S, Oregon
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 196 lbs
Class: Junior
Holland was a four star recruit back in 2017, playing safety for the Ducks as a true freshman. In 2019 he switched almost exclusively to slot corner, before opting out of the 2020 season. He was a consistently impressive performer throughout his college career, although his absence in 2020 has seen others overtake him in my 2021 safety rankings.
You can read more of my 2021 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
The trait most important to the safety position is instincts and the ability to read the game well. Holland is one of the quickest processors in this year’s class and showcases excellent football intelligence. He has a good feel for route combinations and rarely gets fooled by play action or misdirection. He is a reliable presence on the back end and his intelligence will translate well to the NFL.
Holland has been consistently excellent in coverage throughout his college career. He has posted back-to-back 80+ PFF coverage grades and has allowed a passer rating of just 61.1 across his 104 career targets. This is even more impressive when accounting for his switch from safety to slot corner. Holland has established a reputation as a ball hawk too, contributing 20 forced incompletions across his two seasons.
Another of his best traits is his tackling. This was a noticeable improvement to his game from his freshman to sophomore years and in 2019 he missed just nine tackles on 80 attempts. Holland takes good pursuit angles that put him in place to succeed and displays good tackling form. Whilst he isn’t the hardest hitter, he will wrap up his opponent almost every time.
When it comes to measurables, Holland possesses the size and length to play the position in the NFL. Whilst he’s not going to be a hard hitting box safety, he has the kind of build that will translate to a deep role. His length is excellent too and he knows how to use it to his advantage against the run. Holland is one of the best safeties when it comes to getting off blocks in the running game and making the play.
Weaknesses
The biggest concern with Holland is his athleticism. He’s not an elite athlete by any stretch of the imagination and this could cause problems when translating to the NFL. He has some stiffness to his hips and isn’t the most fluid player when being asked to cover in space. His long speed is sufficient, but he’s not particularly quick for a defensive back.
One of Holland’s biggest selling points in college has been his versatility. He has made a name for himself through playing single high, deep safety, slot corner, and in the box to a high level. This might not translate to the next level as a result of his average athletic profile. Teams will not want Holland matching up in man coverage with quicker slot receivers and he hasn’t got the build to cut it as a box safety either.
Bottom Line
Holland is a solid college safety with the instincts and ball skills to succeed at the next level. His lack of athleticism will be a concern and he could struggle to continue with his slot/deep safety hybrid role. That said, he projects as a quality deep safety, with the tackling skills and coverage ability to provide a reliable presence on the back end.
Big Board Rank: #54
Positional Rank: #5
