2024 NFL Draft prospect profile: Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State

Can Hicks replace Xavier McKinney?

The 2024 NFL Draft is a deep and talented one at a variety of positions. This year’s safety class, however, isn’t particularly highly regarded.

That doesn’t mean that this year doesn’t have any good safeties, but it doesn’t have the stand-out stars that some of the other position groups boast. That could push some of the better prospects down draft boards.

Washington State safety Jaden Hicks has an intriguing blend of size, athleticism, and versatility. He might not be a star ballhawking free safety, but he has the ability to help a defense in a variety of ways.

That could be good news for the New York Giants, who have a hole in their secondary after losing Xavier McKinney to free agency. Could Hicks be a good value pick for Shane Bowen’s defense?

Prospect: Jaden Hicks (25)
Games Watched: vs. Wisconsin (2023), vs. Oregon State (2023), vs. Arizona (2023), vs. Washington (2023)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football

Strengths

• Size
• Football IQ
• Closing
• Burst
• Run defense

Hicks is a big, imposing, athletic, competitive, and smart safety prospect.

Hicks has great size for the position at nearly 6-foot-2 (he measured 6-foot 1 ⅞ inches at the Combine), 211 pounds, with 31 ½ inch arms and he ran a 4.5-second 40 yard dash. That size allows Hicks to play close to the line of scrimmage as a strong safety or pseudo linebacker. His speed and quick feet (as evidenced by his strong 3-cone drill) allow him to play in deeper coverage shells as well. He was frequently used in both roles in Washington State’s defense and appears to be comfortable near the line of scrimmage as well as playing a Cover 2 or Cover 3 safety role.

Hicks is a smart safety who’s an active communicator both before and after the snap. He also processes the offense very quickly – particularly on outside zone runs – and has a very quick downhill trigger. He isn’t often fooled by misdirection and when he is fooled, it isn’t for long. Hicks has a quick downhill trigger and generally flies to the ball once he diagnoses the play.

He is also a very physical safety who plays up to his size. Hicks is a very willing run defender who isn’t afraid to lay hits on offensive players. He isn’t reckless, but does tend to arrive with bad intentions and get the ball carrier on the ground. That physicality, as well as his length and closing burst, make Hicks disruptive at the catch point, as well as a (generally) reliable tackler.

Hicks wasn’t used as a blitzer often, but he did show good timing and speed into the backfield the few times he blitzed in the tape viewed.

Weaknesses

• Range
• Man coverage

Hicks is a good athlete for his size, however he’s lacking in a couple areas that impact his game in several ways. Most notably, he has stiff hips and merely average long speed.

Hicks’ speed is solid for most safety roles at the NFL level. However, his timed speed largely comes from his initial burst and he can slow over a distance. That limits his range and could keep him from being a good fit as a single high safety in the NFL. It could also limit his ability to blitz from deeper alignments or to come downhill in the run game from deeper coverage shells.

Game Tape

(Hicks is Wisconsin safety number 25)

Projection

Jaden Hicks projects as an important rotational safety with starting upside in the right situation.

Some teams may look at Hicks as more of a “big nickel” safety who comes on to replace a linebacker in certain packages. However, teams that run primarily zone defenses (such as Cover 2, Cover 3, Cover 4, or hybrid schemes like Cover 6) could view Hicks as a potential starter. He has the ability to play free or strong safety in those shells, though he might be best closer to the line of scrimmage. That would allow him to maximize the play speed afforded to him by his instincts and burst, while also using his size and physicality to have an impact in the run game.

Does he fit the Giants?
He should fit the Giants’ new defensive scheme

Final Word: A third round value