2023 Opponents Safety Unit Ranking

Written by: Zachary Greene

We are ranking each position group for all of IU’s 2023 opponents. Today, we focus on the safeties.

1. Michigan Wolverines

Michigan has an abundance of talent at the safety position. Their two starting safeties Rod Moore and Makari Paige were ranked number one and two at their respective positions according to PFF. Moore enters his Junior season with the Wolverines. He tallied 71 tackles and earned multiple defensive player of the week honors. PFF gave him a grade of 83.8 which ranked him at the top for the conference. On the other hand, Paige earned a grade of 79.1 after a dominant Junior season. He racked up 41 tackles and a sack. The two safeties pair swiftly in the Wolverines defense. Their experience along with a loaded defensive front will keep them in the mix for the CFP yet again.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

The Boilermakers rank towards the top of in part to Cam Allen. Allen is a fifth-year senior who racked up 10 interceptions last season. New Head Coach Ryan Walters will utilize Allen and hope to elevate his game. Standing next to Allen will be safety Sanoussi Kane. Kane enters his senior season with the boilermakers. He appeared in 14 games last season making 12 starts. He tallied 72 tackles, one sack and three pass breakups. Allen and Kane hope to elevate their games in Walters new 3-4 defensive scheme.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes

The Buckeyes are led by Lathan Ransom at the safety position. Ransom is a veteran safety who enters his senior year with the program. He was a semifinalist for the Thorpe award and made 74 tackles last season. Out of high school, he was a conscious top 100 recruit and number five ranked safety in the nation. Lining up next to Ransom will be Josh Proctor. Proctor is another vet who enters the season as a graduate student. Proctor is a tall safety who will finally get his opportunity this season. He’s been in the program for a while and has appeared in 42 games over the past five seasons.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State is led by Jaylen Reed and Keaton Ellis at the safety position. Both are vets and have appeared in all 13 of their games last season. Reed posted 31 tackles two for a loss and three pass breakups. Ellis tallied 24 tackles, two for a loss and seven pass breakups. The Nittany Lions run multiple defense schemes 4-3 as well as line up in a nickel (4-2-5). Expect Reed and Ellis to put their respective names on the map this year.

5. Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers lost one of their best players in John Torchio after leading them in interceptions and fourth in the team in tackles. He was one of the best players on the Badgers and always finds a way to get to the ball. He had a pick six off Illinois State last season and picked off the Boilermakers twice returning one for a touchdown. Kamo’i Latu takes over for Torchio after starting in 12 games last season. Junior Hunter Wohler will also see the field after playing in six games last season.

6. Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State had a down season and hoped to get right back on track. They run a 4-2-5 scheme on defense. At the position they are led by two sophomores. Dillion Tatum and Jaden Mangham. Tatum appeared in all 12 games while Mangham appeared in nine. Both were consensus four-star prospects out of high school and hope to put their names on the map

7. Maryland Terrapins

Beau Brade and Dante Trader Jr. are the two starting safeties entering the season. Brade started in all 13 games last season. He tallied 85 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He enters his senior season. Trader Jr. enters his Junior season after also starting in all 13 games. They will pair nicely in the Terps 4-3 defense.

8. Illinois Fighting Illini

Starting at Safety for the Illini will be two sophomores.  Sophomore Demetrius Hill and Matthew Bailey. Hill is a future NFL talent who earned Freshman All-American Honors. He started in 12 games tallying 95 tackles. Bailey is also a future NFL talent who appeared in all 13 games making three interceptions. The Illini defense hope to pick right where they left off.

8. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Flip Dixon is a former Minnesota transfer who will be one of the Scarlet Knights starting safeties. As a sophomore he appeared in all 12 games tallying 28 tackles. He was a three-star out of Georgia and No.56 ranked safety in the nation. Desmond Igbinosun will line up at the free safety position. Igbinosun played in 10 games last season making nine starts. He racked up 55 tackles and three pass break ups. Dixon and Iginosun hope to pick up their production for second-year defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak

10. Louisville Cardinals

The Cardinals run multiple defense schemes led at the back end by Strong Safety Josh Minkins and Free Safety MJ Griffin, Minkins is a local Louisville product who enters his Junior season. Last season, he started in all 13 games at safety making 55 tackles, one interceptions and one sack. He’s been playing since he was a freshman and is gifted at his position. On the other hand, Griffin enters his redshirt Junior year after making eight starts and appearing in all 13 games. He tallied 45 tackles and a pair of interceptions. These two safeties pair together nicely and will be worth keeping an eye on when both programs travel to Lucas Oil Stadium.

11. Akron Zips

Senior KJ Martin is the starting free safety for the 4-2-5 defense that the Zips run. He started in nine games last season making 54 tackles and one interception. Prior to Akron he was with West Virginia. He transferred after the 2021 season. Playing at the other safety is redshirt senior Nate Thompson who transferred from Duke. Last season, he appeared in all 11 games playing a hybrid role. He picked up 73 tackles on the season.

12. Indiana State Sycamores

The Sycamores run a standard 4-3 scheme. Curt Mallory leads Syracuse and is the son of former Hoosier head coach Bill Mallory. Jonathan Edwards returns for his Junior season and is the leader of the Defensive Back Unit. He’s a ballhawk and led the conference with nine pass breakups. Behind him is Ethan Hoover who plays a hybrid role for the Sycamore. He can line up in the slot corner and safety position. He tallied 30 tackles and an interceptions last season.