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4 days ago
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Browns 2025 training camp position preview
The Browns are less than a week from not just their first training camp practice, but their first one with fans allowed to watch. The first full-squad workout comes on July 23, and the fans will get their first opportunity to watch on July 24. Almost all of the position groups those fans will be watch during the eight opening training camp practices have already been previewed. The final defensive position takes center stage now with the safeties. The Browns were severely lacking in big play production from that position in 2024. With only Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman back with any significant experience in Cleveland, it's very much a different group being asked to fix that in 2025. Here's a look at those safeties: Cleveland Browns safeties Grant Delpit Christopher Edmonds Ronnie Hickman Rayshawn Jenkins Damontae Kazee Donovan McMillon* Nik Needham (* — denotes rookie) Into the numbers: Cleveland Browns safeties Neither Delpit nor Hickman had either an interception or a forced fumble during the 2024 season. Both did recover a fumble. Delpit had a sack, 111 combined tackles and seven tackles for loss in 2024. Both the combined tackles and tackles for loss were either career highs or tied career highs. Hickman played in a career-high 14 games in 2024. He started five of those. Kazee spent the last three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he recorded five interceptions over that span in Pittsburgh, his best stint was with the Atlanta Falcons, the team that drafted him. He had 10 interceptions in four seasons in Atlanta, including a league-high seven in 2018. Jenkins had his first career fumble recovery in 2024 with the Seattle Seahawks. He returned it 102 yards for a touchdown. He also has 10 career interceptions since coming into the league in 2017. Needham's career has been short-circuited a bit by injuries, specifically a 2022 Achilles injury. The versatile defensive back had shown great playmaking ability over the first three years of his career from 2019-21, with three sacks, six interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. What they're saying: Cleveland Browns safeties Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz on the need for more playmaking out of the safeties, on June 4: "I think some of being a ball hawk has to do with pass rush, but guys that are wired to the ball that can get an extra jump on the ball, we didn't do enough of that in the past. And that's certainly a position we can improve on. And, you know, we talked about things we can improve off of last year, turnovers and things like that mean a lot. So many of those deep ball things come from ball coming out before the quarterback wants to or being hit before as he's throwing. You know, they, but they both work hand in hand. A guy in the back end, like in this stuff, you're not going to see very many interceptions because quarterbacks aren't being hit when they throw and they're not being forced to throw before they want to. So, you know, it all sort of goes hand in hand.' Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda on Hickman's big year ahead, on June 12: "Huge. He knows it. It's a big, big point, Year 3 in the system, a great opportunity to take advantage of a situation that he's worked hard to earn. He's done an excellent job in terms of preparing, taking advantage of situations like Year 1 to make the team. Now it's time to go out there and execute to the level that we believe he can and that he knows he can." Banda on Delpit, on June 12: "I think Grant is really starting to touch the true greatness that he can be. You see it. I know that we had whatever we had in terms of the season, but he had a phenomenal year. I mean, reached the hundred-tackle mark again, played really, really good football at the second level. So he's definitely, he's got himself to a good spot. Now where can I help him grow in other areas? We're focusing more on the third level for him right now so that he can be a true complete safety in all those areas, take advantage of opportunities at the third level and help us create more plays. So definitely saw that." Banda on Needham's versatility, on June 12: "He's played corner and nickel obviously in his career, but right now we are completely focused on playing safety. So I know there was some maybe questions on what he is, that guy is playing safety for us. I liked his skillset in the sense that he can do both things. That's always good. OG was a past corner. Guys who have corner flex always can transition. The biggest thing is the growth that has to happen from corner to nickel and the things that you have to do at safety does change and he's in that process right now. He's done a good job of working at it, and I hope that that can transition into the season." Banda on composition of safety position group, on June 12: "I'm basically attacking it and approaching it like no one knows what they're doing, even a guy like Grant or Rocket and building it from the [bottom] up because do have almost like three different rooms. We've got Grant, Chris and Rocket [Hickman], who've been here. Then we got this vet group of Rayshawn, Kazee and Nick, and then we have a rookie. So it's just this really diverse room right now. So for me it's been fun to just remind myself to go back to Day 1 and teach from the ground up, which I think is also going to benefit the guys that have been in the room. But definitely earning my money. Coach Schwartz walked by one time early in the process of the spring and he goes, yeah, it ain't going to be easy like it was last few years. So he reminded me pretty quickly." Training camp analysis: Cleveland Browns safeties Delpit's in the second year of a three-year extension he signed late in 2023. He's been at his best when he's been able to play much more in the box. Hickman has gone from undrafted free agent in 2023 to a player who was essentially the part-time starter a year ago at free safety. Kazee and Jenkins both provide more experienced voices in the room to replace Rodney McLeod, who retired after 2024. Needham's an intriguing roll of the dice because of his versatility to play both safety and cornerback and his previously shown playmaking ability. The Browns like to employ three safeties, so it's hard to not see the primary group come from those five. Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns 2025 camp position preview: Who'll be the playmaking safeties?
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15-07-2025
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Counting down the top 11 safeties in LSU history: Where do Delpit, Landry, and Adams rank?
