There is always a question of whether it’s worth it to draft a safety early due to positional value, and Ohio State‘s Caleb Downs will test that notion in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The eighth-ranked player on the PFF Predictive Big Board headlines this year’s safety group, followed closely by pre-draft riser Dillon Thieneman.

Dive into the latest PFF Big Board and the PFF Mock Draft Simulator to assess the 2026 NFL Draft safety class for yourself.

Here’s a breakdown of what each top safety brings to the table, along with the areas they’ll need to refine at the next level. For the full ranking of draft prospects, along with their three-year player grades and position rankings, click here.

S1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State

PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 8

Strengths

• Field general on the back end
• Understands coverage leverages/advantages when playing in the slot
• Chops his feet when approaching a tackle to stay on his toes for jukes
• High pursuit IQ. Shoulders stay square when he hits
• Great downhill acceleration/speed
• Excellent tackler in space or clutter
• High coverage IQ. Good route/passing concept anticipation
• Not afraid to take non-lead blockers if that’s what is best for the play
• Great hands and hand-eye coordination for plays on the ball

Weaknesses

• Frame is a bit light. Slight durability concerns for a player who makes hits
• Wins with speed and not much else as a blitzer
• Has trouble working off all blocks

S2. Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 11

Strengths

• Tons of experience in a deep-center-field alignment in Cover 1/3
• Top straight-line speed is NFL-level
• Good anticipation to break on passes before they are thrown
• Impressive downhill tackler who can line up ball carriers at high speeds

Weaknesses

• Good athlete, but not a great one for single-high work in the NFL
• Hips and acceleration appear average for an NFL safety
• Can get bodied against bigger tight ends in man coverage
• Don’t love his instincts as a box safety

S3. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 22

Strengths

• 99th-percentile height and plus length for the safety position
• Six career forced fumbles heading into 2025
• Fluid hips for his size
• Can be a bull at the catch point

Weaknesses

• Instincts and feel for where the ball is going are inconsistent

S4. A.J. Haulcy, LSU

PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 52

Strengths

Coming soon!

Weaknesses

Coming soon!

S5. Kamari Ramsey, USC

PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 69

Strengths

• Strong coverage movements. Precise, controlled and explosive
• Good anticipation for route breaks and when to trigger downhill
• Excellent ball skills

Weaknesses

• Missed tackle percentage jumped significantly in 2024
• Was not as interested in tackling fundamentals/discipline in 2024