Defensive Back Rankings 2027 NFL Draft

126 defensive backs ranked

DEFENSIVE BACK RANKINGS 2027 NFL DRAFT

The secondary is one of the strongest parts of this class. Three defensive backs sit inside our top fifteen and five inside the top thirty-two, in line with the stronger years we have graded, and corner and safety are both well stocked.

Notre Dame's Leonard Moore leads it, a corner who took five interceptions and added seven pass breakups in ten games. Georgia safety KJ Bolden is immediately behind him, the top-ranked safety of his recruiting class who posted 78 tackles with only four misses across single-high, box and slot alignments. Ellis Robinson IV tied for the SEC lead among defensive players with four interceptions in his first year of starts, and Alabama's Zabien Brown, a five-star who started all thirteen games as a true freshman, has returned takeaways for scores in both his seasons.

Between corner and safety this is the largest group in the class, and the one where a team can wait longest and still find a starter.
LAST UPDATED: 11/03/2026

Player Rankings - Defensive Back

# Player Pos H/W/S Team Weight Height 40YD AVG POS RANK AVG OVR RANK Rating Summary
1

CB
Leonard
Moore

6-2 197lbs 4.45
CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
197lbs 6-2 4.45 1 3.2
89.5
Moore is the best cover corner in this class, a three-year starter whose man coverage has set the standard at the position since he stepped...
2

CB
Ellis
Robinson IV

6-0 180lbs 4.48
CB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
180lbs 6-0 4.48 3 18.5
88.5
Robinson is a ball-hawking corner who turned his first season in the lineup into four interceptions and has added two more in 2026. He...
3

S
KJ
Bolden

6-0 195lbs 4.33
S
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
195lbs 6-0 4.33 4 21.5
87.8
Bolden is a rare athlete at safety whose run defense and tackling have been among the best in the country since the day he arrived at...
4

CB
Kelley
Jones

6-4 205lbs 4.42
CB
Mississippi State   Mascot
Mississippi State Mascot
205lbs 6-4 4.42 7 31.5
86.7
Jones is a long, sticky press-man corner whose frame lets him smother routes at the line and contest at the catch point. He rarely lets...
5

CB
Ashton
Hampton

6-2 205lbs 4.43
CB
Clemson   Mascot
Clemson Mascot
205lbs 6-2 4.43 5 23.7
86.4
Hampton is a long, willing outside corner with good speed who has become one of the most productive cover men in the country this season....
6

S
Tae
Johnson

6-2 200lbs 4.50
S
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
200lbs 6-2 4.50 6 28.5
86.3
Johnson burst onto the scene in 2025, pairing ball-hawking instincts that produced four interceptions with one of the cleanest tackling...
7

CB
Zabien
Brown

6-0 194lbs 4.34
CB
Alabama   Mascot
Alabama Mascot
194lbs 6-0 4.34 8 42.3
85.4
Brown is a fast, physical corner whose ball skills have produced big plays since his first season. He has rare speed, sealed a win over...
8

S
Jelani
McDonald

6-2 201lbs 4.45
S
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
201lbs 6-2 4.45 13 63.2
85.1
McDonald is a fast, physical safety who plays downhill and arrives with force. He has rare timed speed, he does his best work close to the...
9

S
Ty
Benefield

6-3 208lbs 4.48
S
LSU   Mascot
LSU Mascot
208lbs 6-3 4.48 9 54.4
84.9
Benefield is a rangy, productive safety who plays fast and takes the ball away. He made more than 100 tackles at Boise State in 2025, has...
10

CB
Vicari
Swain

6-0 193lbs 4.42
CB
South Carolina   Mascot
South Carolina Mascot
193lbs 6-0 4.42 10 55.1
84.8
Swain is a twitchy, aggressive defensive back and one of the most dangerous punt returners in the country. He has scored five times on...
11

S
Zach
Lutmer

6-1 203lbs 4.44
S
Iowa   Mascot
Iowa Mascot
203lbs 6-1 4.44 11 58.2
84.8
Lutmer is a versatile, physical defensive back who has played nickel, safety and in the box for Iowa. He started all 13 games at the cash...
12

S
Jaylen
McClain

6-0 203lbs 4.35
S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
203lbs 6-0 4.35 12 59
84.8
McClain is a fast, instinctive safety whose game has taken a clear step in 2026. He has rare speed, reads route concepts and drives on...

2027 NFL Draft Athleticism Chart - Defensive Back

We've compared players post combine 40 times and weight and charted them on the scatter chart below. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds.
The exceptional athletic freaks (determined by the combination of speed vs weight) will be found at the top right of the chart while the less impressive athletes will be sitting towards the bottom left.

For a much improved viewing experience (with more players) please view on a larger screen.

2027 NFL Draft Athleticism Chart - Defensive Back

We've compared players 40 times and weight and charted them on the scatter chart below. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds.
The exceptional athletic freaks (determined by the combination of speed vs weight) will be found at the top right of the chart while the less impressive athletes will be sitting towards the bottom left.