Earl Little Jr. S Ohio State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #0 ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/28/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.44 seconds (88%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.6 DOB: 03/16/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #0 | |
| ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 09/28/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.44 seconds (88%*) | |
| Age: 23.6 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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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 91.3 | |
| Tackling: |
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75% |
| Run Defense: |
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73% |
| Coverage: |
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74% |
| Zone: |
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75% |
| Man/Press: |
|
72% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#123
Position rank:
#28 (DB)
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| College Games: 29 College Snaps: 1101 | ||
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) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jonas Sanker - Virginia |
|
91% |
| Cole Bishop - Utah |
|
89% |
| Jordan Hancock - Ohio State |
|
88% |
Draft Profile: Bio
The son of former NFL safety Earl Little, he signed with Alabama in 2022 but barely played across two seasons before transferring to Florida State, where he broke out in 2025 with a team-high 71 tackles, four interceptions and second-team All-ACC honors as the Seminoles defensive MVP.He transferred to Ohio State for 2026, where he steps in as a projected starting safety alongside Jaylen McClain for the reigning national champions and landed on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list.
A rangy, physical 6-1 safety with legitimate ball production, Little arrives with one strong year of starting tape and a chance to prove it against Big Ten offenses.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Ball production; four interceptions and two forced fumbles in 2025
- Good range from the deep half with closing speed
- Physical, aggressive hitter who fills downhill
- Positional versatility between free safety and nickel
- Team-high 71 tackles as Florida State defensive MVP
- Bloodlines and a projected starting role for the champions
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Only one season of dominant starting tape to lean on
- Barely played across two early years at Alabama
- Tackling runs hot and cold, with too many misses in run support
- Must prove the 2025 form holds in Ohio State's scheme
Scouting Report: Summary
Little is a rangy, physical safety with real ball production, snaring four interceptions and forcing two fumbles as Florida State's defensive MVP before transferring to Ohio State for 2026. However, he has just one season of dominant tape, he barely played across two early years at Alabama, and he still has to prove the 2025 form travels against Big Ten offenses.Overall, Little is a versatile, hard-hitting safety whose range and takeaways are the draw, with the thin body of starting work the caveat. He projects as a developmental starter at free safety or nickel, with the ceiling of a solid NFL starter if the tape holds and the floor of a rotational, physical special-teamer.
How other scouting services rate Earl Little Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
211.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
49.0
*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.