- not what you're looking for from a deep safety -- but if Vrabel and Co. can cut down on those, the Patriots could have the kind of tough-and-versatile safety they're looking for.
Jonas Sanker, Virginia
Sanker (7.06-second three-cone, 4.48-second shuttle) doesn't have the kind of quickness that the trio of Byard, Vaccaro and Hooker brought to the table. But at 6-feet, 206 pounds and with a 36.5-inch vertical, he has a solid combination of size and explosiveness that could warrant consideration in New England.
Additionally, he compiled on-field moments that could encourage the Patriots to fall for him. A two-time first-team All-ACC honoree, he racked up 205 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in two seasons. A captain last season, he also returned a fumble for a touchdown and blocked a field goal.
He's another player who may be more box safety than truly-versatile threat, but he'll also contribute on special teams, which could give him added value to a team on Day 2 of the draft.
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
Seems as though none of our "Best Fits" lists would be complete without a rep from Vrabel's alma mater. It goes beyond that for Ransom, though, who was a three-year starter at Ohio State and is coming off a season in which he recorded nine tackles for loss and three forced fumbles.
An aggressive tackler, the 6-foot, 206-pounder was a staple of Buckeyes special-teams units as well (two blocked punts on his resume).
Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin
Size? Check (6-foot-2, 213 pounds). Explosiveness? Check (37-inch vertical). Quickness? Check (6.72 three-cone drille). Wohler qualifies as a safety fit in Vrabel's defense for a variety of reasons. He also happened to play for one of Vrabel's close friends in the business at Wisconsin in head coach Luke Fickell.
When the Badgers finished the season 5-7, and with criticism descending on Fickell in waves, Wohler had his coach's back. "I love Coach Fick to death," he said. "I have 100 percent faith that he is going to get this program in a good spot."
He may not have the speed to play in the deep part of the field (4.57-second 40), but as a physical hitter and high-energy teammate, he could be a match for Vrabel's program on Day 3.
Kitan Crawford, Nevada
Crawford is another slightly-undersized option for this list at 5-foot-11, 202 pounds. But he was a workout star at this year's combine, posting a 4.41-second 40, a whopping 41.5-inch vertical, and lightning-quick agility times of 4.03 seconds in the short shuttle and 6.81 seconds in the three-cone.
A former four-star recruit who played four years primarily as a special-teamer at Texas, he transferred to Nevada for 2024. With the Wolf Pack, he played all over the secondary -- playing deep, in the box and as a slot defender -- and posted a 51-yard interception return for a touchdown.
If the Patriots are looking for a core-four special-teamer who could eventually earn some work defensively because of his off-the-charts athletic traits, Crawford is an intriguing option.