Next up in the annual draft prospect series, the focus turns to the safety position for the Detroit Lions. A safety for Detroit to consider in every round of the 2026 NFL Draft is here.
An interior OL prospect for every round
An off-ball LB for every round
An EDGE prospect for every round
No, the Lions aren’t going to draft a safety prospect in each round. The purpose here is to demonstrate which types of talents look to be available for Lions GM Brad Holmes in each of the draft’s seven rounds. They are done with an eye toward scheme and culture fit for Detroit. This is not a recommendation or endorsement of any of the players, with what appears to be realistic draft projection ranges with about five weeks to go until the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Lions currently don’t have a third-round pick, but there is still a third-round candidate listed. As Holmes has repeatedly shown, he’s not afraid to go get his man in draft-day trades.
State of the Position
When healthy, the Lions have the best, most impactful starting safety tandem in the NFL in Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. Unfortunately, there are lingering injury questions dogging each of them entering the 2026 season.
Branch is widely expected to miss at least the start of the 2026 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. The injury came in Week 14.
Joseph’s status is more uncertain. The 2024 All-Pro missed the Lions’ final 11 games with a knee condition. While no official diagnosis has ever been offered, it’s known to be a degenerative condition that could be career-threatening.
Pending Joseph’s unknown health, that leaves the starting safeties for Week 1 as Thomas Harper and Christian Izien. Harper played well enough in 2025, his first season in Detroit, to capably man the fort, though he’s better as a third safety. Izien effectively replaces one-year rental Avonte Maddox as the versatile secondary supersub. The former Buccaneer is younger and higher-end, and his ability to play in the overhang role is useful.
Dan Jackson missed his rookie season with an injury. The 2025 seventh-rounder from Georgia is more of a box-only safety as a high-energy subpackage player and special teams ace. Seldom-used (14 snaps in 2 years) Loren Strickland, another box-type safety and special teamer, returns for a third season as well.
If Branch and Joseph both return to close to 100% by December, safety is not a position of need before about the 6th round. But given the uncertainty–and the importance of the position in the Lions defensive scheme–the safeties are the primary playmakers in the passing game–addressing it much earlier probably needs to be a serious consideration.
1st round: Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
EUGENE, OREGON – NOVEMBER 14: Dillon Thieneman #31 of the Oregon Ducks (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
The impressive Thieneman was recently featured as the Prospect of the Day on the Daily DLP:
The 22-year-old (in August) Thieneman played two seasons at Purdue before transferring to Oregon for 2025. Registered over 95 tackles all three seasons while aligning all over the secondary.
Pros
–Elite athlete with outstanding top-end speed and acceleration
–Highly productive across different defensive schemes
–Quick eyes and trigger to attack the run game
–Good range and reactive quickness in high coverage
–Showed outstanding ball skills early (6 INTs in 2023)
–Core special teams experience
–Almost never chases the cheese
–Fits the Grit with his mindset and style of play
Cons
–More of a drag-down tackler, will give up an extra yard(s) in space
–Often too flat of a path from middle of field to the outside
–Doesn’t anticipate blocks well and can get stuck on them
–Will occasionally play on train tracks in run defense
–Lacks instincts in man coverage, exacerbated the wider out he gets
Thieneman is listed only because I expect Ohio State’s Caleb Downs to be selected well before Detroit comes on the clock.
2nd round: Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Nov 1, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Jalon Kilgore (24) intercepts a pass intended for Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Winston Watkins (17): Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Three-year starter who played primarily in the “Spur” role for the Gamecocks, the 6-1, 210-pound Kilgore raised his draft profile with an outstanding athletic display at the Scouting Combine.
Pros
–Outstanding athlete; state champion long-jumper in HS
–Game-altering speed, clocked at over 23 MPH via GPS
–Loads of experience in the Brian Branch-esque slot safety role
–Sound tackler with good body control
–Ball skills (8 INTs, 21 PDs) are not a fluke, plays like a WR with the ball in the air
–Enthusiastic run support as a box safety
–Good communicator with sound pre-snap awareness
Cons
–Struggles in man coverage with receivers who can run routes well
–Visible lower-body tightness shows in breaks
–A little too easy to block at times
–Penalty-prone grabber in coverage when he can’t match the lateral quickness
3rd round: A.J. Haulcy, LSU
Haulcy would be your Gen-X 8th-grade football coach’s favorite safety. He’s a throwback to the Eric Turner style of safety, one equally capable of knocking out a crossing receiver or stepping in front and housing an interception. Unlike Turner and his brethren, Haulcy lacks speed and flexibility; his 4.52 40-yard dash at the Combine is faster than he consistently showed on film, a la one-time Lions second-rounder, Teez Tabor.
