Marcus Ratcliffe
Texas A&M·6-3·211 lbScouting Report
A long, experienced strong safety and team captain.
The case for
- Long, rangy frame at 6-3 and 211 pounds that suits a strong safety role near the box
- Rare experience, with 35 starts in 38 career games and more than 2,100 snaps
- Steady tackler, with 30 career games of three or more tackles and 18 of five or more
The worry
- Interceptions dried up in 2025, with none after three the year before
- Breaks up few passes for a four-year starter, with four career pass breakups
- Rarely gets to the quarterback on blitzes: no sacks and four career hurries
Full report
Marcus Ratcliffe is a senior captain at Texas A&M. He has a big frame for a safety and has started almost every game of his college career. A three-star recruit out of Cathedral Catholic in Chula Vista, he began at San Diego State, where he made 50 tackles as a freshman. He also won a Mountain West Freshman of the Week award after a six-tackle, one-interception game against Fresno State. He moved to College Station for 2024 and was named the team's defensive newcomer of the year. That season he made 48 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, and his three interceptions ranked eighth in the SEC. In 2025 he was second on the Aggies with 65 tackles and started 12 of 13 games, with eight-stop outings against Notre Dame and Mississippi State. The school lists him at 6-3 and 211 pounds, and Draft Scout has him at 6-2 and 209. Through 38 games and 2,186 snaps he has produced as a tackler, a ballhawk and a special teams player, including a blocked punt against New Mexico State. Preseason honors were strong: Walter Camp and Athlon second-team All-America and No. 57 on On3's top 100. Draft boards are cooler. WalterFootball projects him in rounds 4 to 6, and he sits around No. 349 on the Fanspeak consensus board, which points to a Day 3 safety with starter experience and leadership.
Every strength
- Proven ball skills, with three SEC interceptions in 2024 and picks in three straight games
- Can make plays near the line, with 7.5 career tackles for loss including 1.5 at Notre Dame
- Special teams value: blocked a punt in 2024, and Draft Scout lists special teams as a second role
- Team captain and Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist who brings leadership to a room
- Has produced against SEC and Notre Dame offenses after starting out in the Mountain West
Every weakness
- Draft Scout's estimated 40 range of 4.46 to 4.59 hints at good but not elite long speed for deep coverage
- 2026 output is modest so far, at 21 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss early in the year
- Consensus boards rank him in the 300s, well below his preseason All-America billing
NFL Comps
The pros whose college production, size and testing looked most like his. The percent is how close.
Of his 20 closest coming out: 1 star, 2 starters, 11 backups, 6 didn't stick.
Scouts say: Jordan Battle, Kamren Curl.
Draft Movement
Down 79 spots since Jul.
Where he sits on the consensus big board, each week since Jul. Up is better.
College Stats
| Season | Team | G | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 |  San Diego State | 12 | 51 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | Texas A&M | 13 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | Texas A&M | 13 | 66 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026 | Texas A&M | 6 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 44 | 190 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
From our play-by-play, so the yards can sit a touch under the official box score.
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $426K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Texas A&M's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
Every P4 player priced, math public: College players & NIL · Roster spend
Awards & Honors
Walter Camp Preseason All-America 2nd team (2026); Athlon Preseason All-America 2nd team (2026); On3 Top 100 (No. 57, 2026); Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist; AFCA Good Works Team; Lott IMPACT, Nagurski, Witten watch lists; Team captain; Texas A&M Defensive Newcomer of the Year (2024); MW Freshman of the Week (2023)