Draft 2026: Safety - Jalon Kilgore, Bud Clark, Keionte Scott
Should the Lions be interested in these mid-round safety options?
As you are well aware if you read this site, the Lions safety position has major concerns short and long-term. The recent comments by Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes at the NFL combine did nothing to assuage those concerns.
See my article for analysis of those comments…
Adding at least 1 healthy body to the safety room will be a high priority this offseason. The 1st round might be too rich for the Lions to take a safety, but fans should be prepared for the Lions to dip into the safety pool anytime starting in the 2nd round.
Here are 3 safety options who should be available in the 2nd round or later. However, there are some medical concerns with all of them.
For the full NFL 2026 draft prospect medical concern page, click here.
Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 5 (might be worth the risk if the reward is high) to 10 (take him off your board, Brad).
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Quick summary of medical concern level
Jalon Kilgore, S (21): multiple hamstrings - 2/10 concern
Bud Clark, S (uncertain age, 25?): age, multiple seasons with unspecified injuries - 5/10 concern
Keionte Scott, S (25): recent foot/toe?, high ankle sprain surgery, age - 5/10 concern
Jalon Kilgore, S (21) - South Carolina
Projected round 2-3.
Concern level 2/10
2025: 11/12 games. Hamstring injury prior to season. Missed Game 2 with hamstring.
2024: 13/13 games. Unspecified leg injury in regular season finale, but returned for bowl.
2023: 12/12 games. Exited season finale with hamstring.
While his availability has been excellent, Kilgore has a history of hamstring strains in 2025 and 2023. If his 2024 injury is found to be also a hamstring, then happenstance becomes a disturbing trend.
With fast-twitch athletes, hamstrings are going to be very common, and generally don’t present any long-term issues. The difficult trick will be to determine if a certain player is more prone to hamstrings.
What helps Kilgore a lot is his young age.
Bud Clark, S (uncertain age, 25?) - TCU
Projected round 3-4. #91 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 5/10
2025: 11/13 games. Missed 2 games late season, but returned for bowl.
2024: 12/13 games
2023: 12/12 games
2022: 12/15 games. Missed first 3 games with injury.
2021: 4 games. Missed final 7 games with injury.
2020: 10/10 games
Clark has missed many games in multiple seasons with unspecified injuries. It’s somewhat reassuring that he was mostly reliable in his final 3 seasons, and played in his final college bowl game.
The other major factor is that he has been playing for TCU since the Covid year of 2020, which means his age is likely advanced. Age, mileage, and injury accumulation mean that Clark may not be a good addition to the Lions safety room which already has too many question marks.
Keionte Scott, S (25) - Miami
Projected round 2-3. #61 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 5/10
2025: 14/16 games. Missed 2 games with right foot injury. Rumored to be a toe. Able to return for the playoffs.
2024: 11/12 games
2023: 10/13 games. High ankle sprain with tightrope surgery.
2022: 12/12 games
2020-2021: Played at Snow College
A late season foot/toe injury will need to be checked out, although it’s nicely reassuring he was able to return for 4 playoff games. His high ankle sprain surgery shouldn’t be a significant issue going forward.
Age is the biggest concern, as he starts the season at the same age as Kerby Joseph (25). The Lions need to get younger and healthier, which means Scott may not be a good fit.
If you want the Lions to go all-in and get a top-rated safety…