Whew! What a start to NFL playoff football. Beyond birthing one of the most entertaining weekends the NFL playoffs have seen in recent memory, we now have the first 24 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft officially settled. How the remaining quarter of selections find their home will serve as a noteworthy subplot within the postseason.
The expert NFL Draft trio of Ian Cummings, Jacob Infante, and Alec Elijah at PFSN has merged their big boards to bring you the list of consensus top-10 safety prospects in the 2026 class. A year removed from a handful of exciting NFL rookie performances at the position, let’s dive into the next crop of exciting players.
1) Caleb Downs, Ohio State
It’s a race for second place in this exercise. The brother of Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs, son of former NFL player Gary Downs, and nephew of former Pro Bowl corner Dre Bly has essentially been a wire-to-wire blue-chipper.
Caleb Downs received his first Power 4 designation as a high school freshman before finishing as a consensus five-star, number one safety recruit in the country as a high school senior. From there, it was a stream of accomplishments at both Alabama and Ohio State, including the Jim Thorpe Award this past season as the FBS’ top defensive back.
It’s hard not to be hyperbolic about a player of Downs’ caliber. He’s been a recognizable player since he was 16 and has met every expectation at every step of the way. That just doesn’t happen very often. As a dynamic eraser in both phases of defense, Downs is a top-three player in this class, worthy of a fringe-playoff team trading up to transform their defense.
2) Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren received two SAF2 votes while Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman received the other. His All-American designations from the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, and Associated Press made him just the fourth Rocket in the program’s 109-year history to be named to at least three major All-America teams.
Measured at a shade over 6’3 1/4″ and 209 pounds by NFS, McNeil-Warren has been a multi-faceted force. The increase in missed tackles between 2024 and 2025 dilutes that assessment only slightly, with career totals of 214 tackles, 11 TFLs, 1 sack, 5 interceptions, 13 PBUs, and 9 FFs. This is confidently a top-40 pick in my evaluation.
3) Kamari Ramsey, USC
Entering the 2025 campaign, Kamari Ramsey received a fourth-round grade from BLESTO. Ramsey certainly lived up to the top-100 billing despite not seeing action in four games for reasons ranging from injury to food poisoning.
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The All-Southern California product was a four-star recruit at regional Sierra Canyon School before signing with UCLA and transferring to cross-town rival USC.
Although Ramsey’s statistical outputs don’t match the likes of Ramsey or Downs, he drastically cut down on the number of missed tackles between the last two seasons, with forced incompletion percentages in the double digits in each of his three full-time seasons. I reasonably expect Ramsey to hear his name called on Day 2.
4) Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Dillon Thieneman exploded onto the scene in 2023 as a true freshman at Purdue with a litany of honors after intercepting six passes. In 2024, Thieneman’s season ended with Honorable Mention All-Big 10 honors, opening the door to a transfer to a fellow Big 10 program. The 6-foot, 205-pounder earned an AP second-team All-American recognition in 2025 after intercepting two passes and breaking up another five.
Following a stint at Purdue that featured more of a split-field role, Thieneman moved into the box at the highest clip of his three-year career. It’s no surprise such a move prompted a successful season. Regardless, Thieneman has proven to be impactful in handling volume both near and away from the line of scrimmage. A late second-early third round selection seems likely.
5) AJ Haulcy, LSU
For starters, AJ Haulcy’s impressive 2025 campaign yielded a 91.6 PFSN CFB Safety Impact Score, good for sixth across the FBS. The Houston native was a lightly recruited high school prospect who began his collegiate career at New Mexico, where he tallied 24 tackles against Fresno State, the best FBS mark since Kenneth Murray recorded 28 four years prior.
Such a season would propel him to the hometown Cougars for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, where an influx of honors would follow. Haulcy was recognized as the Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2023 and a First-Team All-Big 12 selection the following year after taking away five passes.
Haulcy would again opt for the transfer portal and finish his career as a reliable member of a talented LSU defense. While the career totals are staggering, the film accurately depicts what’s reflected in the box score. We haven’t seen many mass-filled body types like Haulcy’s also showcase the blend of instincts and range to meet the ball at various points along the field.
6) Genesis Smith, Arizona
Despite coming in at number, Genesis Smith was the recipient of a top-three safety vote, and I can honestly see why after watching the film. The true junior was a sizeable riser in this safety class. Smith wasn’t on either the NFS or BLESTO list coming into the year, and is now recognized as a Day 2 selection heading into the Senior Bowl.
Smith moved away from the slot and into a larger role in the post in 2025, while maintaining regular appearances in the box in a move that paid dividends. The 6-foot-2, 204-pounder showcased a quality ability to roam around the back end as a swift, fluid mover capable of utilizing higher-end instincts for early plays on the ball.
7) Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Zakee Wheatley shares some usage similarities with Smith, whose slot snaps were nearly cut in half between 2024 and 2025, and who was assigned to alignments closer to the box. Unlike Smith, however, Wheatly received grades in the late Day 2 to mid-Day 3 range from the aforementioned scouting services.
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The history of ball production doesn’t rival that of others on the list, though the reasons are more scheme and personnel-related. Another in the mold of impressive size-adjusted athleticism, standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scale at roughly 200 pounds, Wheatley’s versatility was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable Nittany Lion season.
8) Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
A true junior, Jalon Kilgore sealed his career with All-SEC honors in 2025. The team captain sports reliable measurements for next-level duties at 6-foot-1, 207 pounds with a history of impacting throws: Kilgore finished his career with eight interceptions and 21 pass breakups.
Kilgore began his career in the back end before spending his final two seasons as more of a nickel. Coverage volatility keeps him lower on the list; the positive impacts on the ball are offset by several detrimental plays he allows. Ultimately, I think Kilgore is best-suited for a return to a split-field role.
9) Michael Taaffe, Texas
Declarations to return for some shuffled the nine and 10 spots, but Michael Taaffe and Clark are quality prospects in their own right, and Taaffe himself is a fascinating story. The Austin native didn’t receive a single offer from an FBS school, so he elected to walk on with the local Longhorns. After earning multiple All-American honors, Taaffe is a legitimate NFL prospect.
NFS measured Taaffe at 5’11 3/4″ prior to the season, while Texas’ bio lists him at 189 pounds. The body type stands out amongst the group. Don’t be deceived, though, because the film is littered with examples of Taaffe punching above his weight class in conjunction with plays on the ball.
10) Bud Clark, TCU
We conclude this list with the TCU product who entered 2025 with Day 3 grades from both BLESTO and NFS, with the latter measuring him at 6’0 1/2″, 189 pounds. Bud Clark spent six years at TCU with multiple All-Big 12 nods and 15 interceptions along the way.
The 2025 season netted the seasoned vet the 21st-best CFB Safety Impact Score. It wasn’t without its share of ups and downs, having logged four interceptions while being charged with a handful of penalties. However, he is ultimately a back-end player with the requisite coverage nuance that could result in a longer career than most in this class. Clark will be joining Haulcy, Ramsey, Smith, Taaffe, Wheatley, and McNeil-Warren at the Senior Bowl.