LSU football has a rich history at the safety position. Few programs produce secondary talent on LSU's level, which has earned LSU the nickname of DBU (defensive back university). Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, LSU built elite defenses on the backend. In the 2000s, we saw Laron Landry and Craig Steltz play at an All-American level. Jamal Adams and Grant Delpit continued that tradition a decade later. Advertisement But the tradition started before those players were even born with guys like Greg Jackson leading the way in the 1900s. These lists are never easy. It's hard enough to decide on the 10 most deserving names. After it's narrowed down, it's even harder to find the right order, especially with the amount of talent that's come through Baton Rouge over the years. I tried to consider a variety of factors, from raw talent, production, all-conference accolades, All-American honors, and NFL Draft position. Here are the 11 best safeties in LSU football history. 11. Chad Jones Jones spent three years at LSU and played in all 40 games, making 19 starts. As a junior in 2019, Jones racked up 74 tackles, three picks, with six pass breakups. Advertisement Jones was quick to make an impact after arriving at LSU. As a true freshman, he made 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, a pick, a forced fumble, and three pass breakups. It wasn't just defense where Jones made his impact. Against Mississippi State in 2009, Jones returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown to give LSU a 30-21 lead in the fourth quarter. That score proved to be key as LSU won 30-26. Jones was a two-sport standout and won a national title with the football team and the LSU baseball team. 10. Craig Burns Burns wasn't all that different from Jones, except he wore the LSU uniform 35 years earlier. Burns was a playmaker in the secondary who also returned punts and was a star on the baseball team. Advertisement Burns eight interceptions in 1970 is tied for first place in program history. He finished his career with 12 picks, one of the best marks in LSU history. Burns earned second-team All-SEC honors in 1970. Burns had a career day with three picks vs. Ole Miss in 1970. 9. Liffort Hobley Hobley picked off 10 passes in his LSU career, one of the best marks in program history. Six of those picks came in 1984, when Hobley was an All-SEC safety. Hobley came up big in the Sugar Bowl vs. Nebraska, picking off two passes. He earned All-SEC honors twice in his career and was a third-round pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. Advertisement 8. Craig Steltz Steltz is one of four LSU safeties to earn consensus All-American honors. Steltz didn't become a full-time starter until his final year with LSU in 2007, but he made the most of it. Steltz was a team captain on a national championship-winning defense. He picked off six passes and forced three fumbles. Steltz's 11 career interceptions. Steltz was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, annually given to the top defensive back in college football. He was a first-team All-SEC and a fourth-round pick in the NFL Draft. 7. Eric Reid Reid was a member of LSU's dominant secondary in 2011. Reid's 2011 interception vs. Alabama is remembered as one of the best plays in LSU history. In the fourth quarter of a 6-6 game, Reid wrestled a jump ball away from Alabama's tight end to secure the turnover. LSU went on to win 9-6. That moment was representative of the plays Reid made throughout his LSU career. Reid was a first-team All-American in 2012 and a second-team All-American in 2011. He earned all-conference honors in 2011 and 2012 before moving on to be a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Advertisement 6. Greg Jackson Jackson earned first-team All-American honors in 1988 from Gannett News Service. He was named first-team All-SEC by the Associated Press and SEC coaches. Jackson came up with seven picks in 1988. Jackson was dangerous with the ball and his 219 interception return yards in 1988 remain an SEC record. He was a team captain as LSU went 6-1 in conference play thanks to a stellar defense. Jackson was a versatile secondary player who went on to be a third-round pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. 5. Jamal Adams Jamal Adams is one of the most talented defenders to wear the LSU uniform. He was a five-star recruit before the New York Jets selected Adams with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Advertisement Adams made an impact as a true freshman in 2014, but saw his career take off in 2015. Adams earned second-team All-SEC recognition and finished the year with 67 tackles, five tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and four interceptions. In 2016, Adams took it up a notch, earning first-team All-American honors. LSU's 2026 defense was one of the best in the nation with Adams holding it down in the secondary. Few LSU defenders were as fun to watch as Jamal Adams. 4. Grant Delpit Grant Delpit won the Thorpe Award in 2019 as a leader on LSU's national championship-winning defense. He was a consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC. Advertisement But for as good as Delpit was in 2019, he was even better in 2018, when he was a finalist for the Nagurski Award. In 2018, Delpit led the SEC with five picks and ranked No. 2 in the SEC in pass breakups. He finished the year with 74 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. It's hard to find another player who made Delpit's impact in coverage, stopping the run, and rushing the passer. Delpit did it all, and he did it at an elite level, leaving LSU with a national title ring. 3. Chris Williams Coming in at No. 3, we have LSU's all-time interceptions leader Chris Williams. Williams played corner and safety at LSU, but he played enough safety to be on this list. Williams picked off 20 passes at LSU, including an eight-interception campaign in 1980. Williams earned first-team All-SEC honors that year. Advertisement Williams was a second-team All-SEC in the prior season, too. Williams was a top contributor at LSU from 1977-1980 and was a second-round pick in 1981. It's tough to find a player who made a high impact like Williams in all four years. 2. LaRon Landry Landry's talent speaks for itself. It's why he was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Landry's resume is strong, and he has a case to be the top-ranked player on this list. Landry was a second-team All-SEC in 2003 as a member of LSU's national championship-winning defense. In 2004, Landry earned all-conference recognition again. Advertisement In 2005, Landry earned third-team All-American honors. And then in 2006, Landry was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, first-team All-SEC, and first-team All-American. Landry's 315 career tackles rank top 10 in school history, and his 12 career interceptions rank third in LSU history. 1. Tommy Casanova Tommy Casanova was a two-time consensus All-American in the secondary for LSU. Casanova made an impact in all three phases of the game, contributing on offense and special teams, too. Casanova emerged in 1970 as one of the best players in the nation. He entered 1971 in the Heisman conversation, but an injury in 1971 cost Casanova five games. Casanova still managed to earn first-team All-American honors again. Advertisement Casanova was selected in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft. As a pro, he went on to be a three-time Pro Bowler. Casanova finished his LSU career with three first-team All-SEC selections. This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Ranking the 11 best safeties in LSU football history
