3 Buffalo Bills safety options in top of 2023 NFL Draft

Buffalo Bills safety options in 2023 NFL Draft: Sydney Brown, Illinois

Sydney Brown is 6’0” and 213 pounds and is projected as a second rounder.  There are some that think Brown could go earlier in the second that what Buffalo will be drafting.  Should that happen, I do have an honorable mention, but I’ll come back to that later.

Brown is another of those versatile safeties that isn’t afraid to get down inside the box and make a tackle; however, has been beaten by backs when he meets them in the hole.  He brings some speed to the position as well, with a 4.45 40-yard dash.

Brown has solid football instincts and is quick in his diagnosis of plays and reaction.  He recorded six interceptions this past season with Illinois, showing off some ball skills and an ability to make plays in the secondary.

He also made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list of 2022, coming in at number 34.  Feldman had this to say about Brown, “…made All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2021, led Illinois with 81 tackles, and also forced two fumbles. He added almost 6 pounds of lean muscle mass this summer while losing 1 pound of fat. He has also hit 22.4 mph on the GPS in-game. ”

My honorable mention here is JL Skinner, safety from Boise State.  I live in in the Boise area and have watched Skinner’s career, start to finish.  I love the way he plays and the aggressiveness in which brings when tackling and playing the ball.  Skinner is a taller safety than most, at 6’4” and weighs 211 pounds.  He’s an honorable mention here only because I don’t believe he’ll be available for Buffalo late in the second and Brown is more likely to be around at that point in the draft.