FS/SS stat compilation of the currently ranked prospects

For my own edification I put together a compilation of statistics for the draftable Free and Strong safety’s in this years draft and thought I’d share this with y’all. I found a fairly easy way to click through multiple sites to gather data and will probably do this for other positions as well. I don’t think I made many typos/errors. The players listed don’t include any late entry underclassmen or any prospects ranked as CB's that may convert to safety.
---The rankings are from cbssports.com 12/21/16 update.
---The performance stats are also current and are from cfbstats.com.

Pending further study of any available film & post season production + combine #’s, I think the following are likely viable draft targets in the given ranges of the coming draft.:

EARLY DRAFT: Baker, Williams or Evans. (RD-2?) (I think I like Baker best.)
MID DRAFT: Maye, Blanding, Stearns, Thompson. (I think I like Thompson best)
LATE DRAFT: Jenkins, Sanders, Woods, Melifonwu, Gerry, Steelhammer, Luani. (I think I like Melifonwu & Luani best.)

---- Of course, rankings will change between now and the draft & yes, I know stats aren’t everything, however, they are a very important part of player evaluation.

---------------------------------FS's.------------------------------
--FS-Marcus Williams(46), (Jr.) Utah, 6-0/195, proj. Rd-2 (likely a 2-nd choice behind Baker, for me.)
2016: 59-tkls, 42-solo, 4-INT, 1-TFL, 3-PBU, 1-QBH, 2-FF.
2015: 66-tkls, 36-solo, 5-INT, 2.0-TFL, 5-PBU

--FS-Budda Baker(54), (Jr.) Washington, 5-10/192. proj. Rd-2 (seems like a viable 2-nd Rd pick, if there.)
2016: 65-tkls, 46-solo, 2-INT, *9.0-TFL*, 2-Sacks, 5-PBU, 1-QBH, 1-FF
2015: 49-tkls, 32-solo, 2-INT, 1.5-TFL, 7-PBU

--FS-Marcus Maye(93), Florida, 5-11/215, proj. Rd-3 (injury)
2016: (9-games) 50-tkls, 29-solo, 1-INT, 1.5-TFL, 1-Sack, 6-PBU
2015: 82-tkls, 46-Solo, 2-INT, 1.5-TFL, 6-PBU, 3-QBH, 5-FF

--FS-Quinn Blanding(110), (Jr.) Virgina, 6-1/205, proj. Rd-3/4 (Outlier on # of tkls. is he a soft cover guy?)
2016: 120-tkls, 70-Solo, 2-INT, 2.0-TFL, 6-PBU
2015: 115-tkls, 68-solo, 1-INT, 1.0-TFL, 3-PBU, 1-FF.

--FS-Jordan Sterns(137), Oklahoma St. 6-0/200, proj. Rd-4 (Fair #’s for a mid-rd.)
2016: 96-tkls, 62-solo, 3-INT, 5-TFL, 5-PBU
2015: 108-tkls, 71-solo, 2-INT, 1.5-TFL, 3-PBU, 1-FF.

--FS-Johnathan Ford(151), Auburn, 5-11/204, proj. Rd-4/5 (injury) (added value as KO ret?)
2016: (12-games) 59-tkls, 38-solo, 5.5-TFL, 7-PBU, 3-QBH, +8 KO returns for 127, a 15.88-avg.
2015: 118-tkls, 68-solo, 2-INT, 3,0-TFL, 1.0-Sack, 2-PBU, 2-FF, +15-KO returns for 431, a nice *28.73-avg*

--FS-Rayshawn Jenkins(178), Miami Fla, 6-1/208, proj. Rd-5/6
2016: 70-tkls, 52-solo, 2-INT, 3.5-TFL, 1.5-Sacks, 7-PBU, 1-QBH
2015: 52-tkls, 30-solo, 3-INT, 2.5-TFL, 4-PBU, 1-QBH.

--FS-John Johnson(219), Boston College, 6-0/202, proj. Rd-6
2016: 65-tkls, 45-solo, 3-INT, 2.5-TFL, 1.0-Sacks, 7-PBU, 1-FF, 1-FR.
2015: 63-tkls, 45-solo, 3-INT, 1.5-TFL, .5-Sacks, 3-PBU, 1-QBH, 2-FF. 1-BK.

--FS-Dominick Sanders(246), (Jr.) Georgia, 6-0/190, proj. Rd-7/UDFA
2016: 31-TKLS, 20-solo, 3-INT, 1.5=TFL, .5-sacks, 7-PBU, 1-FR.
2015: 48-tkls, 25-solo, 6-INT, 5.0-TFL, 1.0-sacks, 6-PBU.

--FS-Demetrious Cox(331), Mihigan St., 6-1/197, proj. Rd-7/UDFA
2016: 55-tkls, 21-solo, 1-INT (for TD), 1.5-TFL, 5-PBU, 1-QBH
2015: 79-tkls, 48-solo, 3-INT, 2.0-TFL, 7-PBU, 1-FR (for TD).

--------------------------------- SS's. -----------------------------
--SS-Justin Evans(66), Texas A&M, 6-0/200, proj. Rd 2/3 (added value as KO ret?)
2016: 85-tkls, 52-solo, 4-INT, 5.0-TFL, 6-PBU, 1-BK, + 14 KO ret for 405, a nice *28.93/avg*
2015: 78-tkls, 47-solo, 1-INT, 1-TFL, 3-PBU, + 2 KO returns for 46, 23.0/avg.

