The 2023 Combine NFL is in full swing and on Friday the defenders’ drills on the field were televised. As is tradition, one group started with the 40-meter dash, then switched to positional exercises, while another group completed agility exercises and measured jumps.
Let’s take a closer look at the safeties that have stood out.
Until now:
There were a lot of pure safety precautions in this group that helped themselves, but instead of emphasizing all pure safety precautions, I focused on the players that I felt best suited the needs of the Lions, particularly those that fill a need could Detroit in the slot.
Jartavius ”Quan” Martin, Illinois, 5-ft-11, 194
4.45/1.47 (40/10 yard dash), 44″ (vertical jump), 11ft-1 (long jump)
In our Safeties preview, I made sure that Martin is one of “my guys” because I felt like he wasn’t getting enough attention and I expected him to do very well in the combine. Sure enough, he’s beaten my predictions and he’s certainly on a lot of radars now.
With a stout frame and logs for thighs, Martin propelled that frame in every direction. His 40-yard dash under 4.5 was impressive, but his 10-yard split of 1.47 seconds was the fastest of any defensive player in that draft class. His vaulting was even more impressive, with his vertical jump also being the highest among any defensive player – the fifth highest ever recorded in Combine history – and his long jump being ranked fourth highest.
During on-field drills, Martin was an easy mover, exhibiting smooth transitions and a remarkable ability to adjust his upper body regardless of his agitated lower base. This ability allows him to run at full speed while adapting his upper body to the traffic around him, be it a player or the ball. Martin displayed great ball position, displayed high toe when needed and had soft, reliable hands.
Overall, his powerful legs moved like pistons, yet he maintained complete control of his body at all times. The “W-Drill” – my pick for the best indicator of success in slots – was a walk in the park.
In my opinion the top three slot security hybrids in this class are Brian Branch, Martin and…
jamie robinson, State of Florida5-foot-10 1/2, 191
4.59 (40), 33.5 in (vertical), 9ft-8 (wide)
Robinson has a compact build and is as fast as any defender in this class. His test numbers were average, and at times during drills he almost looked like he was focusing too much on being technically sound rather than staying loose, leading to a certain rigidity that likely contributed to these results.
When loose, Robinson displayed incredibly quick feet, quickly picking them up and down like a typewriter working its way across the page. His focus on technique helped him with the efficiency of the exercises, but when he relaxed his natural abilities took over. One of the best examples of this was the figure eights towards the end of the field practice sessions, when he moved with silky acceleration, ramped up, slowed down and ramped back up at an impressive pace.
quick thoughts
Sydney Brown, Illinois (5-ft-10, 211, 4.48) looks like muscular running back – which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering he’s his twin brother – and his strength showed in his moves during drills. He was both quick and swift, but the power he generated in his movements is remarkable.
Christopher Smith, Georgia (5ft 10 1/2, 192, 4.62) is another slot security hybrid to keep in mind in the draft. His transitions during practice looked easy, and as practice progressed he looked smoother and his hands improved.
Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State (5-ft-11 1/2, 203, 4.65) is known for being a Ballhawk and his skills were shown at Indianapolis. His ability to track the ball in the air – even when adjusting late – is on a different level than other safeties in this class. He drifted a bit when dropping, but he had fast feet and big hands.
antonio johnson, Texas A&M (6ft-2, 198, 4.52) is tall and long, and his physique made many exercises look easy. He was a smooth glider across the field and he swallowed the ball as it got within reach. He struggled with some of the faster agility drills but that’s not really his game and was expected to be challenging.
Chamarri Conner, Virginia Tech (6-foot-0.202, 4.51) has increased his inventory as much as anyone on my recruiting board who comes to this combine. Although I thought he had some defensive back reach, I was very impressed with what I saw and he delivered a “go back and watch the tape” performance. Smooth movements, easy stepping back, silky tracking ability, ball position, and soft hands were all notes I jotted down on Conner during drills.