Safety (S) Draft History

383 Ss drafted in the NFL Draft

Since 1980, NFL teams have drafted 2,127 safeties and defensive backs in the NFL Draft, 196 of them in the first round. 19 of those picks are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Kenny Easley (1981), Ronnie Lott (1981), Darrell Green (1983), Rod Woodson (1987), Eric Allen (1988) and Deion Sanders (1989), plus 13 more. By career Approximate Value, the most productive pick was Rod Woodson (DB, Purdue), taken in round 1 of the 1987 draft. The biggest value pick was John Lynch, a round-3 selection in 1993 who made 9 Pro Bowls. Of the picks made through 2025, 208 (10%) made at least one Pro Bowl and 86% appeared in at least one NFL game. The most common school was Ohio St., with 46 picks.

Figures cover the 1980–2026 drafts. Source: nflverse.

All S Draft Picks

YearRdPick TeamPlayerPosCollege
2021 5 154 NYJ Michael Carter II S Duke
2021 — — Undrafted Trill Williams S Syracuse
2021 — — Undrafted Ar'Darius Washington S TCU
2021 — — Undrafted Paris Ford S Pittsburgh
2021 — — Undrafted Tyler Coyle S Purdue
2021 — — Undrafted Christian Uphoff S Illinois State
2021 — — Undrafted Jordyn Peters S Auburn
2021 — — Undrafted Aashari Crosswell S Arizona State
2021 — — Undrafted Donovan Stiner S Florida
2020 7 216 WSH Kamren Curl S Arkansas
2020 7 249 MIN Brian Cole II S Mississippi State
2020 — — Undrafted Shyheim Carter S Alabama
2020 — — Undrafted Jalen Elliott S Notre Dame
2020 — — Undrafted Nigel Warrior S Tennessee
2020 — — Undrafted Jared Mayden S Alabama
2020 — — Undrafted David Dowell S Michigan State
2019 1 21 GB Darnell Savage Jr. S Maryland
2019 4 105 NO Chauncey Gardner-Johnson S Florida
2019 4 109 IND Khari Willis S Michigan State
2019 4 132 SEA Ugochukwu Amadi S Oregon
2019 5 144 IND Marvell Tell III S USC
2019 — — Undrafted Evan Worthington S Colorado
2019 — — Undrafted Lukas Denis S Boston College
2019 — — Undrafted Andrew Wingard S Wyoming
2019 — — Undrafted Jonathan Crawford S Indiana
2019 — — Undrafted Darius West S Kentucky
2019 — — Undrafted Zedrick Woods S Ole Miss
2019 — — Undrafted D'Cota Dixon S Wisconsin
2019 — — Undrafted JoJo McIntosh S Washington
2019 — — Undrafted Cameron Glenn S Wake Forest
2019 — — Undrafted Mark McLaurin S Mississippi State
2019 — — Undrafted Malik Gant S Marshall
2019 — — Undrafted John Battle S LSU
2019 — — Undrafted Kiy Hester S Rutgers
2019 — — Undrafted Delvon Randall S Temple
2019 — — Undrafted Brandon Snyder S South Dakota State
2018 1 28 PIT Terrell Edmunds S Virginia Tech
2018 2 54 CIN Jessie Bates III S Wake Forest
2018 3 68 HOU Justin Reid S Stanford
2018 3 82 DET Tracy Walker S Louisiana
2018 6 200 ATL Foyesade Oluokun S Yale
2018 — — Undrafted Kameron Kelly S San Diego State
2018 — — Undrafted Godwin Igwebuike S Northwestern
2018 — — Undrafted Stephen Roberts S Auburn
2018 — — Undrafted Quin Blanding S Virginia
