A.J. Haulcy

The Player

Haulcy is an experienced and productive safety with a good blend of size and speed. He’s at his best when he can read receivers and quarterbacks in off coverage and zone looks. He’s quick to trigger, breaks well on the ball, and jumps routes. He can sort out route combinations and has enough range to cover a deep half. He is a physical presence and a big hitter in coverage.

He tracks the ball well and doesn’t play the man in zone looks. He had eight interceptions combined over the past two seasons. 

Haulcy doesn’t have the ideal range or length for a free safety. His short arms hinder his ability to get his hands on passes, and he’s much less effective in man than he is in zone. He is a downhill run stopper who closes well and chases with good effort. He can slip blocks and shoot gaps when he plays in the box. It’s hard to argue with the numbers: He tied for the third-most solo tackles (49) in the SEC last season and was tied for the second-most solo tackles in the Big 12 in 2023 (73), when he played at Houston. In 2022, as a true freshman at New Mexico, he had a 24-tackle game against Fresno State.

Despite those numbers, his reliability as a tackler comes into question. He missed 16 tackles in 2025 and 47 over the past three seasons, according to PFF. He fails to wrap up at times and takes inconsistent angles. He’s a little tight, and he struggles to finish in space because of his short arms. 

The Draft

Haulcy is a top-seven safety prospect and a top-100 overall prospect in this class. No LSU defensive back has been drafted in the past two drafts, following a nine-year streak of at least one being taken.

The Projection

2025 third-round pick Xavier Watts, who started 17 games and picked off five passes for the Falcons last season, is an interesting comp for Haulcy. Both are playmakers with good size and average speed, and they’re tough run defenders but inconsistent tacklers.