The Cincinnati Bengals invested most of their resources during free agency to secure long-term contracts for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, giving quarterback Joe Burrow offensive weapons for the next several seasons. During free agency, the Bengal’s defense suffered because of the attention paid to the offensive side of the ball. As new defensive coordinator Al Golden prepares to improve the Bengal’s defense during the 2025 NFL season, he will need to take the time to find an elite player to upgrade their safety position. Cincinnati has struggled to find a replacement for Jesse Bates since he left for an offer from the Atlanta Falcons in 2023, and in 2024, the Bengals allowed explosive plays in 9.4% of the plays defended as they gave up 25.5 points per game.
1. Malaki Starks – Georgia
Georgia safety Malaki Starks is the top-rated safety prospect in the 2025 NFL draft. The Bengals are in an excellent position to draft Starks with the 17th pick in the first draft, and Starks would give Al Golden the elite player that he needs to be creative with his game planning and utilize Starks in many different ways. The 6’1″, 205-pound Starks has built a reputation for having a high football IQ and the ability to effectively play as a free safety, strong safety, and play man coverage against a slot receiver.
2. Kevin Winston Jr. – Penn State
Many draft experts projected Penn State safety Kevin Winston Jr. to be a first-round quality prospect at safety in 2023. During the 2024 season at Penn State, Winston struggled with many injuries, making many experts view drafting Winston Jr. as a gamble in 2025. The 6’2″, 208-pound Winston Jr. could work his way back into being an excellent safety in the NFL if he can fully recover from his injuries from last season and avoid future injuries.
3. Xavier Watts – Notre Dame
Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts is a ball hawk safety, and he has shown the intelligence to be an elite playmaker in the passing game. The 6’0″, 203-pound Watts has the advantage of working with Al Golden when Golden was the defensive coordinator for the Fighting Irish. Watts can reinforce the Bengals’ defense on the back end against their opponents’ passing game in the NFL, but he has a reputation for being a poor tackler, especially in the run game.
4. Andrew Mukuba – Texas
Texas safety Andrew Mukuba has good instincts as a playmaker while defending the passing game, and Mukuba is very athletic. The 6’0″, 190-pound Mukuba is the top-rated safety in 2025 in pass coverage. In contrast, he has demonstrated that he is a poor tackler and ineffective at providing run support. Many compare Mukuba to Devin McCourty, and while he could be a solid player for the Bengal’s pass defense, he would need to work hard to develop into a run-support player.
5. Nick Emmanwori – South Carolina
South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori is a complicated prospect for experts to rate as he has prepared for the 2025 draft. Emmanwori possesses elite athleticism and brings a wealth of playing experience from his three seasons at South Carolina. The 6’3″, 217-pound Emmanwori is not a proven player when it comes to dropping into the box for run support; he plays with sloppy technique and tends to be influenced by the offense to be out of position regularly.
For more football content check out Football Scientific
Follow me on X: @AaronSauter7
