Editor's note: This story originally published on July 17, 2020, before the Jets traded Jamal Adams to the Seahawks.
To preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.
Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and follow-up calls. Each section is packed with quotes and nuggets from the voters on every guy -- even the honorable mentions.
The objective is to identify the best players right now for 2020. This is not a five-year projection or an achievement award. Who's the best today? Pretty simple.
We've rolled out a position per day over 11 days. Here's a look back:
Week 1: tight ends (July 7); quarterbacks (July 8); running backs (July 9); wide receivers (July 10); offensive tackles (July 11)
Week 2: interior offensive linemen (July 12); edge defenders (July 13); interior defensive linemen (July 14); off-ball linebackers (July 15); cornerbacks (July 16); safeties (July 17)
Playing safety can seem like an eight-man job in today's NFL. Several of the top players can line up at either safety spot, slot corner, outside linebacker, inside linebacker and shoot T-shirt guns into the crowd in between snaps.
"Hybrid" is a tired term in NFL vernacular, but it absolutely applies to the position.
What complicates voting is style preference: Some execs and coaches prefer the traditional free safety who covers ground, others like the game-plan wrecker who attacks sideline to sideline from the line of scrimmage.
We attempt to meld the two styles for a compelling top 10.
1. Jamal Adams, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 24 | Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 5
Editor's note: This survey and ranking was conducted before Adams was traded to the Seahawks for a package that includes two first-round picks.
This wasn't all that close for some.
"He's the second-best defensive player in football," said an NFC exec, placing Adams behind Aaron Donald in the pantheon.
But Adams didn't dominate the voting in all sectors, with Vikings safety Harrison Smith pushing him for No. 1 until Adams pulled away over the final few votes.
As a total package, Adams is undeniable. His 12 sacks are the most by a defensive back through three NFL seasons since sacks were first recorded in 1982. Last season, Adams' 17 pressures were the most by a defensive back by 10, according to Next Gen Stats.
He plays everywhere. Just check his career snap percentages: 41% at safety, 39% at outside linebacker, 12% at slot corner, 5% at outside corner and 3% at inside linebacker.
"Superb athlete, tough, intelligent," a separate NFC exec said. "He's so competitive and physical, and it's not like with some other players with similar styles where you wouldn't play them from depth. You can play Jamal from depth."
Fair or not, some evaluators view Adams as a wonderful safety-linebacker who wouldn't be as good if dropped into deep coverage all day.
"He can cover but wants to make the big hit all the time," said an NFL coordinator. "The scheme would matter for him."
Added a passing game coordinator: "He's the type of player where you put a red jersey on the scout team guy and pretend that's Jamal during practice, because you have to know where he is at all times."
2. Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
Age: 31 | Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 5
Smith is the safety prototype fresh out of the lab.
"I'd take him over everyone," an NFL passing game coordinator said. "Does it all. Cover, blitz, zone, man, smart, calls the defense, great leader."
The knock on Smith is he's 31. But that hasn't stopped him from being able to drop into coverage or stop the run after eight seasons.
Since 2017, Smith has allowed 54.3% completions as the nearest defender (to rank fourth), and he's second in ball-hawk rate at 22.5%. Minnesota routinely has a stout run defense with Smith crashing down. His 89.8 Pro Football Focus rating is exceptional.
For his career, he's sitting on 114 games, 658 tackles, 23 interceptions, 13 sacks, seven forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and four touchdowns off interceptions.
"He's the most complete player at the position and has been for a while," one NFC exec said.
3. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 23 | Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 8
Fitzpatrick got multiple first-place votes thanks to the incredible range he displayed in 2019, picking off five passes and having 130 interception return yards.
If there's a passing window to be crashed, Fitzpatrick breaks the glass.
The second-year safety was a catalyst for the Steelers' return to defensive dominance in 2019.
"He has a really good feel for route combinations and attacking an opponent's game plan," an NFL passing game coordinator said. "He understands angles, space and recognizing tendencies. He's a master craftsman."
Miami drafted Fitzpatrick in 2018 as a pass-coverage weapon to be used all over the field. As a result, he played multiple positions.
After his trade request landed him in Pittsburgh, the Steelers simplified things for him. That paid off in a big way.
"His versatility in Miami actually held him back. He was doing too much," an NFC exec said. "Pittsburgh's fire zone asked him to play open spots, go get the ball, and he took off."
4. Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 23 | Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 8
Another healthy season and James might have pushed Adams and Smith.
James' rookie-year explosion included 3.5 sacks, 13 passes defended, three interceptions and a "Whoops, we should have drafted that guy!" from several teams who went before the Chargers' No. 17 overall in 2018.
The second year was a letdown, mostly because many around the league wanted to see him on the field. James played five games with minimal splash because of a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot.
James has the rare ability to blitz, play from depth and play in the box with a combo of smoothness and violence.
"I'd call him modern multidimensional," one NFC exec said. "He's like the Honey Badger, only built more like a linebacker with serious speed."
A separate NFC exec called the foot issue "a bit concerning" because "it wasn't an out-of-nowhere thing," citing foot issues from high school.
"If that doesn't linger, he'll be a great one for a long time," the exec said. "And that's what you hope because he's so electric."
5. Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans
Age: 26 | Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 10
Pass-coverage purists love Byard, who ranked first in ball-hawk rate at 27.6% from 2017 to '19.
"Really good athlete, really smart, always in a position to get interceptions," an AFC exec said. "He's instinctive, but he also has a plan out there to put himself in the right positions."
Added a veteran NFL corner: "He gets the ball out of the deep middle of the field better than anyone. He's also one of the best open-field tacklers and hasn't missed a start. ... He's a free safety but covers the top tight ends man-to-man like strong safeties do. He covers a fourth wide receiver in four-open sets like a corner would."
Coaches and players value ball disruption above almost anything else, and it's hard to argue with Byard's league-leading 17 picks over the past three years. He ran for 210 yards off those picks, good for a 12.4 average. So every time he touches the ball, he's not only giving it back to the offense, but he's providing an extra first down.
Byard didn't get enough top-three votes to make a bigger jump on this list, but not many players visualize picks better than Byard, who says his goal is to get at least one interception every time he steps onto the field, practice or game. That's his secret. And it's worth $70 million on a five-year deal he signed last summer.
6. Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 28 | Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Off the ballot
One of the NFL's great stories, Mathieu overcame problems at LSU to outsize his third-round billing, playing his way to two big contracts, All-Pro honors and a Super Bowl championship with Kansas City.
Teams view Mathieu as more of a playmaker weapon than a traditional safety. Place him anywhere and he'll disrupt the offense.
"He's a beast," an AFC exec said. "Now, if you have him on your team, you have to make sure he fits in the scheme and he's doing a lot of work at the line of scrimmage. But you can't knock him like some other players like that because he always makes plays, he makes people around him better, and great players make their teammates better."
Some evaluators believe Mathieu isn't elite in deep coverage and is best-served at the line. One NFC exec said he has never considered Mathieu an upper-echelon player for that reason.
Those who disagree point to the instant impact on Kansas City. In one season with the Chiefs, Mathieu produced four interceptions, 75 combined tackles and 12 pass breakups. He can sniff out a screen pass, cover for a linebacker and chase down a quarterback in the same play.
"Maybe not a pure safety, but he's a top player at what he does," an NFL coordinator said. "It's hybrid linebacker vs. safety -- zone work, middle third, deep half -- as long as he's next to the action. Very good at playing man and either blitzing or covering. Very instinctive. Good feel."
7. Justin Simmons, Denver Broncos
Age: 26 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 8
It's surprising the Broncos and Simmons couldn't reach a long-term deal at the franchise tag deadline, because he's the kind of modern player worth a megadeal.
He can play corner or safety, he can play in space, and he has great size at 6-foot-2.
"He's so versatile because he can go down in the slot and do work for you, he can still play the deep half, and he's a talented blitzer," an NFL coordinator said. "Denver has a guy they should keep for a long time."
Simmons lacked enough top-five votes to move up from No. 7, but Pro Football Focus' 90.7 grade indicates he should be higher. And a year from now, he probably will be.
With Chris Harris Jr. gone, Simmons is clearly the alpha player in the Broncos' long-decorated secondary.
8. Eddie Jackson, Chicago Bears
Age: 26 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Off the ballot
Like Fitzpatrick and Byard, Jackson exploded in his second NFL season, with six interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 2018.
He wasn't nearly as productive on the ball last year, with two interceptions and five pass breakups, but the Bears' defense wasn't as dominant as it had been a year earlier. The unit was transitioning from Vic Fangio to Chuck Pagano at defensive coordinator, and Jackson had to crash down more often to help with tackling.
But Jackson is considered scheme-transcendent -- drop him in any defense and he'll find the ball.
"He's not the most physical guy, but his ball skills are so good that you'll find a place for him in any defense," a veteran NFL defensive coach said.
Jackson's 47.2% completion percentage allowed as nearest defender is the best in the league over the past three seasons. During that span, Jackson allowed the fewest yards per target at 5.4.
9. Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals
Age: 24 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Off the ballot
Baker will spend 1,000 snaps per season playing six to eight different positions. He can line up at safety, outside linebacker, slot corner or as an edge defender.
And he's looking to hit from each spot.
"That little joker is a bullet," an NFL passing game coordinator said. "He's out there knocking bigger dudes around. He moved two running backs in a game I watched."
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Baker takes all challenges on the field, but the knock on him is easy -- no interceptions in three seasons.
Baker's 52 stops were tops for defensive backs last season.
"I know the knock, but I love the way he plays the game -- no fear," an NFC exec said.
10. Micah Hyde, Buffalo Bills
Age: 29 | Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Off the ballot
As usual, the last spot required a tiebreaker. This time, Hyde edged out Jimmie Ward and Landon Collins.
Ward, who's basically a co-No. 10 based on the voting, is a smoother athlete, but Hyde is more complete and more durable.
Evaluators lauded Hyde's versatility in coverage.
"He can line up on a third receiver, a tight end or a James White type out of the backfield," one NFL coordinator said. "There aren't a lot of guys who can do that. And he's an effective blitzer and tackler."
Hyde's pass disruption was down in 2019 (two deflections, one interception), but his five-interception season in 2017 showed what happens when offenses test him too much. Plus, Buffalo plays a lot of quarters coverage that forces teams to throw underneath.
The Bills rarely give up explosive plays, and Hyde is a huge reason why.
"Not a major athlete but has great instincts and extremely smart," an NFL passing game coordinator said.
Honorable mention
Jimmie Ward, San Francisco 49ers: "Smooth in coverage. Watch him against the Rams last year. He was dominant. He can play all four DB spots and is great in the slot." -- NFL coordinator
Landon Collins, Washington: "I know he's labeled a box safety and he'll never be the best in coverage, but he gives you everything else -- tackling, physicality, plays at the line, leadership." -- NFL coordinator
Earl Thomas III, Baltimore Ravens: "Still really solid. Not what he once was, but was in better shape late in the year. Still hard-pressed to find 10 players better than Earl, even if he freelances a lot." -- NFC exec
Devin McCourty, New England Patriots: "Still has good range, and his awareness keeps him among the best." -- veteran NFL defensive coach
Anthony Harris, Minnesota Vikings: "He's fringe top 10. He's one of the ball-hawking safeties, but I'd probably take Simmons before him." -- NFL coordinator