# Mike Renner: Renner ranks the top 10 safeties for the 2027 NFL Draft class, grading each with a projected draft range, and predicts the class is strong enough to produce a couple of first-rounders. He also expects LSU's Dashawn Spears to step into a full-time slot role this fall. **Claimed:** Jul 31, 2026 **Pundit:** Mike Renner — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-renner **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2027-nfl-draft-safety-rankings/ 12 checkable claims — 10 mock draft picks, 1 depth chart call and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > Even though the position has been devalued throughout the NFL, I could easily see this class producing a couple more first-rounders like we saw in 2026. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jackson Bennee to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jackson Bennee - Verdict: not settled yet - **Ty Benefield to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Ty Benefield - Verdict: not settled yet - **Bray Hubbard to be picked “Late Day 2” (picks 67–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Bray Hubbard - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dashawn Spears to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Dashawn Spears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Zach Lutmer to be picked “Late Day 2” (picks 67–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Zach Lutmer - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jelani McDonald to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jelani McDonald - Verdict: not settled yet - **KJ Bolden to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: KJ Bolden - Verdict: not settled yet - **Positional rankings of the 2027 safety class, from Brauntae Johnson (ND) through Jackson Bennee (Utah)** - Kind: Top Player Lists - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaylen McClain to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jaylen McClain - Verdict: not settled yet - **Peyton Bowen to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Peyton Bowen - Verdict: not settled yet - **Faletau Satuala to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Faletau Satuala - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brauntae Johnson to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Brauntae Johnson - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jackson Bennee — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jackson-bennee - Ty Benefield — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ty-benefield - Bray Hubbard — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bray-hubbard - Dashawn Spears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/dashawn-spears - Zach Lutmer — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zach-lutmer - Jelani McDonald — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jelani-mcdonald - KJ Bolden — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kj-bolden - Jaylen McClain — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaylen-mcclain - Peyton Bowen — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/peyton-bowen - Faletau Satuala — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/faletau-satuala - Brauntae Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brauntae-johnson ## What others said about the same people - Charlie Campbell on KJ Bolden: Previewing Week 4 college games through a 2027 NFL Draft lens, Campbell projects South Carolina edge Dylan Stewart as a potential top-five pick, tags LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt as a possible first-rounder next year, and labels several Georgia and Alabama defenders as early-round prospects. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f1ec4469-b25f-4093-805f-f0be31be3ff5 (not settled) - Charlie Campbell on Ty Benefield: Campbell says LSU safety Ty Benefield's performance against Ole Miss sets him up to be an early-round selection in next April's draft, and that Texas cornerback Bo Mascoe could develop into an early-round prospect this season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e9444bbf-0c99-4c0f-8583-f52f58889ba6 (not settled) - Charlie Campbell on Ty Benefield: Reviewing Week 3 college games for the 2027 NFL Draft, Campbell pegged Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy and LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green as potential first-round picks, saw Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton as a first-rounder and LSU safety Ty Benefield as an early-round pick, while grading Clemson's Will Heldt and Sammy Brown as Day 2 prospects rather than first-rounders. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fe244f98-9c9c-4e5e-b4d2-c00c1bcab634 (not settled) - Charlie Campbell on Peyton Bowen: Campbell ranks the top 30 safety prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft, with Texas' Jelani McDonald first, and assigns each a projected draft round range and a projected 40-yard dash time. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b5049b90-215e-4f2e-be4a-c4a3d6a3c40d (not settled) - Josh Edwards on Zach Lutmer: A CBS Sports 2027 NFL mock draft projecting the full first round plus select second-round picks, headlined by Arch Manning going No. 1 overall to Miami and five quarterbacks in Round 1. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/58126cd0-e22d-4c12-8c23-f9a979de6d7d (not settled) - Charlie Campbell on Bray Hubbard: A college football/NFL draft preview of three Week 3 games that flags several prospects as early-round or first-round picks for the upcoming draft, including Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre, Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Texas' Cam Coleman going top-10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4a1eaf11-3b28-492e-937f-d00729c5924e (not settled) ## More mock draft picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ryan Wilson on J.J. McCarthy: Recalling his pre-draft evaluation, Wilson notes he had ranked J.J. McCarthy as the fifth quarterback in the 2024 class and given him a second-round grade rather than a first-round one, citing the gap between Michigan's system and NFL demands. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/44cc5859-8b2b-4fbf-b5c0-62c635f2e357 (scored 36.92) - Lance Zierlein on Jeremiyah Love: Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cf600df8-87eb-492b-9d91-f7a2b39104ac (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Max Iheanachor: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 87.81) - Gregg Rosenthal on K.C. Concepcion: Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8fae9a3a-7fd8-454c-99cc-0a8400c35d7d (scored 67.71) - Daniel Jeremiah on Keyron Crawford: In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f60c916c-1b5f-4252-8733-1770c7809577 (scored 80.52) - Daniel Jeremiah on Carnell Tate: Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/48a1d189-dc0f-4250-aa3b-0e27119c733a (scored 91.7) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=mike-renner