Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
On Friday, defensive back prospects and NFL Draft hopefuls got their opportunity to put their athletic abilities on full display at the NFL Combine. The New Orleans Saints could potentially be in position to invest at corner or safety in the draft, with a focus on versatile players.
There’s a chance that the team loses nickel corner Alontae Taylor, who manned the Jack-of-all-trades “STAR” role in the Saints’ defensive system.
With that potential departure in mind, these five versatile defensive backs caught eyes as potential draft fits in Indianapolis, one of whom doing so without even taking the field.
Miami CB Keionte Scott
Although Scott didn’t participate in on-field workouts, his interview shed light on why he would be a perfect fit in the Saints’ defense. He’ll be a 25-year-old rookie and every bit of that maturity was present at the podium. One standout moment came from when he explained the STAR role he played in Miami, drawing an easy line from the Hurricanes’ defense to that of Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
“It’s a very unique position,” he said. “At times, you’ve got to be a defensive end, got to be a linebacker, got to be a safety, got to be a corner. I think it’s just the ability to be a Swiss Army knife and be able to be multiple and also thrive at it. I feel like it’s the key to defenses at times.”
Scott was already impressive during the 2025 season, loading up the stat sheet with incredible production. He amassed 64 combined tackles, 13 for a loss, five sacks, a pair of interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), five passes defended, two fumbles forced and two recovered.
TCU S Bud Clark
The TCU safety ran one of the cleanest gauntlet drills for a defensive back, further emphasizing his versatile skill set. With 15 interceptions over the last four seasons, Clark was college football’s leader in interceptions since 2022. His ball skills are among the best in this year’s class.
Bud Clark gauntlet pic.twitter.com/O5r0aFI8sP
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 27, 2026
His 6-foot, 188-pound frame, 4.41 speed and explosive movement ability along with his talents at the catch point make him a versatile piece to watch in April.
Ohio State S Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Likely to skyrocket up boards after clocking an eye-popping 4.27 40-yard dash, Styles was one of the stories of the day. But the reason for his fit in New Orleans is hardly because of his straight-line speed. Should Styles still be available in Day Three, he’s a strong investment opportunity for a team with time to develop him. While not a strong contender to replace anyone on defense right away, the former wide receiver has shown a lot of promise in his transition to defense.
He’s played the majority of his snaps at Ohio State in the slot while having some experience dropping back deep, as well. His 39-inch vertical also displayed the explosiveness he has in his game.
Where his speed really could catch the eyes of Saints scouts will be as a return specialist. It’s a role that he found success in during the 2024 season. Additionally, his quickness could be valuable as a gunner in point coverage.
Former Notre Dame receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr. had Ohio State’s first kick return touchdown in 15 years last night.
Always liked covering Styles in South Bend. Just didn’t work out for him at ND. It happens. Cool to see him have this moment at OSU. pic.twitter.com/CUhT7lZf0Y
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) November 16, 2025
Indiana CB D’Angelo Ponds
He’ll likely be looked at as a slot corner at the next level because of his 5-foot-8, 183-pound frame, but that’s not to diminish his ability to hold the boundary in college. Ponds is a competitive, athletic and fiery player that could be an underrated addition to a defense. He brings some important intangibles including leadership and experience in the Indiana culture under head coach Curt Cignetti.
Ponds didn’t run the 40-yard dash despite widely being expected to run in the 4.2-second range. However, he did show off his impressive leaping ability, notching a 43.5-inch vertical leap.
His capabilities as a strong jumper allowed him to pile up nine pass breakups in 2025, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). He is T-No. 5 among this year’s class of corners.
South Carolina CB Jalon Kilgore
Tied with Ponds in pass breakups in 2025, Kilgore is another slot option at the next level, but with ample experience in the role. He has taken more than 300 slot snaps in the last three years with a career total of 1,382 snaps in the role.
Kilgore stood out during workouts coming in with an impressive 9.97 unofficial RAS before agility testing was done. Kilgore’s 4.4-second 40 time, 37-inch vertical and 10-foot-10 broad jump all showcased his explosive and speedy skill set.
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