The 2025 NFL Draft saw 18 safeties selected, including All-Americans Xavier Watts, Malaki Starks, and Malachi Moore. However, plenty of standout safety prospects return to college football for the 2025 season.

Who should you be looking out for this fall? Using PFSN’s College SAF+ metric, we ranked the top 25 returning college football safeties for the 2025 campaign.

Each player’s game and season grades are adjusted for opponent strength. Past seasons use end-of-season strength of schedule, but in-season grades can fluctuate as we learn more about the true performance level of each team.

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25) Isaiah Cash, Virginia Tech

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 80.7 (B)

The first player on this list is an incoming transfer to Virginia Tech, as well as one of two players who spent the 2024 season at Sam Houston State. Isaiah Cash spent his first four seasons at Houston Christian, transferred to Sam Houston State in 2024, and finished the year as one of the top Group of Five safeties in the nation.

Now entering his sixth year in college, Cash looked the part of an experienced safety, allowing just a 57.1% completion rate. His 5% missed-tackle rate was the second-best among the top SAF+ returning graders, and his eight pass deflections tied for first. A lower strength of schedule weighed his SAF+ grade down a bit, though.

24) Carter Davis, Boston College

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 80.9 (B)

Carter Davis’ redshirt freshman season was a strong one in 2024. Playing alongside another Boston College safety with a top-25 SAF+ grade, Davis converted from cornerback to safety during the final week of training camp. He excelled in the new role, playing in all 13 games and starting 10.

A well-rounded safety, Davis intercepted three passes in 2024 and missed tackles on only 7.9% of his attempts. An allowed completion rate of 73.7% slightly hinders his metrics, but he limited big plays well, allowing no touchdowns in coverage all year.

23) Jordan Castell, Florida

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 81.0 (B)

After making the All-SEC Freshman team in 2023, hopes were high for Castell in his second season as a starter for Florida. He lived up to the hype, starting every game and leading the team with nine pass breakups.

Castell had a forced incompletion rate of 16.2%, making his mark in coverage even without recording an interception. His allowed passer rating of 112 was the second-highest of the 25 safeties on this list; forcing more turnovers could help him balance out big plays allowed and improve his SAF+ grade.

22) Terry Moore, Duke

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 81.2 (B)

Terry Moore was a key contributor to Duke’s defense in 2024, and he figures to form one of the top safety duos in the nation next year with another player on this list. The second-team All-ACC pick was an impact starter despite converting from running back to safety only two years ago.

Moore allowed a completion rate of just 56.3%, intercepted four passes, and held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 46.1. However, his missed-tackle rate of 23.5% is the highest of any safety here. Another year to develop as a tackler should help Moore round out his game.

21) Duce Chestnut, Syracuse

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 81.6 (B+)

It’s been an interesting collegiate career for Duce Chestnut, who starred at Syracuse as a cornerback before transferring to LSU in 2023. The move didn’t work out as planned, so he returned to Syracuse in 2024 and moved to safety. That switch paid off, and he enters 2025 firmly on NFL radars.

Chestnut allowed a completion rate of just 56% in coverage and posted an impressive 24% forced incompletion rate. He also allowed just 0.4 yards per coverage snap, making him one of the most well-rounded safeties in the country last year.

20) TJ Metcalf, Michigan

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 81.8 (B+)

TJ Metcalf was an impact player in his two seasons at Arkansas. He entered the rotation as a true freshman in 2023 and became a starter in 2024, winning SEC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 4. For 2025, he transferred to Michigan and is expected to be a key part of its defensive backfield.

With three interceptions and a forced incompletion rate of 18.8%, Metcalf was one of the most disruptive safeties in coverage last season. He was hindered by five penalties, however, and his penalty grade of 0.555 was the lowest of all returning safeties in the top 25 SAF+ rankings.

19) Matthew Bailey, Illinois

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 81.9 (B+)

After missing most of the 2023 season due to injury, Bailey bounced back in a big way in 2024, forming one of the top safety duos in the nation with another player who also appears on this list. Most notably, he tied the Illinois bowl game record with 13 tackles in the Citrus Bowl against South Carolina.

Bailey limited big plays well, allowing an average depth per target of just 7.9 yards. He wasn’t flashy in coverage but allowed only one touchdown on 53 targets all year. That consistency places him in the top 20 for SAF+ grades among returning safeties, despite not leading in any single category.

18) Bishop Fitzgerald, USC

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 82.0 (B+)

A recent transfer to USC, Bishop Fitzgerald was an impact safety for NC State in 2024. His rise through the ranks has been impressive, having started at the JUCO level before immediately entering NC State’s defensive rotation and later joining the Trojans for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Disruption in coverage was the name of the game for Fitzgerald in 2024, as he intercepted three passes and forced incompletions on 20.6% of targets thrown his way. Allowing four touchdowns knocks him out of the top 15, but more consistency to complement his splash plays could certainly see him rise in the rankings after his move to USC.

