Top committed safeties early on in the 2027 cycle

There’s another crop of elite defensive back prospects in the 2027 cycle. There may be 11 months to go until the next National Signing Day, but there’s already been a slew of commitments made.

Looking at the top safeties in the cycle, 10 of the 35 blue-chippers at the position are already committed, as of Jan. 5. That includes three of the top five.

Plenty more are on track to make their decisions in the near future, too. Below is a look at the top committed safeties early on in the class of 2027:

Tory Pittman — Nebraska

School: Omaha Central (Neb.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 31 NATL. (No. 2 S)

Scout’s Take: “He is truly one of the most dynamic players in the country, regardless of position, with what he can do on Friday nights. And for Omaha Central (Neb.) high school, Pittman is asked to do a lot on the football field. He returns kicks, he plays safety, he plays in the box, on offense, he plays receiver, and takes a fair amount of carries from the backfield. So far as a junior, Pittman has played six quarters of football and totaled 13 tackles on the defensive side of the ball, showing serious physicality and violence. But on the offensive side, he’s caught 3 passes for 60 yards with a touchdown reception and a rushing touchdown. Pittman is one of the most gifted athletes in the 2027 cycle and continues to prove he’s more than just a track star with his instincts and physical style of play early on in his junior season.”

Kamarui Dorsey — Texas A&M

School: Hampton (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 40 NATL. (No. 4 S)

On his commitment: “What made Texas A&M right for me is that they fitted what I needed and wanted as a football player and as a regular human off the field as well,” Dorsey told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “When I say you could be yourself around everyone and everyone was so down to earth and wanted so much for me and their players that are there not only on the field but also of the field.”

JayQuan Snell — Texas A&M

School: Waxahachie (Texas)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 46 NATL. (No. 5 S)

On his commitment: “Honestly, they’ve taken a huge step with me over these last few weeks,” Snell told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman. “It hasn’t just been the recruiting part; it’s the way they’ve been genuine with me and have stayed consistent. They’ve made me feel like I’m truly wanted and that I’d be a big part of what they’re building. That means a lot — because it’s not just about football; it’s about trust and relationships, too. I’ve been able to connect more with the staff, and that’s really opened my eyes to how much of a factor they can be for me moving forward.”

Eli Johnson — Ohio State

School: Steele (Texas)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 109 NATL. (No. 9 S)

On Ohio State: “I enjoyed spending time with all the coaches like Coach Guerrierri, Coach (Michael) Hunter and Coach Walt … and the whole coaching staff,” Johnson has said of Ohio State. “Really cool people and down to earth as well … really felt welcomed when I was up there. This summer, they have been reaching out and just checking up on me and making sure I’ve been good and just building that relationship.”

Mekhi Williams — Florida State

School: Lennard (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 120 NATL. (No. 11 S)

On his commitment: “It’s a lot of schools that are getting at me,” Williams recently told Rivals’ Marcus Benjamin. “Mike Norvell,” he said of why he remains committed to FSU. “He shows a lot of love. He’s a good person. Florida State is a really good school education-wise, too.”

Khalil Terry — Notre Dame

School: Tustin (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 168 NATL. (No. 16 S)

On his commitment: “I really like how they use their safeties,” Terry told Rivals’ Greg Biggins. “Coach Mickens spent a lot of time talking to me about how they want to use me and I love the fit. They see me playing a similar role as Adon Shuler who they move around and do a lot of different things with and I really like the fit a lot.”

Marquis Bryant — North Carolina

School: Rolesville (N.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 169 NATL. (No. 17 S)

On his commitment: “Since the new staff came in with Coach Belichick, they have been recruiting me since he got there,” Bryant told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “They have recruited me hard, and I know I am high on their board. Coach Mondo Hawkins and some other coaches have gotten to know me. The staff is great. I love Mondo’s coaching style — I’ve seen him in practice and he is always positive. He pushes his guys and coaches his players up.”

Jaylyn Jones — Miami

School: McArthur (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 192 NATL. (No. 21 S)

On his commitment: “It feels great,” Jones told Rivals about his pledge to the Hurricanes. “The relationship I have is incredible with the coaches. They still check up on me every day. I just have a great bond with them, that’s why I love Miami.”

Jernard Albright — South Carolina

School: Effingham County (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 197 NATL. (No. 23 S)

On his commitment: “As soon as they offered, they saw the potential in me,” Albright told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “They made me feel wanted and they showed mad love. I honestly didn’t know a lot about South Carolina right when they offered, but once I started researching the school, Coach Torian Gray, and the players that have come out of there, I started to look at them a lot differently.”

Tristin Hughes — Syracuse

School: Rocky River (Ohio)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 361 NATL. (No. 35 S)

About: Hughes committed to Fran Brown and the Orange on Sept. 9, choosing the ACC program over an early offer list that also included the likes of Michigan State, Purdue and Maryland. He headlines Syracuse’s 2027 class, which already features eight commits and ranks inside the top 25 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Hughes’ Rocky River team won 11 games in 2025. He’s also the No. 13 junior in Ohio.