DRAFT TRACKER 2026

Productive, high-effort safety with three years of starting experience in big games at Alabama and Ohio State. Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice on each snap. He’s at his best when deployed near the line as a box safety or big nickel back. He’ll gamble a little bit as a run defender, but he makes more than enough disruptive plays near the line of scrimmage to make up for it. He’s fluent in man or zone over the first two levels and is rarely fooled by play-action or misdirection. While he’s quick to close and strike underneath, there are hints of caution that prevent him from making more plays on the football. Downs isn’t the biggest, fastest or most versatile player, but he consistently puts his stamp on games.

Long, downhill safety capable of bolstering a team’s run defense and playing enforcer over the middle. McNeil-Warren is most valuable when playing near the line of scrimmage or in robber positioning. He anticipates well in coverage and is quick to close on receivers but will need to be protected by scheme to prevent speed mismatches. He’s urgent in run support and has a feel for slipping blocks/meeting runners early in the carry. He’s a rangy tackler, but needs to quiet his feet when diagnosing and flowing downhill to tackle. McNeil-Warren might be pigeon-holed schematically but he’s good at his job.

Savvy three-year starter with NFL size, speed and alignment versatility. Thieneman is an extension of his defensive coordinator, aligning and adjusting the secondary to motion and pre-snap shifts. He’s an instinctive, rangy safety who can roll down into big nickel or robber positioning. He has a good feel for play design and route concepts in zone but has average change of direction to match breaks in man. He’s not a big thumper near the line, but he rushes into the action with a relentless pursuit that should allow him to keep stacking high scores in the tackle columns. Thieneman checks important boxes for teams looking to add versatile playmakers in the secondary.

Kilgore is a big, long defensive back with nickelback or down safety value depending on scheme fit. He's played an overhang "Star" role, covering slot receivers and supporting the run, but he’ll be at his best in the pros covering tight ends and containing run games near the box. He could see split-field safety snaps if a staff trusts him on the back end, but he will be better off paired with a rangy single-high safety. Missed tackles need to be cleaned up but his wingspan, agility and play strength should keep his tackle totals high from year to year. Kilgore has the traits, ball production and versatility to counter the burgeoning tight end craze, making him a likely Day 2 pick with early starting potential.

Haulcy, aka Mr. Give Me That, is a throwback safety with a compact, densely muscled frame and a pro feel for reading the field. He’s a rare blend of ballhawk and enforcer who can scurry into passing lanes for takeaways or run through a receiver to break up a pass. His pattern recognition and instincts are top-notch and he’s decisive in his reactions. A lack of sustained top-end speed could create mismatches in man coverage. He’s more effective playing forward than he is at guarding large spaces in deeper coverages. He’s rock-steady as a finisher but sees the missed tackle total tick higher as an open-field tackler. Haulcy’s frame and game are pro-ready, though. He projects as a good NFL starter in a zone-heavy scheme.

A sixth-year senior, Clark’s traits won’t pop but his tape most certainly will. Clark is a coverage-versatile safety in a cornerback’s body with the talent to range over the top or man up on the slot. He plays with an overriding desire to do everything all at once – which produces spectacular takeaways and occasional breakdowns – but the good outweighs the bad. He triggers downhill in run support and tackles with proper technique, but a lack of size could lead to broken tackles/durability concerns. He might need time to acclimate to the speed/skill of his opponents but his instincts and ball skills give him a good chance to punish mistakes on the next level as an alignment-flexible option.

Sixth-year senior and team captain who went from walk-on to unquestioned leader of his defense. Stukes combines his infectious passion with hours of preparation that allow him to play fast. He communicates well from zone and works quickly from route to route. He has work to do in man coverage but possesses an excellent feel for disrupting catch-points at optimal angles despite a lack of ideal length. Stukes is an older prospect and has an ACL tear in his background (2024), but the football has a magnetic pull for him. Coaches will love his football character and versatility as a big nickelback or split safety.

Long and rangy, Payne is a durable 42-game starter and team captain who can play inside the box, over the slot and as a split safety. His coverage tape pops more than his run support and tackling. He reads and responds with good timing from depth and uses his length to smother the catch point in man coverage when matched inside. Payne held his own against three of the Big 12’s best receiving tight ends in 2025. He will do his job as a run defender but lacks an enforcer’s conviction and gets hung up on blocks too easily. Payne’s measurables and coverage versatility improve his chances of becoming a productive pro.

Wheatley is a long, athletic safety whose career arc shows steady development. He played with better decisiveness and route recognition from man and zone looks in 2025. He’s rangy with the ability to play over the top or close quickly to limit run-after-catch. Physicality near the line is average, but he competes and stays in the fight. His tackle radius is wide, but he needs cleaner pursuit angles and better play strength to limit missed tackles. Wheatley is still improving and should check in as a Day 2 pick with the potential to develop into a solid starter.

