Maryland safety Jalen Huskey ranked among best draft-eligible safeties heading into 2025

Ahmed Ghafir
4 days ago
2 min read

Maryland has had at least one defensive back drafted in each of the last three NFL Drafts and produced six draft picks out of the secondary under head coach Mike Locksley. While tight end Dorian Fleming has drawn preseason recognition and punter Bryce McFerson checked in as the fifth-best draft-eligible punter in Phil Steele’s annual preseason magazine, the secondary will look to extend their streak four consecutive years with safety Jalen Huskey entering his final season with the program and drawing more preseason buzz.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked Jalen Huskey the 12th best draft-eligible safety prospect heading into the 2025 season.

After arriving from Bowling Green ahead of the 2024 season, the former All-MAC defensive back made the transition from cornerback to safety midway through his first year with the program as he posted 45 tackles, including 21 solo, 2.5 TFLs, four passes defended, three interceptions, one blocked kick and one fumble recovery in 11 starts and 12 appearances. But with a full offseason in the program and now working under assistant James Thomas, the Quince Orchard product has generated buzz as one of the team’s best as Huskey was one of three players to represent the program alongside head coach Mike Locksley at Big Ten Media Day last month.

Huskey will be a big part of what's expected to be an upgraded secondary in 2025 with Jamare Glasker and Dontay Joyner leading the cornerback room after arriving in January.

“They instilled a great deal of confidence in me and allowed me to become a way better player and allow me to play faster. And allow me to take the system and make it simple and really understand not just my job, but everybody else’s job in the entire defense,” Huskey told IBG ahead of the start of fall camp. “So I’m able to play faster.”

Full rankings:

Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Rod Moore, Michigan
VJ Payne, Kansas State
Bud Clark, TCU
Jalen Stroman, Notre Dame
Michael Taaffe, Texas
Austin Brown, Wisconsin
Nikai Martinez, Michigan State
Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
Terry Moore, Duke
Jalen Huskey, Maryland
A.J. Haulcy, LSU
Ahmaad Moses, SMU
Gunner Maldonado, Kansas State
DQ Smith, South Carolina
JJ Johnson, NC State
Shyheim Brown, Florida State
Phillip Dunnam, UCF
Jalen Catalon, Missouri

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