Editor’s note: This is the ninth installment of Dane Brugler’s 2026 Summer Scouting series. Previous rankings: Edge rushers | Running backs | Defensive tackles | Tight ends | Linebackers | Interior offensive linemen | Cornerbacks | Offensive tackles

This year’s safety class includes one of the best players in the entire country: Ohio State’s Caleb Downs. In the almost two decades I’ve been scouting, Eric Berry earned the highest grade I’ve ever given to a safety — and it will be interesting to see how close Downs comes to that grade.

The safety position plays a cat-and-mouse game with the quarterback, and Downs has the intelligence and talent needed to be a true impact player and longtime NFL starter.

(Note: Asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player, with a “v” representing verified measurements and “e” for estimated measurements.)

1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State (6-0, 205)*Best trait: Football processing

The best safeties in football play with a sixth sense — they understand what the opponent wants to do and anticipate what is about to happen. Regardless of alignment, Downs plays with this quality. He instantly breaks down route concepts and blocking schemes to get a head start and trigger without wasting steps. His preparation is elite, and intelligence like his is mandatory to be a productive pro.

Downs grades out above average in critical areas of playing the position, most notably his mental awareness, finishing skills and football processing.

Must improve: Creating turnovers

The totality of Downs’ impact on the Ohio State defense cannot be captured by the stat sheet alone. However, you’d still like to see more forced turnovers on his tape (and in the box score), especially if you’re a team that will be considering him early in the first round. In 16 games last season, Downs accounted for just two turnovers, both interceptions.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

It would be easy to argue that Downs is the best all-around football player in the 2026 NFL Draft class. However, he still may be drafted outside the top 10 (like Kyle Hamilton and Minkah Fitzpatrick) because of the way the NFL values his position in the draft. Over the last 15 years, only one safety (Jamal Adams) was selected in the top 10 — and Downs doesn’t have elite size or speed to get a testing bump during the process.

With his scheme-proof talent, though, he will be universally liked by scouts and coaches.

Best trait: Key-and-drive skill

Be it in the post or slot, Ramsey is a fluid mover with the eyes and anticipation to read, drive and finish plays. In off coverage, he can read through receivers to match routes while getting a beat on the quarterback. And he doesn’t get lost in man coverage, regardless of whether he lines up from depth or close to the line of scrimmage.

On the Penn State tape, Ramsey does a great job keying his man through all the noise and driving on the play — he twice brings down Tyler Warren on the doorstep of the goal line.

Must improve: Missed tackles

Consistency as a tackler is a non-negotiable skill set for NFL safeties, and that is the main area Ramsey needs to improve in 2025. Like you see on the clip above, he has the snap and drive skills to finish ball carriers in space, but Ramsey must do a better job eliminating fly-by and fall-off attempts. The Maryland, Michigan and Notre Dame tapes from last season show red flags for his tackling consistency.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

After starting his college career at UCLA, Ramsey moved across town and joined USC prior to the 2024 season, following defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn (who also left the Bruins for the Trojans). Last season, Ramsey was one of the top coverage safeties in college football — and one of the few bright spots for an inconsistent USC defense.

He considered leaving school early and entering the 2025 NFL Draft, where he would have had a good chance of being a Day 2 pick. But one more season at the college level could help him compete for top-60 status next April.

Best trait: Decisive reactor

Whether he is flying downhill against the run or defending the sideline in coverage, Thieneman trusts his angles and doesn’t second guess himself. His football smarts fuel his decisiveness and allow him to be disruptive at every level of the field, especially with his range to work sideline to sideline.

I’m not sure what his 40-yard dash will be, but his ability to see the play, accelerate and go is impressive.

Must improve: Not taking the cheese

Thieneman processes well, and it is obvious how much he studies the quarterback’s tendencies. But he is guilty of attacking the flow at times, pulling himself out of position versus backfield misdirection or play fakes. Though his decisiveness is much more of a strength, his aggressiveness can backfire.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

Thieneman had multiple Big Ten offers out of high school. With both of his older brothers already playing safety at Purdue, however, there was little doubt that he would join the Boilermakers. While playing mostly single high, he made an immediate impact with six interceptions in 2023, which earned him the FWAA’s Defensive Freshman of the Year award. Even though he was banged up as a sophomore last season and didn’t record an interception, he still eclipsed triple-digit tackles.

Now at Oregon, Thieneman will be surrounded by better defensive talent, which should open up his playmaking opportunities. NFL scouts don’t view him as a first-round prospect, but Thieneman has NFL-caliber talent that’s easy to appreciate.

