Commanders 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Preview: Washington has chance to revamp Safety room at Senior Bowl
The Commanders will get a close look at potential new safety draft prospects at the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.
The Washington Commanders are making changes to their coaching staff, but they’re also focusing on roster changes this offseason.
It’s officially NFL Draft season, and the draft starts in Mobile, Alabama, with the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl is an All-Star week where the best prospects in the draft compete against each other to boost their stock. It’s a loaded class, especially at EDGE, but the safety prospects are just as talented this year.
The Commanders need to improve their safety room, which is one of the worst in the league, and the Senior Bowl has plenty of prospects to watch for.
Early round Safety prospects
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Toledo pushes out another impressive defensive back, and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren looks to pop off at the Senior Bowl as Quinyon Mitchell did a few years back. McNeil-Warren is a physical safety at 6-2, 202 pounds, who can come downhill and blow up a play. He shows great eye discipline, range, and play recognition. If a receiver does catch the ball, he makes them regret it with his physicality in tackling, and does a great job of forcing the ball out. McNeil-Warren is a very balanced safety who excels in both the run game and the passing game. He played over 400 snaps in the box and almost 200 out deep in 2025. McNeil-Warren can cover athletic tight ends and move with fluidity in coverage.
AJ Haulcy, LSU
AJ Haulcy is another top safety who flashed in 2025, and he will bring over 2,800 career snaps to an NFL team. Haulcy is another rangy safety who isn’t afraid to hit and often makes quarterbacks regret throwing the ball in his direction. He’s 6-0, 222 pounds, and played mostly as a deep safety out on an island. Haulcy has great ball skills, takes good pursuit angles, and doesn’t give up big plays on defense. He has all the potential in the world to be a long-term starter at the next level. The passing game isn’t his only strong suit; he will also crash downhill in the run game and make tackles in space.
Day Two options at Safety
Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Penn State had a nightmare season, so standout seasons by individual players are being lost, but Zakee Wheatley was lights out in his final year. Wheatley is a center fielder at Safety, and he doesn’t allow the ball to get behind him. He played a balance of snaps in the box and out deep, and he has the size and length to do so at 6-2, 202 pounds. He’s bringing a lot of experience and football IQ to the next level as an instant-impact player. Wheatley’s range and instincts stand out the most to make a play that looks open turn into a game-changing turnover for the defense. He’s a bullet when he recognizes where the play is going, and wastes no time getting active.
Genesis Smith, Arizona
Genesis Smith is another standout Safety who can cover a lot of ground with his range and spatial awareness. At 6-2, 204 pounds, Smith has the size and length as a disrupter in coverage, and an impressive wingspan to make windows tighter in coverage. He’s played nickel, free safety, and strong safety at Arizona, and offers versatility at the next level. His ability to read and react makes him the first defender to the ball almost every play, and he makes sure people know it with a strong hit. Smith is very underrated in this draft and could be a third-round pick that turns out to be a steal as a rookie. A defensive coordinator will have a lot of fun deploying him in different spots and watching him flourish.
Day Three Prospect at Safety
Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Jalon Kilgore is likely going to play safety in the NFL, but he also has a ton of experience playing nickel as well. He’s a very physical defender in the run game at 6-1, 211 pounds who isn’t afraid to make contact. Kilgore excels in zone coverage with great ball skills and the ability to read plays and adjust. He’s a big-time leader on the field, and teams will love his personality and leadership qualities as well. Kilgore has the makings of a big nickel or reliable safety at any position they decide to play him. He can travel well with tight ends and make plays on the ball deep in coverage.
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