Top committed safeties in the 2026 class

The 2026 recruiting cycle went way ahead of schedule from a commitment perspective. Not many notable prospects are left on the board with football season now well underway.

Flips and decommitments will come, but as of Sept. 19, each of the top 100 safety prospects in the 2026 cycle — per the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies — are currently off the board.

Below is a look at the top safeties in the nation and where they are currently committed:

1. Jireh Edwards — Alabama commit

School: St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 17 NATL.

While Auburn is the program in the Yellowhammer State that has landed myriad St. Frances prospects as of late, it was Alabama that won out for Edwards on July 5. The top-ranked safety in the nation took his official visit to Tuscaloosa on the weekend of June 6 and proceeded to trend toward the Crimson Tide from there. Edwards remains locked in with Kalen DeBoer and Co.

2. Jett Washington — Oregon commit

School: Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 18 NATL.

The nephew of the late great Kobe Bryant, Washington was trending toward Oregon for some time before he came off the board on June 19. The likes of Alabama and USC were also heavily in the mix for the 6-foot-4.5, 200-pounder, but no program pushed for the five-star quite like Dan Lanning and the Ducks. He’s one of four five-stars committed to the Big Ten program to date.

3. Bralan Womack — Auburn commit

School: Hartfield Academy (Miss.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 21 NATL.

Womack whittled his list of top contenders down to four, took his summer official visits and eventually arrived at a decision in August. Auburn continues to swing big for top recruits out of Mississippi and it beat out Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M for Womack, the No. 2 recruit in the Magnolia State. He headlines a light class for the Tigers thus far.

4. Joey O’Brien — Notre Dame commit

School: La Salle College (Pa.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 27 NATL.

The top-ranked prospect in the Keystone State is set to head to South Bend next season. O’Brien chose Notre Dame over Penn State, as well as Oregon and Clemson, among others. The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder is a two-way star at the high school level but will likely slot in immediately in the secondary for the Fighting Irish. O’Brien committed on June 20, a week after he logged his official visit.

5. Blaine Bradford — Ohio State commit

School: Baton Rouge Catholic (La.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 46 NATL.

Despite being in LSU’s backyard, Bradford surprisingly came off the board at the end of March by committing to Ohio State. The Buckeyes have gotten the elite DB to Columbus myriad times throughout his process and are now working to fend off the local Tigers down the stretch. Of the top seven players in Louisiana this cycle, Bradford is the only one not committed to LSU to date.

6. Jordan Smith — Georgia commit

School: Houston County (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 61 NATL.

A quintessential Georgia target, Smith committed to the Bulldogs on May 11 and remains solid with Kirby Smart and the staff in Athens. Georgia Tech and Tennessee were among those also pushing for the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder, but the No. 6 recruit in the Peach State continues to help headline another elite recruiting class for the SEC juggernaut.

7. Joel Wyatt — Tennessee commit

School: Oakland (Tenn.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 63 NATL.

Recruited by some as a wide receiver and others as a defensive star, Wyatt held off his commitment for some time but eventually chose Tennessee over Vanderbilt, LSU and Oklahoma on July 28. The latest Rivals300 update moved Wyatt from the “athlete” designation to safety. Once eyed as a potential linebacker by the Volunteers, Wyatt now looks to be in line to play in the secondary in Knoxville.

8. Kentavion Anderson — Clemson commit

School: Dorman (S.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 85 NATL.

Clemson landed a commitment from Anderson in May and he remains locked in with the Tigers despite a rocky start to the 2025 season. Remarkably, Anderson, the No. 1 recruit in South Carolina, is the lone in-state commitment for Clemson this cycle to date. He’s one of two top-100 overall prospects in Clemson’s top-15 recruiting class.

9. J’Zavien Currence — South Carolina commit

School: South Pointe (S.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 90 NATL.

The other elite safety in the Palmetto State this cycle is pledged to the other major in-state program in South Carolina. The Gamecocks have held his commitment since last October and Currence has shown no signs of trending elsewhere. Florida State had him in for an official visit this June, but the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder remains one of four top-100 commits in the fold for Shane Beamer and Co.

10. Ayden Pouncey — Notre Dame commit

School: Winter Park (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 107 NATL.

Notre Dame picked up a commitment from Pouncey in April as the Sunshine State recruit chose the Irish over Michigan, LSU, Miami and Florida. He visited South Bend ahead of making his decision and recently returned to campus this fall. Pouncey, O’Brien, cornerback Khary Adams and CB Chaston Smith create one of the top DB hauls in the 2026 cycle.