A productive, fifth-year safety prospect, Thomas is wired to play forward and race into the action wherever it is present. He overflows pursuit and has too many missed or broken tackles on his stat sheet, but his impact against the run is a net positive. He has good ball production but is fairly average in coverage. He can be way too quick to overlap or bite on bait, which allows receivers to get behind him from single-high and split-safety alignments. Thomas has the potential to develop into a starter as a likely middle-round pick.

Versatile safety prospect with solid size. Ramsey saw a heavier workload at nickelback in 2025 after splitting time at all three safety spots in 2024. He plays with average eyes in space and good break anticipation when matched up in man. He was adequate covering the slot in college but might not have enough short-area burst and athleticism to do the same in the pros. He needs to close downhill in run support with greater urgency when playing from depth. His tackle-finishing saw a massive improvement in 2025, but with multiple games missed in consecutive seasons, Ramsey’s draft stock could take a hit due to durability concerns.

Compact, ballhawking safety prospect with alignment versatility. Fitzgerald’s consistency of execution is quite different in coverage versus run support. In coverage, he is assignment-oriented, displaying an adequate mix of route balance and response quickness. He’s clear-eyed to recognize takeaway opportunities and has the ball skills to flip the field. He can match underneath but might not have the speed to stay in-phase if the route travels deep. As a run defender, Fitzgerald plays with urgency but issues diagnosing the play and suspect pursuit angles have led to chunk runs, creating an imbalance that affects his draft grade.

Spears-Jennings is a two-year starter with NFL traits. He has the size and toughness of a pro safety. He’s quick to dive in and fill the run near the line. He’s a sound tackler once he’s lined up but inconsistent tracking angles and a lack of body control cause him to mistime his target. He has plus coverage tools but lacks feel in man coverage and suffers from a lack of awareness playing from depth. The traits and special-teams talent should buy him time to prove himself a competent backup playing near the line.

Smith offers ballhawking coverage qualities but has alarming issues as an open-field tackler. He’s instinctive, with the eyes to digest route development while reading the quarterback like a poker player looking for tells. He has average top-end speed but good route recognition and premium ball skills. Smith is a low-impact run defender and open-field tackler, though. There are too many times he either whiffs or has a tackle broken, allowing a much longer gain. His run defense won’t appeal to some teams, but his ability to read the field and make plays on the football will entice other squads looking for a safety on Day 3.

Johnson might be a little light in the measurables department, but his play is tough, twitchy and instinctive. He excels playing in short-zone coverage. He has the athletic ability for man coverage near the line and is quick to read/react to throws in front of him. He’s not an ideal fit as a deep-zone defender, though. Johnson could struggle against vertical speed and big slot receivers in man coverage. He can be swallowed by big blockers as a down safety but has the ability to pile up tackles if they don’t get to him first. Johnson is a Day 3 value as a backup nickelback/safety hybrid with core special-teams talent.

Moses burst onto the scene with a strong 2024, but his 2025 production was even better. He’s squatty and short-limbed, but he plays with good instincts and quick response times. He’s twitchy to close quickly on catch targets and run fits with fluid change of direction to adjust angles as a tackler. He has adequate range on the back end but taller receivers can play over his head and he lacks the tackle radius for consistent open-field stops when playing deep. Kick coverage boosts his draft value, and sliding into a full-time zone nickelback role could be his best pro fit.

Long safety prospect with intriguing man-cover talent against “F” tight ends, which could earn him a longer look from NFL scouts. Thomas moves around the field like a big cornerback, utilizing good short-area quickness and smooth transitions in coverage. He’s capable in some split-safety looks and is impressive when asked to press pass-catching tight ends working from the slot. Thomas’ tackling must improve, but his special-teams value and coverage potential might earn him a roster spot.

Three-year starting split-field safety with adequate size but deficient speed. Huskey piled up interceptions, showing his ball skills and instincts. However, he’s slow to accelerate from transitions and lacks quality make-up speed, so receivers can get open and stay open when he’s forced to match them. He’s not a thumper but does his job near the line of scrimmage as a run defender. Huskey’s ball production and willingness in run support will be counter-balanced by his lack of speed/short-area quickness in coverage. A back-end roster spot could be his ceiling.

Gushiken is extremely fast with above-average balance and change-of-direction quickness in man coverage. He can stay relatively sticky to routes at all three levels. He does lose track of the clues quarterbacks provide at times, which helps explain his average ball production relative to his athletic ability. He’s compact, tough and willing in run support but will still give way to size on occasion. Overall, Gushiken is scheme-diverse as a nickelback. He has enough cover talent and special-teams value to compete for a roster spot.

