Safety: Antoine Brooks, Sr., Maryland
Antoine Brooks is the lowest ranked recruit on this list as a 2-star prospect out of high school. Thus, it probably isn’t surprising to know that Maryland was the only Power 5 team to offer him a scholarship. Luckily for Brooks, the Terps knows how to develop first-round safeties like Darnell Savage just this past draft.
Brooks is a well-built athlete at 5-11 and 210 pounds. While sharing the defensive backfield with the aforementioned Savage, he has developed into more of a box safety. He is a sure tackler against the run and has developed into an excellent blitzer off the edge.
Naturally, as a box safety and glorified linebacker, Brooks is not as polished in coverage. If he can take on more coverage responsibilities and develop in that area with Savage gone, Brooks can be the next first-round safety from Maryland. Either way, with the NFL moving to more using safeties as faster linebackers, he will have an immediate role at the next level.