17) Bud Clark, TCU

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 82.4 (B+)

The 2024 season marked Bud Clark’s third as a starter and second as a team captain for TCU. He led his team with three interceptions and finished with a career-high 67 tackles, earning second-team All-Big 12 recognition for his efforts.

A well-rounded defensive back, Clark missed just 7.7% of his tackling attempts and allowed a passer rating of 42.8. He also didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage, making him one of just five returning players in the top 25 of SAF+ grading to not allow a score in 2024.

16) Miles Scott, Illinois

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 82.4 (B+)

Another of several key returning defenders to Illinois’ roster in 2025, Miles Scott brought veteran leadership to the Fighting Illini in his second season as a starter. It was also just his second season as a full-time defensive player, as he began his collegiate career as a wide receiver in 2022.

Scott’s receiver background gives him an advantage in ball skills, and he intercepted two passes in 2024. His 20.6% missed tackle rate knocks him just outside the top 15, but his 0.600 coverage snaps per target metric is among the best for returning safeties.

15) Adon Shuler, Notre Dame

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 82.7 (B+)

The highest-rated redshirt freshman from 2024 on this list, Adon Shuler stepped into Notre Dame’s starting secondary and looked right at home alongside eventual NFL draft picks Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts. Going into 2025, he figures to be a top performer as the Fighting Irish work to get back to the national championship game.

Shuler’s three interceptions and zero touchdowns allowed in coverage helped propel him to a high rating in 2024, along with Notre Dame facing one of the toughest schedules in college football. If he can cut down his missed tackle percentage of 16.7, a top-10 finish in 2025 hardly seems out of the question.

14) Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 82.8 (B+)

SMU was one of the biggest surprises in college football last season, taking advantage of an expanded College Football Playoff to make its first postseason appearance. Having an All-ACC second-team defensive back in Isaiah Nwokobia certainly helped the Mustangs get to that point.

With just 8.2 yards per reception allowed, Nwokobia had the lowest average of any safety who graded in the top 25 in overall SAF+ grading. He added three interceptions, which helped offset his 77.1% allowed completion percentage.

13) Preston Zachman, Wisconsin

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 82.9 (B+)

The 6’1″, 212-pound Preston Zachman was a reliable rotational defender and special teams contributor prior to the 2024 season. He then stepped into a bigger role for Wisconsin’s defense, starting all 12 games. Going into his sixth season in the program, he projects as one of the better safeties in college football.

As one could assume by his size, Zachman makes it this high on the list for his consistency and physicality as a tackler. His missed tackle percentage of 3.3 is the lowest of any safety on this list. He allowed a higher-than-average 67.6% completion percentage, but his elite play as a tackler gets him into the top 15 in SAF+ grading.

12) Khalil Barnes, Clemson

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 83.0 (B+)

Coming off a strong freshman year in 2023, Khalil Barnes worked his way into a full-time starting role in Clemson’s secondary as a true sophomore. Alongside R.J. Mickens, who has since been drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers, he formed one of the top safety duos in college football.

Barnes was tested often in coverage, as his 7.2 coverage snaps per target is the most frequent rate of any defensive back on this list. However, he made the most of that large workload, intercepting four passes and allowing a targeted passer rating of just 57.3 in coverage.

11) Jalen Catalon, Missouri

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 83.1 (B+)

It’s been a wild ride for Jalen Catalon at the collegiate level. After injury-riddled stops at Arkansas and Texas, he proved to be an impact defensive back for UNLV in 2024. He ended the year as a third-team All-American and will play his final year of eligibility at Missouri, where he figures to be a key piece of its secondary.

Catalon finished with five interceptions in 2024, and his coverage snaps per reception metric of 0.553 is better than all but one player remaining on this list. An easier strength of schedule knocks him just out of the top 10, but his unadjusted SAF+ grade of 93.82 would rank fifth among all returning safeties.

10) KP Price, Boston College

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 83.4 (B+)

In his first season as a full-time starter, KP Price rose to the occasion in 2024. He led Boston College with 85 tackles and contributed two interceptions, grading out as one of the top true sophomore safeties in college football.

Price had one of the lowest average depths of target in the nation at 6.8 last season. His four touchdowns allowed hurt his passer rating in coverage, but his consistency as a tackler and ability to force turnovers keep him within the top 10 returning safeties in the nation.

9) Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 83.6 (B+)

Dillon Thieneman was one of the best safeties in college football during his two years at Purdue. After dominating as a deep safety in 2023, the Boilermakers moved him around more in 2024. That reduced his ball production, but he was still an impact player and figures to be one again for Oregon this coming season.

