- Caleb Downs projects as a special safety prospect: The Ohio State star currently looks like the best overall prospect in the 2026 draft and could become the highest-drafted safety ever.
- Dillon Thieneman looking for a bounceback: The former Purdue safety is looking for a fresh start at Oregon and will try to become a first-round pick in the 2026 class.
- Get a head start on the 2026 class: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
Safety is not usually a position that’s taken very highly in the draft. In fact, a safety has never been taken within the first four picks of a class and only two have ever gone in the top five.
That could change in 2026 due to a potentially generational prospect in Caleb Downs.
Here are 10 safeties to know as we enter summer scouting for the 2026 NFL Draft. Please note that this is simply a list of players to watch, not a ranking of the top safeties in the draft.
Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Sean Taylor and Eric Berry were the highest-drafted safeties ever, each going No. 5 overall in their respective drafts. Downs is poised to either match or exceed that draft position as he currently projects as the best prospect in the 2026 class. After transferring from Alabama last offseason, he 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 grade in that span is second among all FBS safetie,s while his 91.2 coverage grade is third. Downs is also a fantastic run defender, leading all players on this list with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023.
Downs is an incredibly versatile player who can thrive at free safety, slot corner or in the box. Not to mention, he’s a dynamic punt returner as well.
Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Thieneman’s sophomore season at Purdue wasn’t nearly as good as his freshman year. He posted just a 72.4 PFF grade after earning an 89.5 grade in 2023. Much of that can be attributed to the Boilermakers lining him up at free safety far less, a role he excels at with his elite speed and ball skills.
Dillon Thieneman’s snaps at free safety by year:
| Year | Percentage of snaps at free safety |
| 2023 | 86.4% |
| 2024 | 57% |
His 89.4 PFF grade since 2023 is still fourth among returning FBS safeties, and he has 80.0-plus grades in coverage and run defense in that span. Thieneman’s arguably the best centerfielder in college football and is one of the best athletes in the nation as well. Dan Lanning should have a lot of fun incorporating his range into his defense.
Michael Taaffe, Texas
Taaffe began his career as a walk-on with the Longhorns and has become one of the best safeties in America. He was the fourth-most valuable safety in the nation last year, according to our WAA metric and trailed only Downs among returning safeties. He has five interceptions and 11 forced incompletions over the last two seasons, each a top-25 mark among all safeties in the FBS.
Taaffe is at his best playing free safety for Texas, where his football intelligence and range can truly shine.
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 was sixth among all safeties in the country in both overall grade (89.2) and coverage grade (89.7). His 21.3 passer rating when targeted was the fifth-best mark among FBS safeties as well.
Hubbard is an incredibly versatile player in Alabama’s defense. His coverage grades at free safety, at slot corner and in the box were each in the 91st percentile or better.
Terry Moore, Duke
Moore was phenomenal in his junior season, leading all Power Four safeties with a 90.1 PFF grade. His four interceptions were tied for fifth among that same group while also earning an impressive 81.7 run-defense grade.
Moore has a silky smooth back-pedal and flips his hips very well in coverage. That allows him to read quarterbacks’ eyes and break on the football at a high level.
Keon Sabb, Alabama
Sabb had a forgettable first year in Tuscaloosa, posting just a 64.4 PFF grade in seven games before suffering a season-ending broken foot. Yet, he deserves a place on this list for what he did the year before at Michigan. In 2023, he was one of six Power Five safeties with 80.0-plus grades in coverage and in run defense, while his eight forced incompletions were third in that same group.
Sabb and Hubbard form arguably the best safety pairing in the sport, and the former will look to reestablish himself as a star during his redshirt junior season.
Kamari Ramsey, USC
Ramsey switched Los Angeles schools last offseason, transferring from UCLA to crosstown rival USC. While he wore new colors, he kept up his stellar form. Ramsey’s 88.1 coverage grade was 12th among Power Four safeties last year after earning a 79.4 overall grade with the Bruins the year before.
He needs to get a bit stronger as a tackler, but Ramsey has outstanding instincts and always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
Rod Moore, Michigan
Moore didn’t play a single snap this past season after tearing his ACL last March during practice. However, he still deserves a place on this list for what he accomplished in prior seasons.
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 grade in that span while picking off six passes. Moore is an intelligent player who will be welcomed back with open arms this season.
Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
It was largely a junior season to forget for Nwankpa as he earned just a 71.0 PFF grade. As a true sophomore the year before, he was the most valuable safety in the nation according to our WAA metric while tying for fourth among Power Four safeties with an 88.4 coverage grade.
Nwankpa has good size for the position at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds and will be looking to have a bounce-back senior campaign.
Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU
Nwokobia has been dominant in each of the last two seasons. In fact, his 91.8 PFF grade since 2023 is the best of any safety in the country. He’s one of four FBS safeties in that span who earned 85-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 in America as well.
Nwokobia is a smart player with good instincts and ball skills that make him a player that offenses must account for on every snap.
This news was originally published on this post .
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