Kyle Hamilton, Derwin James Jr. Lead Top 10 NFL Safety Rankings by Coaches, Execs in New Poll

Kyle Hamilton of the Baltimore Ravens and Derwin James Jr. of the Los Angeles Chargers lead the way in an anonymous poll ranking the 10 best safeties in the NFL.

In the poll of NFL executives, coaches and scouts conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Hamilton and James top a star-studded group that includes the following:

1. Kyle Hamilton (Baltimore Ravens)

2. Derwin James Jr. (Los Angeles Chargers)

3. Xavier McKinney (Green Bay Packers)

4. Brian Branch (Detroit Lions)

5. Jessie Bates III (Atlanta Falcons)

6. Nick Emmanwori (Seattle Seahawks)

7. Antoine Winfield Jr. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

8. Budda Baker (Arizona Cardinals)

9. Kerby Joseph (Detroit Lions)

10. Calen Bullock (Houston Texans)

Hamilton fell further than expected in the 2022 NFL draft, dropping to the Ravens at 14th overall, but he has made many of the teams who passed on him regret it over the last four seasons.

He has been named a Pro Bowler in each of the past three seasons and a First Team All-Pro in two of the past three, racking up eight sacks, five interceptions and six forced fumbles during his career.

An anonymous AFC offensive coach praised Hamilton's versatility in speaking with Fowler, saying, "His size and physicality stand out. He's that big-bodied DB who can play nickel or safety that teams are looking for. He's a talented cover player, but his ability to play the run at the point of attack and his effectiveness as a blitzer make him somebody you really have to account for in game planning."

James was also a first-round pick, going 17th overall in 2018, and he has been the linchpin of the Chargers' defense ever since.

A five-time Pro Bowler and one-time First Team All-Pro, James has also been named a Second Team All-Pro in three of the past four campaigns.

An all-around safety with 19 sacks and 12 interceptions in seven career seasons played, James received praise from an anonymous NFL secondary coach, who told Fowler, "I thought Derwin had his best, most complete year [in 2025]. Blitzing, coverage, tackling, just overall was really good. ... He can really do it all. And he's been healthy for a long stretch, which is good to see."

Rounding out the top five are McKinney, Branch and Bates, all of whom are one-time Pro Bowlers, but also consistent contributors.

McKinney signed with the Packers in free agency prior to the 2024 season, and he made an instant impact with his first Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro selections in 2024, before following it up with a Second Team All-Pro selection last season.

There were some questions regarding whether Branch was a cornerback or safety when the Lions selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, but he has acclimated well to the safety position with seven interceptions and a whopping 38 passes defended in three seasons.

Bates, 29, is among the veteran-most players on the list with eight NFL seasons to his credit, and while he is perhaps best known for his five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, he has received the bulk of his accolades in three years with the Falcons.

Over the past three years, Bates has earned one Pro Bowl nod and two Second Team All-Pro selections, plus he has recorded 13 of his 27 career interceptions and eight of his 11 career forced fumbles.