--SS-Eddie Jackson(102), Alabama, 6-0/194, proj. Rd 3/4 (injury), (added value as a Punt ret?)
2016: (8-games) 24-tkls, 15-solo, 1-INT, 2.5-TFL,2-PBU, + *11-PUNT returns for 253, a very nice *23.0/avg.*
2015: 46-tkls, 34-solo, 6-INT (2 for TD), 3.0-TFL, 2-PBU, 1-FF.

--SS-Josh Harvey-Clemons(105), Louisville, 6-4/228, proj. Rd 3/4, (Big, but seems overrated? speed=?)
2016: 61-tkls, 38-solo, 4.0-TFL, 2.0-Sacks, 2-PBU
2015: 88-tkls, 50-solo, 3-INT, 2.0-TFL, 1.0-sacks, 3-PBU, 1-QBH, 1-FF.

--SS-Tedrick Thompson(133), Colorado, 6-0/205, proj. Rd 4 (Outlier in PBU's & INT, a very busy guy.)
2016: 58-tkls, 40-solo, *7-INT*, 3.0-TFL, *15-PBU*, 1-QBH.
2015: 63-tkls, 54-solo, 3-INT, 3.5-TFL, 5-PBU, 1-BK.

--SS-Xavier Woods(191), Louisiana Tech, 5-11/219, proj. Rd 5/6 (solid #'s, speed/length=?)
2016: 81-tkls, 54-solo, 5-INT, 6.5-TFL, 3.0-sacks, 6-PBU, 1-QBH.
2015: 56-tkls, 37-solo, 3-INT, 7.5-TFL, 3-PBU, 2-FF.

--SS-Obi Melifonwu(196), Connecticut, 6-3/216, proj. Rd 5/6 (Size +, outlier in # of tkls.)
2016: *118-tkls*, 73-solo, 4-INT, 2.5-TFL, 3-PBU, 1-FR,
2015: 88-tkls, 58-solo, 2-INT, 2.0-TFL, 5-PBU

--SS-Tony Conner(205), Ole Miss, 6-0/225, proj. Rd 6- (seems overrated?) (injury)
2016: (12-games), 41-tkls, 19-solo, 3.5-TFL, .5-sack, 5-PBU
2015: (5-games), 17-tkls, 8-solo, 4.0-TFL.

--SS-Nathan Gerry(220), Nebraska, 6-2/220, proj. Rd 6 (read that he is a mean beast, speed=?)
2016: 74-tkls, 47-solo, 4-INT, 5.5-TFL, .5-sack, 8-PBU, 1-QBH
2015: 79-tkls, 49-solo, 4-INT, 2.5-TFL, 1.0-sack, 7-PBU, 1-FF.

--SS-Weston Steelhammer(244), Air Force, 6-1/200, proj. Rd 7, (Fair stats + Great name)
2016: 75-tkls, 42-solo, 6-INT, 4.5-TFL, 1.0-sack, 4-PBU
2015: 80-tkls, 46-solo, 5-INT, 10.5-TFL, 1.0-sack, 7-PBU

--SS-Shalom Luani(369), Washington St., 6-0/198, proj. undrafted (sure to change after combine).
2016: 58-tkls, 43-solo, 4-INT, 8.5-TFL, 2.0-sacks, 6-PBU, 2-QBH, 1-FF
2015: 90-tkls, 67-solo, 4-INT, 3.0-TFL, 6-PBU, 2-FF.
:smilingalien:

Go watch Melifonwu.

You will be blown away.

Pretty high recommendation from the man who was very excited about Chancellor back when he was drafted.

I really like Baker as a FS pick, however with his current ranking (subject to change, of course) at #54, he is not positioned well for the projected 29-31 1-st round pick or the projected 60-62 2-nd round pick, so the Seahawks could miss out on him. If the Seahawks trade down and end up with two 2-nd's (and likely their missing 4-th.), then the Seahawks could fill probably their bigger needs at DT/EDGE/OT with one of those 2-nd's and still have a chance for Baker, I doubt they take him with a 1-st. with their other important needs. So Baker may end up being a "questionable if we can get him" type of pick IMO.

Going into this study, I have hope of determining which players are the best alternatives to spending a 1-st/2-nd round pick on the Safety position in the event Baker is gone. I currently like Baker in Rd-2 and if they miss then Thompson, Melifonwu & Luani (not necessarily in that order) are the likely group from which they will select a Safety, on the second day of the draft. The future rankings of these guys will probably decide who they pick & in what round. I think all will rank higher on draft day, especially Melifonwu and Luani both of which I think may be -at least- 3-rd Rd picks.
I'm on my way to tape study so I can get a better handle on all of the listed guys. Damn this scouting stuff is pretty time consuming, (but I'm a retired old guy with lots of time available, so watching tape is probably better than watching the extremely deplorable daytime TV.)

Back in 2010, when I first joined this site, I pointed out several times that the ranked WR class that year averaged just over 6-1 and the ranked DB's averaged about 5-10. I pointed out that this was an obvious advantage for the WR's because back then DB's were selected primarily for their speed much more so than their height or length. In subsequent years I have advocated for Sherman, Chancellor and several others based on that thought. PC/JS obviously had this in mind in subsequent drafts and have actually started the trend to bigger, longer DB's in the NFL. I take no credit for this, I just pointed out an abnormality in height I had observed, and maybe just this once, I was spot on (to what PC/JS already had figured out).