Early Draft Buzz: Safeties Set to Shape 2026
The 2026 college football season is already generating excitement as defensive backs who made a splash in 2025 are being earmarked as potential game‑changers. Their performances have earned conference honors, national recognitions, and early projections for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Bray Hubbard of Alabama capped his sophomore campaign with a Second‑Team All‑America nod and a First‑Team All‑SEC selection after tying for the SEC lead with four interceptions. His ball‑hawking ability has turned him into a cornerstone of the Crimson Tide’s defense.
At Georgia, KJ Bolden earned Second‑Team All‑American honors, reinforcing the Bulldogs’ secondary with his knack for forcing turnovers. His consistent play has kept him among the top safeties in the nation.
Freshman sensation Bryce Fitzgerald made an immediate impact at Miami, leading all FBS newcomers with six interceptions and collecting FWAA Freshman All‑America recognition. His rapid ascent has put him on the radar of NFL talent evaluators.
The movement in the secondary has been equally compelling. Corey Myrick, who transferred to Clemson, is projected as a top safety for the 2026 season, while Koi Perich heads to Oregon where he is expected to anchor the defense and handle return duties. Ty Benefield’s shift to LSU has the Tigers’ coaching staff penciling him in as a defensive cornerstone.
Additional playmakers include Tamarcus Cooley, who started every game at deep safety for LSU and helped the team top the SEC with 17 interceptions, and Jackson Bennee, whose All‑Big 12 Honorable Mention and Burlsworth Trophy nomination at Utah highlight his rising profile. Terry Moore’s Pro Football Focus grade placed him second among all safeties in 2024, while Peyton Bowen, the senior leader of Oklahoma’s secondary, repeated his Second‑Team All‑SEC status.
The depth extends to Adon Shuler, a Notre Dame captain who finished second on his team in tackles with 53, and Keon Sabb, who started all 15 games for Alabama and earned a Comeback Player of the Year watch‑list nod. Core statistics from Pro Football Focus also show Corey Myrick posting the highest coverage grade among transfer safeties last season.
With such talent on the rise, analysts are already projecting several of these defenders as early first‑round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, a testament to the growing emphasis on versatile, ball‑hawking safeties in the modern game.