Top NFL Safeties 2026
Read about range, coverage awareness, tackling and the versatility required at the back of the defense.
32 of up to 32 qualifying players · Updated Oct 8, 2026.
Click a player to expand their bio and latest scouting report.
#1
Kyle Hamilton
95/100- College
- Notre Dame
- Jersey
- 14
- Height (in)
- 76
- Weight (lb)
- 218
- Experience (years)
- 5
Drafted 14th overall by the Ravens in 2022.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
33 tackles, 4.5 tfl and 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble. the best safety in football, better than anyone, 3-1 team
#2
Budda Baker
92/100- College
- Washington
- Jersey
- 3
- Height (in)
- 70
- Weight (lb)
- 195
- Experience (years)
- 10
Led NFL in solo tackles in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
a pick and 2 pass breakups last week, 1.5 sacks on the year and 25 tackles. one of the best at his age, shame he's on a 1-3 team
#3
Antoine Winfield Jr.
91/100- College
- Minnesota
- Jersey
- 31
- Height (in)
- 69
- Weight (lb)
- 203
- Experience (years)
- 7
Co-Led NFL in forced fumbles during 2023 season.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
6 tackles and a forced fumble last week, 24 on the year. best safety on a 0-4 team, deserves better
#4
Minkah Fitzpatrick
87/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 29
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 202
- Experience (years)
- 9
Led NFL in interceptions in 2022 with Steelers.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Fitzpatrick is a difference-making safety because he sees the whole picture. He can erase mistakes, create turnovers and let the rest of the secondary play more aggressively.
Strengths: Elite instincts, range, playmaking and leadership make him one of football's premier back-end defenders.
Weaknesses: Offenses will scheme him away from the ball, and aggressive roaming can occasionally leave short underneath windows open.
#5
Jessie Bates III
84/100- College
- Wake Forest
- Jersey
- 3
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 210
- Experience (years)
- 9
Played in seven playoff games during time with Bengals.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
His range allows Atlanta to rotate coverages late and play more aggressively underneath, which is a major reason the Saints struggled to generate consistent offensive rhythm.
#6
Jevon Holland
84/100- College
- Oregon
- Jersey
- 8
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 207
- Experience (years)
- 6
Had five interceptions in four seasons with Dolphins.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
3 picks and 4 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles. the best safety on a 3-1 team and a ball hawk
#7
Grant Delpit
83/100- College
- LSU
- Jersey
- 9
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 208
- Experience (years)
- 7
A second-round pick of Browns in 2020.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
a pick and a pass breakup last week, 18 tackles. 3-1 team and a solid year
#8
Tykee Smith
82/100- College
- Georgia
- Jersey
- 23
- Height (in)
- 70
- Weight (lb)
- 202
- Experience (years)
- 3
Won two CFP National Championships at Georgia.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
4 tfl and a forced fumble, 6 tackles last week. he's all over the field, 0-4 team
#9
Dillon Thieneman
82/100- College
- Oregon
- Jersey
- 31
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 201
- Experience (years)
- 0
Drafted 25th overall out of Oregon in 2026.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
rookie with 23 tackles and an int, 3 pds. bears are 2-1 and he looks real.
#10
Brian Branch
79/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 32
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 203
- Experience (years)
- 4
Drafted 45th overall by Lions in 2023.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Branch is a defensive chess piece who makes the whole unit more flexible. He sees plays early, tackles hard and can line up wherever the matchup demands.
Strengths: Instincts, tackling, coverage versatility and playmaking make him a premier multi-role defensive back.
Weaknesses: His aggressive style can sometimes create leverage risks, and larger receivers can challenge him in isolated catch-point matchups.
#11
Derwin James Jr.
79/100- College
- Florida State
- Jersey
- 3
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 215
- Experience (years)
- 9
Cousin of former NFL RB Edgerrin James.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
21 tackles, hamstring is limited this week. chargers are 0-3 and he's been the one guy flying around.
#12
Genesis Smith
78/100- College
- Arizona
- Jersey
- 22
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 204
- Experience (years)
- 0
Drafted 131st overall by Chargers in 2026.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
rookie with 2 ints vs the bills in the loss. 3 pds, 11 tackles. chargers are 0-3 but he's one bright spot.
