One Of The Top Safety Prospects Could Be Targeted By New Orleans Saints On Second Day Of NFL Draft

The New Orleans Saints spent a fifth round pick on Minnesota safety Jordan Howden in last year's draft. Howden had a solid rookie year and showed versatility with his ability to play deep safety, in the slot, or close to the line of scrimmage. That promise prompted the Saints to release veteran S Marcus Maye, but also created questions over their depth at the position.

Tyrann Mathieu still has incredible instincts and intercepted four passes last year. However, Mathieu has lost a step in slot coverage and is entering his 12th season at age 32. Ugo Amadi played well for the team last season, but has been mostly a special teams contributor through his career.

Johnathan Abram adds a physical presence at the line of scrimmage, but is often a liability in coverage.

This year's crop of rookie safeties doesn't look strong. However, there are a few versatile players at the position that could interest the Saints. This is a look at one of the top-rated safeties in this year's draft class.

KAMREN KINCHENS, S (Miami, Fla.), 5'11" 203-Lbs.

Miami kept an in-state prospect when they snagged four-star recruit Kamren Kinchens out of Miami Northwestern Senior High School. By the middle of his true freshman year in 2021, Kinchens had earned a starting role at safety.

In 2022, Kinchens led the ACC with six interceptions while breaking up six throws on his way to 1st Team All-American and All-ACC honors. He gave up more plays in 2023, but again led the ACC with five interceptions in earning All-ACC honors.

A poor performance at the NFL Scouting Combine may have caused Kinchens' draft stock to slip. His disappointing 4.65 in the 40, 35" vertical, and 9'2" broad jump further fueled concerns about his speed and overall athleticism.

Kinchens has elite centerfield traits. His outstanding anticipation, ball-tracking skills, and ability to read the quarterback more than make up for average measurables. He has very good sideline-to-sideline range, allowing him to cover a lot of ground as a single-high safety.

A physical player, Kinchens is capable of jarring a ball loose from the receiver, dealing with tight ends, or stepping up into the box for run support. He has good enough agility and strong route awareness to be effective in slot coverage, though better suited to off-ball roles.

Kinchens is a gambler, which can lead to big plays for either side. He had several coverage lapses in 2023, but that's more an indictment on over aggressiveness than general awareness.

A lack of top-end speed will make Kinchens a target of quarterbacks. His tendency to gamble has made him susceptible to double moves and play-action fakes. He also must improve on both angles and fundamentals as a tackler in the open field, something that was at times costly last season.

Kinchens' combine disappointments probably caused him to drop on some boards, but he's still likely to be a mid-late Day 2 pick at worst. The range and ballhawking ability that Kinchens could add as a deep safety would allow the Saints to be even more flexible with how they use all their defensive backs.