6 safeties the Vikings could select in the 2021 NFL Draft

Hamsah Nasirildeen (Florida State)

Measurements:

• Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 213 pounds

2020 Stats (only two games):

• 13 tackles
• 1 interception

A knee injury to end his 2019 season carried over into Hamsah Nasirildeen’s final year at Florida State, limiting him to just two games in 2020. Nasirildeen had an interesting four years with the Seminoles thanks to coaching departures and a lot of people coming in and out of the program. Stability was never part of the equation, except from Namsah himself.

He was an instant game-changer once he entered the starting lineup in 2018 and he earned a lot of praise by the end of his junior season. He was expected to leave for the NFL until his injury at the end of 2019, but that dream definitely did not die.

In the two seasons that Nasirildeen was on the field full-time (2018 and 2019), he posted a total of 192 tackles, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. He also added five pass deflections and a sack in that span.

Nasirildeen has plenty of size and length in the secondary and he loves to attack in the run game when he can. His high tackle totals are evidence of his impact in space, which was the first thing I noticed on film. The kid can flat out get to the ball whenever he wants to, and you cannot teach that.

He may not serve as just a safety and that’s a good thing for his projection at the next level. He can match up on linebackers in coverage while also being a box safety that will help the run game, which we all know was a big concern for the Vikings last season.

His fit with the Vikings is a bit more complicated with Anthony Barr returning and Harrison Smith playing that lower box role, but Nasirildeen can still be a big piece for Mike Zimmer. If he survives to the third or fourth rounds, the Vikings should be all-in on his talent alone.