Fifth-year senior who has played in 53 games with 36 starts. Taaffe has a good feel for play design and is assignment-oriented. He’s quick to read and trigger downhill to contest short routes from split safety and robber looks. However, he lacks range to play over the top and speed to carry vertical threats downfield. His run-support angles improved in 2025, but he’s undersized and still falls short as an open-field tackler. Taaffe’s football IQ and special-teams value might need to do the heavy lifting to overcome average traits and athleticism.

Singleton is a big, long safety best suited for condensed spaces. He sees the field with clear eyes in zone and is assignment-oriented when matching up on tight ends. He isn’t quick enough to stay in phase with NFL wideouts and lacks the instincts/closing burst to consistently finish on the football from depth. It makes sense to play him near the line in run support, as his downhill pursuit angles are often frenetic and come at too high a risk. Special-teams value could be the key to him making a roster as a fourth safety.

Big safety whose best football will be played around the line of scrimmage. Wisniewski is most effective as a run defender near the line, where his physicality and attention to detail as a tackler benefits him. He’s an average athlete, which shows up when he’s forced to transition laterally in coverage or shadow runners that bounce runs wide and outrace him to the corner. His coverage limitations are evident, but his size and ability to play on kick/punt cover teams give him a chance to compete for a roster spot.

Nwokobia is a down safety with nickelback potential. He’s coming off left shoulder surgery, which prevented him from testing at his pro day. He can handle some man coverage underneath and is opportunistic from zone coverages. He lacks ideal cover talent and range for extended man coverage or single-high asks, though. He’s an adequate run supporter and tackler near the line but needs to improve his finishing rate on receivers after the catch. Nwokobia might not be drafted, but he has the ability to compete for a practice squad spot.

When healthy, Catalon has been an impactful starter, but he's a seventh-year senior with an extensive injury history. He plays with physicality near the line and is an imposing hitter. He shows good field awareness and ball skills but lacks vertical speed and ideal length. Special-teams cover talent gives him a boost but his age and injury history could be stumbling blocks.

Styles has made improvements during his transition from receiver to defensive back over the last three seasons. However, tight hips and a lack of route recognition are a double whammy that slows his departure and limits ball production in man. He appears alert and responsive from short zone and plays with good leverage, which could be something to build on. Styles needs to become a bigger factor in run support, though. His cover talent on special teams could buy him some time, but making a practice squad might be the most reasonable goal at this juncture.

Instinctive safety prospect with impressive interception production in 2025. Moore reads his keys and plays with good discipline for proper positioning as a split-field safety. He shades coverage according to the quarterback’s eyes and has above-average ball skills when contesting. He’s an average athlete, lacking agility and speed, and struggles matching receivers. He will face major obstacles in pursuing and tackling NFL runners in the open field. Moore plays with heavy pads and his football IQ is a plus, but his athletic deficiencies could be tough to overcome.

Down safety with ideal size, length and athleticism. Nwankpa checks physical and athletic boxes but is missing a standout element in his play. A lack of play recognition and instincts make him a reactive defender in coverage. He’s unable to close quickly enough to make plays on the ball. As a run defender, poor pursuit angles and inconsistencies with tackle execution will be concerning for NFL evaluators. His traits and special-teams potential will help, but Nwankpa faces an uphill battle to make a roster.

Brown is well-built and features good play strength. He’s an explosive athlete, but he’s missing the desired instincts in coverage, which might explain his lack of ball production. He has good top-end speed and range from the hash. He’s a physical striker and can be a full-stop tackler, but inconsistent angles to the ball turn into missteps that lead to explosive plays. His size, athletic profile and potential on special teams give him a chance to compete for a roster spot.

Free safety or zone nickelback who showed impressive instincts/ball skills on tape but tested poorly at his pro day. Dunnam displays good anticipation and recognition of play design both pre- and post-snap. He can break simultaneously with wideouts and close on intended targets before the quarterback starts his throwing motion. He lacks top-end speed and is missing size/consistency as a run defender/open-field tackler. Dunnam will need to prove himself as a functional zone defender to compete for a roster spot.

Stroman is an aggressive player who might need to star on special teams to make a squad. He can handle some man coverage but struggles on the back end, where technique and route recognition are not his strong suits. He needs to play with more patience on downhill run fills but he strikes ball-carriers with force. He fits as a “robber” where he can play forward against short throws and race in against the run. He has immediate special teams value and elements of his game on defense might be worth continued development.

Williams has good size and his on-ball production carried over from a smaller school into the SEC. He lacks functional speed and athleticism as a coverage option in space, so he will be limited to zone coverages in the pros. He’s fearless as a run defender but still needs work in his approach as a tackler. Williams’ kick-coverage production helps, but the athletic profile might not be enough for him to stick on a roster.