The Patriots have turned over the safety room, but the message from inside the building is clear: they’re betting big on Craig Woodson.
That trust shows up in the roster moves. New England moved on from Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger, two former captains who had anchored the back end for years, and then watched Jaylinn Hawkins leave in free agency this offseason for the Baltimore Ravens. The common thread is Woodson, the second-year safety who has gone from rookie surprise to one of the most important players on the team.
Woodson lands at No. 12 in the “Top 25 Patriots of 2026” rankings, and the rise is easy to trace. Drafted in the fourth round with the No. 106 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, he entered training camp looking like a depth piece behind Hawkins, Peppers and Dugger. Instead, he forced his way into the starting lineup and changed the picture in the secondary almost immediately.
As a rookie, the 25-year-old started 15 of 17 games and finished the regular season with 79 tackles, four tackles for loss and three pass breakups. He wasn’t just filling space, either. Woodson became a steady presence in coverage and an even more disruptive force against the run, earning the coaching staff’s trust and carving out a major role in New England’s defense.
His best work showed up on the biggest stage. In Super Bowl LX, despite the Patriots’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Woodson turned in one of his strongest performances of the year. He finished with 10 total tackles, three tackles for loss and two passes defended, constantly flying to the ball and making plays near the line of scrimmage.
That kind of production is why the Patriots seem so comfortable reshaping the position around him. Bringing in Kevin Byard in free agency should only help. Woodson had just one interception in his rookie season, and Byard’s knack for finding the football could open things up for everyone around him.
What makes Woodson so valuable is the full package. He can line up at safety or nickel corner, he reads receivers well, and his physical style fits right into New England’s aggressive defense. Just as important, he’s shown the kind of intelligence and maturity that lets him process the game quickly and take on a leadership role.
With Mike Vrabel leading the defense and several young building blocks in place, Woodson looks positioned to be a fixture in the Patriots’ secondary for a long time.
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