LSU standout safety A.J. Haulcy has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, On3’s Hayes Fawcett first reported.

While Haulcy does not have eligibility remaining, the announcement has now put the LSU starter into the discussion among top safeties planning to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

LSU added Haulcy from the NCAA Transfer Portal following spring practices in Baton Rouge, and his move from Houston to LSU proved seamless.

Haulcy, LSU’s top player at the safety position, finished the year with 89 tackles, four pass deflections, three interceptions, and one forced fumble.

He was named a First-Team All-American and a First-Team All-SEC selection by multiple outlets.

His career began at New Mexico before transferring to Houston for his sophomore and junior seasons in 2023 and 2024.

Across four seasons of college football, Haulcy logged 346 tackles, 17 pass deflections, 10 interceptions, and four forced fumbles.

With Haulcy revealing his plans to begin preparing for the NFL Draft ahead of LSU’s Texas Bowl matchup against his former Houston team on December 27, the conversation begins.

Where will Haulcy land in the 2026 NFL Draft?

How high can Haulcy climb in the NFL Draft?

Pro Football Focus (PFF) remains high on Haulcy’s abilities at the NFL level given his time across multiple college stops, LSU included.

Haulcy is ranked as a Top 50 overall prospect on the updated PFF Big Board, checking in at No. 49 overall.

With more than 700 snaps played in each of his past three seasons, Haulcy turned in his best PFF Grade yet with the Tigers, closing out the 12-game regular season scheduled with an 87.8 PFF Grade, which ranked inside the Top 20 for all college safeties – whether headed to the NFL Draft or underclassmen set to return to college next season.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper’s December update to his annual “Big Board” had Haulcy as a Top 10 safety in the upcoming draft, checking in as the No. 2 draft-eligible safety from the SEC and ahead of a pair of other starting safeties from the conference.

Here’s a look at Kiper’s latest list of Top 10 safeties. Of note, Downs was the lone safety from the list included in Kiper’s rankings of the Top 25 overall prospects in the 2026 draft class, regardless of position.

Safeties

1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State
2. Kyle Louis, Pitt
3. Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
4. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
5. Bray Hubbard, Alabama
6. Kamari Ramsey, USC
7. Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
8. A.J. Haulcy, LSU
9. Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
10. Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma

Just missed: Rod Moore, Michigan; KP Price, Boston College; Zechariah Poyser, Miami (Fla.); Jalen Huskey, Maryland; Genesis Smith, Arizona