A position made great by the likes of Ed Reed, Ronnie Lott and Brian Dawkins, the single-high safety is an easy role to play in theory, yet few possess all the physical gifts it takes to play it well. A dominant single-high safety possesses the range, a high football IQ and next-level instincts, and he will have the ability to cover the field in an instant.
It has indeed been those next-level instincts and that ability in coverage that has separated Thomas from the pack over recent seasons. Since joining the Seahawks with the 14th overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, Earl Thomas’ work in Seattle has put him among the very best to ever play the position.