Braden Awls S Iowa State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #2 ROLE: Zone Free Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.55 seconds (56%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #2 | |
| ROLE: Zone Free Safety | |
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.55 seconds (56%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
81.1 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 64.2 | |
| Tackling: |
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70% |
| Run Defense: |
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84% |
| Coverage: |
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72% |
| Zone: |
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69% |
| Man/Press: |
|
69% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#186
Position rank:
#44 (DB)
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| College Games: 27 College Snaps: 1465 | ||
247 RATING: 84/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.4 (89%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Nwokobia - SMU |
|
96% |
| DeMarcco Hellams - Alabama |
|
89% |
| Josh Proctor - Ohio State |
|
84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Braden Awls was a two-time all-conference safety and state champion at Toledo Central Catholic before staying home to sign with the University of Toledo as a three-star prospect. He contributed on special teams in all 14 games as a freshman in 2023 before moving into the lineup in 2024.Awls blossomed into one of the MAC's top defensive backs, intercepting four passes in 2024, including a 42-yard return in the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Pittsburgh, and then leading the conference with five interceptions in 2025 on the way to first-team All-MAC honors. His two-interception, 10-tackle performance against Washington State highlighted that season.
Awls transferred to Iowa State in January to reunite with former Toledo staff members, but he tore his ACL during a routine drill in spring practice and is out for the 2026 season. Iowa State may seek a medical redshirt that would allow him to play again in 2027.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Fills fast against the run from the box and the slot
- Ballhawk with nine interceptions over his last two seasons
- Versatile, spending most of his snaps over the slot as a nickel defender
- Two interceptions against Washington State in 2025, his best performance
- Creates turnovers in several ways, adding a sack and a forced fumble against Akron
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Torn ACL in spring 2026 erased his season and clouds the medical
- Tackling in space is a concern: eight misses in 2025, with half the yards against him after the catch
- Pass defense is the weaker half; Kent State hit him for 100 yards and a touchdown
- Slight 190-pound frame for a player who works near the line of scrimmage
Scouting Report: Summary
Awls was poised to be one of the breakout defenders of 2026 after following his former Toledo coaches to Iowa State, but a torn ACL in spring practice put his career on hold. When healthy, he is a productive, instinctive safety who makes plays all over the field. He led the MAC with five interceptions in 2025, has nine over the last two seasons and is an excellent run defender who fills quickly from the slot and the box. His two-interception game against Washington State showed his ability to take the ball away against better competition.However, the injury changes everything. A torn ACL in what was supposed to be his final college season leaves teams without current tape, and his medical evaluation will be critical. Even before the injury, he was a smaller safety at 190 pounds whose coverage could be inconsistent, as Kent State showed last season, and his production came almost entirely against MAC competition.
Overall, Awls is a playmaking safety whose stock is on hold until he returns to the field. If Iowa State secures a medical redshirt, a healthy 2027 season could make him a solid mid-round pick. For now, he projects as a sixth-round safety who could carve out a nickel or box role, assuming the knee checks out.
How other scouting services rate Braden Awls (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
153.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
36.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.