2023 NFL Draft: Top 10 Safeties and their fits with the Atlanta Falcons
No. 8: Trey Dean, Florida
2022: 12 Games Played, 81 Tackles, 4.5 Tackles for Loss, 0.5 Sacks, 1 QB Hurry, 1 Fumble Recovered, 4 Pass Deflections
2021: 13 Games Played, 91 Tackles, 4.0 Tackles for Loss, 1.5 Sacks, 1 Interception, 9 Pass Deflections
2020: 11 Games Played, 34 Tackles, 1.0 Tackle for Loss, 1.0 Sack
2019: 13 Games Played, 26 Tackles, 3.5 Tackles for Loss, 2.0 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Pass Deflection
2018: 13 Games Played, 26 Tackles, 0.5 Tackles for Loss, 1 Interception, 6 Pass Deflections
Trey Dean is very similar to Jaquan Brisker as an athlete. Brisker had a great rookie year with the Bears. pic.twitter.com/OMGkuYBDgv
— Scott Carasik (@CarasikS) April 8, 2023
Athletically, Trey Dean is perfect for any NFL team with how agile he is and with his size. He's excellent in man and zone coverage when he's able to get a call that fits his skills, but his defensive coordinator didn't understand how to actually use him. He's good at tracking the ball in the air and loves to hit receivers when they go over the middle to try and knock the ball loose. He sometimes gets lost for the right route to match up with when he's playing deep.
In the NFL, a team will have to protect his lack of top-end speed schematically. Matching him up with tight ends and using him as a run stuffer might be his best fit at the next level. His love of contact will help him on special teams as well. He's likely to go higher than he probably should in the fourth or fifth round, but in the end, he's more of a fifth or sixth-round depth prospect. The Falcons would be a good fit for him if he was Richie Grant's backup at strong safety.