2022 Season Preview – Safeties

This season, the most inexperienced position group on the defensive side of the ball for Maryland will be the safeties. Nick Cross and Jordan Mosley both graduated after last year, leaving two large holes along the back line of defensive coordinator Brian Williams’ unit. The entire makeup of the position will be changing, with new safeties coach Wes Neighbors III entering his first season in College Park. For a team that struggled against deep passes last season, it’ll be crucial for whoever steps into the starting safety roles to be ready to play at a high level immediately.

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Note: Players with an asterisk (*) next to their class will have an extra year of eligibility available to them following their senior season due to COVID-19.

The Big Three (Questions)

Who are the starters?
Maryland has a number of players competing for both starting safety jobs, but smart money is likely on Dante Trader, Jr. and Beau Brade to win them. It may be a relatively fluid situation throughout the year, so watch for players like Isaiah Hazel and Glendon Miller as the season progresses.

Does Williams alter coverages to suit his personnel?
While Cross and Mosley were both most comfortable playing close to the line of scrimmage, most of the players in the safety room this season are suited for more traditional coverage roles. This may mean that we see more split-safety coverages to prevent deep passes.

How much does Williams add an extra safety?
There is some good young talent at the safety position, so it’s reasonable to think that Williams may mix in a higher percentage of dime personnel packages than we saw last season. Isaiah Hazel in particular is a player who can drop into the box or provide coverage over the slot.

Wes Neighbors III – Safeties Coach

Along with James Thomas, Jr. and Lance Thompson, Neighbors III is one of three new coaches on the defensive side of the ball for the Terrapins this season. His connection to head coach Michael Locksley dates back to his time as a defensive analyst at Alabama in 2016 and 2017. Over the last four years, he’s been a position coach at Florida Atlantic, South Florida, and Louisiana. As is typical of an assistant coach hired by Locksley, he’s known as an excellent recruiter.

Dante Trader, Jr. (Sophomore)

2022 Projection: Starter (Free)
2021 Statistics: 16 tackles (1.0 for loss), 0 INTs, 1 pass breakup

Trader, Jr. played in all but one game for Maryland as a true freshman after arriving as a 3-star recruit from the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, MD. Despite Cross and Mosley receiving the lion’s share of snaps at safety, he was able to see the field on special teams and in defensive substitution packages. He is widely considered to be an elite lacrosse player, and is expected to join John Tillman’s squad in the spring when football season is over. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s starting free safety this season.

Beau Brade (Junior*)

2022 Projection: Starter (Strong)
2021 Statistics: 14 tackles (1.5 for loss), 0 INTs, 0 pass breakups

Like Trader, Jr., Brade appeared in all but one game for the Terrapins last season. He posted four tackles in the team’s games against Penn State and Virginia Tech, with most of his playing time coming on special teams and in nickel and dime personnel packages. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s starting strong safety this season, providing a physical complement to the speedy coverage offered by Trader, Jr.

Isaiah Hazel (Senior*)

2022 Projection: Second-Team (Free)
2021 Statistics: 18 tackles (2.0 for loss), 0 INTs, 0 pass breakups

Hazel saw the field in every game for Maryland in 2021 after transitioning from wide receiver before the 2020 season. He received more playing time at defensive back in substitution packages as the year went on, even starting in the game against Minnesota. With the ability to play deep, in the box, or in the nickel, his versatility and athleticism gives Williams plenty of options when he’s on the field. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s second-string free safety this season, and he’ll likely be the team’s top option if either of their starters go down.

Glendon Miller (Redshirt Sophomore*)

2022 Projection: Second-Team (Strong)
2021 Statistics: 8 tackles (0.0 for loss), 0 INTs, 0 pass breakups

Miller appeared in all but one game for the Terrapins last year, with most of his playing time coming on special teams. His best game came against Iowa, where he recorded a career-high 4 tackles. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s second-string strong safety this season.

Gavin Gibson (Freshman)

2022 Projection: Third-Team (Free)
2021 Statistics (High School): 41 tackles (1.0 for loss), 5 INTs, 0 pass breakups

Gibson comes to College Park as a 3-star recruit from William Amos Hough High School in Cornelius, NC. 247Sports ranked him as the 80th-best safety in the country, and the 25th-best player from the state of North Carolina. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s third-string free safety this season, though he also has the ability to play cornerback.

Shane Mosley (Redshirt Sophomore*)

2022 Projection: Third-Team (Strong)
2021 Statistics: 6 tackles (0.0 for loss), 0 INTs, 0 pass breakups

Following in his brother Jordan’s footsteps, Mosley enters his third season as a safety in College Park. He played in all but one game last year, with the majority of his playing time coming on special teams. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s third-string strong safety this season.

Lavain Scruggs (Freshman)

2022 Projection: Fourth-Team (Free)
2021 Statistics (High School): N/A

Scruggs comes to College Park as a 3-star recruit from Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, MD. 247Sports ranked him as the 115th-best athlete in the country, and the 27th-best player from the state of Maryland. He played both cornerback and safety in high school, and has the ability to do both at the collegiate level. I’ve projected him to serve as the team’s fourth-string free safety this season.