Elite safeties are a rare commodity, and the 2024 NFL draft underscored this scarcity. As teams scoured the draft board for defensive gems, the limited availability of top-tier prospects became evident. Unfortunately the talent pool at the position should remain similar for the 2025 draft class.
The current safety position for the Dallas Cowboys appears stable, but with concerns over its long-term prospects. The starting safeties, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, face potential contract outs after the upcoming 2024 season. While the safety depth, Juanyeh Thomas, Israel Mukuamu, and Markquese Bell, has demonstrated reliability, uncertainties persist, particularly regarding Bell’s position following a positional shift to linebacker for 2023.
These players also lack long-term contractual commitments, however. Additionally, Julius Wood and Emany Johnson are poised to bolster the safety group as undrafted free agents heading into training camp.
The Cowboys are set to have plenty of cap space for the 2025 offseason, but that space could quickly dissipate with extensions of star players like Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb. Securing the future of the safety position may come down to the team’s draft and develop philosophy. The Cowboys will certainly have a scouts eye on the safety position during the upcoming college football season.
In 2023, Malaki Starks was named to the Consensus All-America First Team and earned various All-SEC First-Team selections. Starks emerged as a finalist for prestigious awards such as the Bronko Nagurski Award and Jim Thorpe Award. During the season, he showcased his defensive prowess, tallying 52 tackles, including 31 solo stops, and securing three interceptions along with seven pass breakups.
Starks has impressed since his freshman year, earning recognition as a First-Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic. He started in 14 of 15 games, accumulating 68 total tackles, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions. Starks’ stellar high school career at Jefferson High School, where he was a five-star prospect and excelled in both football and track and field, laid the foundation for his success at the collegiate level.
Andrew Mukuba, a fourth-year defensive back, transferred to Texas from Clemson this spring. During his time at Clemson Mukuba made significant contributions, earning accolades such as Freshman All-American honors in 2021. He made history as the first true freshman defensive back to start a season opener for Clemson since 1972.
Mukuba showcased his defensive skills with impressive performances, tallying a considerable number in tackles, pass breakups, interceptions, and fumble recoveries throughout his collegiate career. In 2022 he recorded 50 tackles, four pass breakups, and an interception over 12 games.
National champion Rod Moore has demonstrated consistent growth and impact throughout his collegiate career. In 2023, Moore appeared in 12 games with 11 starts, earning All-Big Ten selection and showcasing his defensive prowess with 38 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass breakups. Moore’s tenure has earned him multiple accolades, including two-time All-Big Ten selections and sharing the team Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021.
His sophomore season in 2022 was marked by stellar performances, recording 71 tackles, four interceptions, and seven pass breakups in 14 games, with a career high 14 tackles against Purdue in December. Moore made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2021, contributing 32 tackles and earning starts in four games. Before his collegiate career, Moore attended Northmont Senior High School, where he excelled in football and track. He garnered various honors and rankings as a high school player, including first-team All-Ohio recognition as a senior.
Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler has garnered a slew of accolades throughout his collegiate career. In 2023, he was named First Team All-Big Ten by the AP and Second Team All-Big Ten by the media. Wohler also received the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award in September and earned recognition as a CSC Academic All-American.
He led all Big Ten defensive backs with 120 total tackles in 2023, the most for a Badger DB since 1991. Additionally, he tallied two interceptions and recorded 74 solo tackles, the highest among defensive backs in the nation. Wohler’s achievements were highlighted by becoming the first Big Ten DB since 2010 to post over 110 tackles, a sack, and multiple interceptions in a single season.
Ddespite playing in only six 2022 games due to injury, Wohler made an impact, including his first career start against Illinois State and grabbing his first interception against Maryland. His high school career was equally impressive, marked by numerous awards, including the Jim Leonhard Award and being named Wisconsin Player of the Year by Associated Press and WFCA twice. Wohler completed high school with a weighted GPA of 4.29 and was honored with the Gatorade State Player of the Year award in 2021.
Despite missing two games due to injury, CJ Baskerville emerged as the Red Raiders’ second-leading tackler, recording 78 stops, including 4.5 for a loss. He showcased versatility by starting the season at the “star” position before transitioning to a deep safety role later in the year. Baskerville’s performance earned him recognition as an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the conference coaches.
Before joining Texas Tech, Baskerville played two seasons at San Diego State University, where he accumulated 75 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and multiple passes defended. In his sophomore season at SDSU, he appeared in eight games, making seven starts, and recorded 36 tackles along with three pass breakups. During his freshman year, he played in all 14 games, starting the final four, and contributed 39 tackles, an interception, and three pass breakups.
In high school, Baskerville attended Richland High School in North Richland Hills, Texas, where he excelled as a safety and wide receiver. He received All-District honors and showcased his athleticism on the track and field team. As a recruit, he garnered attention from various college programs and ultimately chose SDSU over offers from several other schools.
Off the field, Baskerville comes from a family with a background in education. His father, Skip, and mother, Sharon, both work in the education sector. Baskerville is the youngest of three siblings and is majoring in business at Texas Tech University.
