Safety Rankings: Byrd 16th, Whitner Isn't Top 30

NFL.com senior analyst Pat Kirwan recently posted his ranking of the top safeties across the league, placing five in each "tier" of talent. No Buffalo Bill appeared until the fourth tier, where you'll find Jairus Byrd, ranked 16th overall, stating that he "Had nine interceptions two years ago as a rookie, but only one in 2010. Byrd doubled his total tackles in 2010 (89) and forced three fumbles. Kirwan also notes with a '^' that Byrd is on the rise and has room for growth.

I immediately question the legitimacy of this list when I see Louis Delmas of the Lions at number two, ahead of the likes of Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed. Nothing against Delmas, as he has shown he will be a terrific safety in the NFL, but he has yet to earn what Reed and Polamalu have. You'll find the most underrated players in tier five, where OJ Atogwe, Malcolm Jenkins, and former Bill Jim Leonhard are ranked. I personally believe that putting the three of them outside the top 20 is a farce. Additionally, there are also two players in the top six coming off of their rookie seasons, those being Earl Thomas at five and Eric Berry at six. I think it's a little early to call them top six in the NFL, but it is an opinion column.

What's even more intriguing for Bills fans is that you won't find Donte Whitner on the list of the top 30. You'll see him in the 'Keep An Eye On' section at the bottom of the article, which you can view here:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8206ee75/article/young-faces-join-reed-polamalu-among-nfls-best-safeties?module=HP_cp2

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