Craig Tutt

Physical Profile

Listed at 5-10, 190 lbs. Taller than 4% and heavier than 62% of 2026 Safety prospects in the SEC Scouts database (200 with a listed size).

Play Style

Tutt plays fast and aggressive and is most at home near the line of scrimmage: as a slot defender, overhang, or rolled-down safety who can carry a receiver vertically and then trigger quickly against the run. His TFL and sack numbers suggest Oakland used him as a pressure player off the edge and from nickel. His running back background shows in how he attacks the ball carrier and in his vision on returns. He fits best as a coverage defender who can also blitz and tackle in space, rather than as a deep centerfielder.

Strengths

• Can cover the slot man-to-man: 247Sports' evaluation singles out his ability to match slot receivers out of a safety alignment. That skill is what makes him a natural fit at nickel or star in a two-high shell.
• Productive against the pass and the run: as a senior he had 40 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks, 9 pass breakups and a forced fumble. As a junior he had 64 tackles, 7 PBUs, 3 TFL and an INT. The sacks and TFLs show he can be used as a blitzer and fits the run downhill, not just as a coverage player.
• Special teams value from day one: three punt-return TDs in 2025 and nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards as a junior give him a path to early playing time as a returner and gunner before he wins a defensive starting job.
• Instincts and processing: evaluators describe him as a 'decisive mover and equally instinctual defender.' Playing running back gives him an offensive player's feel for route stems and ball-carrier angles.
• Proven against top competition: he was a Mr. Football finalist in both 2024 and 2025 and a starter on a 6A state champion at Oakland, one of Tennessee's strongest public-school programs.

Areas to Improve

• Size and play strength: at 180 pounds he has to add mass to hold up as an overhang or box defender against SEC tight ends and pulling guards without giving ground.
• Positional focus and ball production: he split time as a featured running back, so his defensive reps were limited. He had one INT as a junior and none reported as a senior, so he needs to learn to finish plays on the ball rather than just break them up.
• Deep-half range and length: at just under 6-foot with average reach, he'll be tested in true single-high or deep-half duties against bigger outside receivers. He needs to refine his eye discipline and angles to make up for the length.

College Projection

Tutt signed with Ole Miss on Dec. 3, 2025. Safeties coach Wes Neighbors, co-DC/secondary coach Bryan Brown and special teams coordinator Jake Schoonover were his primary recruiters, and he stayed with the Rebels after Lane Kiffin's departure. His most likely early path is special teams (punt returner and coverage units) plus sub-package nickel reps as a freshman. He could compete for a starting STAR/nickel or boundary safety job in Year 2 once he has added 10-15 pounds. His defensive back versatility gives him several ways onto the field in the secondary.

NFL Outlook

He's a Day 3 to late Day 2 prospect if he develops as expected. The NFL values nickel and big-nickel players who can match slot receivers, blitz and contribute on special teams, and that is Tutt's projected role. His draft stock will depend on whether he adds mass while keeping his burst and whether he produces more takeaways in college. Return ability would be a real selling point for a roster spot.

Best Fit

A multiple, two-high defense that uses a dedicated STAR/nickel or rotates its safeties, where he can play man coverage on the slot, blitz off the edge and fill against the run near the box. Ole Miss's secondary under Golding and Brown, which rotates defensive backs through multiple spots, fits him well, especially with a special teams coordinator who recruited him as a returner.