2026 NFL Draft Position Review – Safeties

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April 3, 2026

By Noonefromtampa

The safety class this year can be described as versatile and athletic. It may not be as deep as other years, but there are around seven players that can probably come in and start for a team.

Top Picks

Player College Ht Wt Class Draft Projection
Caleb Downs Ohio State 6’0″ 205 JR Day 1
Dillon Thieneman Oregon 6’0″ 207 JR Day 2
A.J. Haulcy LSU 5’11” 222 SR Day 2
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Toledo 6’2″ 202 SR Day 2
Kamari Ramsey USC 6’0″ 204 RJR Day 2
Michael Taaffe Texas 6’0″ 195 RSR Day 2
Keionte Scott Miami (FL) 5’11” 192 RSR Day 2-3
Bishop Fitzgerald USC 5’11” 198 RSR Day 2-3
Bud Clark TCU 6’2” 185 RSR Day 2-3
Jalen Huskey Maryland 6’2″ 201 SR Day 3
DeShon Singleton Nebraska 6’3″ 210 RSR Day 3
Louis Moore Indiana 5’11” 200 RSR Day 3
V.J. Payne Kansas State 6’3″ 208 SR Day 3

The top player is Caleb Downs, who is described as a generational player and a top 10 pick. Downs is seen as a leader on the field with a high football IQ. He is good in coverage and run support.

Dillon Thieneman ran a 4.35 forty-yard dash at the Combine and that might be enough to move him into the bottom of the first round. He’s an excellent tackler with speed and range in coverage.

A.J. Haulcy had good hands and excels in zone coverage schemes. He has had 10 interceptions and 19 pass breakups in his college career.

Two other players on this list that the Commanders have interviewed are Bishop Fitzgerald and Jalen Huskey.

Bishop is one of those players who always seem to be around the ball:

Huskey fits into the versatile category, being able to play inside and outside of the box:

Lorenzo Styles Jr., brother of Sonny, who was likely to be an undrafted free agent prospect before the combine, ran a 4.27 forty. That might be enough for a team to take a late round flyer on him.

 

Sources: nflmockdraftdatabase.com, tankathon.com, nfldraftbuzz.com

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