The 2025 NFL Combine kicks off this upcoming week. So let’s preview the event through the Indianapolis Colts’ lens and take a look at the safety and cornerback position groups.
For a deeper dive into the combine specifically and what you need to know from the Colts’ perspective, click here.
To preview other position groups, follow the links below:
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
Offensive line
Defensive line
Linebacker
What’s the need for the Colts at cornerback and safety?
It’s a big one. GM Chris Ballard was again answering questions about the Colts’ defensive backfield after the season, and again mentioned that the play had to improve.
To remedy this, the Colts have brought in a hefty dose of defensive back coaching experience to their new staff, which includes defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. But the other part of this equation will require Ballard to make additions as well.
Last season, this was a Colts’ pass defense that ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in completion rate, yards per pass attempt allowed, passer rating, and pass deflections.
At both the cornerback and safety spots, each position group needs added depth to help raise the floor of those units and improved play from the starters.
While Ballard often prefers to draft prospects with high-end traits, in Anarumo’s defensive scheme where there is a premium on versatility and the ability to disguise coverages, experience could prove to be quite valuable for the Colts this offseason at cornerback and safety.
What does the Colts current safety and cornerback depth charts look like?
Cornerback
Kenny Moore
JuJu Brents
Jaylon Jones
Samuel Womack
Alex Johnson
Safety
Nick Cross
Rodney Thomas
Daniel Scott
Marcel Dabo
Relative Athletic Scores of past defensive back draft picks for Colts
The RAS formula–which was created by Kent Lee Platte–takes all of the measurements and times from the NFL Combine and Pro Days and converts them into an easily comparable figure that ranges from 0 to 10, allowing us to see how players of the same position group stack up athletically to one another.
On the RAS scale, 5.0 is considered average, with 8.0 or higher being in the top 20 percentile of the position group from an athleticism standpoint. The higher the RAS, the better the athlete.
Cornerback
JuJu Brents: 9.99
Darius Rush: 9.80
Jaylon Jones: 8.79
Jaylin Simpson: 8.26
Quincy Wilson: 7.35
Rock Ya-Sin: 6.16
Nate Hairston: 5.35
Micah Abraham: 3.70
Safety
Daniel Scott: 9.94
Nick Cross: 9.87
Rodney Thomas: 9.24
Marvell Tell: 9.29
Khari Willis: 6.39
Which defensive backs were invited to the NFL combine?
BJ Adams, UCF
Zy Alexander, LSU
Trey Amos, Mississippi
Jahdae Barron, Texas
Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma
Cobee Bryant, Kansas
Denzel Burke, Ohio State
Sebastian Castro, Iowa
Alijah Clark, Syracuse
Kitan Crawford, Nevada
Mello Dotson, Kansas
Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
O’Donnell Fortune, South Carolina
Zah Frazier, UTSA
Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
Jordan Hancock, Ohio State
Jermari Harris, Iowa
Marcus Harris, Cal
Tommi Hill, Nebraska
Maxen Hook, Toledo
Travis Hunter, Colorado
Alijah Huzzie, North Carolina
Will Johnson, Michigan
Bilhal Kone, Western Michigan
Rayuan Lane III, Navy
Robert Longerbeam, Rutgers
Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
Mac McWilliams, UCF
R.J. Mickens, Clemson
Malachi Moore, Alabama
Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon
Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Jacob Parrish, Kansas State
Darien Porter, Iowa State
Caleb Ransaw, Tulane
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
Jaylen Reed, Penn State
Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
Quincy Riley, Louisville
Jonas Sanker, Virginia
Marques Sigle, Kansas State
Jaylin Smith, USC
Malaki Starks, Georgia
Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech
Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
Dante Trader Jr., Maryland
Malik Verdon, Iowa State
Justin Walley, Minnesota
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Isas Waxter, Villanova
Nohl Williams, Cal
Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin
Craig Woodson, Cal