Saints NFL Draft: Top 3 safety options in first round
Jevon Holland, University of Oregon
Jevon Holland is a third-year player from the University of Oregon. Declining to go back for his senior season, Holland is looking to be the first safety drafting in the 2021 NFL Draft. According to CBS Sports, he is the No. 1 ranked safety.
Since Holland didn’t play in his junior year, we really only have two years of statistics to follow. In his freshman year, Holland totaled 42 tackles, six passes defended, and five interceptions. His sophomore year saw similar stats with 66 tackles.
Out of those 66 tackles, 4.5 were for a loss. He also added four passes defended and four interceptions with one touchdown. Holland has been projected to be the safety that is the readiest to come into the NFL, start, and make an immediate impact.
The biggest upside from Holland is that he can seamlessly fit into any defensive scheme. His best Saints comparison would be a slot safety like Gardner-Johnson. That type of versatility would allow Payton to use either Holland or CGJ in the slot at the other at the safety.