Bryce Thornton S Florida |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #1 ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.55 seconds (56%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.10 DOB: 11/22/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #1 | |
| ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.55 seconds (56%*) | |
| Age: 21.10 DOB: 11/22/2004 | |
| Overall Rating: |
80.0 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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77% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 93.0 | |
| Tackling: |
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78% |
| Run Defense: |
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77% |
| Coverage: |
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78% |
| Zone: |
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74% |
| Man/Press: |
|
75% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#219
Position rank:
#51 (DB)
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 1674 | ||
ESPN RATING: 79/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kenny Logan Jr. - Kansas |
|
90% |
| Evan Williams - Oregon |
|
88% |
| Jalen Catalon - UNLV |
|
84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Bryce Thornton comes from an accomplished athletic family: his father, Bruce, was a Georgia running back and a 1994 fourth-rounder of the Dallas Cowboys, and his older brother, also named Bruce, is Ohio State basketball's all-time leading scorer. A four-star prospect by Rivals at Milton High School, Thornton chose Florida over Alabama, Clemson and Georgia.He played in 12 games with four starts as a freshman in 2023, then broke out in 2024 with three interceptions, two of them late in Florida's upset of No. 9 Ole Miss, when he also made 14 tackles and earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He started 11 games in 2025, leading the team with seven pass breakups and returning a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown against LIU.
Thornton has started every game in 2026, extending his streak to 21 straight starts with the 52-28 win over No. 4 Ole Miss.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Balanced skill set; tackles, covers and supports the run at a similar level
- Durable SEC starter with 21 straight starts entering October
- Proven playmaker, with three interceptions in 2024 and a fumble return score in 2025
- Compact 211-pound build that holds up coming downhill in run support
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Short at 5-foot-10, which shows against bigger targets at the catch point
- Allowed touchdowns to Auburn and Ole Miss in 2026
- Ball production has dipped since 2024, with one interception in 2025
- Missed six tackles in 2025, three of them at Texas A&M
- Lacks a single standout trait to separate him from other mid-round safeties
Scouting Report: Summary
Thornton has been a fixture in Florida's secondary for three seasons, a durable, versatile safety who has started 21 straight games and played well in some of the Gators' biggest wins, including his two-interception, 14-tackle performance in the 2024 upset of Ole Miss. He does a little bit of everything: he tackles reliably, supports the run with physicality, covers the slot and plays with the awareness of a player raised around the sport, with an NFL running back father and a star basketball brother.However, he lacks a standout trait. At 5-foot-10 he is shorter than teams prefer, and bigger receivers and tight ends can win at the catch point against him, as Auburn and Ole Miss did this fall with touchdowns in his coverage. His ball production has also slowed since 2024, and his tackling was uneven at times last season, including three misses at Texas A&M.
Overall, Thornton is a smart, experienced and physical safety whose versatility and toughness should earn him an NFL roster spot. He projects as a seventh-round safety, the kind of reliable, versatile player who sticks on rosters because coaches trust him.
How other scouting services rate Bryce Thornton (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
207.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
47.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.