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2018 NFL Draft: Top 10 safety Big Board for the Redskins

By Jacob Camenker

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles warms up prior to their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles warms up prior to their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 02: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles warms up prior to their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 02: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles warms up prior to their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

There are some who would argue that Derwin James is one of the best defensive players in this draft. And they would be right. He is, and arguably, he could be the best safety in this class. It’s really a tossup between James and Minkah Fitzpatrick for the top spot.

On our big board, James comes in second for reasons that we’ll get into later on. James is one of the more versatile defensive players in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was a great player at Florida State, and he was a terrific tackler during his junior season.

As a junior, James notched 84 tackles and two interceptions and was all over the field for Florida State. Despite the team’s overall poor performance during the season, that was a bit more of a problem because the team lost Deondre Francois at the start of the season. James was the leader of the defensive unit, and he never gave up at any point during the season.

James is an elite tackling ability and has good enough coverage skills to succeed in the NFL. He’s probably going to have a bigger impact as a big hitter and tackler in the run game. But, he’s well-rounded enough to cover tight ends well. So, that will be huge for the team that takes him.

James could be a potential option for the Redskins in the event that he slips to the No. 13 pick. However, it seems highly unlikely that James will slip out of the top 10. The Buccaneers and the Raiders should have a high level of interest in him, so landing James seems unlikely. Still, he’s a quality player for the team to keep an eye on.

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