2018 — — Undrafted Trayvon Henderson S Hawai'i
2018 — — Undrafted Jeremy Reaves S South Alabama
2018 — — Undrafted Damon Webb S Ohio State
2018 — — Undrafted Sean Chandler S Temple
2018 — — Undrafted Tray Matthews S Auburn
2018 — — Undrafted Cole Reyes S North Dakota
2018 — — Undrafted Kyle Queiro S Northwestern
2017 2 36 ARI Budda Baker S Washington
2017 2 50 TB Justin Evans S Texas A&M, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
2017 3 95 SEA Delano Hill S Michigan
2017 5 149 ATL Damontae Kazee S San Diego State
2017 5 184 PHI Nathan Gerry S Nebraska
2017 — — Undrafted Lorenzo Jerome S St Francis (PA)
2017 — — Undrafted Jadar Johnson S Clemson
2017 — — Undrafted Damarius Travis S Minnesota
2017 — — Undrafted Ahmad Thomas S Oklahoma
2017 — — Undrafted Jamal Carter S Miami
2017 — — Undrafted Demetrious Cox S Michigan State
2017 — — Undrafted Dymonte Thomas S Michigan
2017 — — Undrafted Orion Stewart S Baylor
2017 — — Undrafted Jordan Sterns S Oklahoma State
2016 1 17 ATL Keanu Neal S Florida
2016 2 61 NO Vonn Bell S Ohio State
2016 4 106 KC Eric Murray S Minnesota
2016 6 204 MIA Jordan Lucas S Penn State
2016 6 219 DEN Will Parks S Arizona
2016 7 244 MIN Jayron Kearse S Clemson
2016 — — Undrafted Jeremy Cash S Duke
2016 — — Undrafted Tyvis Powell S Ohio State
2016 — — Undrafted Trae Elston S Ole Miss
2016 — — Undrafted Elijah Shumate S Notre Dame
2016 — — Undrafted Jordan Simone S Arizona State
2016 — — Undrafted Jordan Lomax S Iowa
2016 — — Undrafted Tevin Carter S Utah
2015 1 30 GB Damarious Randall S Arizona State, Mesa CC, Butler County CC
2015 2 46 SF Jaquiski Tartt S Samford
2015 3 78 NO P.J. Williams S Florida State
2015 4 104 JAX James Sample S Louisville, Washington, American River
2015 4 109 IND Clayton Geathers S UCF
2015 5 142 CHI Adrian Amos S Penn State
2015 5 150 MIA Ced Thompson S Minnesota
2015 6 181 WAS Kyshoen Jarrett S Virginia Tech
2015 6 200 DET Quandre Diggs S Texas
2015 7 248 SEA Ryan Smith-Murphy S Oregon State
2015 — — Undrafted Anthony Harris S Virginia
2015 — — Undrafted Cody Prewitt S Ole Miss
2015 — — Undrafted Durell Eskridge S Syracuse
2015 — — Undrafted Kurtis Drummond S Michigan State
2015 — — Undrafted Anthony Jefferson S UCLA
2015 — — Undrafted Chris Hackett S TCU
2015 — — Undrafted Dean Marlowe S James Madison
2015 — — Undrafted Jermaine Whitehead S Auburn
2015 — — Undrafted Damian Parms S Florida Atlantic
2015 — — Undrafted Erick Dargan S Oregon
2015 — — Undrafted Nicholas PERRY S Alabama
2015 — — Undrafted Tevin Mcdonald S Eastern Washington
2014 1 21 GB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S Alabama
2014 2 41 LA Lamarcus Joyner S Florida State
2014 3 68 ATL Dez Southward S Wisconsin
2014 4 116 LV Keith McGill S Utah, Cerritos College
2014 6 182 MIN Antone Exum S Virginia Tech
2014 7 241 STL C.B. Bryant S Ohio State
2014 — — Undrafted Craig Loston S LSU
2014 — — Undrafted Dion Bailey S USC
