Earl Little Jr. S Ohio State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #0 ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.44 seconds (88%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.4 DOB: 03/16/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #0 | |
| ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.44 seconds (88%*) | |
| Age: 23.4 DOB: 03/16/2003 | |
| Overall Rating: |
83.8 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 87.7 | |
| Tackling: |
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68% |
| Run Defense: |
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68% |
| Coverage: |
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74% |
| Zone: |
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74% |
| Man/Press: |
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72% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#106
Position rank:
#20 (DB)
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| College Games: 24 College Snaps: 874 | ||
ESPN RATING: 82/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 95/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Hancock - Ohio State |
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86% |
| Cole Bishop - Utah |
|
84% |
| Jonas Sanker - Virginia |
|
84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Earl Little Jr. grew up in Fort Lauderdale as the son of nine-year NFL veteran Earl Little Sr., starring at American Heritage High School under former NFL cornerback Patrick Surtain Sr. The four-star prospect accumulated 106 tackles and six interceptions across his prep career, earning first-team all-state honors as a junior when American Heritage won the 5A state championship. He received All-American Bowl honors as the No. 5 cornerback in his class according to On3.Little spent two seasons at Alabama appearing in 11 games primarily on special teams before transferring to Florida State in 2024. He transitioned from nickel to safety midway through the season and earned Special Teams Newcomer of the Year honors while posting 15 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, and 1.0 sack across 12 appearances.
In 2025 Little became a full-time starter in defensive coordinator Tony White's revamped scheme. He recorded nine tackles in the upset win over No. 8 Alabama, his former team, posted a career-high 13 tackles against Virginia, and collected four interceptions against East Texas A&M, Pitt, Stanford, and Wake Forest. He added a forced fumble and finished with 813 defensive snaps across 23 career games.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Ball-hawking range with four interceptions from the back end
- Quick closing speed to cover the deep middle and close on throws
- Produced a takeaway off Miami and at North Carolina
- Processes route concepts and drives on throws with anticipation
- Forced two fumbles to add to the takeaway production
- Plays free safety and the box in a versatile role
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tackling is a real problem, with fifteen misses
- Soft, late force in the run game for an every-down role
- Coverage trails the takeaway total, with reps left on the field
- Finishing in the open field has to tighten considerably
Scouting Report: Summary
Little is a ball-hawking safety with rare speed and range, a defender who picked off four passes, forced two fumbles, and took the ball away off Miami and at North Carolina for Florida State. He covers the deep middle, reads route concepts, and drives on throws with anticipation from free safety and the box. The takeaway production and the closing speed are loud, projectable traits at the back end, and he transferred for a final season at a bigger program.The finishing is the loud flaw. His tackling is a real problem with fifteen misses, his run defense lags for an every-down role, and his coverage trails the takeaway total with reps left on the field. His open-field finishing has to tighten considerably. He is a high-variance playmaker whose ball production is real but whose run support and tackling drag the overall profile.
He lands as a starting free safety with takeaway upside, a Day 3 contributor whose ceiling rests on cleaning up the tackling and the run support. The missed tackles and the coverage detail keep the grade measured, but the speed and the ball production are bankable. He grades as a rangy, ball-hawking safety whose finish is the difference between a starter and a liability, with the tackling the deciding fix on his projection.
How other scouting services rate Earl Little Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
200.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
21.0
*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.