It’s a return of our Summer Scouting Series here at Steelers Depot as we highlight 2026 NFL Draft hopefuls who are generating buzz prior to the start of the 2025 college football season. This year, we will highlight several position groups which may interest the Steelers, and three to four names that could entice Pittsburgh once the pre-draft process really gets underway. This edition looks at safety.
Summer Scouting Series — Defensive Line
Summer Scouting Series – Wide Receiver
Summer Scouting Series — Offensive Tackle
No. 2 CALEB DOWNS, OHIO STATE — 6-0, 205 POUNDS
The crown jewel of the 2026 safety class is Ohio State S Caleb Downs, who was considered the top safety recruit coming out of high school in 2023. The 6-0, 205-pound junior signed with Alabama and had a strong first season with the Tide, racking up 107 total tackles, one forced fumble, three pass deflections, and two interceptions. Downs entered the transfer portal after his freshman season and got to Ohio State, helping lead the Buckeyes to a national championship last season while posting 81 total stops, six pass deflections, and two interceptions.
Downs is a versatile safety who can play in the post as well as in the box and brings an aggressive mentality in run support. He’s a big hitter who can sniff out screen passes and plays to the perimeter and also matches up well with slot receivers and tight ends in coverage. He’s a strong bet to be the first safety off the board and a top-15 selection next spring if he replicates similar success that he’s had his first two seasons of college football.
No. 31 DILLON THIENEMAN, OREGON
Dillon Thieneman is another star safety who has changed teams, going from Purdue to Oregon this offseason in what will be his first season with the Ducks. The 6-0, 207-pound Thieneman hopes the move gives him a better shot at a national title after he stuffed the stat sheet his first two seasons with the Boilermakers, recording 100-plus total tackles in back-to-back seasons while posting six interceptions in 2023. Teams avoided throwing his way in 2024.
Thieneman plays the ball in the air like a wide receiver, having natural hands at the catch point paired with the range and instincts that make him a natural at free safety. However, Thieneman has no problem rolling down into the box and dishing out punishment in run support as well, being a willing and capable tackler. He’s the best pure deep safety in the draft class and could be a good replacement for Minkah Fitzpatrick as Pittsburgh may need to look for his long-term replacement next offseason.
No. 7 KAMARI RAMSEY, USC
USC’s Kamari Ramsey started his college career with the rival UCLA Bruins before swapping sides this past season. The move proved fruitful for Ramsey as the Palmdale, Calif., native turned in his best season in 2024, posting 60 total tackles, two forced fumbles, two sacks, five pass deflections, and one interception.
The 6-0, 205-pound junior is a vicious tackler when he comes downhill. Playing like a heat-seeking missile, Ramsey looks to separate ball from man against the pass and make plays near the line of scrimmage or in the backfield against the run. He needs to show he can be more consistent in man coverage this season as a likely borderline Day 2 pick, but Ramsey has the experience and tools to play in the league for a long time as a potential starter.
No. 3 KEON SABB, ALABAMA
Keon Sabb won a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines in 2023 but transferred to Alabama to fill the void that Caleb Downs left after he transferred to Ohio State. The 6-1, 204-pound Sabb turned in a strong season with the Tide last year, posting two interceptions and four pass deflections to tie the number he had with the Wolverines in 2023.
Sabb does a good job playing chase to the ball carrier in run support, showing strong pursuit across the field. He also is a capable coverage defender who does his best occupying spaces in zone coverage, allowing him to read opposing quarterbacks’ eyes and jump routes. He needs to show more splash in his second season in Alabama to boost his draft stock as a likely mid-round pick should he decide to declare following his junior season.
No. 1 JALEN CATALON, MISSOURI
Jalen Catalon grabbed national headlines back in 2020 with Arkansas, posting 99 total tackles, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and two forced fumbles in his first season as a starter. After battling injuries the next couple of seasons, Catalon transferred to Texas in 2023 but battled injuries there as well. He transferred to UNLV in 2024 where he had a great comeback campaign, posting 96 total tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass deflections, and five interceptions (one returned for a touchdown).
Instead of declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, Catalon once again entered the transfer portal, ultimately signing with the Missouri Tigers. The Mansfield, Texas, native will turn 25 years old before the 2026 NFL Draft and has battled injuries throughout his career. But he’s a battle-tested veteran with tons of experience who can be a ballhawk in the secondary, playing a similar role to former Steelers S Damontae Kazee.
