Top 10 safeties in the final 2025 On300 rankings

The 2025 recruiting cycle officially comes to a close in two days. Ahead of February’s National Signing Day, On3 has updated its player rankings for the final time. Included are several of the nation’s best safeties.

Jonah Williams is a Five-Star Plus+ prospect, rated as a five-star recruit by each of the four major recruiting services. He is also On3’s No. 1 safety in America.

Below are the top 10 safeties in the class:

1. Jonah Williams — Texas

School: Galveston (Texas) Ball
On300 Ranking: No. 15 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Jumbo safety prospect with the size, athleticism and playmaking instincts to be a potential queen on the chessboard for defensive coordinators. Has linebacker size with the athleticism of a top defensive back. Measured in at 6-foot-3 ⅛, 206 pounds with 32.25-inch arms at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. Registers as a top athlete in the combine setting. A true three-phase playmaker on Friday nights, lining up at safety, wide receiver and as a return man. An easy, fluid mover with a great top gear. Covers ground in a hurry. Shows outstanding range in coverage. Covers from hash to sideline with ease. Has high-level ball skills with the ability to track the football over his shoulder. Had four interceptions as a junior along with eight pass breakups. Capable of covering tight ends and receivers out of the slot. Eraser athleticism with his ability to run sideline-to-sideline in pursuit. Has the skill level to be a wide receiver prospect if he wanted. Scored 13 touchdowns on offense as a senior and ran back two kicks in eight games. A two-sport standout, as a talented baseball player who throws 94 MPH as a left-handed pitcher. Physicality is adequate, but not elite even though he showed progress on that front as a senior. Has more of a true free safety skill set despite his size. Missed a chunk of his senior season with a broken collarbone. Rare movement skills and size give him the upside to be a game-changing movable piece at the college and pro level.”

2. Trey McNutt — Oregon

School: Shaker Heights (Ohio)
On300 Ranking: No. 31 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Competitive safety who looks like the most well-rounded prospect at the position in the 2025 cycle. Measured at 5-foot-11.5, 183 pounds with 31.5-inch arms and 9.5-inch hands at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior year. A two-way playmaker at the high school level, starring as a safety, corner and slot receiver. Runs well, turning in six sub 11.0 second times in the 100 meters as a junior, with most coming in the 10.9 range. Can be a force player in the run game, play center field or cover receivers and tight ends out of the slot. Diagnoses well. Physical with and more than willing to lower his shoulder. Flows downhill with vigor and shows good tackling technique in the open field, driving through ball carriers. Has very good ball skills as a safety prospect. Broke up 12 passes as a junior and is capable of making one-handed catches on offense. A long-strider in the open field. A competitor with the play personality you desire on defense. May not be truly overwhelming in one area, but has a well-rounded skill set as a true safety. Can continue improving his trigger and break on the ball in coverage.”

3. Lagonza Hayward — Florida

School: Lyons (Ga.) Toombs County
On300 Ranking: No. 35 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Do-it-all football player with athleticism and physicality that points to a high upside as a safety prospect. Measured at close to 6-foot-1, 200 pounds with 32-inch arms prior to his senior season. Owns a physically developed, muscled build. A good athlete in the combine setting. Three-phase playmaker on Friday nights, making big plays as a safety, receiver, and return man. Led his high school to a state title as a senior, totaling 44 tackles, 8 pass breakups, and 1 interception on defense. Caught 58 passes for 798 yards and 14 touchdowns. A physical defender who triggers quickly. Recognizes and breaks on routes. Striker who blows up passes in the flats. Provides a physical presence over the middle. Shows the skills to stick with receivers in man coverage. Has the versatility to line up all over the secondary at the next level. Ball skills and overall athleticism are apparent given his play as a receiver. Very young for the cycle, turning 18 years old in late July prior to his freshman season of college football. Could potentially outgrow the safety position and become a full-time box player given his size.”

4. Kainoa Winston — Michigan

School: Montgomery Village (Md.) Gonzaga
On300 Ranking: No. 44 NATL.

About Kainoa Winston: Winston committed to Michigan on June 14, 2024, choosing the Wolverines over Penn State, North Carolina and Oregon. Michigan had Winston in Ann Arbor for his official visit on the weekend of May 31. The Wolverines set the tone and a high bar that none of Winston’s three other finalists could match: “The visit was good. I got to hang around the players and coaches more, just getting to bond and build relationships with them. My biggest takeaway from the visit was how genuine the people at Michigan are and the workhorse culture that has been established there,” Winston told On3 following his OV.

5. JaDon Blair — Notre Dame

School: Winston Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor
On300 Ranking: No. 71 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Massive safety prospect with the size, movement skills and physicality to potentially develop into a queen on the chessboard for defenses. Measured at 6-foot-4.5, 195 pounds at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. Has outstanding length with 33-inch arms. Has the skills to line up all over the defensive formation. Moves like a much smaller player. High level feet and change of direction in coverage. Comfortable as a zone defender working in single high or cover two. Sticky in man coverage. Active playmaker at the catch point. Using his length and physicality to make plays on the ball. Came down with four interceptions as a junior. Diagnoses plays quickly. Rugged effort level as a downhill run defender. Plays with a physical edge and throws his body around. Still relatively lean and will benefit from adding strength and technique as a tackler. One of the youngest top safeties in the cycle, turning 17 years-old in July prior to his senior season of high school. Owns one of the higher upsides at the position in the 2024 cycle due to his high-end physical traits.”

6. Faheem Delane — Ohio State

School: Olney (Md.) Good Counsel
On300 Ranking: No. 88 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Violent, downhill safety prospect who plays with a mean streak. Physical and tenacious player that forces receivers to plays with their head on a swivel. Strong trigger and ability to run the alley from deep safety. Striker that detonates ball carriers on impact. Very comfortable around the box and could potentially develop into a big nickel or extra backer in sub packages. Good ball skills and ability to high point the football. Need to see more when it comes to his man cover ability, but has the ability to walk in a play an important role in the run game as soon as he arrives on campus.”

7. Anquon Fegans — Auburn

School: Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson
On300 Ranking: No. 92 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “Anquon Fegans is one of the most polished defensive backs in the 2025 cycle. He has good size and length at around 6-foot-0.5, 185 pounds. Fegans has been a complete ball hawk throughout his career at Thompson. He’s an interception machine, picking off nine passes as a junior. His ball skills and instincts are excellent and his background playing corner helps him in man coverage. Fegans also has the physical traits to be a strong run defender and tackler. I wouldn’t be shocked if he is able to get on the field early in his career on the Plains, given his level of polish and development.”

8. Jordan Young — Michigan

School: Monroe (N.C.)
On300 Ranking: No. 94 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Highly coordinated two-way playmaker who could be a top prospect as a receiver or defensive back. Has unverified size, but looks to have a thinner build. Lines up as a receiver and safety for his high school A very productive player on both sides of the ball, eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns while picking off eight passes as a sophomore. Primarily lines up in the slot on offense. An effortless mover. Bursts off the line and gets up to full speed quickly. Eats up grass as a route-runner. Has a long, natural stride in the open field. Naturally coordinated and shows the ability to track the ball. At his best as a ball-hawking free safety on defense. Uses his high-end ball skills to make plays in zone coverage. A state finalist in the long jump and triple jump as a sophomore. Posted a personal best in the triple jump with a 45-8.75 leap, a very strong mark. Will need to continue adding mass and strength to his frame and improving his play strength as a defender.”

9. Tae Harris — Georgia Tech

School: Cedartown (Ga.)
On300 Ranking: No. 101 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “Tae Harris is a highly explosive athlete who turned in one of the more impressive combine showings during Under Armour’s 2024 camp circuit. He carries that speed over to the track, where he doubles as a top sprinter. 6-foot-3.25, 263 pounds. 35-inch arms, 7-foot-1.5 wing-span, 10.5-inch hand. Top combine athlete. Rim-protector and dunker in basketball.”

10. Hylton Stubbs — Florida

School: Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin
On300 Ranking: No. 107 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “Hylton Stubbs is a big-frame, physical, instinctive safety who has a knack for being around the ball. He’s one who I think finds ways to make plays in a multitude of ways and I think probably projects as a versatile safety but ultimately one who I think could be more of a strong safety type as he continues to fill out. I’ve seen him in person several times, and I think he projects to be a kind of physically-imposing safety who can defend the run but definitely has some ball-hawking abilities.”