NFL Draft 2026: Safety Medical Report - AJ Haulcy, VJ Payne, Michael Taaffe
Medically clean safeties for the Lions to consider
With the major health concerns of the current Lions safety group (Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Thomas Harper, & Dan Jackson), expect a selection of a safety at some point in the upcoming NFL draft. Getting a healthy one is virtually a prerequisite.
The following three safeties all carry very low medical concerns which makes them enticing options. They also all performed well in athletic testing at the NFL combine.
For the full NFL 2026 draft prospect medical analysis 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 levels
AJ Haulcy, S (22): possible lingering shoulder? - 1/10
VJ Payne, S (22): clean - 0/10
Michael Taaffe, S (23): thumb surgery - 1/10
AJ Haulcy, S (22) - LSU
Projected round 3. #89 on Jeff Risdon big board Feb 19. Ran 4.52 40 at combine.
Concern level 1/10
2025: 12/13 games. Opted out of bowl. Loose reports of possible lingering shoulder issue.
2024: 12/12 games
2023: 12/12 games
2022: 12/12 games
Haulcy has a track record of perfect availability. There are loose reports of a possible shoulder issue in his final season, but I couldn’t find any hard confirmation of it. He did participate in the Senior Bowl which is reassuring. Overall, Haulcy is at the right age and appears to be very clean as long as the shoulder checks out.
Haulcy finished with a healthy 10 INT and 19 PBU in his career.
VJ Payne, S (22) - Kansas State
Projected round 4-6. Jeff Risdon mocked to Lions in 4th round. Ran 4.40 40-yard dash at combine.
Concern level 0/10
2025: 12/12 games
2024: 13/13 games
2023: 13/13 games
2022: 14/14 games
Payne has a 100% track record of availability and appears to be medically clean. His age is good as well, which makes him a very low-risk prospect.
Payne finished with 4 INT and 10 PBU in his career.
Michael Taaffe, S (23) - Texas
Projected round 4-7. Ran 4.50 40-yard dash at combine.
Concern level 1/10
2025: 10/13 games. Missed 2 games with thumb surgery. Opted out of bowl.
2024: 16/16 games
2023: 14/14 games
2022: 13/13 games
Taaffe was very reliable in college except for a thumb surgery in his final season. He has proof of recovery with the thumb which means there is minimal concern going forward. He has otherwise been very reliable throughout his career.
He finished with 7 INT and 14 PBU in college.
For safeties projected to go within the first 3 rounds, but with higher medical concerns…