- Caleb Downs is at the top once again: The Ohio State star is PFF’s top returning safety for the second year in a row.
- A true sophomore rounds out the top two: Minnesota’s Koi Perich comes in at No. 2 after an incredible freshman campaign.
Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
With the 2024 college football season in the books, it’s time to turn our attention to 2025 by ranking the top returning players at every position.
The safeties end this series. While many star safeties departed for the 2025 NFL Draft, the nation’s best is back for another year. Behind Ohio State’s Caleb Downs are many talented players, including several top 2026 NFL Draft prospects.
Below are PFF’s top 10 returning safeties in college football, in addition to an honorable mention nominee. Please note that NFL projection was not taken into account in these rankings.
Click below to view our other position rankings
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | DI | EDGE | LB | CB
1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs is the top returning player at his position for the second year in a row, joining an exclusive list of players.
Top Returning Players at Their Position for Multiple Years in PFF’s Rankings
| Name | Position | School | Seasons |
| Trevor Lawrence | QB | Clemson | 2019, 2020 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. | CB | LSU | 2020, 2021 |
| Brock Bowers | TE | Georgia | 2023, 2024 |
| Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State | 2024, 2025 |
Lawrence, Stingley and Bowers went on to become top-15 NFL draft picks, an achievement Downs seems poised to accomplish next April. He projects as the top player in the 2026 NFL Draft right now.
Downs, who transferred from Alabama last offseason, has been the most valuable safety in college football over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. His 91.7 PFF overall grade in that span ranks second among FBS safeties, while his 91.2 PFF coverage grade places third. Downs is also a fantastic run defender, leading all players on this list with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 PFF run-defense grade since 2023.
The 20-year-old can thrive at free safety, slot cornerback and in the box, and he’s a dynamic punt returner, as well.
CALEB DOWNS PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWN💨
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 23, 2024
2. Koi Perich, Minnesota
The Golden Gophers lost Tyler Nubin, one of college football’s best safeties, to the NFL and immediately found a viable replacement in Perich. The true freshman’s five interceptions this past season trailed only Xavier Watts among FBS safeties. His 88.9 PFF overall grade ranked seventh, and he was one of only seven safeties in college football who earned 80.0-plus grades both in coverage and run defense.
Like Downs, Perich doubles as a dangerous return man and is athletic enough to win at free safety while also being physical enough to succeed in the box.
Highest-Graded Safeties in College Football | 2024
3. Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
The only transfer on this list, Thieneman didn’t excel as a sophomore at Purdue in the same way he did as a freshman. He posted just a 72.4 PFF overall grade after earning an 89.5 mark in 2023. Much of that can be attributed to the Boilermakers lining him up at free safety far less, a role he excels in with his elite speed and ball skills.
Dillon Thieneman’s snaps at free safety by year
| Year | Rate of Snaps at Free Safety |
| 2023 | 86.4% |
| 2024 | 57.0% |
Thieneman’s 89.4 PFF overall grade since 2023 ranks fourth among returning FBS safeties, and he boasts 80.0-plus PFF grades in coverage and run defense over that span. He is arguably the best center fielder in college football, as well as one of the best overall athletes. Head coach Dan Lanning should have a lot of fun incorporating Thieneman’s range into his defense.
Dillon Thieneman is my favorite transfer portal player that I’ve watched pic.twitter.com/FCXKDwjiUM
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) December 10, 2024
4. Michael Taaffe, Texas
Taaffe began his career as a walk-on with the Longhorns before ramping up into one of the best safeties in college football. He was the sport’s fourth-most-valuable safety last year, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, and trailed only Ohio State’s Caleb Downs among returning safeties. Taaffe has five interceptions and 11 forced incompletions over the past two seasons, top-25 marks among FBS safeties.
Taaffe is at his best when playing free safety for Texas, where his football IQ and range can truly shine.
