Cole Wisniewski suffered a season-ending foot injury at Northern Illinois in 2024, then transferred to Texas Tech for his final season. He was not invited to the 2026 NFL Draft Combine, but starred at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Won two national championships at FCS North Dakota State. Wisniewski plays the game with a veteran’s brain and a linebacker’s heart. He sniffs out run plays before they even develop and offers the kind of hybrid versatility that defensive coordinators crave. This athletic wonder is a high-floor, blue-collar athlete who will make an immediate impact on special teams while pushing for a starting role in the box.
Cole Wisniewski 2026 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Safety
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 220 pounds
School: Texas Tech
2026 NFL Draft Cole Wisniewski Scouting Report
Strengths
- High IQ player
- Anticipates receiver route breaks like a veteran NFL safety
- Fits the label of being an enforcer in the secondary
- 36.5″ vertical jump, 20 reps on the bench press, and 10’2″ effort on the broad jump point to Wisniewski’s athleticism, a physical specimen
- He is viewed as a hybrid safety/linebacker type, the type that adds extra value in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
- Wisniewski sniffs out running plays before they develop.
- His value rises in short-yardage and goal-line situations, and teams will have to adjust and account for the bruiser at the line of scrimmage.
- Ideal size to enforce plays over the middle and match up with athletic, big tight ends
- High-floor prospect, Wisniewski will impact all special teams as soon as he walks into training camp
- Led NDSU to a pair of FCS National Championships
- Texas Tech Pro Day results: 36.5” vertical, 10’2” broad jump, and 20 reps in the bench press all above average for a defensive back
Texas Tech SAF Cole Wisniewski started at North Dakota State LB three years before transitioning to safety
♦️1st Team FCS All-American. 8 INT in 2024 set a single-season NDSU record
♦️STAR (position) potential
SNUB from NFL Combine pic.twitter.com/fc7YFN7qtd
— Clint Goss (@NFLDraftDome) March 27, 2026
Weaknesses
- His speed is adequate, not elite
- Suffered a season-ending foot injury at Northern Illinois, transferred to Texas Tech for his final season
- Scouts are concerned about his lack of recovery speed
- Season-ending foot surgery in 2024 has teams cautious about durability
- His height gives reason for concern for how well he can match up with shifty NFL receivers running across the middle.
- His value in the draft as a scheme-specific safety is lowered despite his athleticism and size.
- Without an official 40-yard time from the NFL Combine, some scouts question his true speed.
- He has shown vulnerability to holding penalties in the NFL due to his less-than-ideal speed.
NFL Comparison: Dan Sorensen Kam Chancellor Reed Blankenship
Teams With Need At Position: Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers
https://twitter.com/MathBomb/status/2042049445781520647
Projection: Rounds 5-7
Get your fill of Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski (#5) detonating the entire BYU offensive attack for four quarters before checking him out in tonight’s Shrine Bowl 🎬 📽️ https://t.co/5pCGrWClAr pic.twitter.com/iHWsCRhzUH
— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) January 27, 2026
Bottom Line on Cole Wisniewski
He is a prototype for a safety/linebacker hybrid, a guy who plays in the box and can both cover and come up huge in run support. Teams that would be a good match for Wisniewski include the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Seattle Seahawks. Teams are going to regret waiting too long to select this freakish athletic talent. He has star power written all over him. With Wisniewski, special teams become an energized unit that benefits from his athleticism and instincts.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
