Two College Football Powerhouses Going Head-to-Head for Nation’s No. 1 Safety

Two College Football Powerhouses Going Head-to-Head for Nation’s No. 1 Safety originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Five-star safety Bralan Womack is nearing his commitment, a decision he’s set to make on August 21. The Hartfield Academy (Miss.) standout appears to be between Ryan Day's Ohio State Buckeyes and Hugh Freeze's Auburn Tigers as he enters the final stretch of his recruitment.

According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Womack is the No. 1 safety in the 2026 class. He’s listed ahead of Alabama Crimson Tide commit Jireh Edwards (No. 2), Ohio State pledge Blaine Bradford (No. 3) and Jett Washington (No. 4), who’s headed to Oregon.

He grades out as the No. 21 recruit in the nation, just in front of Edwards (No. 22).

“As it stands, the two programs with the most confidence right now are Auburn and Ohio State,” 247Sports’ Tom Loy wrote Monday. “Those are the two schools separating themselves from the pack just one month from his commitment date.”

Womack is the reigning Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year, having racked up 39 tackles and eight interceptions from his spot in the secondary. He also caught 54 passes for 1,045 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“Advanced safety prospect that checks off box after box with his size, versatility, athleticism and football IQ,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in a scouting report. “Baits quarterbacks into making bad decisions from a split-field alignment and makes them pay with his jolting burst and slick ball skills. … Should be viewed as one of the top defensive talents in the 2026 cycle based on what he has put on tape and done in best-on-best settings.”

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.