4. Zakee Wheatley, Penn State (6-2 3/4v, 198v)Best trait: Rangy athleticism

Wheatley does a lot of things well on the football field, but the overarching theme from his tape is the amount of grass he covers. Against the run, he is quick to diagnose gaps, ID the runner and fill from depth. In coverage, he reads the quarterback well and anticipates routes to get a head start and expand his range.

Two of his three interceptions in 2024 came in playoff games, including this fourth-quarter play on the Boise State tape:

Wheatley reads the slot fade and is a tractor beam to the target, finishing with a 28-yard return that helps seal a win (although, what is Dani Dennis-Sutton thinking with the late hit on Ashton Jeanty?).

Must improve: Finishing strength

In terms of reading and driving, Wheatley is a smart run defender with outstanding length who leverages well when working downhill. However, if he isn’t perfectly squared up on tackle attempts, his batting average will dip. I charted Wheatley with double-digit missed tackles on the three tapes from Penn State’s playoff run.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

My top-ranked senior safety, Wheatley became a starter last season and announced himself as a draftable player. Wheatley’s emergence was essential for Penn State’s defensive success during the regular season and into the playoffs, especially after the Nittany Lions lost Kevin Winston to injury. New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles spent last season working with the top safety in college football (Downs), and it will be interesting to see what type of hybrid role he has in mind for Wheatley and his rangy skill set.

5. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo (6-3 3/8v, 209v)Best traits: Long and fluid

At 6 feet 3 and change with 32 1/2-inch arms, McNeil-Warren has rare size for the backend of the defense. Not only does he offer body length, but also he is fluid and rangy, which helps him cover the maximum amount of air space. Though his instincts are best described as “adequate,” McNeil-Warren shows the timing to make plays on the football (six career forced fumbles).

Must improve: Taking on contact

McNeil-Warren has impressive length, but he doesn’t play with consistent force when taking on blocks, especially near the line of scrimmage. Scouts are hoping to see more of a competitive edge from him this season when attacking contact.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

Toledo has produced five draft picks on defense over the last four years —  the same number of defensive draft picks the program churned out in the 34 years before that. Head coach Jason Candle and his staff have done an excellent job identifying and developing players like Quinyon Mitchell, Darius Alexander and others, and McNeil-Warren is up next in the NFL pipeline.

In his first season as a starter in 2024, McNeil-Warren played the first eight games before a shoulder injury shelved him for the final month of the season, so scouts are excited to see him back on the field — hopefully for a full season.

Preseason top 20 seniors (all measurements are NFL-verified)

1. Wheatley
2. McNeil-Warren
3. Rod Moore, Michigan (5-10 7/8, 182)
4. VJ Payne, Kansas State (6-3, 210)
5. Bud Clark, TCU (6-0 5/8, 189)
6. Jalen Stroman, Notre Dame (6-0 1/4, 201)
7. Michael Taaffe, Texas (5-11 3/4, 175)
8. Austin Brown, Wisconsin (5-11 3/4, 213)
9. Nikai Martinez, Michigan State (5-10, 195)
10. Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma (6-0 7/8, 211)
11. Terry Moore, Duke (5-11 5/8, 195)
12. Jalen Huskey, Maryland (6-0 7/8, 199)
13. A.J. Haulcy, LSU (5-11 1/4, 222)
14. Ahmaad Moses, SMU (5-9 3/8, 203)
15. Gunner Maldonado, Kansas State (5-10 3/4, 197)
16. DQ Smith, South Carolina (6-0 1/2, 214)
17. JJ Johnson, NC State (5-9 3/8, 199)
18. Shyheim Brown, Florida State (6-1 1/8, 199)
19. Phillip Dunnam, UCF (6-0 1/4, 176)
20. Jalen Catalon, Missouri (5-8 1/2, 199)

Preseason top 10 draft-eligible underclassmen (all measurements are estimates)

1. Downs
2. Ramsey
3. Thieneman
4. Keon Sabb, Alabama (6-1, 205)
5. Matthew Bailey, Illinois (6-2, 215)
6. Khalil Barnes, Clemson (6-0, 195)
7. Isaac Smith, Mississippi State (6-0, 220)
8. Jordan Castell, Florida (6-2, 220)
9. Jay Green, Stanford (6-2, 210)
10. Bray Hubbard, Alabama (6-2, 215)

(Top photo of Caleb Downs: Matthew Pearce / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)