2026 Under the Radar: Safeties

Safeties are the last line of defense, tasked with covering ground, delivering big hits, and making game-changing plays in the secondary. Whether they're locking down receivers, coming up to stop the run, or creating turnovers, these versatile defenders are essential to any successful defense. In this edition of our "Under the Radar" series, we highlight the Class of 2026 safeties who may not have received much attention yet but have the skills to become impact players next season. With another year to develop, these athletes are poised to step into bigger roles and make their mark on the field.    Robinson is an intriguing prospect. He has nice size for the position. You would probably assume he excels at receiver more than safety, but he enjoys defense and feels it is more exciting. Robinson made Second Team All-Conference Defensive Back last year in the Mt. Hood Conference and will look to make the First Team next season for a different Mt. Hood squad. Robinson has transferred to 6A powerhouse Central Catholic and could break out in a big way if all goes as planned. Robinson has the size and traits to become a serious prospect in the PNW.     Hattenhauer is an exciting prospect out of Central Oregon. What stood out most is his zone coverage ability while also being more than able to come downhill and help in the run game. When I turned on the tape, I was expecting to watch a borderline linebacker, but the coverage ability really impressed me. With another year of development, Caldera should have a solid prospect on their hands in Hattenhauer.     Eriksen may be the best coverage safety on this list. With his size, he will not wow you when he comes downhill to make a tackle, but he more than makes up for it in coverage. He has great speed at the position and can cover a lot of ground. He also has above-average processing and ball skills. Dallas has no problem developing their kids, and I am excited to see how much improvement Eriksen will make over the offseason.     Kuenzi could have easily been on the list of under-the-radar receivers, but I think he is an excellent safety, so I wanted to hold off and put him on this list. What stands out when watching Kuenzi is his football IQ and how smart of a player he is. He can scan a play and react, whether recognizing a run and coming downhill to make a tackle or recognizing the pass concept and being able to make a break on a route and make a play. There is not a lot of hesitation in his game, and that is crucial for a safety. He should only improve this offseason and have an even better senior year.     If you're looking for the most all-around safety on this list, it is Wright out of Churchill. His zone coverage ability graded out highest for me, but just about everything else was not too far behind. He has nice range at the position, can make plays on the ball, processes things fairly quickly, and can come downhill and make a physical tackle. He doesn't have the size to lay down hit sticks, but that does not mean he is not physical when taking down a ball carrier. With another offseason of development and playing the position, Wright should only get better.

Safeties are the last line of defense, tasked with covering ground, delivering big hits, and making game-changing plays in the secondary. Whether they're locking down receivers, coming up to stop the run, or creating turnovers, these versatile defenders are essential to any successful defense. In this edition of our "Under the Radar" series, we highlight the Class of 2026 safeties who may not have received much attention yet but have the skills to become impact players next season. With another year to develop, these athletes are poised to step into bigger roles and make their mark on the field.