#13
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
78/100- College
- Texas Tech
- Jersey
- 42
- Height (in)
- 70
- Weight (lb)
- 200
- Experience (years)
- 3
Drafted 104th overall by Cardinals in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Rabbit started turning traits into actual NFL plays in 2025. Two picks and six breakups in a part-time role is exactly the kind of production that earns more trust. He has the speed to range over the top and the instinct to drive on throws; now Arizona needs the snap-to-snap discipline that lets those flashes become a permanent starting case.
Strengths: Excellent movement range, verified speed, improving ball production and the willingness to get involved as a tackler. His 2025 takeaways and breakups show he can affect the football, not merely patrol space.
Weaknesses: He has only four career starts, so his processing and communication will be tested as offenses manipulate safeties with motion and play action. He must maintain leverage and finish tackles consistently.
#14
Xavier McKinney
76/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 29
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 201
- Experience (years)
- 7
Won 2017 National Championship at Alabama.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
a sack and 5 tackles last week and a pick on the year. plays everywhere, 2-2 team
#15
Malaki Starks
76/100- College
- Georgia
- Jersey
- 24
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 203
- Experience (years)
- 2
Drafted 27th overall by Ravens in 2025.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
17 tackles and a sack for the ravens. young guy who's growing.
#16
Xavier Woods
76/100- College
- Louisiana Tech
- Jersey
- 32
- Height (in)
- 71
- Weight (lb)
- 202
- Experience (years)
- 10
Played in two playoffs games for the Cowboys in 2018.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Woods gives Chicago a calm veteran safety option who has seen plenty of route concepts and quarterback tricks. He is not here to reinvent himself; he is here to get the defense lined up and make the routine plays reliably.
Strengths: Experience, coverage awareness, ball production, communication and dependable tackling.
Weaknesses: He joined late in camp and needs to absorb a new system quickly; his best athletic years are likely behind him.
#17
Brandon Jones
75/100- College
- Texas
- Jersey
- 22
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 191
- Experience (years)
- 7
Denver used 70th overall pick in 2020 on Jones.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
9 tackles last week and 31 on the year, a pick. solid, 2-2 team
#18
Malik Mustapha
75/100- College
- Wake Forest
- Jersey
- 6
- Height (in)
- 70
- Weight (lb)
- 206
- Experience (years)
- 3
Drafted out of Wake Forest in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Mustapha plays safety like he is looking for a collision, and that energy shows up all over the defense. He had 76 tackles in only 12 games last season, plus an interception, because he closes downhill fast and does not hesitate when he sees the run. He is more than a reckless hitter, but the coverage side is still catching up to the run defense. Three pass breakups in 2025 is fine, not special, and missing five games matters too. I have him at a seven because the physicality and instincts already change games. If he stays healthy and gets more consistent on the ball, he can become one of the better young safeties in the conference.
Strengths: Mustapha is explosive coming downhill and packs real force into a compact frame. He diagnoses runs quickly, takes confident angles and can match tight ends or backs in shorter areas. His willingness to tackle gives the defense flexibility to use him near the line without worrying about soft edges.
Weaknesses: Deep coverage and ball production are still developing, with only eight pass breakups through two seasons. Aggressive downhill triggers can leave space behind him when an offense uses play action, and the five missed games in 2025 add a durability question to such a physical style.
#19
Jalen Thompson
75/100- College
- Washington State
- Jersey
- 34
- Height (in)
- 71
- Weight (lb)
- 190
- Experience (years)
- 8
Had 578 combined tackles, 14 TFLs and nine interceptions for Cardinals over seven seasons.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
on ir with the hamstring after 17 tackles. cowboys defense needed him.
#20
Coby Bryant
74/100- College
- Cincinnati
- Jersey
- 2
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 193
- Experience (years)
- 5
Had four tackles in Super Bowl LX.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Bryant brings a little edge to the back end. He can work high, drop into the box and plays with the aggressive temperament Chicago wants from its defensive tone-setters.
Strengths: Physicality, ball skills, versatility, tackling and playoff-tested experience.
Weaknesses: Aggressive angles can occasionally create risk, and he must quickly master the communication demands of a new defense.
#21
Cole Bishop
73/100- College
- Utah
- Jersey
- 24
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 206
- Experience (years)
- 2
Drafted in second round by the Bills in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
18 tackles for the bills. they're 3-0 and he's a solid piece back there.