Pros
–Plays much bigger than his 6-0/215 size
–Excellent pre-snap recognition
–Great nose for the ball and where it’s going
–Proven ability to align in a variety of safety positions and roles
–Quick reactions in coverage
–Feisty competitor and agitator, tone-setting leader on the field
–Above-average block avoidance in space
Cons
–Poor acceleration from a stop
–Top-end speed is below-average and he lacks a chase gear
–Played with a shoulder injury throughout 2025
–Hitter more than a tackler, consistent failure to wrap up tacklers
–Lacks body control and balance at top speed, will overshoot the point of attack
4th round: Bud Clark, TCU
Playmaking safety with loads of experience and a flair for big-game moments, Clark is a study in what a team is looking for. Clark flashes high-end coverage and ball skills, but it’s inconsistent. So is his tackling. So is his positional discipline. The good tape is top-50 in this class. The lesser tape is prevalent enough to drop him to Day 3.
Pros:
–Ball skills might be best-in-class
–Twitchy, quick reactions
–Attacks the ball with excellent anticipation
–3-time team captain noted for his presence and leadership
–Decent flexibility and efficient athleticism
–Good at football geometry in the run game
Cons:
–Light for his height (6-2/190) at safety and frame might not hold more bulk
–Inconsistent eye discipline that sees him chase the cheese in play-action and double moves
–Can struggle to bring down stronger tackling targets
–Prone to lapses in on-field judgment
–Will go for the INT instead of the sure tackle/stop
–6 years of college football makes him an older prospect
5th round: V.J. Payne, Kansas State
Payne started 3 of his 4 seasons for the Wildcats and earned a Senior Bowl invite. A 2-time team captain, Payne turned 22 on St. Patrick’s Day. From his recent turn as a Daily DLP Prospect of the Day:
Pros
–High-end athlete with size and speed (9.72 RAS)
–Has played extensively in all safety roles
–Excellent coverage vs. flexed TEs and bigger slot WRs
–Attacks the ball well in coverage and post-catch
–Doesn’t chase the cheese on boots/misdirections
–Showed pass rush timing and vision
Cons
–Tape is littered with hits without wrapping up
–Slow trigger vs the run, notably when playing slot
–Stays blocked too easily
–Long strides show hip tightness
–Tested with better acceleration than shows on field
6th round: Cole Wisniewski, Texas Tech
Consider Wisniewski as someone who will test the patience of Lions fans who are exhausted by the Brad Holmes regime’s propensity for selecting players with extensive injury histories. Wisniewski certainly fits that bill.
Wisniewski was at North Dakota State for five years, though he took a medical redshirt in 2023 after suffering a foot injury. He missed more than half of 2022 with a different injury, and also has missed time with concussions. In four seasons prior to 2025, he barely played 1,000 snaps for the NDSU Bison, including the first three seasons as a linebacker.
At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds (estimated), Wisniewski brings outstanding size to playing as a box or overhang safety. Checks the boxes for run defense, block avoidance, and closing burst to the point of attack. I love Wisniewski’s patience to let a blocking attempt clear, then strike the runner behind it. Short-range and trail coverage over the middle is above-average.
Solid tackling and high effort in run defense. Flashed real ball skills in his final year at NDSU with 8 INTs, though he notched just two PDs and no INTs in 15 games at Texas Tech. Can be slow to react to sudden breaks and his acceleration can lag, too. His man coverage will remind you that he was a linebacker until two years ago, though he didn’t do it a lot for the Red Raiders–almost always playing from a split-safety look. He’s not someone who is ready to play as a single-high or over-the-top safety. Wisniewski has some special teams experience but not extensive.
Bottom line: Wisniewski is an older prospect (turns 24 as a rookie) but remains relatively inexperienced at safety due to a position change and injury history. He offers NFL-ready run defense, and he’s competent enough in short-range coverage to work in sub-packages right away, or even challenge to start as a box/dime safety…if he stays healthy and has some remaining upside.
7th round: Jacob Thomas, James Madison
A former walk-on who switched from quarterback to safety, Thomas offers a surprising amount of coverage savvy for a player who hasn’t been on defense very long. Good athlete at 6-1 and 212 pounds, with nice play strength and lateral agility. Matches up with flexed TEs well and can sniff out screens and boots exceptionally well. Hair is always on fire. Bagged an excellent sack vs Louisville that shows pass-rush upside from the slot. Still mastering pursuit angles and sinking his weight when tackling, but has shown progress at each. Core special teams player in college who should translate to the NFL right away on kick and punt units, with upside as a slot or split safety–especially if the tackling continues to improve.
