Las Vegas Raiders 2026 Draft Scouting: Strong/Versatile Safeties

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images When you’re reading this, either the Free Safety Article has been published by now, or will be coming very soon, the following is an excerpt from the beginning part of that article, feel free to refresh or you can skip right to the main part: Isaiah Pola-Mao struggled in 2025, missing 19. 7% of his tackles (23 missed tackles), while allowing 28 receptions for 382 yards, and five touchdowns with a 112.

7 QBR. Pola-Mao saw 733 snaps at free safety and just 157 at strong safety. Pola-Mao has primarily been a free safety in his career, including touching back to his time at USC.

He’s in the final year of a 9 million contract, and likely will be a part of the Raiders defense in 2026 with some form or fashion, as a rotational player, or starter down at strong safety which Las Vegas may attempt to kick him towards. Additionally, the Raiders have Jeremy Chinn, who saw 291 snaps in the nickel, 82 at strong safety, around 215 snaps as a nickel linebacker and 188 as a free safety. Chinn will consistently rotate for the Raiders in 2026 similar to how he has his entire career having nearly 2100 snaps at nickel linebacker and strong safety, 1159 at free safety, and 1400 as a nickel cornerback.

Chinn allowed 39 receptions, 352 yards, 7 touchdowns, and a 134. 2 QBR last season, which was a career down year in coverage, though the Raiders also consistently tried to put him in a role breakdown not similar to others that he had in his career. However, Chinn did have success in coverage outside of three games where he allowed north of a 120 QBR, and in 8 games he allowed a QBR sub 84.