2014 — — Undrafted Daniel Sorensen S BYU
2014 — — Undrafted Isaiah Lewis S Michigan State
2014 — — Undrafted Ty Zimmerman S Kansas State
2014 — — Undrafted Alden Darby S Arizona State
2014 — — Undrafted Kenny Ladler S Vanderbilt
2014 — — Undrafted Hakeem Smith S Louisville
2013 1 15 NO Kenny Vaccaro S Texas
2013 1 18 SF Eric Reid S LSU
2013 1 32 BAL Matt Elam S Florida
2013 3 71 LA T.J. McDonald S USC
2013 3 80 DAL J. J. Wilcox S Georgia Southern
2013 3 84 CIN Shawn Williams S Georgia
2013 3 90 DEN Kayvon Webster S University of South Florida
2013 3 91 NE Duron Harmon S Rutgers
2013 4 105 BUF Duke Williams S Nevada
2013 5 159 GB Micah Hyde S Iowa
2013 6 169 JAX Joshua Evans S Florida
2013 6 175 CLE Jamoris Slaughter S Notre Dame
2013 6 192 IND John Boyett S Oregon
2013 7 243 ATL Kemal Ishmael S UCF
2013 7 248 TEN Daimion Stafford S Nebraska, Chaffey College
2013 — — Undrafted Jakar Hamilton S South Carolina State
2013 — — Undrafted Rontez Miles S California (PA)
2013 — — Undrafted Robert Lester S Alabama
2013 — — Undrafted Bradley McDougald S Kansas
2013 — — Undrafted Jawanza Starling S USC
2012 3 73 LAC Brandon Taylor S LSU
2012 4 101 DEN Omar Bolden S Arizona State
2012 4 133 GB Jerron McMillian S Maine
2012 4 135 DAL Matt Johnson S Eastern Washington
2012 5 162 NO Corey White S Samford
2012 5 167 CIN George Iloka S Boise State
2012 6 180 SF Trent Robinson S Michigan State
2012 7 216 CAR D.J. Campbell S California
2012 — — Undrafted Kelcie Mccray S Arkansas State
2012 — — Undrafted Phillip Thomas S Syracuse
2012 — — Undrafted Sean Richardson S Vanderbilt
2012 — — Undrafted Eddie Pleasant S Oregon
2012 — — Undrafted Janzen Jackson S McNeese State
2012 — — Undrafted Aaron Henry S Wisconsin
2012 — — Undrafted Duke Ihenacho S San Jose State
2012 — — Undrafted Tony Dye S UCLA
2011 2 34 BUF Aaron Williams S Texas
2011 2 50 LAC Marcus Gilchrist S Clemson
2011 3 93 CHI Christopher Conte S California
2011 4 100 BUF Da'Norris Searcy S North Carolina
2011 4 108 DEN Quinton Carter S Oklahoma
2011 4 121 JAX Christopher Prosinski S Wyoming
2011 6 170 MIN Mistral Raymond S University of South Florida, Ellsworth CC
2011 6 190 SF Colin Jones S TCU
2011 7 229 LA Jonathan Nelson S Oklahoma
2011 7 235 MIA Jimmy Wilson S Montana
2011 — — Undrafted Joseph Lefeged S Rutgers
2011 — — Undrafted DeAndre McDaniel S Clemson
2011 — — Undrafted Jeron Johnson S Boise State
2011 — — Undrafted Will Hill S Florida
2011 — — Undrafted Deunta Williams S North Carolina
2011 — — Undrafted Michael Holmes S Syracuse
2011 — — Undrafted Jerrard Tarrant S Georgia Tech
2011 — — Undrafted Zaccheus Etheridge S Auburn
2010 1 20 HOU Kareem Jackson S Alabama
2010 2 37 PHI Nate Allen S University of South Florida
2010 2 49 SF Taylor Mays S USC
2010 3 66 DET Amari Spievey S Iowa, Iowa Central CC-Eagle Grove
2010 3 71 GB Morgan Burnett S Georgia Tech
