For the longest time, it seemed that the Dallas Cowboys had all but forgotten about the safety position. In 2019, they had Juan Thornhill of the Kansas City Chiefs on a silver platter but they took defensive tackle Trysten Hill, and everybody knows how that went.

They did manage to snag Donovan Wilson out of Texas A&M in the sixth round. However, it would be another two seasons before they decided to put more resources into their safety room.

Dallas brought in veterans Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker in 2021. Under the guidance of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, this group has become one of if not the best of its kind in the NFL.

When Pro Football Focus did their list of the 32 best safeties in the league, the Cowboys' trio all made the list.

19. Jayron Kearse 

While Malik Hooker roves the deep part of the field behind him, Kearse has carved out a role for himself rotating between the box and slot. He’s shown a little of everything in his two years with Dallas. He’s had two interceptions and 11 total pressures in each of the past two seasons. His overall grades of 75.9 (2021) and 71.9 (2022) display his consistency. He’s also never missed more than four tackles in his seven seasons. He’s a solid contributor to a really good defense.

26. Donovan Wilson 

The second Dallas safety to appear on this list, Wilson plays more in the box than Jayron Kearse, and 2022 was a breakout year for him. Wilson is an aggressive player and an occasionally excellent blitzer. His 14 pressures led all safeties and his 85.3 pass-rush grade ranked fourth. He can be overly aggressive at times, as evidenced by his 18 missed tackles, but Wilson and his running mates give Dallas a chance to field an elite secondary this season.

30. Malik Hooker 

There may not be a better scheme fit on this list than Hooker being paired with Dan Quinn’s Cover 3 defense. Hooker is a true free safety with the speed to man the deep middle by himself. His primary responsibilities in Quinn’s defense are to make tackles and prevent big plays. He does both at an elite level. He missed only four tackles and gave up 10 (!) yards after the catch all season. That all contributed to his 76.2 overall grade, a top-15 mark at the position.

Kearse came in and immediately gained the trust of Quinn to the point that he was given the green dot to make all the defensive calls. He's the Cowboys' tight end eraser and one of the emotional leaders in the locker room and his versatility can't be undervalued. 

Wilson is a heat-seeking missile from the safety spot as he plays completely downhill and delivers bone-chilling hits. He led the Cowboys with 101 tackles in 2022 and his five sacks were the most by a defensive back as well. That's what led to him getting a three-year extension worth $21 million back in March. 

Hooker didn't have to best luck with injuries to start his career. However, he's played in 31 games over the last two seasons and had racked up 106 tackles (career-high 62 last season) and four interceptions (tied a career-high with three last season). 

Kearse and Hooker are in the last year of their deals, so there is a chance this could be the final season of this trio with guys like Isreal Mukuamu, Markquese Bell, Tyler Coyle, and Juanyeh Thomas on the roster. In the meantime, the Cowboys' current three-headed monster at safety is as good as they come.

Feature image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports