Where the top safeties in the 2027 class are committed
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
There’s a wealth of talent at the safety position in the 2027 recruiting cycle. As of July 26, there are 38 blue-chip safeties, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.
The last time there were that many four and five-stars at the position was the 2022 cycle. Unlike the 2022 cycle, though, is the speed at which those recruits have come off the board this summer.
$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage
All but two of the top 38 safeties in the nation are committed. Those 36 pledges have gone to 29 different schools. Rivals breaks down where the top safeties in the 2027 cycle are pledged to ahead of football season:
Kamarui Dorsey — Texas A&M
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 10 NATL. (No. 1 S)
School:Hampton (Ga.)
Committed Since: Nov. 1, 2025
Headlining the best defensive back haul in the nation, Dorsey made an early pledge to Mike Elko and the Aggies during his junior season. His stock has remained on the rise since and he’s also the No. 2 recruit in the Peach State. Dorsey reminds Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings Team of Derwin James.
“What made Texas A&M right for me is that they fitted what I needed and wanted as a football player and as a regular human off the field as well,” Dorsey told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong upon committing. “When I say you could be yourself around everyone and everyone was so down to earth and wanted so much for me and their players that are there not only on the field but also of the field.”
JayQuan Snell — Texas A&M
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 49 NATL. (No. 2 S)
School:Waxahachie (Texas)
Committed Since: Nov. 16, 2025
Not long after landing Dorsey, A&M picked up a pledge from Snell, who’s also since seen his ranking soar. Position coach Ishmael Aristide has done a tremendous job on the trail this cycle and he led A&M’s charge for the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder.
“In what is shaping up to be a strong safety class, Snell is the most physical and biggest hitter in the group. Has a long, lean frame with room to add good weight and has incredible striking ability for a player of his stature. Decisive getting down hill, running the ally and is very quick to trigger,” Rivals’ Greg Biggins said of Snell in April.
Tory Pittman — Nebraska
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 50 NATL. (No. 3 S)
School:Millard North (Neb.)
Committed Since: Aug. 15, 2025
The top-ranked prospect from Nebraska made the early decision to stay close to home, committing to Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers nearly a year ago last summer. The Huskers fended off high-profile suitors looking to flip him in the spring and summer. Pittman remains a key cog to the Big Ten program’s recruiting efforts alongside prized four-star QB commit Trae Taylor.
As a junior for Millard North, Pittman finished with 68 tackles, three interceptions and a sack. He also plays on the offensive side of the ball and had 16 receptions for 277 yards and seven touchdowns. He’ll be one of the top senior playmakers in the entire Midwest this fall.
Semaj Stanford — Oregon
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 67 NATL. (No. 4 S)
School:Broken Arrow (Okla.)
Committed Since: April 23
Oregon has gone all over the country to stack blue-chip pledges this cycle and Stanford, the No. 4 player in Oklahoma, was a massive win this spring. Choosing the Ducks over the likes of in-state Oklahoma, Georgia and Nebraska, the speedy DB is one of eight top-100 overall prospects pledged to Dan Lanning and Co.
“The best defensive prospect on the field throughout the OT7 finals was Oregon safety commit Semaj Stanford,” Rivals National Scout Cody Bellaire wrote last month. “The top-100 defensive back was patrolling the middle of the field for Cali Power and came down with three interceptions over the weekend. His ability to sit in center field and break to the football is so impressive. He has the top-end speed and range in order to make plays on almost anything that is thrown downfield with some air underneath it.”
Ta’Shawn Poole — Florida State
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 71 NATL. (No. 5 S)
School:Howard (Ga.)
Committed Since: July 17
One of the latest names to come off the board, Poole chose FSU over Georgia and Tennessee earlier this month. He instantly became the highest-ranked member of the Seminoles’ 2027 class and could make an instant impact upon arrival in Tallahassee.
“The culture, the tradition and the relationships I have with all the coaches,” Poole told Rivals’ Chad Simmons, explaining his commitment. “My aunt is an alum, too. That was not a big part of the decision, but it feels great now. I just have great relationships with everybody there. My connections with the coaches at Florida State were different.”