Playing near the box and slot more often last year, Thieneman allowed a completion percentage of 77.8%. However, he disrupted with six pass deflections and graded as a reliable tackler against one of the toughest schedules in college football in 2024.

8) Tao Johnson, Utah

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 83.7 (B+)

The journey Tao Johnson has taken to becoming one of the top safeties in the 2026 NFL Draft class is arguably the most unique. Starting off as a quarterback in high school, he played wide receiver for Utah in 2022 before switching to defensive back in 2023. In just his second season as a full-time defender, he was one of the nation’s best.

Johnson’s forced incompletion rate of 31.3% is the highest of any safety on this list. He also allowed a targeted passer rating of just 59.4 in 2024. Missed tackles knock him down a few pegs, but in coverage, he was phenomenal for the Utes last season.

7) A.J. Haulcy, LSU

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 84.6 (A-)

A.J. Haulcy started off his collegiate career at New Mexico State, making the jump to Houston in 2023. His 2024 season with the Cougars earned him first-team All-Big 12 recognition, and he will look to continue his momentum upon transferring to LSU for his final year of eligibility.

Haulcy’s forced incompletion percentage of 26.9% ties for the highest of any of the top-ten safeties on this list. Though his 17.2% missed tackle percentage keeps his SAF+ outside the top five, his five interceptions and six pass breakups weigh heavily in his favor.

6) Caleb Weaver, Duke

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 85.4 (A-)

Caleb Weaver dominated at Sam Houston State in 2024, proving himself as one of the most underrated safeties in the nation. Now, after transferring to Duke and making the jump to the Power Four level for his 2025 campaign, he has the chance to step into a bigger spotlight.

A standout in coverage, Weaver allowed a passer rating of just 37.7 in 2024. He picked off four passes and allowed just one touchdown all season. Without factoring in strength of schedule, his unweighted SAF+ grade of 100.60 ranked first in the FBS last year. A weaker schedule, however, drops him a few spots.

5) Silas Walters, Miami (OH)

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 85.4 (A-)

The top returning safety at a Group of Five school, Silas Walters, stood out for the Miami RedHawks as not just the top safety on the team, but one of the best in Division I football.

Walters forced nine incompletions in 2024, more than any other safety on this list. His forced incompletion score of 0.502 is higher than any remaining safety ranked above him. He also finished with a missed tackle percentage below 10%, making him one of the most consistent tacklers in the nation at his position.

4) Zakee Wheatley, Penn State

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 87.2 (A-)

Zakee Wheatley comes in as the fourth-best returning safety in college football and the sixth-best overall from the 2024 season. He stepped into a bigger role for Penn State’s defense with an injury to Kevin Winston Jr., and he succeeded, capping off the year with Fiesta Bowl defensive MVP honors.

Wheatley’s missed tackle rate of 22.9% kept him outside the top three, but he was tremendous otherwise. He ended the year with three interceptions and graded above average practically everywhere across the board against one of the toughest schedules in college football last year.

3) Michael Taaffe, Texas

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 88.6 (A)

A former walk-on for the Texas Longhorns, Michael Taaffe is one of the best stories in college football today. He went from an afterthought on the roster to a second-team All-American in 2024. He enters the 2025 season as one of the top projected safeties in the nation.

Taaffe’s eight pass deflections tie for the most of any safety on this list. His forced incompletion grade of 0.486 is also the second-highest on the list and the best among players who played at the Power Four level last season. His SAF+ grade ranked above 2025 draft picks like Nick Emmanwori and Malaki Starks.

2) Caleb Downs, Ohio State

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 88.7 (A)

The top overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft on PFSN’s big board, Caleb Downs, comes in with incredibly high regard for his strong play at Alabama in 2023 and the following year at Ohio State. It’s no surprise that the first-team All-American’s analytical profile checks out as strongly as his tape.

With an SOS rating of 8.96, Downs faced the toughest schedule last year of any safety on this list. It’s telling that he was also incredibly efficient, placing second in overall SAF+ grading. He finished with two interceptions, allowed a passer rating of just 52.6, and did not allow a single touchdown in coverage.

1) Xavion Alford, Arizona State

2024 PFSN College SAF+ Grade: 91.2 (A)

Arizona State’s offense got a lot of hype last season, with the likes of Sam Leavitt, Cam Skattebo, and Jordan Tyson leading the way. However, an unsung hero was safety Xavion Alford, who finished as PFSN’s top-rated returning safety for the 2025 season and the third-best overall.

Alford was a disruptor in coverage, intercepting two passes and finishing the year with a 23.8% forced incompletion rate. With a missed tackle rate of just 6.7%, he was also one of the most reliable tacklers at his position in 2024. Perhaps most impressive was how often teams avoided him; he led the nation with 54.8 coverage snaps per target.