Five Safeties Lions Should Watch at NFL Combine

The Detroit Lions have one of the league's best safety duos in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Together, the pair wreaked havoc for opposing teams in the passing game.

If the Lions are looking to add to the group, there's plenty of talent to pick from in this year's crop of safeties. The best at the position will be on display at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Detroit can evaluate whether or not any of the options fit their style.

Here are five safeties the Lions should watch at the 2025 Scouting Combine.

Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma

Bowman displays an excellent IQ on tape, as he is constantly around the ball. This particularly shows up when the ball is in the air, as he has a knack for taking the ball away. He notched 11 career interceptions.

The Oklahoma product is a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, but he outplays his stature with instincts in coverage. There is potential for him to play the safety or nickel position at the next level.

However, one area where he needs to improve is as a tackler, as he has a career missed tackle rate over 25 percent.

Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

A physical defender who is a sure tackler, Emmanwori had over 80 tackles in two of his three seasons at South Carolina. He's a box safety by trade, having played 414 of his snaps in that role last season according to Pro Football Focus.

Emmanwori is a steady run defender, having posted a PFF tackling grade of 89.5 in 2024. He had four interceptions as well, evidence of his well-rounded game.

The defender has the chance to greatly improve his draft stock with a strong showing at the Combine, as he has the traits to be a standout in Indianapolis.

Andrew Mukuba, Texas

After three solid seasons at Clemson, Mukuba transferred to Texas and had a big final campaign. He had five interceptions for the Longhorns in 2024 along with 69 total tackles and four tackles for loss.

Mukuba has been very consistent over the course of his career, as he was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. He's split time between the slot corner spot, box safety and free safety, so he's quite versatile.

He displayed good range in coverage, so athleticism should be another of his strong points. Mukuba appears to be suited for the middle rounds in April at this stage.

Malaki Starks, Georgia

Ahead of the Combine, Starks is considered one of the best overall players in the Draft. He could go as high as the top-15, and has all the necessary tools to have a lot of success early in his career.

The Georgia product has the ability to handle any assignment in the back-half of the defense and is extremely physical. Some believe he's best suited for the nickel, but he is plenty good enough to stick at the safety position.

Starks is also a solid tackler, with an 8.1 missed tackle percentage in 2024 an a 6.9 missed tackle percentage in his career.