2010 3 76 NYG Chad Jones S LSU
2010 3 96 CIN Brandon Ghee S Wake Forest
2010 4 111 SEA Walter Thurmond S Oregon
2010 5 136 KC Kendrick Lewis S Mississippi
2010 5 148 TEN Robert Johnson S Utah
2010 5 160 CLE Larry Asante S Nebraska
2010 6 207 TEN Myron Rolle S Florida State
2010 7 244 PHI Kurt Coleman S Ohio State
2010 7 251 OAK Steven Brown S Michigan
2009 1 14 NO Malcolm Jenkins S Ohio State
2009 2 34 NE Patrick Chung S Oregon
2009 2 47 LV Mike Mitchell S Ohio
2009 2 47 OAK Michael Mitchell S Ohio
2009 2 55 ATL William Moore S Missouri
2009 4 102 KC Donald Washington S Ohio State
2009 4 114 DEN David Bruton S Notre Dame
2009 5 166 DAL Michael Hamlin S Clemson
2009 6 189 LAC Kevin Ellison S USC
2009 6 190 CHI Al Afalava S Oregon State
2009 6 203 TEN Jason McCourty S Rutgers
2009 7 231 MIN Jamarca Sanford S Mississippi
2009 7 242 TEN Nick Schommer S North Dakota State
2009 7 245 SEA Courtney Greene S Rutgers
2009 — — Undrafted C.J. Spillman S Marshall
2009 — — Undrafted Emanuel Cook S South Carolina
2009 — — Undrafted Derek Pegues S Mississippi State
2009 — — Undrafted Otis Wiley S —
2008 3 86 BAL Tom Zbikowski S Notre Dame
2008 4 100 LV Tyvon Branch S Connecticut
2008 4 117 PHI Quintin Demps S Texas-El Paso
2008 4 120 CHI Craig Steltz S LSU
2008 6 194 PIT Ryan Mundy S West Virginia, Michigan
2008 7 220 DEN Josh Barrett S Arizona State
2008 7 249 WAS Chris Horton S UCLA
2008 — — Undrafted Marcus Griffin S Texas
2008 — — Undrafted Simeon Castille S Alabama
2007 1 24 NE Brandon Meriweather S Miami
2007 2 64 TB Sabby Piscitelli S Oregon State
2007 3 66 NO Usama Young S Kent State
2007 4 1 LAC Paul Oliver S Georgia
2007 5 165 LV Eric Frampton S Washington State
2007 — — Undrafted Brandon Sharp S Louisville
2007 — — Undrafted Craig Dahl S North Dakota State
2007 — — Undrafted JD Nelson S —
2006 1 8 BUF Donte Whitner S Ohio State
2006 2 40 DET Daniel Bullocks S Nebraska
2006 2 42 CHI Danieal Manning S Abilene Christian
2006 2 43 NO Roman Harper S Alabama
2006 2 48 MIN Cedric Griffin S Texas
2006 2 54 KC Bernard Pollard S Purdue
2006 4 105 BUF Ko Simpson S South Carolina
2006 5 146 BAL Dawan Landry S Georgia Tech
2006 5 158 NYG Charlie Peprah S Alabama
2006 6 173 WAS Reed Doughty S Northern Colorado
2006 7 228 KC Jarrad Page S UCLA
2006 — — Undrafted Brian Iwuh S Colorado
2005 1 8 ARI Antrel Rolle S Miami
2005 2 34 CLE Brodney Pool S Oklahoma
2005 2 40 NO Josh Bullocks S Nebraska
2005 — — Undrafted Ernest Shazor S —
2005 — — Undrafted James Butler S —
2005 — — Undrafted Matt Grootegoed S —
2005 — — Undrafted Jamaal Brimmer S —
2005 — — Undrafted Diamond Ferri S Syracuse
2005 — — Undrafted Jason Harmon S —
2005 — — Undrafted Junior Rosegreen S Auburn
2005 — — Undrafted Jim Leonhard S —
2005 — — Undrafted Terry Holley S Rice
2005 — — Undrafted Aaron Francisco S —
2004 1 8 ATL DeAngelo Hall S Virginia Tech
2004 2 44 IND Bob Sanders S Iowa
