Teams needing a centerfielder at safety who has the instincts to succeed, it is Jalen Huskey. His knack for finding the football makes him NFL ready. He baited college quarterbacks into throwing bad passes and will do so at the next level. He’s not going to win a foot race against speedy receivers, that is for sure. Huskey’s ball hawking abilities are outstanding and his instincts are a big reason his ceiling is very high.
Jalen Huskey 2026 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6’1 ¼”
Weight: 196 pounds
School: Maryland
2026 NFL Draft PLAYER Scouting Report
Strengths
- Gives top effort in the running game and passing game
- Lengthy reach, wingspan is 75 3’4”
- Clocked a 4.5 40 yard dash and 1.54 in the 10 yard split
- Football IQ is off the charts, exactly what teams want in their free safety, quarterbacking the defense
- Huskey was a stats machine at Bowling Green and Maryland, picking up 113 solo tackles, five tackles for loss and netting 11 interceptions.
- Huskey is going to be a turnover magnet in the NFL.
- He reads offensive schemes well and sniffs out plays underneath, a natural in zone coverages.
- Built with an NFL frame at 6’1 ¼” and 196 pounds
- Collected a 10’1” broad jump and 36 ½” vertical jump
- Scouts observed Huskey regularly baiting quarterbacks into bad throws, plays beyond his level of experience.
- Takes angles like an All-Pro NFL safety would
- Husky reads quarterbacks’ eyes as if he was in their heads.
- Reliable open field tackler
Weaknesses
- Lacking top end speed, impacted when covering speed receivers
- Struggles recovering when beaten in coverage
- Poor technique in tackling, often is seen tackling ball carriers and receivers high
- As he enters the NFL, lacks the necessary strength to deal with strong, physical receivers.
- Huskey lacks high end speed that is preferred for supporting against speedsters.
- He will need to be coached on how to open his hips in changing directions.
- Huskey is prone to being too aggressive, is susceptible to double moves.
- Scouts fear his ball hawking drive may lead to too many penalties in the NFL.
- Huskey is likely to be targeted by offensive coordinators for his interest in peeking into the backfield quite easily, he is prone to being too aggressive and big plays can result.
NFL Comparison: Malik Hooker Levi Wallace
Teams With Need At Position: Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New Orleans Saints Washington Commanders
Projection: Rounds 5 or 6
Bottom Line on Jalen Huskey
Jalen Huskey has the size and toughness to excel at free safety in the pro game. His instincts and toughness are off the charts. There is some concern his lack of high end speed my hurt his chances with playing free safety. He fits the prototypical safety body and he shows the instincts needed to sniff out plays underneath. Teams showing significant interest in Husky include Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots , New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders.
Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images
