Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft — held April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wis. — senior safety Jonas Sanker has garnered the attention of NFL scouts. A two-time All-ACC selection, Sanker has been an outstanding presence and differentiated himself from an otherwise lackluster Virginia defense. However, every player in the NFL was a college standout, so how does Sanker’s talent project to the league?
Safeties, generally speaking, are not as highly valued as other more “premium” positions such as cornerbacks. Over the past five years, teams have managed to draft impactful safeties in rounds three, four and five. Quality players like Kerby Joseph and Talanoa Hufanga have been selected in the middle rounds. Sanker is talented, of course, but he will very likely become part of that trend of safeties being drafted a bit later than other positions.
Sanker is expected to be the only Cavalier drafted, but if this does happen, it will be a momentous occasion for Coach Tony Elliott’s program.
Sanker’s Playstyle and NFL Comparison
Sanker’s appeal lies in his versatility. In coverage, he can roam in centerfield, cap a deep half or lurk in the intermediate middle as a robber. Virginia defensive coordinator John Rudzinsky entrusted the cerebral Sanker to execute, regardless of positioning.
While the rest of the Cavalier defense was outpaced by soon-to-be NFL running backs Omarion Hampton and Byshul Tuten, from North Carolina and Virginia Tech, respectively, Sanker displayed the confidence and athleticism to compete with the two. In ACC play, Sanker demonstrated his elite athleticism — which was further reinforced in pre-draft tests.
At the NFL combine, Sanker’s athletic profile was quantified where he ran an impressive 4.48 time in the 40-yard dash with a blistering 10-yard split of 1.51 seconds — tying for the third fastest for any safety at the combine.
Athleticism aside, critics of Sanker will balk at his lack of ball production. Sanker only recorded two interceptions in 43 games played with Virginia. In that respect, he ranks behind just about every other major safety prospect in the draft with the exception of Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr. In Sanker’s defense, though, it’s a great deal easier to nab interceptions against quarterbacks who are pressured or throwing to tightly covered receivers. Sanker’s fellow Cavaliers did not force a great deal of ill-advised passes or deflections.
If Sanker maxes out his potential, he could become a player like Justin Reid — who has carved out a productive NFL career. Reid has been a fantastic piece for the Chiefs and is set to have made $70 million by the end of his most recently signed contract. Again, that would likely be the best best-case scenario for Sanker, and that’s not too shabby.
Sanker and Reid share comparable playstyles — both are very sure tacklers with strong or free safety versatility. The two also have a nearly identical frame — both roughly six feet tall, around 206 pounds, with similar hand size and wingspan.
If Sanker becomes a Reid-esque chess piece, he can carve out a lengthy and productive NFL career.
Sanker’s Value
Sanker is a tad buried in a talented safety class headlined by College Football Playoff participants who got to showcase their skills on huge stages against elite competition. These prospects’ big-game experience could be the tiebreaker for some organizations that place value on the quality of competition.
For example, take Xavier Watts of Notre Dame and Andrew Mukuba of Texas. Both safeties participated in postseason football and benefited from talented teammates who, in turn, made their jobs easier. Truthfully, Sanker has had to overcome a Virginia defense that did not feature any intimidating pass rushers or star cornerbacks.
Additionally, opposing offenses were easily able to just avoid Sanker — and instead pick on the Cavaliers who struggled. With this context in mind, Sanker is being undervalued in the pre-draft process.
Currently, Sanker’s value is appraised by ESPN, CBS and Pro Football Focus as roughly a high fourth-round pick. ESPN and PFF rank Sanker as the seventh-best safety in the class while CBS slots him one spot higher as the sixth-best safety. Considering that 11 safeties were selected in the first four rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, it seems a safe bet that Sanker will hear his name called early on day three.
That said, it wouldn't be a shock if Sanker ended up getting selected on day two. His draft stock has been on a consistent rise since the process began, dating back to the Senior Bowl. His stellar pre-draft tour culminated in a gushing endorsement from prominent draft analyst Todd McShay. “When the play is in front of him his eyes are so damn fast,” McShay said on the Ringer’s The McShay Show. McShay also cited multiple league sources who were impressed with Sanker’s emotional makeup. It seems the more exposure Sanker receives the more teams like him. That’s a good sign and an indicator that Jonas might not be so much of a sleeper.
Potential Landing Spots
His extensive experience in split-safety, quarters-type looks will be highly prioritized as teams around the league look to replicate the success of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Integral to the success of this scheme, masterminded by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, are smart safeties who can quickly diagnose route concepts and trigger downhill to limit explosives of underneath plays. Sanker, it seems, is perfectly suited for this playstyle.
The Eagles parted ways with starting strong safety C.J. Gardner Johnson in the offseason, ostensibly opening up a position for Sanker. 2023 third-round pick Sydney Brown is slated to be the starter, but Philadelphia might consider drafting Sanker as a depth piece.
Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero comes from the Fangio coaching tree and runs a similar defense to Philadelphia’s. Carolina just splurged on safety Trevon Moehrig in free agency, but they’re a team to watch in the Sanker sweepstakes.
For a clearer path to the field, the Washington Commanders jump out as a possibility. The team spent a second-round pick on Quan Martin in last year’s draft and got mixed results. Martin was shaky in coverage which might make the organization nervous as the team prepares to attack their Super Bowl window. The Commanders also brought in Will Harris in free agency on a bargain-rack two-year eight million dollar deal. Sanker’s versatility would provide a nice back end of the defense.
With a wealth of experience, a high-end athletic profile, ample professional scheme fits and gushing accounts from his coaches, Sanker checks every box a team could ask for. His relatively limited ball production and lack of a powerhouse program will depress his stock a bit, but Sanker is positioned for a prosperous NFL career.
Sanker’s success, of course, reflects well on Elliott and Virginia. As more and more Cavaliers reach the professional ranks, Elliott can point to those stars as evidence of a developing program. As one of Charlottesville’s own begins his professional career, the Virginia faithful can look on to the future with a sense of pride — admiring a great Cavalier representing his college well.
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