Top committed safeties in the 2026 Rivals Industry Ranking

Many of the top defensive backs in the nation are already committed to college programs. That includes a majority of the blue-chip safeties in the 2026 cycle.

Of the 34 four and five-star safeties in the cycle, all but one — Brandon (Miss.) Hartfield Academy five-star Bralan Womack — are already off the board. Of the 182 ranked safety recruits in the cycle, just 18 are uncommitted, as of July 27.

It remains to be seen how things will change upon the beginning of August and, of course, flip season. For now, though, these are the top committed safeties in the 2026 cycle:

Jett Washington — Oregon

School: Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 14 NATL.

Washington on his decision: “Oregon has what I am looking for,” Washington told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “My relationships with the coaches are strong, coach Lanning is a defensive-minded head coach, I love the whole environment and Oregon sets their guys up for life after football. Just the fit at Oregon is right for me.”

Jireh Edwards — Alabama

School: St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 16 NATL.

Edwards on his decision: “The guys, Coach DeBoer, he’s a real winning coach,” Edwards told Rivals. “He wants to win badly. I feel me and him will match perfect. The way they brought my family in with open arms. They love my family. I feel that’s perfect. They did stuff other schools didn’t do. They welcomed me with warm hugs and all that other stuff.”

Joey O’Brien — Notre Dame

School: La Salle College (Pa.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 34 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “Nobody has proven more this offseason than Joey O’Brien. One of the biggest questions with O’Brien for us was his ability to run and cover ground. And not only was he able to confirm that can he run with some of the top pass catchers in the country, he can dominate in man coverage as well. His fluidity for his stature shines when mirroring and flipping his hips in coverage. Plus, his length adds an extra layer to his ability to create havoc at the catch point and in passing lanes. This was very apparent at the OT7 Finals where he walked away with our MVP as the top player at the event.”

Blaine Bradford — Ohio State

School: Baton Rouge Catholic (La.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 47 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “Blaine Bradford is, I think for starters, very physically developed. He has a muscular, rocked-up build and certainly is one who does not skip time in the weight room. Our most recent measurements of him have him around between 6’1 and around 200 pounds. He’s got good length, big hands, just kind of a big frame and he’s a very physical player … I think when you talk about Blaine Bradford’s strength as a player, you have to start with just the physical edge he plays with … He’s a very good tackler, outstanding just in terms of playing what’s in front of him, whether that’s the quick passing game or as a run defender.”

Jordan Smith — Georgia

School: Houston County (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 63 NATL.

Smith on his decision: “It was more of a build-up and consistency with being in Athens so many times and seeing not only the way the players are around each other, but how the coaches carry the standard with each other. That was the biggest turning point for me,” Smith told Rivals. “It is like one big machine in Athens. How they operate, how they work… Everyone is tough, everyone works and everyone does their part, so it is a good environment to be in.”

Kentavion Anderson — Clemson

School: Dorman (S.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 86 NATL.

Anderson on his decision: “That visit was huge,” Anderson told Rivals. “It was huge for me and my family. The time we had with the coaches, the talks we had together and the feeling we had on that visit changed my recruitment. Clemson was in my top three before that visit, but when I left, I knew Clemson was my top school.”

J’Zavien Currence — South Carolina

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

Scouting Report: “One of, if not the, most physically impressive prospects on the defensive side of the football was South Carolina safety commit J’Zavien Currence.  The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defensive back has unbelievable physical tools at the safety position, but it’s his movement skills that truly separate him from the pack. He’s such a smooth mover that he almost glides when covering ground.”

Simeon Caldwell — Ohio State

School: Bolles School (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 110 NATL.

Caldwell on his decision: “Ohio State is the best program in the country,” he told Rivals. “They are BIA (Best in America) for a reason. It is the best place for me and my family. At Ohio State, it is about family. The team is about brotherhood. They care about life after football there. It is about Ohio State having everything that I am looking for in a school.”

Ayden Pouncey — Notre Dame

School: Winter Park (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 123 NATL.

Pouncey on his decision: “I committed to Notre Dame because of the love from the coaches and people in the building, how they made me feel comfortable,” Pouncey told Rivals. “How I fit in with the players on the team and how stable coach Mickens is at Notre Dame were big too. Coach Micken’s has been there for five years and doesn’t plan on leaving on and neither does coach Freeman. It’s the best of both worlds, they are gonna develop me on and off the field.”

Zech Fort — Georgia

School: IMG Academy (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 131 NATL.

Fort on his decision: “Since I visited Georgia when they played Tennessee, I knew it,” Fort told Rivals. “Seeing what Georgia was like and what they represent as a team as a program, we represent a lot of the same things … Then talking to coach Kirby, coach Donte (Williams) and coach T-Rob (Travaris Robinson) on that visit too made a big impact on me. They are top coaches, they produce top players and Georgia is a top program that will compete for national championships every year. Who wouldn’t want to go to Georgia?”

Other notable committed safeties

James Dunnigan Jr. — Kansas
Devin Jackson — Oregon
Andre Clarke — Michigan
Dylan Purter — LSU
Aiden Hall — LSU

Jakob Weatherspoon — North Carolina
Matt Sieg — Penn State
Tyriq Green — Georgia
Tylan Wilson — Texas A&M
Gavin Day — Washington