The Draft Room wraps up the defensive positions with a deep dive into the top nine safety prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. From late bloomers to NFL royalty, this position group is stacked with talent and storylines that demand attention heading into the combine.

• Full scouting breakdowns on all nine prospects including PFF grades, coverage stats, snap alignments, injury histories, and pro comparisons — from Bud Clark's six-year TCU tenure and iconic pick-six against JJ McCarthy to Caleb Downs' case as the best overall player in the draft
• The compelling underdog story of Emmanuel McNeil Warren, a first-generation college student from Toledo who turned down big NIL money and transfer portal riches out of loyalty — and now sits in the first-round conversation
• Dylan Thenaman's rise from Purdue's 1-11 squad to PFF's number one graded safety nationally at Oregon, and why his overtime interception of Drew Allar may have sealed a first-round grade
• How the Packers' new defensive coordinator's potential three-safety scheme could make guys like AJ Halsey — a 5'11" 222-pound enforcer with a Derwin James comp — surprisingly relevant for Green Bay's first pick
• The positional value debate around Downs: Is he Eric Berry 2.0, and will an early-picking GM have the guts to take the best player available regardless of position?

The combine is going to be massive for this group. Several of these prospects have pass-or-fail athletic testing ahead that could swing their draft stock by a full round. Don't sleep on this safety class.

#NFL #NFLDraft #2026NFLDraft #DraftRoom #CalebDowns #Safeties #PackernetPodcast #DraftSeason

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