2027 NFL Draft preseason positional ratings: Safeties

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Editor’s stage to: Proper this is the 8th installment of Dane Brugler’s 2027 NFL Draft Summer time Scouting collection. Outdated score: Massive receivers | Defensive tackles | Operating backs | Linebackers | Cornerbacks | Inside of offensive linemen | Offensive tackles

NFL groups don’t reach for safeties within the early rounds. Caleb Downs, Kyle Hamilton, Brian Department, Dillon Thieneman, Malaki Starks, Reduce Emmanwori — those are precise a couple of of necessarily essentially the most stylish safety possibilities who weren’t drafted as excessive as many understanding they’d in all probability possibly in keeping with likelihood serene be.

That development will nearly utterly continue within the 2027 NFL Draft elegance. Regardless, despite the fact that, it seems to be love a deep, exciting safety neighborhood, now not less than in line with early viewing.

(Notes: An asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL groups deal with on report for each and every player, in keeping with league resources.)

1. KJ Bolden, Georgia (6 toes considerable, 190 pounds)*

Best characteristics: Alert and athletic

Bolden tests somewhat a couple of containers for what NFL groups want at safety. He is instant, aggressive and instinctive, and he walks the fulfilling line of being affected individual while additionally enjoying aggressively. That alertness and athleticism fabricate his basis, and is the reason why he makes performs in coverage and infrequently ever misses tackles.

At the complete, I forget about novices and sophomores when watching tape — I choose each and every readily available minute and thoughts cellular to scout the draft-eligible avid players. However Bolden was once nearly very unlikely to fail to notice at the Georgia tape the former two years.

This third-down play in extra time from the 2024 SEC championship recreation serene sticks with me:

It will in all probability possibly in keeping with likelihood reputedly also be simple for a freshman safety to take a wrong step or go with the flow with the in-breaking routes, however Bolden remains home along with his eyes within the correct whine and reads the not on time certain-out show cover the complete device. Not only does he patiently diagnose the play, however he additionally displays off his athleticism and open-self-discipline tackling to blow up, persistent and fabricate a legitimate, touchdown-saving shut. Texas settles for a discipline design, then Georgia ratings a sport-winning landing the following persistent.

Should make stronger: Together with bulk/weight

Indexed at 195 pounds at the roster, Bolden seems to be nearer to 185 however moves as though he weighs 230. His physicality in pace make stronger is piece of what makes him my high-ranked safety coming into the season. However flying downhill in opposition to ball carriers or running off blockers will reputedly be a project at the next level, so evaluators will with no doubt really feel higher about his projection if Bolden pointers the scales at 200 pounds (now not sub-190) at the combine in February.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

A attain-the entirety athlete in excessive school, Bolden was once the tip-ranked safety recruit within the nation and within the muse dedicated to Florida Content material previous than flipping to his dwelling-whine Georgia. He performed a pivotal position in Kirby Dapper’s secondary rotation as a freshman and created prompt buzz as a player to peek.

Bolden was once an just right fetch out about on film as a result of he’s a extremely successfully-rounded soccer player. He is an successfully-known athlete, however his soccer intelligence and aggressive toughness are similarly impressive. When he arrived in Athens, Bolden discovered from Malaki Starks, the twenty 7th choose within the 2025 NFL Draft. Bolden has the substances to be drafted even larger.

2. Tae Johnson, Notre Dame (6-2, 197)*

Best characteristics: Decisiveness and fluctuate

Safeties who Second-wager high-tail away performs at the discipline. Johnson trusts his instincts and eyes to steer him to the soccer. It doesn’t imply he has a perfect batting smart, however his decisive reactions — and athletic fluctuate — permit him to leap throws, cover deep or impart runners as a tackler.

