Despite signing veteran safety Alohi Gilman, the Kansas City Chiefs still need to develop another safety for the back end of the defense. The 2026 NFL Draft is not deep at safety, but there are plenty of options from the second to sixth rounds for Kansas City.
Michael Taaffe (Texas)
He is a 6’0”, 189-pound safety who spent his four years at Texas. This year, he had 70 total tackles, 38 solo tackles, 32 assist tackles,1 pass defended, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions. In his whole career, he had 221 total tackles, 119 solo tackles, 102 assist tackles, 14 pass defended, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 7 interceptions.
At the combine, he ran a 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Some of his strengths are a downhill safety who contests short routes, and he is a really excellent special teams player. He is responsive to what his eyes tell him he is a strong communicator. Some of his weaknesses are that he needs to add more weight to his frame, as his position requires him to play man-to-man safety. He is a 4th- or late 6th-round pick.
Bud Clark (TCU)
He is a 6’2”, 185-pound safety who spent all his career at TCU this year. He combined for 56 total tackles, 31 solo tackles, 25 assist tackles, 7 pass defended, 1 sack, and 4 interceptions. In his whole career, he combined for 215 total tackles, 139 solo tackles, 76 assist tackles, 20 pass defended, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 15 interceptions.
At the combine, he ran a 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 38” vertical jump, and 10 ‘7” broad jump. Some of the strengths are that he is a run/pass defender who can impact all three downs. He plays the ball like he is a wide receiver, but on defense, he is a wrap-up tackler. Some of his weaknesses include missed games due to injury and a lack of size, which could lead to broken tackles and busted plays that can be manipulated by play-action. I would expect him to go from a 4th-round pick to a 7th-round pick.
Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)
He is a 6’0”, 201-pound safety who spent his career at Oregon and Purdue. This year, he had 92 total tackles, 44 solo tackles, 48 assist tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions. Throughout his whole career, he combined 302 total tackles, 188 solo tackles, 114 assist tackles, 13 pass defended, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 8 interceptions.
At the combine, he ran 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 41” vertical jump, 10 ‘5” broad jump, and 18 reps at bench press. Rarely takes his eyes off the quarterback for periods of time. He has an excellent pursuit of the football, which keeps him around the action; he also has the size, speed, and alignment versatility of an NFL safety. He has an average short-area change of direction; his man coverage is average throughout the route. I would expect him to be drafted in the late first or mid-second round.
Kamari Ramsey USC)
He is a 6’0”, 205-pound safety who spent his whole career at UCLA and USC. This year, he combined for 27 total tackles, 18 solo tackles, 9 assist tackles, and 2 pass deflections. Throughout his whole career, he combined for 132 total tackles, 93 solo tackles, 39 assist tackles, 11 pass defended, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions.
At the Combine, he ran a 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 36” vertical jump, 10 ‘0” broad jump, and 16 reps at the bench press. He saw a huge workload as a nickelback in 2025. He has an average eye. Whenever he breaks in man coverage, his tackling and finishing improved big time in 2025. A versatile safety, he can play multiple safety spots. His backpedal is upright and tight, and he is an inconsistent safety trying to find a run fit on the line. I would expect him to go in the 2nd or 3rd round.