#22
Tre'von Moehrig
73/100- College
- TCU
- Jersey
- 7
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 202
- Experience (years)
- 6
Drafted with No. 43 pick by Raiders in 2021.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Moehrig plays safety with a linebacker’s appetite for contact and a coordinator’s dream flexibility. He can move around the formation, attack the run and keep offenses from getting comfortable with their pre-snap reads.
Strengths: 103 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, versatility, physicality, roaming role, and initial-53 status.
Weaknesses: Frequent movement creates heavy mental and physical workload; big-play aggression must remain controlled.
#23
Chamarri Conner
72/100- College
- Virginia Tech
- Jersey
- 27
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 202
- Experience (years)
- 4
Drafted with 119th pick by Chiefs in 2023.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Conner is the connective tissue of the secondary. He can play the slot, drop into the box and make a play on the ball; exactly where he lines up changes, but his importance does not.
Strengths: 1,022 snaps, slot-box versatility, turnover instincts, initial-53 role, and high football IQ.
Weaknesses: Role ambiguity can create matchup challenges, and sustaining a league-leading team workload is demanding.
#24
Kerby Joseph
72/100- College
- Illinois
- Jersey
- 31
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 210
- Experience (years)
- 5
Led NFL in interceptions in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Joseph is a real takeaway threat from the safety spot. He has the instincts to bait throws and the range to make quarterbacks pay when they get careless.
Strengths: Ball skills, range and quarterback-reading instincts make him an impactful deep safety.
Weaknesses: Aggressive eyes can occasionally open space behind him, and tackling consistency needs to remain sharp in the run game.
#25
Kyle Dugger
70/100- College
- Lenoir Rhyne
- Jersey
- 29
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 216
- Experience (years)
- 7
Drafted in the second round by Patriots in 2020.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Dugger already introduced himself by taking a Flacco interception 73 yards to the house last year. Now he brings 11 career picks and a physical box presence to Cincinnati. I have him at a seven. He is 30 and no longer at his peak, but he can still cover tight ends, tackle and create turnovers.
Strengths: Dugger is physical, position-flexible and dangerous with the ball. He has the size to play downhill and enough range to handle underneath coverage.
Weaknesses: Age has trimmed some recovery speed, and New England reduced his role before trading him. Pure deep-field coverage is not his best assignment.
#26
Talanoa Hufanga
70/100- College
- USC
- Jersey
- 9
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 200
- Experience (years)
- 6
Cousins with NFL players Marlon and Tuli Tuipulotu.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
2 picks, a sack and 3 pass breakups. looks like old Hufanga again, 2-2 team
#27
Jordan Battle
69/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 27
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 215
- Experience (years)
- 4
Won a National Championship with Alabama in 2020.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
21 tackles and an int, 2 pds. bengals secondary needed it.
#28
Cam Bynum
69/100- College
- California
- Jersey
- 0
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 200
- Experience (years)
- 6
Drafted in fourth round by Vikings in 2021.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Bynum is the steadying presence in the middle of the secondary. Four interceptions in his first Colts season show the range and instincts he brings, while his previous starting volume proves he can carry a lot of responsibility. He gives the defense a reliable organizer on the back end.
Strengths: Range, ball skills, durability, tackling volume and extensive starting experience. He sees routes develop and turns opportunities into takeaways.
Weaknesses: Aggressive breaks can leave any safety vulnerable to play action or double moves. He must keep the communication tight in a secondary with several new pieces.
#29
Julian Love
69/100- College
- Notre Dame
- Jersey
- 20
- Height (in)
- 71
- Weight (lb)
- 195
- Experience (years)
- 8
Drafted 108th overall by the Giants in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
2 picks and 4 pass breakups in 3 games. 3-1 team and playing like a corner
#30
Reed Blankenship
68/100- College
- Middle Tennessee
- Jersey
- 6
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 203
- Experience (years)
- 5
Had four interceptions and a fumble recovery for 2024 Eagles.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
11 tackles last week, 32 on the year and a pick. tackles a lot but 0-4 team
#31
Jaquan Brisker
68/100- College
- Penn State
- Jersey
- 3
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 204
- Experience (years)
- 5
Drafted in second round by Bears in 2022.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
7 tackles last week, 27 on the year with a pick. fine, 2-2 team
#32
Jeremy Chinn
68/100- College
- Southern Illinois
- Jersey
- 11
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 220
- Experience (years)
- 7
Drafted 64th overall by Panthers in 2020.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
22 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and a sack. 3-1 team, nice role player
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