Derwin James

James basically hasn't played since his 2018 rookie season, as a foot injury limited him to five games in 2019 and a meniscus tear ended his 2020 season before it started. It's tempting to knock a player in the rankings after so much missed time, but James simply seems a victim of bad luck, and if his luck turns merely to average he should re-establish himself as an All-Pro defender. If his luck turns good, he could be the best safety in the NFL, with distance. He was on the verge of that his rookie year, when he produced 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions.

There were few players more anticipated than James leading up to the 2019 season after earning All-Pro honors as a rookie, but a preseason stress fracture in his foot held him out until the final five games. Through 21 career contests, James' per-snap tackle rate puts his 1,000-snap projection to 105 stops, which incidentally was the tackle total he posted from his rookie year on 1,026 snaps. That's enough to make him a likely top-12 defensive back IDP, but the hope is that he'll provide sack and interception production like he did in his rookie year, when he made 3.5 sacks and intercepted three passes. Basically, it's reasonable to expect James to return to the production from 2018, when he was one of the top IDPs among defensive backs.

Everyone knew it made no sense when James fell to the 17th pick of last year's draft, and it looks like the Chargers lucked into a generational talent. James' rookie season couldn't have been any better, as he piled up his triple-digit tackles and noteworthy playmaking stats (3.5 sacks and three picks) while providing strong work in coverage. A foot fracture suffered in August will cost him the early part of the 2019 campaign, but the Chargers hope to get James back at some point during the regular season.

James fell to the No. 17 pick in the most recent draft, but he's one of the best safety prospects in years and will almost certainly make teams regret passing on him. At 6-2, 215, James is a high-motor defender with 4.47 speed and a 40-inch vertical. There's a three-down role up for grabs with the Chargers now that Tre Boston is gone, and it would be shocking if James didn't claim it immediately. James posted 84 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games last year for Florida State.