Longhorn nation…🤘 pic.twitter.com/U8Go2jk0WH
— Michael Taaffe (@MichaelTaaffe4) January 15, 2025
5. KJ Bolden, Georgia
The Bulldogs may have just lost superstar safety Malaki Starks, but they have another waiting in the wings. Bolden was a top-15 overall recruit and the No. 1 safety in the 2024 class, and he immediately showed why in his freshman season.
Bolden finished this past season as the eighth-most-valuable returning Power Four safety, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. His 13 coverage stops tied for the fifth most among all safeties in college football. He has great speed for the position and is a strong tackler despite weighing only 185 pounds.
True FR KJ Bolden makes a very nice open field tackle pic.twitter.com/e52CGLI6Ie
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) August 31, 2024
6. Bray Hubbard, Alabama
Hubbard played just four defensive snaps in his true freshman season in 2023, instead contributing to the Crimson Tide’s special teams unit. He became a starter as a sophomore and ranked sixth at the position in college football in both PFF overall grade (89.2) and PFF coverage grade (89.7). His 21.3 passer rating when targeted was the fifth-best mark among FBS safeties, too.
Hubbard is an incredibly versatile player. His PFF coverage grades at free safety, at slot cornerback and in the box each placed in the 91st percentile or better.
Bray Hubbard : 7 tackles & an INT
Malachi Moore : 4 tackles & an INT
Qua Russaw : 1 tackle & an INT pic.twitter.com/3rBVopDyp4— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) October 27, 2024
7. Terry Moore, Duke
Moore was phenomenal in his junior season, leading all Power Four safeties with a 90.1 PFF overall grade. His four interceptions were tied for the fifth most among that group, and he also earned an impressive 81.7 PFF run-defense grade.
Moore has a silky smooth backpedal and flips his hips very well in coverage. That allows him to read quarterbacks’ eyes and break on the football at a high level.
Highest-Graded Power Four Safeties in College Football | 2024
8. Rod Moore, Michigan
Moore didn’t play a single snap this past season after tearing his ACL in practice last March. However, he still deserves a place on this list for his prior body of work.
Across 2022 and 2023, Moore was the second-most-valuable returning FBS safety, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. He earned an 85.5 PFF overall grade and picked off six passes in that span. Moore is a high-IQ player who will be a key piece of Michigan’s backend.
ROD MOORE CALLED GAME
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 25, 2023
9. Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU
Nwokobia has been dominant over the past two seasons, recording the best PFF overall grade (91.8) of any safety in college football. He’s one of four FBS safeties in that span who earned 85.0-plus grades both in coverage and as a run defender. The redshirt senior’s seven interceptions in that span are tied for the most of any returning safety.
Nwokobia is a smart player with good instincts and ball skills, and offenses must account for him on every snap.
#AGTG 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/USlw0cnuDL
— Isaiah Nwokobia (@it_zaay) January 12, 2025
10. Bud Clark, TCU
Clark disappointed in 2023, posting just a 56.9 PFF overall grade. He bounced back in a major way in his fifth season, leading all safeties in college football with a 90.1 PFF coverage grade. He picked off three passes in 2024 while allowing only a 42.8 passer rating when targeted. Only Caleb Downs and Michael Taaffe were more valuable this past year among Power Four safeties, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric.
Clark has excellent ball skills and has majorly improved as a tackler, missing just 7.7% of his attempts in 2024.
Great break on the ball by Bud Clark for the pick six pic.twitter.com/trjpJtSzXq
— Joe Broback (@joebroback) December 31, 2022
Honorable Mention: Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
After placing sixth on this list last year, Nwankpa largely had a junior season to forget, garnering just a 71.0 PFF overall grade. As a true sophomore the year before, he was the most valuable safety in college football, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, while tying for fourth among Power Four safeties with an 88.4 PFF coverage grade.
Nwankpa has the talent to rejoin the top 10 if he can bounce back as a senior.
XAVIER NWANKPA GRABS THE PICK FOR IOWA pic.twitter.com/AHXhJ3zbB9
— Lukas (@LukasAGS) September 2, 2023
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