Writing The Ship: 2026 NFL Draft – Safety Rankings

The NFL draft is just over two weeks away. We are at the time of year where evaluators have watched all the players and now it is just a matter of stacking up their boards. Looking at each position and deciding who you like best relative to the others.

While I look at all of these players through the lens of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there are some that I like more than others who might not fit the Bucs needs as much. So this is not a list of best fits, but just my rankings of players. However, based on what they are as players, it’s easy enough to draw conclusions as to who the best fits would be in Tampa.

With that said, here are my 2026 NFL draft safety rankings.

Honorable Mention

Zakee Wheatley – Penn State

I love the way Wheatley attacks the run. He’s a big body safety who is light on his feet and fires down hill. I think this will also make him an excellent special teams player.

Wheatley is solid in coverage. He’s more split and box safety, but he can do all the things coverage wise that you could ask of him in that role. This is a really good safety class, otherwise Wheatley would definitely make my top 10 here. 

10) Bud Clark – TCU

You won’t find many safeties who were more productive than Clark. He’s had 15 interceptions over the last four years. If you was looking for a ball hawk on the back end, Clark has some of the best ball skills in this safety class.

Sometimes I feel like he could do a better job of breaking on the ball. So as productive as he was in college, I believe there is still meat left on the bone for Clark. I’m not sure if that just means he’ll be that much better in the NFL or if what he is now won’t translate perfectly to the next level.

9) Jalen Huskey – Maryland

Huskey moved from corner to safety last year and, boy, did he look good. His ball skills are very good and he brings the ability to play single high on the back end. His 11 interceptions over the last three years are no fluke.

Huskey is also a physical run defender. His angles aren’t always good, perhaps just inexperienced at his position, but he has the willingness to tackle. Husky is projected as a late round pick, but I believe he will make an impact at the NFL level. 

8) Kamari Ramsey – USC

There is a lot of talent to work with here. Ramsey can really do anything that you could ask a safety to do. He can play man to man, some single high and even nickel. On top of that, he comes up quickly to support the run. 

I’m not convinced that Ramsey has mastered the mental aspect of the game the way some of the other guys in this class have. Sometimes it takes him a beat to process and that can be the difference between a big play and a pass break up. 

7) Michael Taaffe – Texas

A jack of all trades, Taaffe can do a little bit of everything. He has some single high ability, as well as can play the nickel. And while I wouldn’t call him a thumper vs the run, he has the willingness to stick his nose in and make tackles. 

Taaffe is kind of the opposite of Ramsey. The Texas senior has built his game on football intelligence and being fundamentally sound. His ceiling might be limited, but this will be a solid pro.

6) Jalon Kilgore – South Carolina

I’m not totally sure if Kilgore is a safety or a linebacker, but I know he’s a good player. Realistically, he’s more of a nickel than anything. Regardless, he’s a box defender with really good coverage skills.

Kilgore had 7 interceptions over the last two seasons. He’s good at working his way through traffic as a run defender and making running backs feel his presence. It’s a bit of an odd niche, but if you want a player similar to Jeremiah Owosu-Koramoah then this is the player for you.

5) Emmanuel McNeil-Warren – Toledo

I really like McNeil-Warren. In fact, he reminds me of Antione Winfield Jr. in some ways. He’s a tough run defender who has a knack for knocking the ball loose. And although he ideally isn’t in a position to play single high, he’ll thrive as a two high safety.

This Tampa native is bigger and not as agile compared to Winfield and probably won’t ever reach that level. However, there is nothing wrong with getting a good box safety who can cover and force fumbles. 

4) AJ Haulcy – LSU

Haulcy is a tone setter and an enforcer. Add this guy to your defense and it immediately becomes tougher and more physical. At 5’11 and 2165 lbs, Haulcy has the thick frame to be a great box safety in the NFL.

His coverage skills are a little bit of a mixed bag. While he doesn’t have the quickness to really play a lot of man to man, he does have great awareness. Haulcy also has good ball skills with 8 interceptions over the last two years. Allow him to play that Kam Chancellor role and watch him thrive.

3) Genesis Smith – Arizona

Let’s get the negative out of the way first here. Smith is not a good tackler. While he typically flows to the ball well and is in the right position, Smith just lacks the physicality and the “want to” required to be a good run defender. But that’s not what you’re drafting this guy for. 

Smith has excellent coverage skills on the back end. His range, ball skills and intelligence are all very good. Trust him to hold things down on the back end and it allows a defense to be more creative and aggressive with their front seven.

2) Dillon Thieneman – Oregon

Thieneman is an absolute missile vs the run. He isn’t the biggest guy at 6 ‘0 and 201 lbs, but when he hits ball carriers then all forward momentum just completely stops. An excellent blend of athleticism, physicality and technique.

Coverage wise, Thieneman is very good here as well. He gets a great break of the ball when it’s in the air. And while he wasn’t tested man to man all that often, I can’t point to many reps where ever looked less than really good. I see more than a little Eric Weddle in his game.

1) Caleb Downs – Ohio State

To me, this is the best player in the entire draft. There is nothing that Downs can’t do at the safety position. Coverage skills are great. Run defense is great. He just checks every box.

If you want to knock Downs for something it’s that he isn’t an elite athlete. However, he makes up for that with excellent awareness and football intelligence. No player is “can’t miss”, but Downs feels pretty close.