11. Devin McCourty, New England Patriots
Versatility is going to be a trait woven throughout this piece, and the first player on this list is a prime example of what this ability means at the safety position. Bill Belichick asks a ton of his defenders, and in particular his safeties, and perhaps moreso from his veteran Devin McCourty. A former cornerback at Rutgers, McCourty can be seen lining up all over the field for the New England Patriots. You might see him down in the box helping against the run, in single coverage against receivers or even tight ends (such as Travis Kelce in some of the memorable Patriots-Chiefs games of recent history) or playing in more of your traditional single- or double-high alignments.
The “pass coverage or pass rush” debate is one that plays out yearly – if not monthly – on football twitter. While Belichick himself has stressed that the two need to work in tandem, last season’s version of the Patriots did have its strength with the coverage unit. Stephon Gilmore won accolades as the Defensive Player of the Year, but behind him McCourty certainly played a role with what he brought to the table. The veteran safety was targeted 31 times in pass coverage, allowing just 19 receptions for 130 yards and a single touchdown, along with his five interceptions. That translated to an NFL passer rating allowed of just 41.8, the best mark of his career.