Johnson ragged his ball-hawking instincts to catch 4 interceptions in 10 video games closing season, together with this 49-yard choose six in opposition to Pitt:

Should make stronger: Tightening pace angles

Johnson patrols sideline to sideline in pace make stronger, and once in whine, he hardly ever misses possibilities to earn ball carriers at the flooring. However he has room to button up a few of his pace angles, particularly when he’s pressured to weave by means of solution to crowded spaces. Johnson may be leaner than perfect, status at underneath 200 pounds on an extended 6-2 body.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

A Citadel Wayne local, Brauntae “Tae” Johnson was once thought to be one of the most tip recruits out of Indiana within the 2024 elegance and dedicated to Notre Dame. After redshirting in 2024, he became a starter early in 2025 and expeditiously separated himself as thought to be one of the most rising avid players at the Irish protection.

Johnson lost sight of time because of harm each and every of his first two years in South Bend, however the hope is he’ll shut wholesome in 2026. If he does, he has All-The us and first-spherical ability.

3. Jaylen McClain, Ohio Content material (5-11, 200)*

Best trait: Cause-and-power speed

A cornerback in excessive school, McClain is a extremely at ease athlete who can turn his hips and cover flooring. He displays an identical fluctuate on performs in entrance of him, the usage of his instincts and burst to cause and gear at the soccer.

Ohio Content material was once loaded with draft-eligible studs on closing one year’s protection, so I reputedly watched that unit further than some other within the ’26 elegance. However, despite the fact that McClain was once a factual sophomore, I took plenty of notes on how generally No. 18 were given proper right here flashing right kind by means of solution to my show cover — because it does in this high-tail breakup in opposition to Ohio:

Should make stronger: Ball production

McClain has the athletic characteristics to reach with the soccer, however they didn’t all the time galvanize within the sphere score — he finished 2025 with only 3 high-tail breakups and nil interceptions. Even though he displays the attention to type by means of solution to direction mixtures and play decisively, his timing and nose for the soccer deal with room for improvement.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

McClain is however some other instance that sort is as the most important as recruitment. A lowly ranked excessive school recruit, McClain was once the No. 36 safety within the 2024 elegance out of Seton Corridor Prep in Recent Jersey, and the No. 18 recruit in Ohio Content material’s elegance. However he proved to be a practical intensity part as a freshman previous than turning right kind right into a starting up safety along Caleb Downs closing season.

With the Buckeyes having to exchange have an effect on defenders together with Downs, Arvell Reese and Sonny Sorts, Matt Patricia’s squad will understandably take a step lend a hand in 2026. However it could in all probability possibly in keeping with likelihood in point of fact in keeping with likelihood reputedly also be a colossal exchange for modern have an effect on avid players to emerge — McClain is at the tip of the tick list.

4. Jelani McDonald, Texas (6-2, 194)

Best trait: Burst to the ball

Basically lining up for the reason that discipline safety, McDonald has the duty of holding further grass than any individual else. He is at ease in his pedal and would in all probability possibly in keeping with likelihood open his hips to earn vertical and now not permit receivers to earn deeper than him. McDonald additionally displays burst out of his transitions when running laterally or downhill in pace pursuit.

McDonald had a meager 5.4 percent lost sight of deal with fee in 2025, which led all FBS safeties with 730-plus defensive snaps. His burst, to the ball and by means of solution to the ball service, is successfully-known.

Should make stronger: Looking ahead to blocks

McDonald helps to keep his eyes glued to the soccer to learn and gear with speed and misguided intentions. He can reach the following activity watching for roadblocks, at the reverse hand, whether or not it is miles a slot receiver settling on him off or a pulling tight shut within the pace recreation.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

From quarterback to cornerback, McDonald was once asked to reach a small little bit of everything in excessive school. Recruited as an athlete, the Waco local arrived at Texas and stayed within the secondary, the save he labored himself into the rotation as a redshirt freshman. McDonald became a stout-time starter closing season and replied by means of rising as thought to be one of the most SEC’s excessive safeties.

My high-ranked senior prospect at his whine, McDonald has the wander experience of a cornerback however the mentality and respectable tackling of a safety. The Longhorns are more youthful within the secondary, however they have a safety with the ability to compete for a role within the tip 60 next April.

