Top 5 safeties for the Detroit Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft

NFL Draft season is upon us and for the next few weeks we will be ranking our top five options for the Lions at each position of need. We'll also be ranking players based off of where the Lions are picking. So these will be players that they will be able to draft. We've already […]

Mike Payton Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Sep 24, 2022; Tempe, Arizona, USA; ASU running back Xazavian Valladay (1) attempts to stiff arm Utah defender Sione Vaki (28) at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday. Football Utah Asu Utah At Asu
© Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL Draft season is upon us and for the next few weeks we will be ranking our top five options for the Lions at each position of need. We'll also be ranking players based off of where the Lions are picking. So these will be players that they will be able to draft. We've already done cornerbacks, receiverstight ends and edge rushers now it's time to do safeties.

Safety is going to be one of the Lions biggest needs in the 2024 NFL Draft. Right now the Lions have just two safeties on the roster in Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph. The team looks to work in a rotation and the draft has some good options for them to do that. Here's my top five options:

Sione Vaki

Sep 24, 2022; Tempe, Arizona, USA; ASU running back Xazavian Valladay (1) attempts to stiff arm Utah defender Sione Vaki (28) at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday. Football Utah Asu Utah At Asu
© Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Vaki is the best fit for the Lions based off a few things. The first obviously being that he’s a pretty good safety. He’s a hard hitting guy that has great closing speed and can tackle anyone. The other thing is he is extremely versatile and the Lions can use him on offense and special teams. He had 517 total yards and five touchdowns for the Utes last year. 

The Lions have shown a lot of interest so far. They saw him at the Senior Bowl, met formally with him at the NFL Combine, went to his pro day and then had him in for a top-30 visit. That's a lot. 

Vaki is currently slated to go in the third-round. 

Javon Bullard

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Javon Bullard (22) tackles Florida Gators wide receiver Eugene Wilson III (3) during the third quarter of an NCAA Football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia defeated Florida 43-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
© Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the best safeties in the draft, but the Lions are going to have to hope he falls to them at 61 unless they trade up or trade down. Bullard was the MVP of the 2022 National Championship game. He followed that up with a solid season in 2023 and earned All-SEC honors. 

Bullard is in that sweet spot between the Lions 29th pick and their 61st pick. He's someone that the Lions could grab is they decided to trade out of the first-round

Kamren Kinchens

Miami Hurricanes safety Kamren Kinchens (24) intercepts a pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Miami Hurricanes safety Kamren Kinchens (24) intercepts a pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium.Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Kinchens is a guy that was at one point a first-round guy. As time has gone by and others have risen up the board, he began to fall. Now the Lions could grab him in the third-round. 

Kinchens is a ball hawk of a safety. He had five interceptions in 2023 and six in 2022. That's a guy that would fit well in a group of safeties in Detroit that also have some ball hawk abilities. 

Malik Mustapha

Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Malik Mustapha (3) celebrates after Virginia Tech Hokies missed a field goal during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Mustapha is not a ball hawk, but he is a tackler and a guy that can take advantage of a safety blitz. The Lions have talked a lot about how they value tackling and you saw last year how much they love to send a safety on a blitz. 

There's some interest there. Mustapha had a formal meeting with the Lions at the combine. He is currently slated to go in the fifth round.

Andre’ Sam

Sam is my favorite story of the draft. The Lions would theoretically grab this guy because he has the grit that this team looks for. He’s overcome so much from the losses of his grandfather, dad and brother to a speech impediment to not getting any offers and being a walk on to playing at LSU. 

His teammates there loved him and had nothing but good things to say about him and his character. 

The Lions could grab him in the seventh round or as a UDFA and he should be a steal. 

Sep 17, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; South Alabama Jaguars quarterback Carter Bradley (2) sets to pass in the first half against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

The Lions should grab a quarterback at some point in the 2024 NFL Draft

Ok, I know what you're thinking. the Lions are all set at quarterback. They've got Jared Goff, who's expected to get an extension any day now, Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld. While they would be fine if they didn't get an extra one, I think they should keep their eyes peeled for one. Especially since […]