2004 4 111 TB Will Allen S Ohio State
2004 4 122 HOU Glenn Earl S Notre Dame
2004 5 143 NYJ Erik Coleman S Washington State
2004 — — Undrafted LEWIS (KENTRELL) CURRY S Georgia
2004 — — Undrafted ARNOLD PARKER S —
2004 — — Undrafted BRANDON EVERAGE S Oklahoma
2004 — — Undrafted BRETT HUDSON S —
2004 — — Undrafted RASHARD BAKER S Tennessee
2004 — — Undrafted VIRGIL WILLIAMS S —
2004 — — Undrafted DARYL DIXON S Florida
2004 — — Undrafted QUINTIN WILLIAMS S —
2004 — — Undrafted CURTIS DELOATCH S North Carolina A&T
2004 — — Undrafted RYAN AYCOCK S Texas Tech
2004 — — Undrafted BEN NAUMAN S Augustana (SD)
2003 1 16 PIT Troy Polamalu S USC
2003 2 62 LAC Terrence Kiel S Texas A&M
2003 4 119 CAR Colin Branch S Stanford
2003 6 213 MIA Yeremiah Bell S Eastern Kentucky
2002 1 8 DAL Roy Williams S Oklahoma
2002 2 57 NYJ Jon McGraw S Kansas State
2002 2 58 PHI Michael Lewis S Colorado
2002 3 70 MIN Willie Offord S South Carolina
2002 3 94 PIT Chris Hope S Florida State
2002 4 120 SEA Terreal Bierria S Georgia
2002 5 140 CHI Bobby Gray S Louisiana Tech
2002 6 181 CIN Marquand Manuel S Florida
2001 1 20 LA Adam Archuleta S Arizona State
2001 1 21 BUF Nate Clements S Ohio State
2001 3 64 ARI Adrian Wilson S N.C. State
2001 3 84 TB Dwight Smith S Akron
2001 3 91 IND Cory Bird S Virginia Tech
2001 7 202 ARI Renaldo Hill S Michigan State
2000 2 34 CIN Mark Roman S LSU
2000 2 39 CHI Mike Brown S Nebraska
2000 2 43 LAC Rogers Beckett S Marshall
2000 2 45 DEN Kenoy Kennedy S Arkansas
2000 2 57 CAR Deon Grant S Tennessee
2000 2 58 BUF Travares Tillman S Georgia Tech
1999 4 110 SF Pierson Prioleau S Virginia Tech
1999 4 113 TB Dexter Jackson S Florida State
1999 7 224 LV JoJuan Armour S Miami (Ohio)
1998 1 24 NYG Shaun Williams S UCLA
1998 2 33 ARI Corey Chavous S Vanderbilt
1998 2 35 CHI Tony Parrish S Washington
1998 2 61 DEN Eric Brown S Mississippi State, Blinn College
1998 4 119 SF Lance Schulters S Hofstra, Nassau CC
1998 7 226 ARI Pat Tillman S Arizona State
1997 5 136 NYG Sam Garnes S Cincinnati
1996 2 36 NE Lawyer Milloy S Washington
1996 2 61 PHI Brian Dawkins S Clemson
1996 5 144 CIN Greg Myers S Colorado State
1995 4 102 CIN Sam Shade S Alabama
1995 5 161 PIT Lance Brown S Indiana
1995 7 214 LA Gerald McBurrows S Kansas
1994 2 57 DET Van Malone S Texas
1994 5 145 LAC Rodney Harrison S Western Illinois
1993 4 110 NE Corwin Brown S Michigan
1993 6 155 WAS Darryl Morrison S Arizona, Phoenix College
1993 7 175 CIN Lance Gunn S Texas
1993 8 214 HOU Blaine Bishop S Ball State, St. Joseph (Indiana)
1992 1 7 MIA Troy Vincent S Wisconsin
1992 2 33 LAC Marquez Pope S Fresno State
1992 2 37 DAL Darren Woodson S Arizona State
1992 3 77 HOU Corey Harris S Vanderbilt
1992 5 139 BUF Matt Darby S UCLA
1992 6 158 ATL Terry Ray S Oklahoma
1991 5 127 LAC Floyd Fields S Arizona State
1991 7 184 CIN Fernandus Vinson S N.C. State
1991 7 191 MIA Chris Green S Illinois
