It’s no secret that the protection place has been devalued throughout the NFL lately. While you actually dive into the contract numbers, although, it’s putting. Twenty-two huge receivers at present make extra per 12 months than the highest-paid security within the NFL. When that’s the case, it’s no marvel we’re fortunate to get one drafted in Spherical 1 annually.
There’s an opportunity 2026 might buck that pattern, nonetheless. Barring a calamitous harm, the the No. 1 security on this listing is occurring Thursday night time and there’s a great likelihood that at a much bigger program with possible larger levels, the No. 2 on this listing might sneak into the first-round as properly. That might mark the primary time since 2022 that we’ve seen a number of safeties in Spherical 1.
Listed here are my prime 10 security prospects (ordered from No. 1 to No. 10) forward of the school soccer season.
Positional rankings: EDGE • DT • LB • CB • S • IOL • OT • TE • RB • WR • QB
Notice: ⭐️ represents every participant’s 247Sports star ranking as a highschool recruit
Participant Sort: All-around ball participant
Room for Enchancment: Separating off blocks
Early Grade: First spherical
Whereas sure bodily attributes are essential to sure positions within the again seven of a protection, there’s a typical thread that ties all of them collectively. If you’re quick, fluid, and bodily, likelihood is you may succeed wherever you line up. That’s precisely who Caleb Downs is. The rising junior eliminates house so simply and doesn’t hesitate when it’s time to ship a message. He seems as comfy within the field as he does ranging deep. He’s each bit a primary spherical security.
Participant Sort: True free security
Room for Enchancment: Tackling
Early Grade: Early Day 2
Thieneman was a two-year starter at Purdue — certainly one of their solely vibrant spots the final two years — earlier than transferring this offseason to Oregon. He has a number of the finest vary in your entire draft class as he’s totally able to making performs across the line of scrimmage from a deep alignment. In fact, he can even make performs deep from that deep alignment. Thieneman racked up six picks as a real freshman in 2023, incomes 247Sports Freshman of the Yr honors, and 6 pass-breakups this previous season. He not solely is quick, but additionally performs quick.
If he can clear up the missed tackles (avert your eyes on the Notre Dame tape from final 12 months, the place he had 5), Thieneman might up a first-rounder.
Participant Sort: Man free security
Room for Enchancment: Taking part in beneath management
Early Grade: Day 2
Johnson was a highschool quarterback in highschool in Idaho and began his profession off as a large receiver when he acquired to Utah. He then flipped to defensive again the place he performed 547 snaps primarily within the slot in 2023. Johnson moved to true security this previous fall and his sport took off. He picked off a go and broke up 5 extra in a breakout season. You see the type of wheels on tape that received him Idaho’s 5A state championship within the 100m sprint with a time of 10.82.
Regardless of his relative newness to the defensive facet of the ball and lack of measurement, Johnson performs a really bodily model of soccer.
Whereas there’s a great deal of projection right here since you nonetheless see his newness to the place usually, Johnson has the skillset to be a top-75 choose. His skill to drop down and man up the slot or make performs from the deep center can be coveted.
Participant Sort: Field Enforcer
Room for Enchancment: Mirroring from off protection
Early Grade: Day 2
Toledo is slowly incomes a DBU status within the MAC. They’ve had 4 defensive backs drafted prior to now seven years and McNeil-Warren will make that 5 briefly time. He’s a long- limbed field security who relishes his alternative to provoke contact. The rising senior is already among the best tacklers within the draft class not solely from a way standpoint, but additionally from a stopping energy standpoint. McNeil-Warren has a ridiculous eight(!) compelled fumbles the previous two seasons.
He’s one of many few school safeties on this class that may truly play off of blocks constantly. Whereas he doesn’t have distinctive long-speed, his burst to shut beneath is prime notch. That is the field security you need within the class.
Participant Sort: Versatile cowl security
Room for Enchancment: Tackling
Early Grade: Late Day 2
Ramsey’s tape was ok a 12 months in the past that he possible would have snuck into the again finish of Day 2, however he returned to shore up some obvious points he had on tape. What he can do from a protection perspective goes to be very engaging to a whole lot of NFL groups. Ramsey can play the slot and match routes from a deep half/quarters alignment like a cornerback would. Ramsey is stingy in that regard and has gotten his fingers on 15.2% of his targets in his profession.
Whereas he’s greater than prepared to fill the run, that’s the place Ramsey struggled final season as he missed over ⅕ of his deal with makes an attempt.
Participant Sort: Field security
Room for Enchancment: Expertise
Early Grade: Early Day 3
Seven weeks into the 2024 school soccer season, Hubbard had all of 42 profession snaps to his identify. That’s when starter Keon Sabb broke his foot. Over the following six video games, Hubbard was spectacular sufficient to safe a spot on this listing. Over that span he allowed all of twenty-two yards on 14 targets. No, that’s not a typo.
Hubbard’s skill to shut to screens and different beneath targets is prime notch. It’s precisely what you need in a field security. Now, we simply need to see extra of it.
Participant Sort: Versatile security
Room for Enchancment: Playmaking
Early Grade: Early Day 3
Brown has the distinctive distinction of being the one security in your entire nation to make Bruce Feldman’s Freaks Listing this fall. His purported 4.4 40, 41″ vertical, 10-8 broad bounce, and 21 bench reps positively present up on tape. and it’s properly deserved. His burst to shut to ball carriers is excellent and he hardly ever provides an inch on contact.
Brown simply wants his play pace to match his timed pace. That may be forgiven by his relative lack of expertise — 2024 was his first as a starter — however it exhibits with how few performs he made on the soccer final season (solely three go breakups).
Participant Sort: Slot
Room for Enchancment: Muscle mass
Early Grade: Early Day 3
Cooley is the lone true slot nook on this listing. In his lone 12 months as a starter at NC State final fall, Cooley collected three picks and 7 pass-breakups in that function. His brief space quickness is ideal for the place as he closes home windows proper as they’re creeping open. To keep up that function within the NFL, although, Cooley goes to need to get a bit stronger.
He’s not the type of take-on participant that may be the additional linebacker NFL groups love within the slot these days. That being mentioned, he’s one of many youngest gamers on this listing so there’s greater than sufficient time for that to enhance. The very last thing to notice is that he’s now been at three completely different faculties in three seasons from Maryland, to NC State, to LSU. Whereas that’s turning into extra widespread throughout the faculty soccer panorama, it received’t do him any favors with NFL evaluators who may have issues as to why that’s the case.
Participant Sort: 2-high security
Room for Enchancment: Physicality
Early Grade: Early Day 3
As stunning as it might sound, Wisconsin has probably the most athletic security duo within the nation. Zachmann has unfastened hips and might speed up within the blink of a watch. He has some freaky athletic performs littered on his tape. He’s among the best on the class at matching receivers downfield from a quarters alignment. His struggles include the bodily features of the place the place there’s an unmistakable timidity to his sport at time.
Zachman might even be a candidate down the road to modify to nook because of his athletic prowess.
Participant Sort: Deep/Slot versatile security
Room for Enchancment: Play energy
Early Grade: Early Day 3
Very similar to his teammate Chandler Rivers, Moore constantly overperforms his bodily skillset. He’s not going to wow you together with his traits, however received’t make a whole lot of pricey errors on the again finish both. His skill to play together with his eyes by way of route ideas to the quarterback is super. It’s why he picked off three passes and broke up 5 extra in his first season as a starter.
Whereas Moore is greater than prepared so as to add on within the run sport, he’s not the type of security you need constantly dealing with field duties and will get dragged by NFL operating backs
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