NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for USC S Bishop Fitzgerald

With ten interceptions over the last three seasons, the football just finds Bishop Fitzgerald. He projects best as a split-field safety with a compact NFL frame and good length to wrap up and tackle.

The No. 10 ranked JUCO Prospect transferred to NC State for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, then entered the transfer portal as a 3-star and ended up at USC. He finished 2025 with 51 tackles (34 solo), two and a half tackles for loss, one sack, five interceptions, and three passes defended.

Dan has covered the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Draft since 2019 while contributing for RGR Football. Most recently, he spent the 2025 draft cycle at The Draft Network and is entering his first season in our scouting department.

Where He Wins

Ric Tapia/Getty Images

— Fitzgerald is a ballhawking safety who excels reading route concepts and taking the ball away from split-field alignments.

— His zone instincts and feel show up and he stays assignment sound while passing off receivers.

— Quick to trigger underneath, his length and driving power help him bring down ball carriers.

Areas of Improvement

Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

— Lacks the recovery speed and lateral agility to function as a post safety and struggles to change direction from his backpedal.

— Eyes wander in man coverage, often losing his responsibility and falling behind the play.

— Fitzgerald overcommits in the run game, opening up backside lanes and giving up big plays as a result.

—While he's a willing tackler, he takes poor angles to the ball carrier and misses tackles.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

Kirby Lee/Getty Images

GRADE: 5.8 (Backup/Draftable - 6th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: S Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard (5.9 in 2025), S Josh Proctor, Ohio State (5.9 in 2024), S Jordan Howden, Minnesota (6.1 in 2023)

OVERALL RANK: 249

POSITION RANK: S22

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Edwards

Measurables and Testing Data

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 201
Hand Size: 9 ½"
Arm Length: 31 ¼"
Wingspan: N/A

40-yard dash: 4.55
10-yard split: 1.58
Vertical: 33"
Broad: N/A
3 cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Bench: 12