Position Overview | 2026 Badlands Draft Guide

SAF

Safety

NYJ Need Level: High

Position Group Rank: # 3

Prospect
SAF 1
Caleb Downs
Ohio State

Overview

One of if not the biggest moves of the offseason for the Jets is trading for Minkah Fitzpatrick. Even at 29, Fitzpatrick is not only still playing at a high level but is the best option the Jets have had at safety in a very long time. But the question becomes who his partner will be. Malachi Moore had an up and down 2025 and while you'd hope he takes a leap and steps into a starting role, it'd be probably unwise for the Jets to not look to add real competition. Once you consider that and the fact that the impact of two high level safeties is a big part of what got Aaron Glenn the Jets job, it'd be hard to rule out the Jets attacking this position somewhere in the top 50.

SAF Rankings

= Scheme Fit

RankProspectPositionSchoolClassGrade
1
SAFOhio StateJUN1st round
2
SAFOregonJUN1st round
3
SAFLSUSEN2nd round
4
SAFToledoSEN2nd round
5
SAFArizonaSEN2nd round
6
SAFMiamiSEN2nd-3rd round
7
SAFTCUSEN3rd round
8
Prospect
Zakee Wheatley
SAFPenn StateSEN
9
SAFSouth CarolinaJUN3rd round
10
SAFKansas StateSEN6th Round
11
SAFNebraskaSEN7th
12
SAFOklahomaSEN7th
13
SAFUSCJUN5th
14
SAFArizonaSENRound 5
15
SAFMarylandSENRound 4
16
SAFIndianaSEN7th / UDFA
17
SAFUSCSEN5th
18
SAFIowaSEN5th Round