1991 8 207 TB Marty Carter S Middle Tennessee State
1990 2 34 SEA Robert Blackmon S Baylor
1990 2 48 GB LeRoy Butler S Florida State
1989 1 25 MIA Louis Oliver S Florida
1989 3 77 HOU Bubba McDowell S Miami
1988 1 3 DET Bennie Blades S Miami
1988 2 35 LA Anthony Newman S Oregon
1988 2 42 MIA Jarvis Williams S Florida
1988 4 85 DET William White S Ohio State
1988 5 129 IND John Baylor S Southern Mississippi
1988 5 137 LA James Washington S UCLA
1988 9 244 CLE Danny Copeland S Eastern Kentucky
1988 10 272 CLE Brian Washington S Nebraska
1988 11 303 SF Chet Brooks S Texas A&M
1987 2 34 LA Tim McDonald S USC
1987 2 55 NYG Adrian White S Florida, Southern Illinois
1987 6 142 IND Freddie Robinson S Alabama
1987 12 334 DEN Tyrone Braxton S North Dakota State
1986 4 83 TB Craig Swoope S Illinois
1986 4 94 PIT Bill Callahan S Pittsburgh
1986 9 235 LAC Mike Zordich S Penn State
1986 9 246 LV Zeph Lee S USC
1985 2 40 NYJ Lester Lyles S Virginia
1985 2 52 NE Jim Bowman S Central Michigan
1984 3 63 ATL Rod McSwain S Clemson
1984 5 119 CIN Barney Bussey S South Carolina State
1984 6 168 LV Stacey Toran S Notre Dame
1984 7 176 NYJ Harry Hamilton S Penn State
1984 7 188 LA George Radachowsky S Boston College
1984 9 226 HOU Jeff Donaldson S Colorado
1984 10 271 CHI Shaun Gayle S Ohio State
1983 1 17 LA Leonard Smith S McNeese State
1983 2 35 PHI Wes Hopkins S SMU
1982 8 199 CLE Mark Kafentzis S Hawaii, Columbia Basin College
1982 10 273 LAC Andre Young S Louisiana Tech
1981 4 95 CHI Todd Bell S Ohio State
1980 1 14 NE Roland James S Tennessee
1980 5 131 DEN Mike Harden S Michigan
1980 6 139 SF Herb Williams S Southern
1980 9 224 CIN Greg Bright S Morehead State University
1979 2 40 CLE Lawrence Johnson S Wisconsin
1979 7 190 LA Jeff Delaney S Pittsburgh
1979 10 260 KC Gerald Jackson S Mississippi State
1979 12 321 LAC Frank Duncan S California State-San Francisco, San Mateo
1978 1 19 LA Ken Greene S Washington State
1978 3 63 SEA Bob Jury S Pittsburgh
1978 5 111 MIA Ted Burgmeier S Notre Dame
1978 9 236 ATL Tom Pridemore S West Virginia
1977 3 83 MIN Tom Hannon S Michigan State
1977 6 141 SF Mike Burns S USC, Contra Costa
1977 6 149 GB Tim Moresco S Syracuse
1977 8 201 NO Jimmy Stewart S Tulsa
1977 9 232 HOU Bill Currier S South Carolina
1977 11 300 WAS Don Harris S Rutgers, Northland College WI
1976 2 33 NYJ Shafer Suggs S Ball State
1976 2 43 DEN Kurt Knoff S Kansas
1976 2 57 SF Eddie Lewis S Kansas
1976 6 166 KC Steve Taylor S Kansas
1976 8 219 ATL Frank Reed S Washington
1976 9 264 DAL Beasley Reece S North Texas
1975 1 21 LA Tim Gray S Texas A&M, Navarro
1975 1 24 LV Neal Colzie S Ohio State
1975 2 45 LV Charlie Phillips S USC
1975 4 82 CLE Tony Peters S Oklahoma, Northeast Oklahoma
1975 4 88 GB Steve Luke S Ohio State
1975 8 195 CIN Ricky Davis S Alabama
1975 9 226 DAL Ed Jones S Rutgers
1975 10 248 PHI Ken Schroy S Maryland
1974 12 297 PHI Artimus Parker S USC