Zayden Gamble — Notre Dame
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 128 NATL. (No. 6 S)
School:St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
Committed Since: April 25
One of three blue-chip defensive backs committed to Notre Dame this cycle, Gamble opted for the Irish over Florida, Miami and Ohio State this spring. Spending time in South Bend made an impact on the Sunshine State standout and he’s set on heading to the Midwest next year.
“I don’t know what it was…it was just different to me,” Gamble told Rivals’ Chad Simmons about visiting ND. “When I was there, it spoke to me differently… I couldn’t even find the words to really describe how I felt. When I left the visit to Notre Dame, it was a different feeling.”
Gavin Williams — USC
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 130 NATL. (No. 7 S)
School:Damien (Calif.)
Committed Since: May 17
With USC taking a much smaller class this cycle, many of the Trojans’ pledges have flown under the radar the last few months. There’s nine in-state commits in the mix, including Williams, who ranks as the No. 13 player in the Golden State. He chose USC over Notre Dame, UCLA and Washington.
“I wanted to stay home, that was one of the biggest reasons why I chose SC,” Williams told Rivals’ Greg Biggins. “I really feel like USC is building something special with the class they had last year and this year and I’m excited to be a part of that. I had been leaning to USC for the last couple of weeks but I 100-percent locked it in and knew I wanted be a Trojan after they all came down to my Showcase. When I saw them all show up in the helicopter, that was major love and it just felt.”
KJ Caldwell — NC State
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 140 NATL. (No. 8 S)
School:Parkview (Ga.)
Committed Since: May 22
Another Georgia safety set to leave his home state next year, Caldwell quietly enters his senior season as the No. 9 player in the Peach State, per the industry rankings. The 5-foot-11.5., 170-pounder committed to NC State over UGA and Mississippi State, among others. He’s the top-ranked member of the Wolfpack’s 2027 class.
“Really just relationships,” Caldwell told Rivals’ Chad Simmons on what pushed the Wolfpack to the top. “Relationships with Coach Warren and the staff in general were just different. And then the culture made a big impact on my decision too. It is a family environment. It’s somewhere that I know I could be for three to four years.”
Tavares Harrington — Michigan
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 143 NATL. (No. 9 S)
School:Mount Carmel (Ill.)
Committed Since: May 22
A quintessential Michigan target, Harrington was one of eight blue-chip May commitments for new head coach Kyle Whittingham and the Wolverines. Notre Dame and Alabama gave him plenty to think about in the months leading up to his decision, but he and his teammate, four-star WR Quentin Burrell, both chose the Maize and Blue.
“Great size and length. Comes from a very good high school program with experience in high level 7-on-7 also. Shows body control and plays the ball well in the air because of size as well as body control,” Rivals’ Allen Trieu wrote of Harrington as a prospect. “Does a great job of play recognition. Gets the jumps on screens and short routes, closes quickly and is a good tackler at corner.”
Davion Jones — South Carolina
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 146 NATL. (No. 10 S)
School:William Amos Hough (N.C.)
Committed Since: July 2
One day after landing a commitment from five-star CB Joshua Dobson, South Carolina stayed hot on the trail and beat out LSU for Jones, the No. 6 player in the state of North Carolina. No one has been recruiting the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder longer than Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks and that paid off in the end.
“They’ve been recruiting me since my eighth-grade year. The relationships were really big because I’ve known those guys the longest,” Jones told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “There is that trust with the coaches at South Carolina. They have been with me for a long time.”
Other top committed safeties
Corey Hadley — Nebraska
Adryan Cole — Georgia
Pole Moala — UCLA
Andre Hyppolite — Miami
Jayden Aparicio-Bailey — Clemson
Jernard Albright — Florida State
Mekhi Williams — Wisconsin
Kenaz Sullivan — Maryland
Eli Johnson — Ohio State
Junior Tu’upo — Texas
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos