NFL Draft
2/28/25
5 min read
Sebastian Castro 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Iowa Hawkeyes SAF
Height: 5112 (verified)
Weight: 203lbs (verified)
Year: Sixth-Year Senior
Pro Comparison: Alohi Gilman
Scouting Overview
Iowa Hawkeyes safety Sebastian Castro lacks some of the physical appeal that would suggest he’s destined to eventually earn a starting role on an NFL defense. He’s a tough, gritty, blue-collar player who offers appeal as a run-support player and working in underneath zones against heavy personnel packages.
Castro’s athletic profile doesn’t project to playing well on the back end and taking large portions of grass. Still, he’s got the right mental makeup and pedigree to stick on a roster and make weekly contributions early in his NFL career while learning an NFL defense.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Smart defender who takes good angles and shows good play diagnosis ability
- Tough, fearless tackler with good thump in his pads who isn’t afraid to run the alley
- Capable of jarring the ball loose at the catch point thanks to the ability to sync his arrival to the football
Negatives
- Offers minimal appeal as a deep safety, even in half-field assignments
- Lacks the length and burst to close ground as a tackler in pursuit and be a surefire finisher
- An older prospect who will turn 25 years old during his rookie season in 2025
Background
Castro is from Oak Lawn, IL, and played high school football for Richards HS. There, he was a multi-time First Team All-State selection as a defensive back who played on both sides of the ball as a defensive back and quarterback. Castro, who lettered in track & field in addition to his play on the gridiron, was a 3-star recruit (247 Sports) who collected interest from Minnesota and Syracuse in addition to his offer from Iowa. Castro committed to Iowa as a member of their 2019 recruiting class.
He redshirted 2019 before any game action and played in just one game during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic season, leaving him with four seasons of eligibility after two years on campus. He played in 14 games as a reserve defender in 2021 and broke into the starting lineup in 2022 as a fourth-year sophomore.
He started eight games in 13 appearances that season before making a huge leap in 2023. Castro, as a fifth-year junior, was named Second Team All-Big Ten and AP Third Team All-American for his play. He led the team in pass breakups and interceptions.
As a senior in 2024, Castro started 12 games for Iowa and then accepted an invitation to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl to culminate his six-year college career.
Tale Of The Tape
Castro won't be mistaken for a game-changing X-factor on the backend. However, you’re getting an intelligent, tough player who will fill plenty of dirty work reps and serve as a potential “glue guy” for an NFL roster.
In the run game, he’s fast to trigger and shows good vision with play diagnosis to get into his fit and position. He is feisty taking on blocks and showcases the urgency and punch power required to pop free and uncover to continue his pursuit — although his lack of length can be a barrier to consistently separating vs. more physical and bigger blockers.
He’s a capable striker with good density through his frame. The hitting ability is apparent in head-on collisions and vertical run fits. Castro is not immune from missed tackle opportunities, however. He sports a career missed tackle rate of around 15 percent, another factor influenced by his modest length. Bigger or more shifty ball carriers can challenge his ability to wrap up consistently.
In the passing game, Castro offers a controlled cadence and good eyes. He’s predominantly a zone defender who should be relied upon for spot-dropping and occupying underneath areas of the field. His success rate as a man coverage defender is not inspiring. He feels unlikely to have the quickness, speed, or transition ability to play in space and mirror in the slot against shifty receivers.
And while he’s a dense safety, he lacks the reach to play through the body of bigger-bodied tight ends in coverage. Instead, he should be expected to thrive when rolling into the line of scrimmage to occupy hook zones or pushing to the flat from the nickel against heavy personnel sets.
His ball skills in recognizing targets should be considered sufficient. Still, he is more error-dependent in his ball production due to the limitations in his movement skills, which will challenge him to consistently undercut throws. As a special teams talent, he is well exposed to assignments.
He has just short of 350 career special teams snaps at Iowa, and those reps have mostly come on kickoff, kickoff return, and punt return. He played more than 150 special teams snaps as a rookie, and a similar assimilation to an NFL roster feels like a good bet. Castro doesn’t have standout physical traits but offers the right aggressiveness and toughness to make a team and latch on.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Castro projects as a depth safety and special teams contributor at the NFL level. His lack of length and burst can limit his tackling range.
However, his hard-nosed style of play and dense frame offer him the opportunity to earn reps on the coverage units and potentially earn an opportunity as a big nickel safety thanks to his high football IQ.
Grade: 70.50/100.00, Fifth Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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