Are These 2 Alabama Safeties the Future Superstars of the 2026 NFL Draft?
In the sweltering crucible of Tuscaloosa’s fall practices, two names echo louder than the rest—Kameron Ricks and Tyrese “Rocket” Denton. While the Crimson Tide is never short of elite talent, these two safeties—one a chess master in cleats, the other a ballistic missile with shoulder pads—are poised not just to lead Alabama’s secondary, but to headline the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ricks, the junior out of Frisco, Texas, moves like a whisper but hits like a freight train. A 6’2”, 205-pound prototype with a 4.42 forty and a vertical that scrapes clouds, he’s drawn comparisons to Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick. But coaches say Ricks plays like a man haunted by his own potential—he studies film like a monk, questions tendencies like an interrogator, and still finds time to correct cornerbacks mid-play. “He’s got the brain of a defensive coordinator in a body built for war,” says Alabama DB coach Jaron Harris. “You can’t teach what he does—because you don’t think to teach it.”
Then there’s Denton—aka “Rocket.” Hailing from Warner Robins, Georgia, the 6’0”, 198-pound sophomore carries the attitude of a blitzing linebacker and the closing speed of a track star. His freshman campaign turned heads when he led the team in forced fumbles—three of which came from chasing down breakaway runners who thought they had daylight. “Rocket’s the chaos engine,” says head coach Kalen DeBoer. “You can feel a shift in energy the moment he steps on the field. He doesn’t react to plays—he detonates them.”
Together, they form a perfect storm. Ricks covers the skies, reading quarterbacks like open books, while Denton stalks the flat, the box, the seams—anywhere a threat may arise. Scouts have begun whispering the inevitable: “They’re first-rounders. Both of them. Book it.”
NFL insiders are already circling like hawks. One AFC scout noted, “Ricks is the rare safety who can erase tight ends and receivers with the same fluidity. Denton? He’s your new-era Tyrann Mathieu with a little more juice and a lot more bite.” Mock drafts, though premature, slot Ricks in the top 10, while Denton floats between picks 15–25, depending on team needs.
But it’s not just their athletic gifts. It’s the brotherhood. On and off the field, Ricks and Denton are inseparable—film room junkies, weight room maniacs, and spiritual anchors in the locker room. They speak in code on the field, nodding once before a play—Denton crashing the B-gap just as Ricks baits a quarterback into the wrong read. Interception. Touchdown. Celebration.
This fall, with Bama’s national title hopes once again in full throttle, these two aren’t just playing for wins. They’re playing for legacy—for names etched into the iron-clad annals of Crimson Tide lore, and for commissioner Roger Goodell to call in front of a roaring draft night crowd come April 2026.
Ricks. Denton.
The future isn’t coming. It’s already wearing crimson.
