Top Day 2 Safety Prospects for 2026 NFL Draft

Packers look to bolster secondary with potential Day 2 picks

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:30am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the physicality and instincts of a safety in a football game, with overlapping shapes and planes capturing the dynamic motion and intensity of the position.A cubist interpretation of a safety's impact on the game, deconstructing the physicality and instincts required at the position.Los Angeles Today

With the Green Bay Packers not owning a first-round pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, this year's Prospect Primer series takes a look at a trio of safeties projected as potential Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) selections that could be available to the team with their second-round (No. 52 overall) and third-round (No. 84) picks.

Why it matters

The Packers have a need at safety after losing a starter in free agency, and these three prospects offer a mix of instincts, physicality, and versatility that could make them appealing options on Day 2 of the draft.

The details

The three safeties profiled are Genesis Smith from Arizona, A.J. Haulcy from LSU, and Kamari Ramsey from USC. Smith is praised for his instincts and route recognition in pass coverage, while Haulcy is described as a 'throwback' and 'enforcer' type who excels near the line of scrimmage. Ramsey showed versatility by playing both safety and nickel corner, and impressed with his tackling and testing numbers at the combine.

  • The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 24-26.

The players

Genesis Smith

A safety from the University of Arizona who played in 37 games over three seasons, recording 164 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 14 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three recoveries. He was named third-team All-Big 12 in 2025.

A.J. Haulcy

A safety who started a total of 45 games over four years at New Mexico, Houston, and LSU. He racked up 347 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 10 interceptions, 19 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one recovery. Haulcy was named first-team All-Big 12 for Houston in 2024 and first-team All-SEC for LSU in 2025.

Kamari Ramsey

A safety who spent two years at UCLA before transferring to USC for his final two college seasons. He had his best year in 2024 with 60 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, five passes defensed, one interception and two forced fumbles, despite missing two games to injury. Ramsey also saw time at nickel corner in 2025 before his season was cut short after nine games due to a knee injury.

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What they’re saying

“A 'throwback' and 'enforcer' who reads and recognizes well”

— Lance Zierlein, NFL.com draft analyst

What’s next

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 24-26, with the Packers holding the No. 52 and 84 overall selections on Day 2.

The takeaway

These three safety prospects offer the Packers a mix of skills and versatility that could help bolster their secondary after losing a starter in free agency. Their potential availability on Day 2of the draft makes them intriguing options for a team looking to add impact talent to its defense.