Whether you’re a strong safety or a free safety, the contributions in the secondary are absolutely critical as the obvious last line of defense.
The FCS is loaded with good ones, but we picked one per conference that we think will be pretty good this fall – and is likely heading towards heavy accolades come December.
Take a look, conference by conference.
RELATED: Top 30 Returning FCS Safeties Nationally
BIG SKY
Tyreese Shakir, Portland State, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 53 tackles, 8 TFLs, 1 INT (5 career INTs, 14 career passes defended)
Shakir is a California native and has been a starter at strong safety or rover since his freshman season in 2021 – with 25 career starts to his name. Last year he posted big games against rivals like Eastern Washington (10 tackles, INT, etc.) and UC Davis (11 tackles) to help lead the Vikings. He’ll be critical in the secondary this year. Others like UC Davis’ Rex Connors, Idaho’s Tommy McCormick, Montana State’s Rylan Ortt, and Northern Arizona’s Alex McLaughlin are just a few of the other good ones in the Big Sky.
BIG SOUTH-OVC
Tim Coutras, Tennessee Tech, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 55 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 4 INT
Coutras began his playing career at Liberty University but came home to Tennessee after 2021 and 2022 playing at the Virginia school. Against FBS New Mexico last year, Coutras had a team-leading six tackles. Eastern Illinois is expected to have a good secondary, also, with players like SS Tienne Fridge leading the way.
CAA
Caleb Curtain, Elon, Jr.
2023 STAT LINE: 80 tackles, 4 INTs, 6 passes defended, 6.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks
Curtain is an in-state talent who picked up several All-American honors last fall as a sophomore and is considered a pro prospect. He opened eyes in 2023 by returning an interception 50 yards for a touchdown against the ACC’s Wake Forest.
IVY
Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Jr.
2023 STAT LINE: 78 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 3 INTs (1 TD), 4 passes defended
Bartrum, an Ohio native, was an All-Ivy League performer in just his first full season of action for the Crimson. He showed last year that not only could he be relied on as a hitter on defense (78 tackles), but he also could make a big play like with his 96-yard touchdown return off an interception against St. Thomas (MN). Penn’s Shiloh Means would also fit well here.
MEAC
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 65 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 INTs, 3 passes defended
Gallop, a Virginia native, has been labeled a pro prospect for the defending MEAC champions. He’s no stranger to postseason accolades, being named an HBCU All-American in 2022 before picking up all kinds of honors last fall.
MVFC
Cole Wisniewski, North Dakota State, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 8 INTs, 92 tackles, 13 passes defended
Wisniewski seems like he’s been making plays for the Bison for a decade now. The FCS’s No. 1 free safety prospect has already been in 47 career games in Fargo, picking up 194 tackles. Last year he led the nation in interceptions (8), taking one back 75 yards for a touchdown and racking up 239 total yards in interception return yardage. Another stellar safety is Keondre Jackson out of Illinois State, considered one of the – if not the – best strong safety prospects in the FCS this year. The MVFC is full of good safeties this year.
NEC
Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut State, Jr.
2023 STAT LINE: 89 tackles, 3 TFLs, 3 INT
Clark was an All-NEC First Team selection last year as a sophomore and is expected to explode from here on for the next two seasons. The New York state native tied for the NEC lead in tackles with 89 and will be leaned on heavily this fall at CCSU.
PATRIOT
Saiku White, Lafayette, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 77 tackles, 4 INTs, 5.5 TFLs, 8 passes defended
White, who hails from talent-rich Georgia, became a mainstay for the dangerous Leopards last fall and is expected to be a key part of what looks like a 2024 powerhouse at the Pennsylvania school. He became a team leader and picked up postseason honors, and Draft Scout lists him as one of the top strong safety prospects in the FCS.
PIONEER
Nick Bafia, Butler, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 65 tackles, 7 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, 1 INT
Bafia, an Illinois native, has been a mainstay for the Bulldogs for two seasons now. He was a first-team All-Pioneer performer last fall and led his team in tackles as a junior. He showed he could play with the top teams in the FCS when he racked up 12 tackles against Montana and had six tackles against South Dakota State in 2022.
SOCON
Amir Annoor, Wofford, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 32 tackles, 6 passes defended, 1.5 TFL
Annoor, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound multi-dimensional prospect out of Tennessee, has played most of his Wofford career at cornerback. But to show how highly he’s regarded; he’s listed as the No. 2 free safety prospect out of the FCS by Draft Scout. He has started games for the Terriers since 2021.
SOUTHLAND
Tyler Morton, Nicholls, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 63 tackles, 4 INTs, 11 passes defended
Morton, an in-state product out of St. Rose, La., has been contributing since his true freshman season of 2021. He was recognized last year as an All-American by several media outlets, and his career stats (143 tackles, 6 INTs, 16 passes defended) prove he is a playmaker.
SWAC
Emari Pait, Alabama A&M, Soph.
2023 STAT LINE: 49 tackles, 4 INTs, 6 passes defended
Pait began his career at Fresno State and he’s a California native, but he found his college home last fall with Alabama A&M. He’s a playmaker, active in the pass defense and forcing turnovers – while also being a reliable tackler when needed. An All-SWAC selection with several outlets last fall, he has a lot of college football left to play.
UAC
TaMuarion Wilson, Central Arkansas, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 64 tackles, 2 INTs, 8 passes defended, 5.5 TFLs
Wilson, an in-state product out of Bryant High School in Arkansas, has been productive since day one for the Bears. He has played in 41 games for UCA and is considered the No. 2 strong safety prospect out of the FCS by Draft Scout. Wilson and Eastern Kentucky SS prospect Mike Smith are just two of the special safeties residing in the UAC this year.
INDEPENDENT
Tre Jordan III, Merrimack, Sr.
2023 STAT LINE: 3 INTs, 27 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 5 passes defended in just 8 games
Jordan, a Maryland product, has played in 29 games for the Warriors and did so much in his eight games that he was recognized as an All-NEC performer. This year, Merrimack is an FCS independent, but Jordan will hardly slip under the radar if he keeps up the pace of what he’s done so far in college.