5. Ty Benefield, LSU (6-2, 208)

Best characteristics: Physically pieces

It will in all probability possibly in keeping with likelihood reputedly now not all the time be symbol perfect, however Benefield is an extended, impressive athlete with forgiving characteristics. He passes the peek take a look at, at 6-2, 208 with precise underneath 33-wander palms and 10 1/4-wander fingers (as measured by means of scouts this spring). And with 4.4 speed, fluid transition experience and toughness as a finisher, Benefield tests somewhat a couple of containers.

Should make stronger: Tackling diagram

As a pursuit tackler, Benefield would in all probability possibly in keeping with likelihood additionally very efficiently be one thing of a roller coaster. Along along with his last speed and body duration, he’s a rangy tackler, however he additionally has a tendency to be wild along with his angles and inconsistent along with his breakdown experience and wrap diagram. Some of the UNLV, Fresno Content material and Washington tapes from closing season, I tallied 14 lost sight of tackles — an argument that will serene be addressed in 2026, particularly going by means of solution to higher competition within the SEC.

2027 NFL Draft outlook

A 3-superstar recruit, Benefield passed on provides from BYU and Washington to provoke with Boise Content material, the save he became a right away starter as a freshman. He earned honorable point out All-Mountain West as a sophomore and had his most efficient season closing one year, accumulating a bunch-easiest 107 tackles (70 solo, which led the league) and two interceptions.

Benefield would deal with been thought to be a Day 2 prospect had he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, however he tested the portal waters as however some other and drew tall pastime. He signed a successful deal with LSU and expeditiously created buzz in Baton Rouge this spring for his paintings ethic and have an effect on in follow. Between Benefield and 6-3, 210-pound Dashawn Spears, LSU has unusual dimension at safety.

Top 25 senior safety possibilities:

1. McDonald
2. Benefield
3. Bray Hubbard, Alabama (6-1, 217)
4. Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma (5-11, 200)
5. Earl Small Jr., Ohio Content material (6-1, 191)
6. Matthew Bailey, Illinois (6-2, 222)
7. Marcus Ratcliffe, Texas A&M (6-2, 206)
8. Abu Kamara, Yale (5-11, 211)
9. Terry Moore, Ohio Content material (6-0, 201)
10. Braden Awls, Iowa Content material (6-0, 191)
11. Ty Bryant, Kentucky (6-0, 196)
12. Keon Sabb, Alabama (6-2, 206)
13. Jay Green, Stanford (6-2, 213)
14. Brandyn Hillman, Virginia (5-11, 192)
15. Joenel Aguero, Ole Overlook (5-11, 201)
16. Tao Johnson, UCLA (6-0, 198)
17. Alex McLaughlin, Washington (6-2, 203)
18. Ashlynd Barker, Florida Content material (6-3, 217)
19. KP Galvanize, Boston School (6-1, 206)
20. Qua Moss, Tennessee (5-10, 183)
21. Koen Entringer, Louisville (6-2, 211)
22. Isaac Smith, Mississippi Content material (6-1, 203)
23. Khalil Barnes, Georgia (5-11, 200)
24. Dalton Brooks, Texas A&M (6-0, 190)
25. Amare Ferrell, Indiana (6-1, 205)

Top 12 draft-eligible possibilities:

1. Bolden
2. Johnson
3. McClain
4. Zach Lutmer, Iowa (6-0, 203)
5. Dashawn Spears, LSU (6-3, 209)
6. Koi Perich, Oregon (6-1, 200)
7. Faletau Satuala, BYU (6-5, 212)
8. Michael Boganowski, Oklahoma (6-2, 210)
9. CJ Heard, Vanderbilt (5-10, 211)
10. Adon Shuler, Notre Dame (6-0, 200)
11. Marcus Neal, Penn Content material (6-1, 215)
12. Davaughn Patterson, Wake Wooded discipline (6-0, 214)