With specialized special-teams value and a natural free safety frame, Kitan Oladapo enters a critical third season as vital insurance for the Green Bay Packers' secondary.
We're officially 46 days from the start of the 2026 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. Whether you're ready or not, football season is here.
The Packers kick off their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Talk about pressure. The Vikings are certainly in a transitional place as a franchise, but getting going against an NFC North foe ratchets up the intensity of this season from the get-go.
It's a big season for the Packers. There's a belief that they're in a Super Bowl window right now, which means every single game is important. That means the intensity will be there in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets and it will certainly be there in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when the Packers will play at Lambeau Field for the first time in 2026.
There's going to be a lot of proverbial ink spilled on this 2026 season and we here at PackersRoundtable hope that you spend as much time as possible with us talking about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Packers.
As we prepare for the 2026 season, though, we're going to kick things off with a rankings series looking at the Top 50 Packers heading into the 2025 season.
At No. 46, we have safety Kitan Oladapo.
The Top 50 Packers Heading Into 2026: No. 46, Kitan Oladapo
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers safety Kitan Oladapo (27) pursues Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler (32) at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.You've got to be a depth chart and/or special teams nerd to have a firm grasp on what Kitan Oladapo brings to the table for the Packers, but he does absolutely bring something to the table.
He's a 6-foot-2, 216 pound safety who played at Oregon State and the Packers selected him with the 169th pick (Round 5) of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was a defensive captain and three-year starter for the Beavers and has played a role as a backup safety and special teamer for the Packers for the past two seasons.
2025 Synopsis:
Oladapo went from nine games played in 2024 to playing in all 17 for the Packers in 2025. He notched 10 tackles (seven solo) and one pass defended. He allowed four receptions at 8.3 yards per reception allowed. He was primarily a backup and special teams player.
Notable Quotables:
"The Packers letting Zayne Anderson walk says something about their comfort with Oladapo, who is poised to assume more responsibility on special teams and defense. We've said since Day 1 that Oladapo has an NFL frame and he's the truest example of a natural free safety from that 2024 draft class. He just has to stay ready behind Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams." - Wes Hodkiewicz
Projected role in 2026:
Frankly, the Packers don't want to see Oladapo on the field much as a defender. That means something has gone wrong for Xavier McKinney or Evan Williams, and they are two of the best safeties in the NFL. With that said, Oladapo can become a key special teams contributor in 2026 and if he's a reliable backup, he'll be well worth the $1 million and change the Packers are paying him in base salary in 2026.
Previous Rankings:
