2026 Round 1 Live Blog

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It’s Draft Night and with the Cowboys having two first round picks (12 and 20) they were already going to be a key part of the draft but rumors of George Pickens being traded has them being one of the key storylines for tonight. The Cowboys are likely to not be involved early but rumors are that they might do a small trade up (8-10) to grab a falling defender. With the Pickens rumors there are now people who also see them moving up for a WR (Tate/Tyson) so they could go any number of directions. I love Tyson and would be happy to have him on my favorite team for the next decade but I’m still expecting defense to be addressed with their first pick and I have two targets I love: LB Sonny Styles, CB Mansoor Delane. Both fit needs for the Cowboys and are great values by my board as Styles is my #2 player and Delane is my #6. Either would be foundation pieces next to Quinnen Williams as they attempt to fix their struggling defense. Trade up from 12 and down from 20 would be what I’d do as targets I love like Jacob Rodriguez, Zion Young, and D’Angelo Ponds should all be available late in the 1st or early in the 2nd. Below are my Top 10 players available as we get started.

Name

Fernando Mendoza QB Top 5

Sonny Styles LB

Jeremiyah Love RB

Jordyn Tyson WR

David Bailey EDGE Top 10

Mansoor Delane CB

Spencer Fano OT

Francis Mauigoa OT

Jermod McCoy CB

Makai Lemon WR

1. Raiders: Fernando Mendoza-No surprise as everyone has expected this for months, and he’s #1 on everyone’s board. Mendoza had an incredible season and was a bit of an unknown at UCLA in ’24. That’s a slightly risky profile but Borrow and Ward were the same way and Mendoza’s tape was incredible. My comp is Eli Manning as a pocket passer with outstanding accuracy and clutch play. I see him as a true franchise QB type, many do not, and think he has given Omar Cooper and Elijah Sarratt far better stats than they probably deserved. He’s a star and him being mentored by Tom Brady and Kirk Cousins while being coached by the hot head coach hire this cycle, Klint Kubiak. Hopefully they get him a receiver on Day 2 as they need it but Mendoza/Bowers/Jeanty is a great nucleus for them.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Fernando Mendoza QB Top 5	1	1	1	1

Shit man, why are they speeding up the 1st round? It didn’t feel too long to this draft nerd.

2. Jets: David Bailey-Well many people are disappointed that Bailey went ahead of Reese but I always saw this as the logical pick. He was #5 on my board while Reese was #19 as he’s a project with elite athleticism but a very poor production profile, especially for an EDGE. Bailey was a superstar last year and his sacks, TFL, pass rush rate, etc. are all among the best in the class. He has great speed, long arms, and has underrated power so I see him as a perennial double digit sack artist. He won’t be great vs. the run but he’ll be solid and this is the kind of prospect you target with a Top 5 pick. Good pick for the Jets.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
David Bailey EDGE Top 10	2	5	6	4

Everyone’s curious to see if the Cardinals keep #3. With many teams loving Reese, I could see a trade up as the Cardinals seem to prefer taking an OL over a defender but maybe they stay put and take Reese or Love due to value.

3. Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love-Everyone loves him as he was a Top 3 player on all of our boards but I hate this pick. This is atrocious value, they have no QB, their OL sucks, and their defense has no special talent. This is a franchise that should be desperately trying to trade down and with Reese available, Love maybe a target too, they probably had offers. They should have traded down once and taken their favorite OL but that’s my opinion and also why the Cardinals pick in the Top 12 quite often. Love is a stud and right up there with Bijan and Jeanty, I’d rank him 3rd among them. My comp is Todd Gurley as an elite athlete, questionable lateral agility but special receiving potential. He will be a star in the NFL but THEY WILL still suck next year and I’m not a fan of taking a Top 5 RB for a franchise with holes everywhere.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Jeremiyah Love RB	3	3	3	2

4. Titans: Carnell Tate-This pick makes sense. It’s a little low from both of our boards but if you look at the Titans roster, they have a gaping hole at the X receiver. Tate/Wandale/Dike makes a lot of sense as they all work in very different ways. Tyson was my WR1, Tate my WR3 but Lemon (my WR2) makes no sense and Tate is a better fit here than Tyson. You take a QB #1, you have to give him some weapons so this is a good start, albeit a little early value wise. Does anyone actually love Reese or was all of this Top 3 player talk just a bunch of smoke? I never saw him as a Top 5 player so I’m curious when his drops ends.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Carnell Tate WR Mid 1st	4	11	10	6

5. Giants: Arvell Reese-Most people will love this pick but where are they playing him? DE is their deepest position and even if you trade Thibodeaux I don’t see him being worth a Top 5 pick. More importantly, I see Reese as one of the more overrated players in this draft. He’s a special athlete but I don’t think people fully realize how big of a projection he is. He had 2…2 career sacks off the EDGE. He won with speed vs. Penn State for a sack and with power vs. Illinois, I know the highlight reel by heart because IT IS SO SHORT!!! The rest of his sacks were as an off ball linebacker who blitzed and is not translatable as an EDGE. Also the Giants are a 4-3 team so he’ll be a DE not a 3-4 OLB which would have partially hidden his rawness as an EDGE. This is extremely risky and I’m surprised they went this route. Bad pick to me.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Arvell Reese EDGE Late 1st	5	19	2	5

6. Chiefs (trade with Browns): Mansoor Delane-The first Cowboys target is off the board. It’s a little interesting as the Chiefs have found CB gems in the mid to late rounds and a lot of people expected them to go that route and prioritize pass rusher at 9. Not only did they not do that but they traded up for him. I love his film as he was one of my favorite players this cycle to scout. His film was the best CB film I’ve graded since Patrick Surtain as it was flawless. McDuffie is a reasonable comp I put in his profile so Delane as a replacement for McDuffie makes a lot of sense. Great pick, I was higher than everyone on him and think he’s closer to a blue chip than a Downs, Reese, or Bain.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Mansoor Delane CB	6	6	9	9

7. Washington: Sonny Styles-The rumor was that if Styles dropped to 7, they’d snatch him up without question. It’s disappointing as Styles/Delane were my targets and they’re both gone by 7 but it’s a great pick. This draft is known as a bit weak at the top so Love/Styles as non-value positions going so early isn’t surprising. I see Bobby Wagner when I watch Styles and the Commanders just had Wagner the past two years so this is a great pick as his replacement. He is an elite athlete, 10.0 RAS score, and is the rare ILB who can cover sideline to sideline but then also be a great pass rusher or battle OL in the phone booth. He can do it all and he’ll give great versatility to their defense. Great pick.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Sonny Styles LB	7	2	4	3

I’ve said for a few months now that Tyson to the Saints is the perfect fit as Shough threw a great intermediate ball and Tyson works best in that area. It’ll be interesting to see if they go that route as he won’t last long on the board.

8. Saints: Jordyn Tyson-Great pick. I think Tate to the Titans and Tyson to the Saints are both great fits scheme wise and fantasy wise. Tyson is and always has been my WR1 and has star potential. His injuries are concerning but they aren’t connected and I don’t see him as a broken body but just a little unlucky. His route running and fluidity/quickness remind me of Justin Jefferson with Garrett Wilson as a good comp as well. He has a much higher ceiling than Tate and his target share/dominator score were the best in the class. He can win effortlessly without motion, Lemon cannot, and can win in all areas of the field, Tate cannot, so I think the Saints got the best WR in the draft. Great pick as you can see I was far higher than everyone else on this potential superstar.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Jordyn Tyson WR	8	4	19	18

9. Browns: Spencer Fano-Another guy I’m noticeably higher than consensus on. I love Fano as he’s my OT1, I think he can play LT (he played RT at Utah), and he’s the highest floor OL in this class. His run blocking was elite and his passing blocking is also very good. He doesn’t have short arms, this is not a Campbell type guy, and he has Pro Bowl potential. The Browns are quietly having great drafts, moving down each year while getting studs later in the draft. They have a long way to go but I really have liked their picks last year and now with Fano.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Spencer Fano OT	9	7	12	13

10. Giants: Francis Mauigoa-The OL run has begun. Everyone’s board is a little differnt but most had Fano and Mauigoa as the top 2 guys. I did as well, PFF/DJ had him as OT1, and it’ll be interesting to see if he’s a RT or OG. In either spot he has Pro Bowl potential but his feet and arm length aren’t elite so OG might be the spot. I’m much lower on Ioane than consensus so if they see him as a guard then it makes sense as he’d easily be OG1 on my board. This feels like a Harbaugh guy.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Francis Mauigoa OT	10	8	7	10

My Top 10 available with the Cowboys on the clock:

Name

Jermod McCoy CB

Makai Lemon WR

KC Concepcion WR

Caleb Downs S

Monroe Freeling OT

Dillon Thieneman S

Jacob Rodriguez LB

Max Iheanachor OT

Blake Miller OT

Zion Young EDGE

11. Cowboys (trade with Dolphins): Caleb Downs-This is a homerun for most, for me it’s a good pick. I didn’t see Downs as one of the blue chips but he’s going to be a very good pro. The thing is he’s a very high floor, high character guy and he will be a 12 year starter and one of the locker room leaders. I just question how high his ceiling is but this guy is a Day 1 starter and is probably the most consistent tackler in this safety class. Can he be a ballhawk? I don’t think so and box SS isn’t a high value position but he’s a stud. He was the leader as a true freshman at Alabama and has been THE GUY his entire career. Downs/Styles/CJ Allen were widely regarded as the best character guys in the class so I get why the Cowboys are ecstatic here. I just worry he might be more of a really good starter not superstar Pro Bowler so I was lower than most but #13 ranked player at #10? I have no issues with the value here and like the selection….especially compared to Rueben Bain or Keldric Faulk who would be terrible picks.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Caleb Downs S	11	13	8	8

Here is my draft profile: Caleb Downs Ohio State 5’11 ⅝ 206 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 ¼ arms (short) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). At his pro day he didn’t run the 40 either but had a ‘43 ½ vertical (elite) with a 10’10 broad (elite). That’s great but he doesn’t look to have elite speed on film and I’m shocked that I haven’t even seen one person even comment on him skipping it. He’s a 3rd year junior, early declare, who doesn’t turn 22 till December so he’s one of the younger players in this draft. He began at Alabama and immediately was a star in ‘23 (107 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 FF, 4 PBUs, 2 INTs), transferred to Ohio State and had a big year in ‘24 (82  tackles, 7.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 6 PBUs, 2 INTs), and then had a similar year in ‘25 (68 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 2 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Downs is a slightly shorter, thicker SS type with elite tackling ability and good overall athleticism. Going downhill from his safety spot, he’s a human highlight reel and has Buddha Baker like film with good speed, elite tackling technique, and outstanding hitting ability. In coverage he’s a smart, dependable player but not an elite playmaker/ballhawk type. He allowed a 52.6 passer rating when targeted and had an elite 89.6 PFF coverage grade but his 0.55% INT rate, 1.18% PBU rate, and career high of 2 INTs in a season are all underwhelming. Maybe I’m nitpicking but his best film was in ‘23 as a true freshman at Alabama and that worries me a bit too. His one elite trait is his consistency as a tackler as he had 9-14 missed tackles all three years of his career, outstanding for a guy with +250 tackles in that time span. He has zero potential to be a bust and could easily be called the safest player in the draft. He draws rave reviews as a leader and as a human being. He ran the Ohio State defense, not Sonny Styles, and got players lined up on the field. He fits today’s NFL where so many teams play two high as he’ll be great in that role as he can stay back, won’t be a liability in coverage, or run up late and be an elite run stopper or solid blitzer. Downs and Thieneman are the clear top 2 safeties in this class and most have Downs in a different tier. I do not as Downs is clearly the better run stopper and Thieneman is clearly the better pass defender. Downs has a higher floor and reminds me of Buddha Baker, my official comp, while Thienemann has a higher ceiling and reminds me of Eric Weddle. Both should be very good to great players but I’d be uncomfortable taking either in the Top 10 and consider Downs overrated. He didn’t run the 40 for a reason and it’s because he probably wouldn’t run a 4.4. It’s obvious on film as his “heat seeking missile” film is always with plays in front of him where he reads it quickly. You don’t see elite range by him on the back end when he’s moving backwards and he has good hands but doesn’t project as a ball hawk. I gave Buddha Baker a mid 1st grade years ago out of Washington and see Downs similarly as one dimensional elite run stoppers. Whether you want to take that type in the Top 10 is up to each GM but I don’t see enough versatility to make it worthwhile and SS is as easy to moneyball as RB so it’s not good positional value either. In the end I left Downs as my #1 safety due to his elite character and high floor but think he’s overrated and have no issues with those putting Dillon as their #1 safety as he will impact the game more in coverage. Mid 1st as my #1 S 4/18/26.

12. Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor-This is the first terrible pick off my board but I was MUCH lower than consensus. I see Proctor as a fat, lazy OT who doesn’t have any edge to him so he won’t even give you the pancakes, elite run blocking you’d expect from a guy his size. Saban even recently called him “not a self-starter” and they take him #12? I don’t get it. Monroe Freeling, Max Iheanachor, and Blake Miller will all have far better careers than Proctor. We’ll re-visit this in 3 years. He’ll struggle just like other oversized OTs have and will be looked at as a terrible selection.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Kadyn Proctor OT	12	77	27	24

Why did the NFL speed up the draft? The broadcast is now far behind, Twitter is ruining picks, and they still jam a million commercials in so it’s not somehow a better fan experience. Also with less time, fewer trades likely will occur and everyone loves trades.

13. Rams: Ty Simpson-This feels early but the Rams were rumored to be very interested in him and Simpson does fit the scheme. With the reigning MVP in the fold and looking for an extension though I don’t see why you’d reach for a future QB. None of us three had a 1st round grade on him, I was lowest. I like him but he’s short, only has 15 starts, and had a bad final half-season. He has great processing ability though and I think McVay bought into him for that. He does read the field very well and he’s an underrated athlete. His stock just got a huge bump with this draft capital but I see it as a reach, especially as I see the Rams in win now mode.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Ty Simpson QB	13	50	42	36

14. Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane-I was much lower on him than others but still liked him and think this is a perfect fit. My issue is his athleticism is he’s a slow, plodder type. He’s such a beast in the phone booth you can overlook it but I don’t want a potential pass protection liability with my first round guard. He was an early 2nd on my board but with the Ravens being a run heavy team he fits. He’ll create a lot of running lanes for Henry and just feels like a Raven. It’s a reach to me but I see the vision.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Olaivavega Ioane IOL	14	30	16	11

15. Bucs: Rueben Bain-Most will say this is one of the best picks tonight but I obviously disagree as I had a late 2nd round grade on him. He’s short armed but that’s not the only red flag as he has no burst and I don’t see him ever being a high end pass rusher. I actually am more interested in him as a DT but he’s a disruptor and run stopper. Similar comps are Tyree Wilson, Shemar Stewart, etc. and I was lower on all of them. People act like he was this superstar pass rusher but he had 14 sacks his final two seasons combined. That’s not elite production. Also he had 16 games to get his 9.5 sacks in his final year and he seemed to get a freebie vs. Texas A&M. I never saw it and have been pretty good at finding the 1st round underachiever. I said it last year with Shemar and am saying it this year with Bain. He’ll underperform so to me this is a huge reach, for most it’s a huge steal.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Rueben Bain EDGE	15	51	5	7

16. Jets: Kenyon Sadiq-Interesting pick. I was not expecting this and am not sure how I feel. The Jets have a ton of needs so to immediately bury your 2nd round last year (Mason Taylor) is odd. Sadiq is maybe more of an H-Back so maybe they go 2 TEs more but I’m a bit surprised by this. I was lower than consensus on him as he’s an elite athlete but very linear and I prefer fluidity over explosiveness/speed with my TEs. Odd pick to me but most boards wouldn’t see this as a reach so maybe they’re just going BPA.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Kenyon Sadiq TE	16	23	14	14

17. Lions: Blake Miller-I’m slightly surprised this pick isn’t Freeling but I’m one of the leaders of the Blake Miller bandwagon as I’ve said for awhile that he’s vastly underrated. He is a RT but has LT athleticism, good length, +50 games started, a feisty/physical player, and I never got why a lot of people had him as a Round 2 guy. I really like this kid and think he’ll be a 10 year starter.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Blake Miller OT	17	18	25	20

18. Vikings: Caleb Banks-Banks is a huge roll of the dice. He had an incredible LSU game in ’24 and looked at times like the best DT in the class but he was my DT3 due to a lack of consistency. Everyone sees this as a big reach, DJ had him #51 and was the lowest, as he’s a pretty unknown quantity for a mid 1st round selection. This is the first consensus big reach, outside of Ty Simpson and with QB you can argue it’s never a reach due to the high value a hit at that position provides. This is a very questionable pick.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Caleb Banks DT	18	33	32	51

Well the Cowboys just moved down from #20 so I’m a happy man as I wanted a small trade up from 12 and a trade (or two) down from 20. I’d go out of the 1st entirely and take Zion Young in the early 2nd but we’ll see how far down they go.

19. Panthers: Monroe Freeling-Great value here as I had him as OT3 and he’s OT5 off the board and continues the OT run. I heard Thieneman would be the pick if still there at 19 but they surprised with Freeling. He’s the best athlete in this class and has an elite ceiling but he is a bit risky as he’s raw and has limited starts. It’s a great value here though and is a position of value so if he sticks at LT it’ll be a steal in a few years when we look back.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Monroe Freeling OT	19	14	13	22

20. Eagles (trade with Cowboys): Makai Lemon-Great pick. I think Devonta Smith/Wicks/Lemon is a great combination and fits well together. Smith/Wick aren’t motion types so Lemon will get schemed touches constantly and that’s what Hurts needs as he struggles at times to read coverages and attack downfield. His analytics profile is the best in the class and makes up for a questionable size/speed ratio. He has to go to the right offense and be utilized correctly but he can be a star if so. We now have 3 straight great landing spots for WRs in fantasy. You can’t hate that. I hate that I’ll see him against the Cowboys the next 10 years as this is a great pick.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Makai Lemon WR	20	10	15	12

21. Steelers: Max Iheanachor-This is a reach to most but I loved this kid and saw him as a mid 1st rounder. He has a very high ceiling as he was late to the sport and my comp is Michael Oher as that RT who can play LT and was a little raw coming out of college. He has a very high ceiling but people act like he was a project. He had 0 sacks last year, including vs. David Bailey, how is he a project? I loved his film and his traits and consider him a Day 1 starter at RT who could become a Pro Bowler.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Max Iheanachor OT	21	17	30	31

22. Chargers: Ahkeem Mesidor-I’m lower on this kid due to his age as he’s going to be a 25 year old rookie so I don’t see that being good value at this spot in the draft. His film was very good and his traits are interesting as he’s a bigger EDGE, formerly was a DT, and can be a DE on run downs and a DT on passing downs. I saw him as a 2nd rounder but most saw him around this spot so they won’t consider it a reach.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Ahkeem Mesidor EDGE	22	44	20	26

My Top 10 available with the Cowboys on the clock.

Name

Jermod McCoy CB

KC Concepcion WR

Dillon Thieneman S

Jacob Rodriguez LB

Zion Young EDGE

Denzel Boston WR

D’Angelo Ponds CB

Drew Allar QB

Lee Hunter DT

Emmanuel Pregnon IOL Early 2nd

23. Cowboys: Malachi Lawrence-I see this as a reach as he’s a lower production pass rusher who no one saw as a 1st rounder a few months ago. He’s been gaining steam this draft cycle and is a “late riser” but I don’t see him as worth this high of a pick. He does have elite traits though so this is not Marshawn Kneeland 2.0 who I was correct in seeing no potential as a pass rusher. He’s actually very athletic, had an elite Combine, and his athleticism in the “kill zone” is enticing. I just don’t see how you take a senior with 0 seasons of even 8 sacks and his tackle numbers were atrocious and make you wonder if he’s a soft, sack hunter. He has a high ceiling but I don’t expect him to hit it so I was lower than consensus on him and the consensus was he was an early 2nd rounder so a reach by most analysts here.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Malachi Lawrence EDGE	23	62	54	40

My draft profile: Malachi Lawrence UCF 6’4 253 Sr. He ran a 4.52 40 (elite), ‘40 vertical (elite), 10’10 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ⅝ arms (good length) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He’s a true senior (turns 23 in July so a little older prospect) and spent all four years at UCF. He barely played in ‘22 (2 tackles), had a very good year in ‘23 (27 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 7 sacks), a down year in ‘24 (15 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF), and then his best year in ‘25 (28 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 FF). His ‘23 and ‘25 were solid production but overall it’s not great for a four year player, especially the tackles as it’s a red flag showing he’s probably soft against the run. On film Lawrence is a big framed, tightly built 4-3 DE with great explosiveness and athleticism but very inconsistent film. He has some spectacular splash plays where he shows off his very good athleticism and physicality. It’s an impressive highlight reel but then you put on his game tape and he’s invisible far too often. His analytics profile is solid with a 15.6% pass rush win rate (11th among the Top 30 EDGE Prospects) and a 13.6% pressure rate (also 11th). His best game was vs. Baylor where he was everywhere with 7 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF (all career highs). It was an amazing game by him but it confuses me as to why he was invisible so often in other games. He’s more explosive than fluid and doesn’t have great bend or agility. I’d bulk him up as he’ll never be a great speed rusher with his tightness but if he could be at 265 he’d be intriguing. 6’4 265 with good length and explosiveness is a starting DE. He’s a long, gangly, explosive athlete and I think he’d play much better at 265 with his frame. He doesn’t have good football IQ and seems a second late to most plays. It’s not the end of the world for a DE not being instinctive but it also makes me think 3-4 OLB isn’t a good fit for him. He’s fast but he isn’t 4.52 40 fast and his elite Combine (9.90 RAS Score) doesn’t fully translate. He has one “Excel filter stat” that is very intriguing. He’s one of only 4 players with a sack rate of +4.0% and a RAS Score of +9.89 joining Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and Montez Sweat. That’s special company but again I don’t see him playing up to those Combine measurements while the other three showed more on the field. His run defense is very worrisome for me. His teammate on the other DE spot Nyjalik Kelly had 99 tackles the past two seasons while Lawrence only had 43. Career highs of 7 sacks and 28 tackles are both low numbers but especially the 28 tackles. He has the size and arm length to be a good stack and shed player but I saw no evidence of that on film. It also matches his pass rush reps as he struggles to get off blocks once he’s engaged. His athleticism and power stand out but he has no real hand fighting ability and stays blocked far too long for my taste. Add in his poor instincts and I think he’s just a lower IQ player and probably will never have the polish the technician pass rusher types have. He’s been a late climber in this draft cycle, and I get the hype a little bit due to his measurables but his film isn’t very good and I see him as more of an athlete than football player. He has starter traits and maybe can develop down the road but I do not see him as one of the top rushers in this class and am surprised he’s getting first round buzz. He’ll be an inconsistent #2 rusher for a team and overdrafted if he goes in the 1st round. Late 2nd as my #10 EDGE 4/11/26.

24. Browns: KC Concepcion-I love this kid and was much higher than consensus on him as I see him neck and neck with Carnell Tate. Tate has a higher floor but I fully believe that KC has the 2nd highest ceiling of any WR in this class (Tyson 1st). He can beat you with quickness, speed, routes, and YAC. He played as a YAC artist at NC State, often lining up at RB, and then played a more traditional outside receiver role at A&M. He consistently got separation and then was a demon with the ball so my comp was CeeDee Lamb. This is a great fit too as he has no competition to be the #1 WR with the Browns and could be a star if the QB play ever improves.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
KC Concepcion WR	24	12	35	25

25. Bears: Dillon Thieneman-Great value pick here as he was #2 available on my board and all three of us see this as a steal. I’d have had no issues with the Cowboys taking Dillon #11 over Downs as they were neck and neck so the Bears getting him 14 picks later is outstanding value. He’s a very versatile player who is a very good run stopper but also outstanding on the back end. He gives his team a ton of options and some view him as a nickel LB on passing downs as he’s such a good run stopper. I prefer him on the back end and see some ballhawk traits to him. In any spot he’s a high end starter and possible Pro Bowler so this is a great pick.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Dillon Thieneman S	25	15	11	16

26. Texans (traded with Bills): Keylan Rutledge-I’m shocked he went this early. A few loved him, DJ was the high guy at #47, but at 26 AND A TRADE UP? This is definitely the biggest reach of tonight and it’s even more surprising as Pregnon and Bisantis were both still on the board. Most had those two guards much higher than Rutledge but they had a need and they got their guy I guess. DJ on the broadcast called him his “favorite player in this draft” to scout but he still had him only 47th! Shocking reach here.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Keylan Rutledge IOL	26	109	74	47

27. Dolphins: Chris Johnson-He’s another guy I was much lower than consensus on. He had elite PFF grades but he played one of the worst strength of schedules last year (#100), played in a lower level of competition, and isn’t a great athlete. I also think his ball skills are good not great and overrated. I see him as a low end #2 CB and you want him in a zone scheme not man. I was surprised he had so much momentum late in the process as Dane Bugler had him as his #2 CB and many agreed with him. We’ll see how he fares in a few years but I just never saw great film and thought he was being bumped up too high for his weak competition and elite analytics.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Chris Johnson CB	27	92	46	35

28. Patriots (trade with Bills): Caleb Lomu-This is a reach to me but solid to most people. What it really speaks to is the need for OTs as they just keep coming off the board and the Patriots even felt the need to trade up for the OT7! Lomu had great analytics but I didn’t love his film. He’s a solid OT but I see RT not LT and strongly preferred his teammate Fano. They needed OL help badly though and probably thought he was the last starter on the board but I see another reach.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Caleb Lomu OT	28	58	38	30

29. Chiefs: Peter Woods-Woods is interesting as he was a 5 star recruit and a lot of people saw him as DT1 going into the year. I just didn’t like the film, he’s quick but not really a pass rusher, and his run defense is very mediocre. He is that good athlete whose athleticism doesn’t translate to production and I was MUCH lower than everyone on him. I get the upside but think he’s that tease type who won’t ever be a star. He is a rare athlete for a DT so this is a traits pick not a production pick but not a fan of taking an undersized DT who never had production as a pass rusher. Not my type, bad pick to me but reasonable range for most people.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Peter Woods DT	29	90	33	39

30. Jets (trade with 49ers): Omar Cooper-I was lower on him than most but at 30 this is a good pick for them. He was rumored to be their pick at 16 so they must be ecstatic that they ended up getting Sadiq AND Cooper. The Jets have a lot of holes and this is solving one of them, unlike Sadiq. My issue is 22% of his production last year came in a 73-0 win vs. Indiana State so his production profile is very questionable. Add in the elite QB play of Mendoza and a 16 game schedule and it’s easy to nitpick this kid. He will be I think 2nd lowest in receiving yards per game in his best season for a 1st round pick so it’s pretty risky and why I’m the lowest ranked grade wise on him but again at 30, it’s a reasonable pick.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Omar Cooper WR Mid 2nd	30	38	24	17

31. Titans (trade with Bills): Keldric Faulk-Another pass rusher I was lower on, this was the guy I worried the Cowboys would take at 20. He’s a very long, strong run stopping 4-3 SDE but the kid is stiff and had no pass rush production. He also isn’t a 20 year old and EVERYONE says he is. His mother wished him a Happy 22 Birthday during the draft cycle so the kid is a normal age and a lot of people mention his youth as a deciding factor. To me this is poor man’s Mykeil Williams, another guy I didn’t like last draft cycle and who did nothing as a pass rusher as a rookie. At 31 it’s still bad to me but at least he’s not a mid 1st like he was being mocked at. He had 2 sacks last year! How do you take that pass rusher profile in the 1st? I don’t get why I’m the only one without a 1st round grade on the stiff, unproductive average aged pass rusher. The NFL just doesn’t learn as these guys have very poor hit rates yet every NFL DL coach tells their GM “I’ll coax a pass rusher out of them.” No you won’t. You’ll just get the GM fired because you’re a dumbass!

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Keldric Faulk EDGE	31	64	22	29

32. Seahawks: Jadarian Price-I had him as RB3 but most viewed him as RB2 and in that context then it makes some sense. It’s a great fit as I even mentioned Kenneth Walker in his bio as he does have some Walker vibes to him. Unfortunately he also has some Trey Sermon and my official comp was Christine Michael. “Some of his film is elite as he can bounce a run to the outside effortlessly and he often beats defenders with an angle on him. Unfortunately he also has some bad film and it leaves me wondering if he’s more Kenneth Walker or Trey Sermon.” It’s a great fit for their scheme though and his draft capital will make him skyrocket up fantasy boards. Also they have a massive need, surprising they didn’t address the position at all in free agency as it kind of put them in a corner, so the defending champs reached for a need pick. Not a big deal. This isn’t CEH territory as I like Price but it’s a reach to me. Nonetheless he’ll probably be a very productive rookie and we’ll find out pretty quickly how high his ceiling is as no other RB is even healthy right now on that run heavy team.

Name	Drafted	Jon’s Ranking	PFF Ranking	DJ Ranking
Jadarian Price RB	32	70	56	34

That ends the first round. Unfortunately that is where my blog will stop this weekend as I’m coaching my daughter’s 4th grade basketball team tomorrow night and they won’t score 6 points without me now will they! Overall today was a weak 1st round. Smart teams traded entirely out of the late 1st and bad teams gobbled up mediocre players late when they shouldn’t have. The Cardinals taking a RB 3rd, the Giants taking their EDGE #4 in the Top 5, the Dolphins taking a lazy, fat OT at 12, and the Texans trading UP for a late 2nd/early 3rd round consensus OG were all very questionable picks. I mentioned it earlier in the night but the Browns again impressed me as Fano/KC Concepcion was an outstanding duo to grab. I discussed on Twitter earlier that smart teams would draft an OT or WR in the 1st and they grabbed both. Getting my OT1 and WR4, not far off from being my WR2, was great value and continues their outstanding drafting. I also liked the Eagles trading up for Makai Lemon, think he fits their WR room perfectly, and thought the Jets/Chiefs/Bears all made good picks. The Cowboys were in the middle, probably a B- grade from me. I like Downs and think he’ll be a leader for a decade, the next Darren Woodson for us, but I’m lower on him than others and thought Lawrence was a reach. I’ll be interested to compare Malachi Lawrence’s career vs. Zion Young, Cashius Howell, and Gabe Jacas as those three were my next tier of pass rushers and I consider Lawrence overrated. That being said, the Cowboys have the highest hit rate on their 1st rounders of any team in the league and they are traits based in how they draft. Lawrence has elite traits (4.52 40, ’40 vertical, 10’10 broad) and maybe the Cowboys coax a stud pass rusher out of him. He’ll go to a crowded DE room but one without a stud so he might be DE4 or might be DE1 by the end of the year. Overall this was known as a down draft year and it felt like it. I pushed the WRs and OTs up on my board because those were the guys who intrigued me and felt safe as I was underwhelmed by the DTs, IOL, and second tier CBs. This draft though does have a lot of depth, especially at DT/TE/LB/WR, so Day 2 will be interesting. Below are my Top 10 going into tomorrow. The Cowboys are sitting at 93 so all of these guys likely will be long gone, unless Pickens is in fact traded, but Jermod McCoy is sticking out like a sore thumb and health issues aside it’s surprising he didn’t go tonight as his ’24 was very comparable to Delane’s ’25. Have a good night and go Cowboys!

Name

Jermod McCoy CB

Jacob Rodriguez LB

Zion Young EDGE

Denzel Boston WR

D’Angelo Ponds CB

Drew Allar QB

Lee Hunter DT

Emmanuel Pregnon IOL Early 2nd

Gabe Jacas EDGE

Treydan Stukes CB

2026 NFL Draft Top 200

1. Fernando Mendoza QB Top 5
2. Sonny Styles LB
3. Jeremiyah Love RB
4. Jordyn Tyson WR
5. David Bailey EDGE Top 10
6. Mansoor Delane CB
7. Spencer Fano OT
8. Francis Mauigoa OT
9. Jermod McCoy CB
10. Makai Lemon WR
11. Carnell Tate WR Mid 1st
12. KC Concepcion WR
13. Caleb Downs S
14. Monroe Freeling OT
15. Dillon Thieneman S
16. Jacob Rodriguez LB
17. Max Iheanachor OT
18. Blake Miller OT
19. Arvell Reese EDGE           Late 1st
20. Zion Young EDGE
21. Denzel Boston WR          
22. D’Angelo Ponds CB
23. Kenyon Sadiq TE
24. Drew Allar QB
25. Lee Hunter DT
26. Emmanuel Pregnon IOL     Early 2nd
27. Gabe Jacas EDGE
28. Treydan Stukes CB
29. Cashius Howell EDGE         
30. Olaivavega Ioane IOL
31. Kayden McDonald DT
32. Jaishawn Barham EDGE
33. Caleb Banks DT
34. Anthony Hill
35. Kaleb Proctor DT
36. Chris Bell WR
37. Eli Stowers TE
38. Omar Cooper WR           Mid 2nd
39. Colton Hood CB
40. AJ Haulcy S
41. CJ Allen LB
42. Aveion Terrell CB
43. Dani Dennis-Sutton EDGE
44. Ahkeem Mesidor EDGE
45. Kyle Louis LB
46. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S
47. Chris Brazzell WR
48. Germie Bernard WR
49. Max Klare TE
50. Ty Simpson QB
51. Rueben Bain EDGE
52. JC Davis OT
53. Zachariah Branch WR         Late 2nd
54. Jonah Coleman RB
55. Josiah Trotter LB
56. Darrell Jackson Jr. DT
57. Cole Payton QB
58. Caleb Lomu OT
59. Bud Clark S
60. Ted Hurst WR
61. Carver Willis IOL
62. Malachi Lawrence EDGE
63. Justin Joly TE
64. Keldric Faulk EDGE
65. TJ Parker EDGE
66. Keith Abney CB
67. Gennings Dunker IOL
68. Bryce Lance WR         
69. Chase Bisontis IOL         Early 3rd
70. Jadarian Price RB
71. Chris McClellan DT
72. Christen Miller DT
73. Nick Singleton RB
74. Oscar Delp TE
75. Jake Golday LB
76. Jack Endries TE
77. Kadyn Proctor OT
78. Romello Height EDGE
79. Elijah Sarratt WR  
80. Deontae Lawson LB
81. Nadame Tucker EDGE
82. Jalon Kilgore S
83. Chandler Rivers CB
84. Jadon Canady CB
85. Caleb Tiernan OT
86. Austin Barber OT
87. Carson Beck QB
88. Brenen Thompson WR          Mid 3rd
89. Eli Raridon TE
90. Peter Woods DT
91. Jaeden Roberts IOL
92. Chris Johnson CB
93. Brandon Cisse CB
94. Zxavian Harris DT
95. Taurean York LB
96. Joshua Josephs EDGE
97. Derrick Moore EDGE
98. Genesis Smith S
99. Aamil Wagner OT
100. Mike Washington RB
101. Markel Bell OT
102. Zakee Wheatley S
103. Jaeger Burton IOL
104. Sam Hecht IOL
105. Garrett Nussmeier QB
106. Davison Igbinosun CB
107. Devon Marshall CB
108. Harold Perkins LB
109. Keylan Rutledge IOL
110. Malachi Fields WR
111. Taylen Green QB
112. Lewis Bond WR           Late 3rd
113. Eli Heidenreich RB
114. Michael Taaffee S
115. Landon Robinson DT
116. Demond Claiborne RB 
117. Malik Muhammad CB
118. Tyler Onyedim DT
119. Drew Shelton OT
120. Trey Zuhn IOL
121. Keyron Crawford EDGE
122. Ephesians Prysock CB
123. Eric McAlister WR
124. R Mason Thomas EDGE
125. Michael Trigg TE
126. Tyreak Sapp EDGE
127. Red Murdock LB
128. Jake Slaughter IOL
129. CJ Daniels WR         Early 4th
130. De’Zhaun Stribling WR
131. John Michael Gyllenborg TE
132. Logan Jones IOL
133. Keyshaun Elliott LB
134. Dontay Corleone DT
135. Kaytron Allen RB
136. Terion Stewart RB
137. Rayshaun Benny DT
138. Keionte Scott CB
139. Isaiah World OT
140. Daylen Everette CB
141. Brian Parker IOL
142. Haynes King QB
143. Kaelon Black RB
144. Sam Roush TE
145. Devin Moore CB
146. Eric Rivers WR           Mid 4th
147. Emmett Johnson RB
148. Kamari Ramsey S
149. Caleb Douglas WR
150. Bryce Boettcher LB
151. Joe Royer TE
152. Cade Klubnik QB
153. Robert Henry RB
154. Jalen Farmer IOL
155. Rahsul Faison RB
156. Leveon Moss RB
157. Skyler Bell WR
158. Antonio Williams WR      Late 4th
159. Ja’Kobi Lane WR
160. Adam Randall RB
161. Dallen Bentley TE
162. Carsen Ryan TE
163. LT Overton DT
164. Will Lee S
165. Dane Key WR
166. Tyren Montgomery WR
167. Gracen Halton DT
168. Domonique Orange DT
169. Connor Lew IOL
170. Jaren Kanak TE
171. Desmond Reid RB
172. Jeremiah Wright IOL
173. Tacario Davis CB
174. Diego Pavia QB
175. Dae’Quan Wright TE     Early 5th
176. Jude Bowry OT
177. Deion Burks WR
178. Jordan Vandenberg DT
179. Mason Reiger EDGE
180. Jadyn Ott RB
181. Tim Keenan DT
182. Josh Cuevas TE
183. Hank Beatty WR           Mid 5th
184. Reggie Virgil WR
185. Anthony Lucas EDGE
186. Seth McGowan RB
187. Kobe Baynes IOL
188. Tanner Koziol TE
189. RJ Maryland TE
190. Sawyer Robertson QB
191. Anthony Hankerson RB
192. Cody Hardy TE
193. Kevin Coleman WR       Late 5th
194. Logan Diggs RB
195. J’Mari Taylor RB
196. Mikael Kamara EDGE
197. Jam Miller RB
198. Josh Cameron WR
199. DJ Campbell IOL     Free Agent
200. Vincent Anthony EDGE
201. Jalen Stroman S
202. Noah Whittington RB
203. Roman Hemby RB
204. Barika Kpeenu RB

Late Additions

Below are 4 prospects that are either high on the consensus board that I missed or is a sleeper (Carver Willis) I love I felt like I had to include these guys so they’re last minute additions to my Top 200.

IOL Trey Zuhn Texas A&M 6’6 ½ 312 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 ½ arms (average length) with ‘10 hands (big hands). Zuhn missed my initial cut at the IOL and possibly is due to him actually being at LT most of his career. He’s almost 6’7 so he’d be probably the tallest center in the league but fits better there than at tackle. His movement skills are very good, his base is solid, and he has decent arm length and big hands. At LT last year he had a 73 PFF grade (61st out of 613) so he was very solid at that coveted spot. He lacks elite athleticism for LT but projects as a starting center or 6th OL with elite versatility as he really could play any spot on the OL. PFF gave him an elite 96.8 pass blocking grade, best in the draft, and speaks to him being a much better pass blocker than run blocker. He only played 126 snaps at C the past three years, 2421 at LT, so he’s a bit of a projection but his film vs. South Carolina at C was very good. I like him as a late Day 2 type and expect him to be a solid starting center. He does turn 24 in his rookie year so he’s a bit older of a prospect and he’s a bit of a lumbering OL in space so power/gap would be my preference scheme wise. Late 3rd grade 4/22/26.

IOL Sam Hecht Kansas State 6’4 ⅛ 303 Sr. He ran a 5.10 40 (good), ‘28 vertical (average), 8’5 broad (bad), and 4.71 shuttle (below average), and measured ‘31 ⅝ arms (short) with ‘9 ⅞ hands (good size). On film Sam is a good framed, agile center who is a little underdeveloped and struggles at times in the trenches with power. His ‘25 film vs. Iowa State was a good test for him as he faced “Big Citrus” the huge NT and it showed his struggles. The good thing is it wasn’t terrible and that is his biggest weakness so most likely he’ll be preferred by zone teams over power. In the open field he is very fast and shows good speed, better than his 5.10 40. He has some film of him pulling on blocks which is arguably best in class, maybe Logan Jones is better, and he’ll be a weapon in a zone scheme. His arm length is below average but isn’t very noticeable so I don’t consider it a true red flag. He needs to bulk up but at 6’4 he has the frame to do it and he has a pretty high ceiling if he can. He doesn’t have a lot of nasty to him and it might be a turn off to OL coaches who want that. He doesn’t block past the whistle and doesn’t have that aggressive temperament you want. PFF gave him a very good grade of 80 (4th out of 306-must not have liked many centers) and he allowed 0 sacks in his final 3 seasons. He just turned 23 so he’s a slightly older prospect. Overall I really like Hecht and see him as neck and neck with Jager Burton for my #1 C. It’s a down year for the position with no clear cut favorite and no 1st or 2nd round talent but Hecht, Burton, and Zuhn all project as starters so there is solid depth. Mid 3rd grade who I put slightly below Burton who has better tools 4/22/26. 

IOL Carver Willis Washington 6’5 303 Sr. He ran a 5.11 40 (good), had a ‘26 ½ vertical (bad), 9’0 broad (average), and measured ‘32 ½ arms (average length) with ‘9 ½ hands (below average). He just turned 24 so he’s an older prospect. He played LT last year for Washington and was a RT the prior two years. On film Willis is an athletic, bendy OG/OT tweener with a great frame and very impressive power. PFF gave him a very good grade of 80 (23rd out of 613 OTs) so it’s surprising he’s so poorly ranked as a draft prospect. He’s their #398th ranked prospect and that’s a common range for him as I’d never heard of him until one draft Twitter scout showed clips that wowed me. His bend, fluidity, and power are all borderline elite so it’s shocking he’s in undrafted territory. He is taller but film wise he reminds me of Grey Zabel, a first round guard last year for the Seahawks, with that elite bend as it’s very rare to find. He’s a better run blocker than pass blocker but is well above average in both areas. I don’t think he has the athleticism or length to stay at LT but RT or OG both make sense. In pass pro his technique isn’t always good and he sometimes loses reps immediately. In the run game, he’s a beast and blows people out of their hole when he gets a hold of them. He has pancakes all over his film and does it in a way that limits his holding penalties. I am not pigeonholing him inside, as RT is a possibility, but strongly prefer OG and am putting him there. He has the flexibility to play power or zone and shows good film in space. Some of his best pancakes, the draw vs. Washington State where he destroyed the DB, were in space and he regularly made contact with defenders. I prefer power just because he has elite power there but he’s pretty versatile and a zone scheme might actually be his highest ceiling spot. 6th OL also makes sense for him as a rookie, especially if playing him at RT where he might need a year to improve his technique. Overall Willis is a stud comparable to my OL draft crush last year in Marcus Mbow. He has similar traits with elite strength and good feet but Willis bends better and is a much better zone blocker in space. I think he has the talent to play RT or OG in a power or zone scheme as he has a lot of versatility due to his mix of traits. It’s shocking he’s destined to go late Day 3 as I see high end starter with some Pro Bowl potential here. Late 2nd round 4/22/26.

CB Devin Moore Florida 6’3 ¼ 198 Sr. He ran a 4.50 40 (below average) and measured ‘31 ⅝ arms (good length, average for his height) and ‘8 ⅝ hands (tiny, shockingly small for 6’3). He’s a 4th year senior but doesn’t turn 23 till October so slightly younger. He played all four years at Florida where he barely played in ‘22-’23 (12 tackles, 3 PBUs, 1 INT combined), improved in ‘24 (17 tackles, 2 PBUs, 2 INTs), and then had a very good year in ‘25 (35 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 4 PBUs, 2 INTs). It’s a big red flag that he only had 1 season of +20 tackles and never had a TFL, sack, or FF until his final year. On film Moore is a very tall, skinny corner who will be liked by press teams due to his elite frame and good ball skills but he’s one with a lot of red flags. He’s very skinny and does not play bigger than his BMI as his film shows him as a soft corner. He’s a somewhat tightly built corner who has solid speed and quickness but doesn’t bend well or change direction that well. His saving grace is that he does have good ball skills and it’s telling that he had 5 INTs his final three seasons. He needs to add weight as it’d be interesting to see how it’d affect his game if he was 6’3 205. I still suspect he’d be a bit soft though and his overall play was good but not great. PFF gave him a very good grade of 83 (46th out of 908 CBs) and the QB rating vs. him was a very good 70 in both ‘24 and ‘25. I see low end #2 CB at best and one with a high bust potential. He has a lot of Top 100 grades due to his size/speed ratio, arm length, and PFF grades but I was underwhelmed by him. Defenders will say he’s improved every year and the best has yet to come but he still looks tentative and soft and I don’t see a playmaker here. He’s intriguing but I think he has a very good chance of being a bust so I’m lower than consensus. Early 4th round grade 4/22/26.

2026 CB Rankings

1. Mansoor Delane LSU 5’11 ¾ 187 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 arms (very short) with ‘8 ⅞ hands (tiny). At his pro day he ran a 4.38 40 (very good) but didn’t do any other drills. He’s a 4th year senior and turns 23 in December so he’s an average aged prospect. He began his career at Virginia Tech and immediately was a playmaker in ‘22 (38 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 FF, 8 PBUs, 1 INT), had a good year in ‘23 (54 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 INT), had a huge year in ‘24 (54 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 FF, 7 PBUs, 4 INTs), and then a dominant year in ‘25 (45 tackles, 11 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Delane is a slightly smaller corner with elite quickness and mirror skills who has rare versatility to play inside or outside in man or zone. His film was probably the most enjoyable to scout of any prospect in this draft as it was so damn dominant. What’s interesting is he was very good not great at Virginia Tech and everyone was a little surprised at how good he was last year. His quickness makes him a dominant outside cover corner but I suspect the team that drafts him will slide him into the slot at times as that is where he could really be a difference maker. He has great ball skills and is a natural playmaker who projects to have a high INT total in his NFL career. His 18 PBUs and 6 INTs the past two seasons are both elite numbers and he projects as a true ballhawk corner. His ‘24 Syracuse INT on a deep ball that the WR couldn’t reach yet he dove backwards and caught it like a centerfielder shows special ball skills and was one of the Top 5 INTs I graded this cycle. His ‘25 Clemson film was one of the best games I scouted of any player at any position. It was coaching tape as he stayed in the hip pocket of every Tiger throughout the game and cut off their routes before they could get going due to his elite quickness and route recognition. I think he only was targeted one time (PBU) as he was never more than a foot away from them and it speaks to his Deion like dominance in ‘25 as teams just stopped throwing at him last year. His stats were special last year in pretty much every category. He had a 91 PFF grade (3rd best in the nation), had a 31 QB Rating vs. him (2nd best), allowed 165 yards last year (2nd best), and had a forced incompletion rate of 26.5% (1st) when targeted. I see three reasonable comps with him. The first is Trent McDuffie with that elite quickness and smaller frame. The second is Patrick Surtain with his almost perfect film and elite consistency. I like both comps but my official comp for him is Stephon Gilmore as Gilmore had a similar frame (6’0 190), athleticism (4.40 40), and some of the best mirror skills I’ve ever seen in a corner. All three were All-Pros and two of the comps were DPOY so it’s elite company. If you’re choosing McCoy it’s on traits as Delane’s film was flawless and his athleticism is elite but he’s a 4th year player vs. an early declare and a 22 year old vs. a 20 year old. He has the size to stay outside or play man but he’s a little small and doesn’t give off McCoy’s elite physicality. I could see how some teams would prefer the higher ceiling/traits of McCoy over Delane. I see McCoy and Delane as a 1A/1B situation as they are both very good prospects but both have flaws to their overall profile which prevent them from being blue chips. Delane is older, only had one elite season (the QB Rating vs. him was in the 80s the prior two seasons before his elite 31 rating season in ‘25), has short arms, and is a smaller corner. His film is phenomenal and I think it will translate but I still can’t put him in the blue chip Top 5 tier with guys like Stingley, Gonzalez, and Surtain. Nonetheless he slots in well with the next tier of guys beneath them in the Quinyon Mitchell/AJ Terrell level and those have worked out quite well. In the end I gave a slight edge to Delane as his mirror skills and consistency were special in ‘25 and that is more what I seek in top corners anyway. Top 10 as my #1 CB 4/20/26.
2. Jermod McCoy Tennessee 6’0 ¾ 188 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ¼ arms (solid length) with ‘9 hands (small). At his pro day he ran a 4.38 40 (borderline elite, pro day times must be discounted a bit), ‘38 vertical (very good), and 10’7 broad (very good). He won’t turn 21 till August so he’s one of the 5 youngest players in this draft. He began his career at Oregon State and was very good as a true freshman in ‘23 (31 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 7 PBUs, 2 INTs), transferred to Tennessee and had a great year in ‘24 (44 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 9 PBUs, 4 INTs), and then unfortunately missed his entire final year with injury (torn ACL in right knee in January ‘25). On film McCoy is a tall, angular CB with elite press cover skills and very good ball skills. Many people view McCoy’s ‘24 tape as the best in this CB class and compare him to Derek Stingley who had a disappointing final year but a special 2nd to last year at LSU. I wouldn’t go that far as Stingley had a backpedal, bend, fluidity, and quickness I do not see in McCoy. Yet the ‘24 McCoy tape vs. the ‘25 Delane tape is a good exercise and it’s reasonable to choose McCoy. His frame is outstanding and he plays bigger than 188 and longer than ‘31 ¼ arms. He “feels” 6’2 200 with ‘32 arms and he has the confidence and physicality you want in a shutdown corner. He’s also very confident at the catch point and his 16 PBUs and 6 INTs in his year 17 and 18 seasons are as precocious as you can get. He reminds me more of a rich man’s Jaycee Horn than Stingley with his physicality and size/speed over fluidity. A negative of that physicality is that he’s very handsy and penalized a lot. His 1 penalty for every 138 snaps is poor, 14th percentile. His overall production profile is mediocre but gets a bump when age adjusted and I think everyone expected him to dominate in ‘25 if healthy so I kind of throw it out. He was dominant as a 19 year old, I’m not worried that he was injured as a 20 year old. In ‘24 PFF gave him an elite 87 grade (5th best in the nation) and the QB rating against him was a very good 54. In run support he’s good not great. He’s big, fast, and physical so he’s not a weak link by any stretch but he had 0 career FF, doesn’t always wrap up (13 career missed tackles), and doesn’t seek out action. He’s a true outside, press corner and wants to focus on that and I’m fine with it. I see McCoy and Delane as a 1A/1B situation as they are both very good prospects but both have flaws to their overall profile which prevent them from being blue chips. McCoy has a major injury red flag but he also lacks the elite fluidity and change of direction I’d want to see for him to be a blue chip Top 5 grade. He’s tall, long, fast, physical, and has ball skills so I have no doubt that he’ll be a #1 CB in the NFL if healthy. I’m just not seeing a Stingley, Gonzalez, Surtain level prospect. I’d put him a tier beneath them in the Quinyon Mitchell/AJ Terrell level and those have worked out quite well. In the end I gave a slight edge to Delane as his mirror skills were special in ‘25 and that is more what I seek in top corners anyway. Nonetheless McCoy is a stud and I’d have no issue with a team taking him over Delane as they both project as high end #1 CBs, just very different stylistically. Top 10 as my #2 CB 4/20/26.
3. D’Angelo Ponds Indiana 5’8 ⅝ 182 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘29 ⅜ arms (extremely short but expected with his frame) and ‘9 ⅝ hands (above average, huge for his tiny frame). At his pro day he ran a 4.38 40 (borderline elite, need to lower it a bit on a pro day time), a ‘43 ½ vertical (elite), and a 4.27 shuttle (surprisingly average). He’s a 3rd year junior, true early declare, who turned 21 in January so he’s one of the younger prospects in the draft. He was part of the Curt Cignetti group that began at James Madison and he was a very good true freshman in ‘23 (51 tackles, 2 TFL, 13 PBUs, 2 INTs), left with him for Indiana and had another great year in ‘24 (55 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 9 PBUs, 3 INTs-1 pick six), and then had a similar year in ‘25 (61 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 FF, 11 PBUs, 2 INTs-1 pick six). His consistency is special as he had +50 tackles and 1-2 INTs all three seasons. On film Ponds is a very short, very skinny corner with elite quickness, very good speed, and toughness and ball skills which make him a potential ballhawk at the next level. At worst we’re talking about Ponds as one of the best slot corners in the NFL in a few years, and that’s probably worth a Top 50 pick itself. Yet I’m in the minority that think Ponds is so athletic and such a ballhawk that he can stay outside if a team wanted. Ideally it’d be in a zone scheme or off man with varied looks but his tape against bigger defenders on the outside is outstanding and I didn’t see any film that made me question his ability to stay there in the pros. Teams worried about his size should watch his film vs. Denzel Boston as it was limited but he had no issues with that big framed X receiver and even had an outstanding INT on a jump ball between them. He didn’t do nearly as well vs. Jeremiah Smith but I didn’t see that being a size issue as much as Smith being a generational prospect as he beat McCoy pretty well too. His analytics profile is elite as he’s one of the younger players in the draft, is an early breakout, is an early declare, his PFF grade was 5th in the nation last year at an elite 89.9, his forced incompletion rate was 17.5% (6th in the class, the average 1st round CB’s rate is 18.4% so right in line with a 1st round corner), and the QB Rating vs. him was a very good 54 (5th in the class). Also Indiana’s strength of schedule was one of the better ones in the country (18th in the nation) and he regularly faced the opponents top guy. I see him as a high end #2 CB who will have a high INT rate for his career. Asante Samuel, Mike Sainristil, or even Denzel Ward are reasonable comps. He’s not quite as smooth as Ward but is quicker than Sainristil and is a better ballhawk than Ward. His route recognition is very good and I’d be interested to see him in a zone heavy scheme where he can eye the QB more often. At Indiana he played off man mostly and was outstanding at it as he is very good at finding the ball in the air when he’s in a trail position, something many CBs do poorly. I get the size red flag but the level of play between Ponds and most people’s #3 CB (Chris Johnson or Colton Hood) is huge to me and I didn’t see them similarly. His floor is very high and I think he can stay outside, especially in zone, so I see his ceiling being higher than most. As such he’s a late 1st rounder as my #3 CB as the analytics and film all speak to him being a top playmaker and he’d be a guy I’d target early in the 2nd round, which is usually where these types land at 4/21/26.
4. Treydan Stukes Arizona 6’0 ⅝ 190 Sr. He ran a 4.33 40 (elite), ‘38 vertical (good), 10’10 broad (elite), and measured ‘31 ¾ arms (good length) with ‘8 ½ (tiny). He’s a 6th year senior who turns 25 in September so he’s one of the oldest DBs in this class. He played all five years at Arizona where he barely played in ‘20 (8 tackles), had a solid year in ‘21 (31 tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PBUs), improved in ‘22 (42 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 5 PBUs, 1 INT), had an elite tackle number in ‘23 (55 tackles, 4 TFL, 9 PBUs, 1 INT), redshirted in ‘24 due to injury (only played in 4 games), and then had a bounce back year in ‘25 (52 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 6 PBUs, and 4 INTs). On film Stukes is a tweener S/CB with good size, very good arm length, outstanding fluidity, and good ball skills. His age is terrible and it’s hard to overstate how much it hurts his profile. Akheem Mesidor is the only other 1st/2nd round talent with a comparable age and it will likely drop Stukes on draft day. Yet ignoring the age, he has everything else you want as he’s extremely fast (4.33) and it translates to the field, he’s long armed (‘31 ¾), he’s a playmaker (7 INTs his final 4 years), he’s quick and agile, and he can play anywhere. PFF gave him an elite 90 grade (5th out of 908 CBs) and the QB rating vs. him was an elite 34! Both numbers match his film as he was probably the 2nd best CB in the nation last year behind only Mansoor Delane who is going Top 10. At some point teams will have to overlook the age and take the Day 1 high end #2 CB who has Pro Bowl potential and accept he might have a shorter career. Some of his underlying metrics are truly special. Since 2015 the average first round CB had an 18.4% forced incompletion rate and Delane is at 26.5% and Stukes is at 25%, both elite numbers. His second contract will get dicey but it’s easy to argue that you’re drafting a Top 15 player, during his rookie contract, in the 2nd round so he might not fall too far on draft weekend. His forced incompletion rate was 2nd in the class, his PFF grade was 3rd (Johnson/Delane), the QB rating vs. him was 3rd (Johnson/Delane) and he’s probably not going to be one of the first five DBs drafted. In his final two full seasons (‘23, ‘25) he had +50 tackles both years and is extremely physical against the run. He also allowed 0 TDs in those two seasons and had a QB Rating below 70 both years. He has the length, speed, and fluidity to stay at CB but many view him as a FS as they want him more involved vs. the run. He has elite versatility and will work very well in either spot and in zone or man, press or off/bail. He’s a physical player and a sure tackler but isn’t a huge hitter. He has some film as a CF type and looks good in that role but it’s limited film as he was usually a slot CB type and near the LOS in man. If at FS I’d want him to drop down for man coverage and would prefer him at CB if it’s a heavy zone team but it’s a small preference as he really could play anywhere. In the end I left him at CB as it’s a higher value spot and he works well in either role so the value position was the tie breaker. His arm length, speed, fluidity, and ball skills make him a mid 1st rounder if ignoring age as he had two very good years and it shows me a level of consistency that is best in class (Delane one year wonder, McCoy missed all of last year). His combination of an elite production profile, elite analytics, and elite traits should not be entirely canceled out due to his advanced age. It’s hard to value him, since he’ll be a 25 year old rookie, but I have no doubt that he’ll be a top end DB for someone immediately and I loved his film. Early 2nd round grade as my #4 CB 4/18/26.
5. Colton Hood Tennessee 5’11 ⅝ 193 Soph He ran a 4.44 40 (solid), ‘40 ½ vertical (elite), 10’5 broad (good), and measured ‘31 ⅜ arms (good length for sub 6’0) with ‘9 hands (small). He’s a redshirt Sophomore, early declare, who recently turned 21 and is one of the younger prospects. He started at Auburn but redshirted ‘23, transferred to Colorado and was solid in ‘24 (24 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs), and then transferred again to Tennessee and had his best year in ‘25 (50 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 FF, 8 PBUs, 1 INT-1 pick six). On film Hood is an average sized outside corner with good route recognition, technique, and long speed but questionable fluidity and ball skills. The “other Tennessee corner” has been a hot name as CB3 this draft cycle but he has a number of red flags that worry me. The first is his production profile as he’s basically a one year wonder and had 3 schools in 3 years. The second is that he’s very stiff in his backpedal and lacks the elite fluidity I look for to be a dominant man cover corner. The third is that his analytics are good not great as PFF gave him a 79 grade (99th out of 908) and the QB rating last year when targeted was a good not great 71. It’s not a bad analytics profile but not one of a 1st rounder (Delane’s QB Rating was 28, Chris Johnson’s was 16, Stukes was 36, etc.). Finally he doesn’t show anything great ball skills wise as his 3 career INTs is only solid and his press technique is consistent but relies on cutting off a WR and he seems to struggle to find the ball in the air. I do like his film as he’s very physical in run support so he’d be a good outside corner in a zone scheme. That’s probably my preference as he’s also a smart player and is good at recognizing routes so zone would work well for him, despite mediocre ball skills. In man he’d work too as he predominantly played press at Tennessee and had very good technique with it. His arm length is good for his height but still sub ‘32 and he lacks fluidity so I do worry he might have his ceiling capped in a press scheme. In either scheme he projects as a quality #2 CB and I don’t expect him to be a bust but am confused why he has so much first round buzz. He lacks elite size, speed, or ball skills so I’d never consider him in the 1st but CB is a difficult position to fill so it might be that teams are quite happy to spend a late 1st on a decent #2 CB. Trey Amos is a decent comp, 61st player taken last year, as is Cam Smith, 51st player taken two years ago, as both have solid size and mirror skills. Amos was a little more fluid and a guy I prefer over Hood and Smith was a little more physical but they’re comparable style wise and talent level wise. If you’re making the case for Hood as a 1st rounder it’s that he has limited playing experience and looked very polished for a 20 year old last year playing in the SEC. He was very quick to cut off WR routes and his technique was outstanding for such a young player. He also plays bigger than his sub 6’0 measurement and feels like a 6’1 200 corner with how he plays. I never watched film of him and wondered if he could stay outside despite being 5’11 193, neither of which are that big. My issue is his fluidity as he’s a press corner without elite length or strength and if put on a non press team he won’t have great fluidity to cover all routes and in zone he doesn’t show anything special ball skills wise. I like him but am just confused why so many people LOVE him. Mid 2nd round as my #5 CB who I am lower than consensus on but he has starter traits and should be a good #2 CB for someone 4/18/26.
6. Avieon Terrell Clemson 5’10 ¾ 186 Jr. He didn’t run the 40 at the Combine but had a ‘34 vertical (bad), 10’3 broad (average), and measured ‘30 ¾ arms (short) with ‘8 ¾ hands (small). He was struggling with a hamstring injury but stupidly ran a 40 at his pro day and had an abysmal 4.64! Many teams are ignoring it a la Gunnar Helm last draft as it doesn’t match the tape and he was injured. He’s a third year junior, early declare, who turned 21 in January so he’s one of the youngest players in this draft. He played all three years at Clemson and was a bit player in ‘23 (19 tackles, 4 PBUs, 1 INT), had a very good year in ‘24 (58 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 FF, 12 PBUs, 2 INTs), and then another good year in ‘25 (48 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 5 FF, 9 PBUs). It’s interesting that a small corner has 8 FFs the past two seasons as it’s elite production and he’s one of only two CBs the past two years with more than 3 FFs in a season. Terrell is a confusing kid as he’s this short, skinny guy with tiny hands but he must be heavy handed as he has a level of physicality that is rare for a CB. There’s film of him tossing aside a TE 60 lbs heavier than him, he has 4 sacks the past two seasons to go along with 9 FFs, and he’s a dominant run stopper. Due to his physicality he could easily play outside but I like him more as a slot corner due to his blitzing ability and run stopping skills. I also would be open to him move to FS in a man heavy scheme where he’d line up all over the field. He’s a natural playmaker, is an early declare, and has a great production profile so he checks a lot of boxes but I don’t see elite coverage with him. He allowed 3 TDs each of the past two seasons, a below average number, and the QB rating against him last year was a very poor 97, and only an average 71 in ‘24. He’s more undersized slot dynamo type than star cover guy and it’s confusing why he’s in the 1st round mix while Ponds, Scott, Abney, and Rivers are not and I see as similar types. I guess it’s because he could play outside, I think some of the above could as well, especially if he was in a zone scheme, but it’s still a little confusing. I love these types so I’m a fan of his, I just am surprised this specific undersized dynamo gets 1st round buzz. He’s quicker than fast and I do worry about his long speed. He’s clearly not a 4.64 athlete but he’s probably a 4.5 guy and that’s a very bad size/speed ratio at 5’11 186. His fluidity and quickness though are very good and make me think he could be a quality #2 CB with slot/outside versatility. He also has one of the better backpedals of any DB in this class and he looks like a gym rat who does everything right. Overall I really like Terrell but consider him overrated. He has a ceiling of a high end #2 CB, has ball skills but only has 3 career INTs, has short arms/small hands, and had a poor season in pass coverage last year. He’s physical, quick, one of the youngest corners in the draft, and has inside/outside versatility so he’ll be a very good starter but I don’t see elite traits here or an elite ceiling so I’m confused why he’s in the 1st round mix by most analysts. Mid 2nd as my #6 CB 4/19/26.
7. Keith Abney Arizona State 5’10 187 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 arms (extremely short) with ‘9 ¾ hands (big). He’s a true junior, early declare who is 21 years old so one of the younger prospects in this draft. He played all three years at Arizona State where he barely played in ‘23 (2 tackles), had a very good year in ‘24 (52 tackles, 9 PBUs, 3 INTs), and another good year in ‘25 (44 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 12 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Abney is a shorter, extremely quick slot corner or outside corner in a zone scheme who lacks good size or elite athleticism but makes up for it with great run defense and very good instincts/ball skills. His two seasons with +40 tackles speaks to his outstanding talent in run support, as he’s one of the better run stoppers in this class. He has 5 career INTs and all of them are legit INTs where he’s diving for a ball or making an outstanding play at the catch point. He’s sub 6’0 and sub 190 but plays with the physicality of a 6’2 205 CB as his film is littered with plays that end with him destroying a WR at the catch point. I think it’s his big hands (‘9 ¾, 4th biggest out of 32 CBs at the Combine) as they are heavy and he beats up on people. He is reckless with his body and sets a tone on defense. He had a play as a blitzer where he flew at the QB and took him down with his arm but went past him and leveled the LT in his back. He popped right back up and the +300 lb OL was sprawled on the ground in a daze. His collisions are everywhere on film and he’s another undersized dynamo type. Due to his physicality, I’d be fine with leaving him outside and think his off coverage is outstanding. Zone is his best work as he’s one of the best in the class at route recognition and has a lot of film of leaving his man to make a play somewhere else. His mirror skills are also very good but his lack of elite athleticism is noticeable in man coverage as he doesn’t have catch up speed. He hides it better in zone with his elite recognition skills and very good ball skills but he’s a good enough athlete that I’d be okay with him in the slot in a man heavy scheme. PFF gave him a very good grade of 86 (19th out of 908 CBs) in ‘25 and the QB rating vs. him was an elite 46. Both numbers match his film as he was one of the best CBs in the nation and no one looked great against him. He allowed 0 TDs last year and is the rare early declare playmaker who can start from Day 1 and won’t be going in the first round. If he was 2 inches taller and had ‘32 arms or a little bit faster he’d be CB2 in this class as his film is that good. His traits aren’t great though so he’ll fall in the draft but this is a high end starter who will be a playmaker against the run and pass. “Spreadsheet teams” will regret passing on this obvious stud. Late 2nd round as my #7 CB 4/18/26.
8. Chandler Rivers Duke 5’9 ½ 185 Sr. He ran a 4.40 40 (very good), ‘39 vertical (very good), 10’10 broad (elite), and measured ‘29 ⅜ arms (extremely short, even for 5’9) with ‘9 ½ hands (good size, very big for 5’9). He’s a 4th year senior (turns 23 in October so normal age) and spent all four years at Duke. He was a dynamic player as a true freshman in ‘22 (52 tackles, 2 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 6 PBUs, 1 INT), had a similar year in ‘23 (58 tackles, 3 TFL, 7 PBUs, 1 INT-1 pick six), had another similar year in ‘24 (54 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 9 PBUs, 3 INT-1 pick six), and then another great year in ‘25 (59 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 FF, 8 PBUs, 2 INTs). His production profile is one of the best in the entire class and his 4 years of +50 tackles is elite. On film Rivers is a short, skinny slot corner who plays bigger than his size and is a well rounded playmaker. I have a personal affinity for these small, slot corner dynamos and think they are a draft cheat code as they always go later in the draft than they should and they have a very good hit rate. Similar types are Tyrann Mathieu, Amik Robertson, Jalen Pitre, Elijah Molden, and Jacob Parrish. He’s a natural as a blitzer and times it incredibly well. It’s too bad he’s not 6’2 230 as he’d be an incredible LB. He might have the best instincts of any CB in this class and sniffs out screens or reads keys better than most linebackers. His frame and athleticism made me think he’d be a great cover guy but he’s really more of a great run stopper with good cover skills. Ponds is a similar type but more athletic and MUCH better in coverage. You can see that in PFF grade’s and his QB rating as they are solid but not elite. PFF gave him a 79 grade (99th out of 908 CBs) and a passer rating against him of 85 in ‘25 and 64 in ‘24. His coverage is solid but he doesn’t have great mirror skills. What he does best in coverage is make a play with the ball in the air as he’s very comfortable at the catch point. 7 INTs in 4 years is very good but not ballhawk like and he’s definitely a slot corner not a FS as his best work is closer to the LOS. He has some film of him as an outside corner, and he has the speed to be out there, but I’d leave him as a pure slot and not worry about it. He reminds me a bit of Mike Hilton as that slot blitzer and he’d be great in a scheme that blitzed him regularly. The more I watched him the less I liked him in coverage and the more I liked him in run support. He’s solid in coverage but underwhelming at times and his ‘24 season was much better than his ‘25 season. I’m a big fan of these types so it’s not surprising that I really like Rivers. He’s not quite up there with last year’s version, Jacob Parrish, and is far inferior to Deangelo Ponds who is in the same vein but he’s going to be a steal for whomever takes him in Rounds 3-4. He’s one of the best run stopping CBs in the class, has good ball skills, and is solid in coverage so he’ll be a very versatile player but works best in the slot. Early 3rd as my #8 CB 4/12/26.
9. Jadon Canady Oregon 5’10 ½ 181 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 arms (very short) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average, good size for his frame). He’s a 5th year senior and turns 23 right after the draft so he’s an older prospect. He began his career at Tulane and was a stud as a true freshman in ‘21 (55 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 3 PBUs, 2 INTs), had an injury shortened (ACL) year in ‘22 and then transferred to Ole Miss and basically missed all of ‘23, had a good year at Ole Miss in ‘24 (38 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 12 PBUs), and then transferred again to Oregon and was dominant in ‘25 (39 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 6 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Canady is a short, thin slot corner with elite quickness and good ball skills but questionable deep speed. He’s been a stud for awhile as he was a star in ‘21, ‘24, and ‘25 and is an experienced, tough slot corner. His 3 seasons of 38-55 tackles speaks to him playing bigger than his weight as he sticks his nose in the action and is a consistent tackler. PFF gave him a very good grade of 86 (25th out of 908 CBs and he arguably deserved higher as he led the nation with the fewest yards allowed (104) and the QB Rating against him was an elite 40 (4th best in the draft class behind only 1st/2nd rounders in Johnson, Delane, and Stukes). I never can tell why certain slot corners get pushed up boards and others are forgotten but Canady is a forgotten man. His play last year was superior to Aveion Terrell (40 QB Rating vs. 97 last year) yet Terrell is getting 1st round buzz and Canady is projected to go in the 5th round. Yes he’s 2 years older and slightly smaller but that still makes little sense as Canady played great against everyone, including 1st rounder Makai Lemon. He’s great at staying close with a WR and making a well timed PBU at the catch point. His 18 PBUs to only 2 INTs is not surprising as he doesn’t seem to go after the INT very often and plays the CB position a lot like Jourdan Lewis. Lewis went in the 3rd round and was a 5’10 ¼ 188 lb corner vs. 5’10 ½ 181 and they play the game in a very similar manner. Canady can be exploited for his smaller size on the outside but it’s difficult to do and he has a lot of film being strong at the catch point against bigger WRs. I want him in the slot but he has the versatility to play outside, especially in zone, and Oregon even sometimes played him at FS. When they played their cover 4 look he was usually on the back end and he did a great job at that spot so FS with slot corner responsibilities is also an option. His film was some of the best of this CB class, his underlying metrics are right up there with all the top guys, and his quickness and ball skills are very high end so I don’t understand why he’s so low on boards. My comp is Jourdan Lewis and it’s not a “poor man’s Jourdan Lewis”. Lewis is in his 10th year as a key contributor and Canady could have a similar career so whomever steals him on Day 3 will be richly rewarded. His long speed is solid but not great, looks to be high 4.4/low 4.5 so his size/speed ratio is poor but it’s the only major red flag I see for this slot superstar. Early 3rd as my #9 CB 4/20/26.
10. Chris Johnson San Diego State 6’0 193 Sr. He ran a 4.40 40 (very good), ‘38 vertical (very good), 10’6 broad (very good), and measured ‘30 ⅝ arms (short) with ‘9 ⅞ hands (above average). He’s a 4th year senior but will only be 21 ½ on draft day so he’s a younger prospect. He played all four years at San Diego State where he barely played in ‘22 (6 tackles), had a solid year in ‘23 (30 tackles, 1 FF, 1 PBU, 1 INT), had a big year in ‘24 (67 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 3 FF, 4 PBUs, 1 INT), and then his best year in ‘25 (49 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 9 PBUs, 4 INTs-2 pick six). On film Johnson is a good sized, zone corner with solid athleticism but outstanding ball skills at the catch point. He’s at his best in a zone or off man scheme where he can read the QB’s eyes and make plays on the ball. His 40 was surprisingly good (4.40) but that doesn’t fully translate to the field and he’s an average speed CB. He’s very good in run support and his 2 last two seasons total of 116 tackles, 4 FF speaks to that physicality. He’s heavy handed and often gets strips or PBUs with little effort. His instincts are solid but nothing special and that surprised me as usually these zone corners have elite instincts. He doesn’t jump a ton of routes and most of his INTs are at the catch point, often after he’s beat. His analytics profile is arguably the best in the class as PFF gave him an elite 92 grade (2nd out of 908 CBs last year), the QB rating against him was 1st in the class at a ridiculous 16, and his forced incompletions rate was 4th at 20.9%. No matter how you dice it, he was a star last year. Unfortunately I think the analytics are a little deceiving as he had good film but not elite film. 2 of his 4 INTs last year were on plays he was actually beat on but got lucky. San Diego State’s strength of schedule was ranked #100 in the nation by the end of the year. His ballhawk persona is highly questionable with 2 career INTs going into his final year. He has solid speed but mediocre change of direction and I was disappointed in his overall mirroring skills. You could see that at the Senior Bowl when he struggled in 1x1s and he doesn’t look to have the athleticism to be in a man heavy scheme. There are a lot of metrics that say he’s one of the 3 best corners in this draft but he didn’t end in my Top 5 as I see a low end #2 CB who needs to be in a zone or off scheme. His one elite trait are his hands at the catch point as he’s a natural with the ball in the air and is going to have a decent INT total due to it. Unfortunately I expect him to also be beat quite often so he’ll be a high volume, medium INT type who sometimes gets picked on due to questionable mirroring skills. I’m a little out on a limb with him as he has a lot of first round buzz, his analytics are great, and his Combine was very good but I thought the film was overrated and his fluidity and quickness were subpar. In ‘24 he had a 98 QB rating vs. him with 1 INT and I think his ‘25 (16 QB Rating with 4 INTs) is the mirage. I’m not calling him a straight bust but I think he will be one of the most overdrafted players this year and will disappoint a fan base if he goes in the top 40 picks. Mid 3rd round as my #10 CB 4/20/26.
11. Brandon Cisse South Carolina 5’11 ¾ 189 Jr. He didn’t run but had a ‘41 ½ vertical (elite), 10’11 broad (elite), and measured ‘30 ¾ arms (short) with ‘8 ½ hands (tiny). He’s a true junior, early declare who doesn’t turn 21 till July so he’s one of the youngest players in this draft (7th youngest). He started at NC State but barely played in ‘23 (10 tackles, 1 INT), had a better year in ‘24 (28 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 9 PBUs), and then transferred to South Carolina for his best year in ‘25 (27 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 FF, 5 PBUs, 1 INT). On film Cisse is average height, skinnier CB with very good athleticism but questionable run support and ball skills. His 0 seasons with +30 tackles is a red flag and he didn’t see very physical to me on film. He only had 1 INT the past two seasons as a full time starter and it was a very unimpressive basket catch on a severely underthrown ball. It was more like catching a punt than an INT and I expect very low INT totals in the NFL. He doesn’t show good instincts or ball skills but has very good athleticism and mirror skills so he’s a pure man coverage prospect who won’t fit in zone schemes. His arms are short and his hands are very small so I wouldn’t put him in a press scheme either. His questionable physicality also prevents that from being a good fit so he’s not a very versatile defender. PFF graded him with a 75 (185th out of 908) and a 79 QB Rating vs. him and that matches the film I watched as he was good not great. He projects as a low end #2 CB who won’t make many plays but is not a liability and provides consistent coverage. He also does show versatility in a man scheme to play inside or outside. He doesn’t get his head turned around for INTs but is solid at the catch point for PBUs which makes sense as he had 14 PBUs but only 1 INT the past two seasons. He’s an obvious NFL athlete and athletic cornerbacks are hard to find but he’s not my type with his poor ball skills and lack of physicality. I see him as an overrated low end starter but admit he’s very athletic so he won’t be a weakness for a defense, just not a playmaker. Mid 3rd as my #11 CB who I’m lower than consensus on due to poor hands, instincts, and overall ball skills 4/18/26.
12. Davison Igbinosun Ohio State 6’2 ⅛ 189 Sr. He ran a 4.45 40 (good), ‘34 vertical (bad), 10’0 broad (average), and measured ‘32 ⅞ arms (good length) with ‘9 ⅛ hands (below average). He’s a 4th year senior (just turned 22 so slightly younger) who started his career at Ole Miss and was solid as a true freshman in ‘22 (37 tackles, 5 PBUs), transferred to Ohio State and improved in ‘23 (59 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 5 PBUs), made some big plays in ‘24 (45 tackles, 2 TFL, 9 PBUs, 2 INTs), and had a similar year in ‘25 (53 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 8 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Davison is a tall, long armed corner with solid athleticism but questionable fluidity and ball skills. He’ll need to be in a press scheme as it’ll accentuate his very good length and solid long speed but also because he doesn’t do a lot else. He’s a very physical player, arguably too physical and very handsy, who will be good in press. Ohio State used him predominantly in that role and he has solid technique. PFF gave him an 82 grade (62nd out of 908 CBs) and his passer rating vs. him last year was an elite 43 and a very solid 69 in ‘24. His film isn’t great but he gets the job done and has starter traits. He’s not very good with the ball in the air though and I don’t see it improving so I worry he’ll be a low end #2 CB. His straight line speed is very good but his change of direction isn’t and he’ll struggle on in breaking routes. Also he had 4 INTs the past two seasons so you’d think he’s sort of a ballhawk but all were pretty flukey. Against Iowa he had obvious PI and the WR fell down so the ball went straight to him (PI not called). Against Michigan the ball went through the WR’s hands and straight to him, he was not even very near the WR. Against Indiana the ball deflected off another CB up in the air for an easy INT by him. Against Penn State he was beat badly on a fade for a would be TD but the WR bobbled it and he somehow grabbed it as they fell out of bounds. All four were very flukey and only the last one really had any skill around it. He’s a size/speed ratio type and those have decent hit rates in press schemes, especially with his arm length, so he’ll probably develop into a starter but I expect him to be a low end one. His film was underwhelming but he checks all the boxes so I’ll be lower than consensus on him while admitting he has starter traits. Mid 3rd as my #12 CB 4/12/26.
13. Devon Marshall NC State 5’10 194 Sr. He didn’t get invited to the Combine. He did the JUCO route, is younger (doesn’t turn 22 till August) and played at NC State in ‘24 (33 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 FF, 7 PBUs, 2 INTs) and ‘25 (50 tackles, 1 FF, 16 PBUs, 2 INTs). PFF gave him a 90 grade (8th of 908 CBs) and his passer rating against him was an extremely low 56 so he has a great analytics profile. On film Devon is an average sized, thicker cornerback with good athleticism and very good technique and ball skills. He’s not a star athlete but makes up for it by being one of the smarter cornerbacks in this class. He has enough athleticism to be in man but I preferred his off ball film and really liked his instincts of when to jump routes. He’s a very physical corner who is great with the ball in the air. His 23 PBUs and 4 INTs the past two seasons speak to that as he got a lot of work and did very well under regular pressure. His hands are very good and he’s a natural at catching the ball so I think he’ll have a good amount of INTs at the next level. He almost had 2 or 3 other INTs in ‘25 so he easily could have had a 5 INT season and I think his ball skills are being slept on a bit. His passer rating vs. him went from a good 73 in ‘24 to an elite 56 in ‘25. It speaks to his improvement year over year and he looks polished for a 21 year old, 2 year starter. The FSU game was his best tape as he had 2 INTs, almost 3, and made them pay for targeting him so frequently. They clearly had a game plan to attack him (14 targets!) yet it backfired as he won almost all of the matchups and allowed a 7.7 passer rating when he went against Duce Robinson, their #1 WR. His film is outstanding and I love his technique and ball skills but the traits are mediocre overall so he’ll drop on draft day. His RAS is a very poor 4.2 and speaks to his non-starter measurables. I think he played faster than the measurables though (4.64 40, 4.40 shuttle, 7.02 3 cone) and I saw a little Roger McCreary on his film as that polished, high floor CB but one lacking elite traits. Due to his poor speed, I think zone is his best fit but I never saw 4.6 speed on film and I think he’ll be a steal for whichever team overlooks his poor measurables and focuses instead on his very good film. The issue though is his 40 is terrible as is his vertical (32 ½, 2.7 RAS measurement) so there’s a lot of measurements that will get him taken off “Excel Teams” boards entirely. The film doesn’t lie though as he was one of the best corners in the country last year and he was one of the top corners at the Shrine Bowl as well. It’s ideal to have both but give me elite film over elite traits as they seem to translate more frequently. Marshall’s heavy hands, good technique, and great ball skills make me think he’ll find his niche in the NFL and I have him as one of my sleepers in this CB class. Mid 3rd round as my #13 CB 4/12/26.
14. Malik Muhammad Texas 6’0 182 Jr. He ran a 4.42 40 (very good), ‘39 vertical (very good), 10’10 broad (elite), and measured ‘32 ⅜ arms (very good length) with ‘9 ⅞ hands (big hands). He’s a true junior so he’s younger (doesn’t turn 22 till September). He played all three seasons at Texas and was solid in ‘23 (31 tackles, 4 PBUs, 1 INT), had a similar year in ‘24 (36 tackles, 1 TFL, 8 PBUs), and had another similar year in ‘25 (30 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, 4 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Malik is a tall, skinny corner with outstanding quickness and agility. He has the frame to be an outside corner but his best fit might be a slot as his feet are outstanding and my favorite part of his game. Also he’s a very weak outside corner and doesn’t show great skill at the catch point, with the move inside hiding some of those issues. He played predominantly off man and that fit his skill set, poor strength/great feet, and is his best fit in the NFL. He could play zone though too as he does have good route recognition and sometimes jumped routes or fell off his receiver at the perfect moment. He needs to add weight as he’s very weak and his tackle numbers (3 straight years of +30) surprised me. He has poor grip strength and might miss tackles in the NFL. I’d like him to get to 190 at least so he can mitigate some of those issues. He’s not really a playmaker, 3 career INTs in 3 full seasons of playing, and looks like a fringe starter/nickel but I like him. He’s a high floor player who has very low bust potential due to his good speed and very good quickness/feet. I also like the versatility of him being able to play inside and outside. His poor film with the ball in the air is my biggest concern, he regularly doesn’t get his head turned around on deep balls, and I’m not sure it’s something he’ll be able to fix. PFF gave him a 71 grade (343rd of 908 CBs) but he had a very good passer rating against him (58 in ‘25). I saw his film as being consistently good. He won’t be a playmaker but won’t be a team’s weak link and projects as a very low end #2 CB or, my preference, a high end #3 CB with slot capabilities. Late 3rd as my #14 CB 4/12/26.
15. Ephesians Prysock Washington 6’3 ⅜ 196 Sr. He ran a 4.45 40 (average), ‘39 vertical (good), and measured ‘33 ⅛ arms (very long-2nd longest of any CB at the Combine) with ‘9 ¾ hands (big). He’s an older prospect (turned 23 before the draft) and began his 4 year career at Arizona where he played a bit in ‘22 (16 tackles), had a big year in ‘23 (61 tackles, 1 TFL, 7 PBUs, 1 INT), transferred to Washington and had a solid year in ‘24 (45 tackles, 6 PBUs, 1 INT), and then a better year in ‘25 (48 tackles, 1 TFL, 7 PBUs, 1 INT). His 20 PBUs to 3 INTs ratio is poor and speaks to him probably having poor hands. On film Prysock is a long, lean press corner with elite arm length and good fluidity. He’s not extremely fast and has poor ball skills but he has all the other traits you look for in a starting CB and his frame is going to get him drafted as a developmental prospect. His fluidity for 6’3 is outstanding and he does a very good job of staying tight on a wideout. His hands are terrible and his only INT in ‘25 was one thrown right to him where he still double caught it with no receiver around him. On another, he dropped an easy one also with him alone and speaks to him being a very low INT guy in the NFL. It’s my one concern for him as this kid will not be making a lot of big plays. His college career stats show that and his film shows it as his hands are just atrocious. He’s skinny and should gain weight but he’s already a pretty physical player. You can see that with his 3 straight seasons of +40 tackles, a high number for a CB, as he puts his head in there and shows great toughness. My comp is St. Juste as that big, fluid corner with terrible hands. I highly value ball skills so I’m not ecstatic about him but he has starter traits and St. Juste has been a low end starter for a long time so I suspect he’ll stick. He’d be good in zone due to his very good tackling ability but press man is obviously his best fit and that kind of scheme will value him very highly. His grades vary widely but I see him as a late Day 2 guy despite the poor ball skills. Great frame, elite arm length, great fluidity, and very tough against the run make me surprised he’s not higher. Late 3rd round as my #15 CB 4/12/26.
16. Keionte Scott Miami 5’11 ¼ 193 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ⅜ arms (good length for his sub 6’0 frame) and ‘9 ⅝ hands (above average). At his pro day he ran a 4.33 40 which surprised me as I didn’t see that kind of speed on film. He’s a 6th year Sr. and will turn 25 in September of his rookie year so he’s one of the oldest prospects in the draft. He started at Snow College (‘20-’21) as a JUCO, then somehow had a full primary college career with three seasons at Auburn. He was never great at Auburn (1 career INT, a 44 and 54 tackle season) and then transferred to Miami and had a great year in ‘25 (64 tackles, 13 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 FF, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs-2 pick six). On film Scott is a physical run stopping slot corner who is great at blitzing and make big plays. His signature play was vs. Ohio State when he jumped the WR screen and pick six it to blow the game out. It was a great play by him and is what he’s all about as he’s much more of a run stopper, downhill DB than a true corner. Mike Hilton is my comp as you shouldn’t draft him if you aren’t going to blitz him. In ‘24 at Auburn he allowed a terrible 145 QB Rating! At Miami in ‘25 he allowed a very good 70 so the system he’s in will be huge. In ‘23 he had a still bad 88 QB Rating vs. him and his poor years combined with his advanced age make me hesitant on him despite his very good Miami film. I don’t actually like his film in coverage as he’s stiff, gets beat badly quite often, and doesn’t have great ball skills. People will overemphasize the 2 INTs last year, in 16 games too, and ignore the 1 INT the prior three seasons combined. To me he’s a run stopper, blitzer, and short area cover guy so I’d be very open to having him in a zone scheme, where he blitzes regularly from the slot, or move him to FS. In a pure man scheme I think he’s going to be a bust and am surprised he’s so high on boards. His 10.7% forced incompletion rate is the 2nd worst (Terrell) of any CB expected to go in the first two rounds. Hopefully he goes to a versatile scheme as he has some big play ability but he’s a liability in coverage and he’ll get benched if left alone in coverage too regularly. It’s obvious he was helped tremendously by being older, blitzing regularly, and having Miami’s elite DL in front of him when he was in coverage. Next year he better go to another great situation or he’ll be a 2nd round bust for someone. Early 4th round as my #16 CB who I see as highly overrated as people are ignoring the first 5 years of his career and only focusing on his 6th year at Miami. If I was a GM, I’d remove him from my board or move him to FS as he can’t stay in coverage and I suspect he’ll be a bust 4/20/26.
17. Daylen Everette Georgia 6’1 ¼ 196 Sr. He ran a 4.38 40 (elite), ‘37 ½ vertical (average), 10’4 broad (above average), and measured ‘31 ⅞ arms (average length) with ‘9 ⅝ hands (good size). He turns 22 right after the draft so he’s average aged. He played all four seasons at Georgia and was a bit player in ‘22 (13 tackles, 1 PBU), improved in ‘23 (29 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 PBUs, 1 INT), had a very good year in ‘24 (58 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 3 PBUs, 3 INTs), and then a good but down year in ‘25 (50 tackles, 10 PBUs, 1 INT). On film Daylen is a big corner with good physicality and mirror skills but a CB who lacks elite twitch. His 4.38 40 is confusing as he isn’t extremely fast or explosive on film. He also is a little tight in his movements and isn’t the most fluid of athletes. That’s not shocking for a 6’1 200 CB but again speaks to his film not matching his 40 time. PFF gave him a 70 grade in ‘25 (384th out of 908 CBs) and his QB rating when targeted as an average 84. That matches the film as he was solid but not great. He had 3 INTs in ‘24 but the other three years combined only had 2 INTs. I didn’t see him being much of a ballhawk on film and thought it was more of a low end #2 CB type. His 40 is going to get him overdrafted as he’s a low floor, medium ceiling player with questionable fluidity and playmaking skills. He’s on the fringe of whether I’d keep him on my board at all as GM but I’d leave him on it due to the size and physicality. He’s a very good tackler in the run game and provides solid coverage. He’s overrated, probably due to the 40 time but Georgia players are regularly overrated, but I think he’ll probably stick as a #3 or #4 CB in the NFL. His coverage is good not great but he has some starter traits and I did think his film was decent so I don’t think he’ll be a bust but I’m lower than consensus on him. Early 4th round as my #17 CB 4/12/26.
18. Devin Moore Florida 6’3 ¼ 198 Sr. He ran a 4.50 40 (below average) and measured ‘31 ⅝ arms (very short for 6’3) with ‘8 ⅝ hands (tiny). His measurements for arm length and hand are terrible for a 6’3 200 “big corner”. He’s a 4th year senior (22 years old) who played all four years at Florida. He barely played in ‘22-’23 (12 tackles, 3 PBU, 1 INT COMBINED), got on the field more in ‘24 (17 tackles, 2 PBUs, 2 INTs), and then had his best year in ‘25 (35 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 4 PBUs, 2 INTs). His production and very limited playing time his first two seasons are both red flags. On film Devin is a tall, tightly built corner with below average speed, athleticism, and fluidity but good ball skills. I was not a fan of Moore’s film as he is tentative against the run, doesn’t change direction very well, is built more like a safety than a corner, and he is a mediocre athlete. His two saving graces are that he’s big and he actually has pretty good ball skills/hands as he has a few wow INTs that surprised me. PFF gave him an 83 grade (46th out of 908 CBs) and the passer rating against him was a very solid 70. He wasn’t involved a ton on film but Miami’s scheme was a mix and match of man and zone plus his DL was the best in the country. He also was subbed out of the game a lot so he was a difficult evaluation but I didn’t see anything great on film. He has the size to be a press corner but I didn’t see a smooth backpedal and his arms and hands are smaller than you’d expect for his big frame. He’d be better in a zone heavy scheme, as a CB or FS, as it would allow him to utilize his ball skills more and hide his mediocre athleticism. He has some versatility due to his size but I see 5th DB and think his PFF grade is inflated due to the scheme and elite supporting cast. He was a difficult evaluation for multiple reasons but overall I see high end backup and think he has a very high bust potential with his late breakout, poor tackle numbers, and mediocre film. Mid 4th round as my #18 CB 4/12/26.
19. Tacario Davis Washington 6’3 ⅞ 194 Sr. He ran a 4.44 40 (average), ‘37 vertical (average), 10’3 broad (poor), and measured ‘33 ⅜ arms (very long-longest of any CB at the Combine) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average). He’s a 4th year senior but still young (doesn’t turn 22 till August). He began his career at Arizona but barely played in ‘22 (7 tackles), improved in ‘23 (25 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 15 PBUs, 1 INT), improved again in ‘24 (44 tackles, 2 TFL, 6 PBUs), and then transferred to Washington for his final season in ‘25 (19 tackles, 1 TFL, 3 PBUs, 2 INTs in only 7 games). He had an injury shortened final year but it was still good that he finally made some big plays as he only had 1 career INT going into last year. On film Davis is a very tall, long armed gangly guy with questionable quickness and agility. Teams are going to salivate over his arm length, best at the Combine for a CB, but his film is not impressive as he’s long legged, is weak on the press, doesn’t have great fluidity, and I question his ball skills. Washington played him off man a lot and I think that helped him with his INT totals as it gave him a better view of the QB. If a team is wanting him to be a press corner, with those long arms, they’ll likely be disappointed as he’s very weak and I didn’t see good press technique at all. He needs to add weight as he’s rail think at 194 lbs with his frame and I’d like to see him play at 205. He’s very tightly built and doesn’t get his head around for the ball at times. PFF gave him a 67 grade (487th out of 908) but his passer rating was a very good 50.6 against him in ‘25. I didn’t see good film with him and am confused by the passer rating. It was 86 against him in ‘24 and possibly a fluke with the shortened season but he was beat regularly on the film I watched. To me he’s a developmental type, and one I’d have off my draft board, as he’s weak, tightly built, has poor technique, and questionable ball skills. He doesn’t seem to have high football IQ and I’d let other teams bet on the long arms as they ignore his numerous red flags. Late 4th round as my #19 CB 4/12/26.

2026 S Rankings

1. Caleb Downs Ohio State 5’11 ⅝ 206 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 ¼ arms (short) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). At his pro day he didn’t run the 40 either but had a ‘43 ½ vertical (elite) with a 10’10 broad (elite). That’s great but he doesn’t look to have elite speed on film and I’m shocked that I haven’t even seen one person even comment on him skipping it. He’s a 3rd year junior, early declare, who doesn’t turn 22 till December so he’s one of the younger players in this draft. He began at Alabama and immediately was a star in ‘23 (107 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 FF, 4 PBUs, 2 INTs), transferred to Ohio State and had a big year in ‘24 (82  tackles, 7.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 6 PBUs, 2 INTs), and then had a similar year in ‘25 (68 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 2 PBUs, 2 INTs). On film Downs is a slightly shorter, thicker SS type with elite tackling ability and good overall athleticism. Going downhill from his safety spot, he’s a human highlight reel and has Buddha Baker like film with good speed, elite tackling technique, and outstanding hitting ability. In coverage he’s a smart, dependable player but not an elite playmaker/ballhawk type. He allowed a 52.6 passer rating when targeted and had an elite 89.6 PFF coverage grade but his 0.55% INT rate, 1.18% PBU rate, and career high of 2 INTs in a season are all underwhelming. Maybe I’m nitpicking but his best film was in ‘23 as a true freshman at Alabama and that worries me a bit too. His one elite trait is his consistency as a tackler as he had 9-14 missed tackles all three years of his career, outstanding for a guy with +250 tackles in that time span. He has zero potential to be a bust and could easily be called the safest player in the draft. He draws rave reviews as a leader and as a human being. He ran the Ohio State defense, not Sonny Styles, and got players lined up on the field. He fits today’s NFL where so many teams play two high as he’ll be great in that role as he can stay back, won’t be a liability in coverage, or run up late and be an elite run stopper or solid blitzer. Downs and Thieneman are the clear top 2 safeties in this class and most have Downs in a different tier. I do not as Downs is clearly the better run stopper and Thieneman is clearly the better pass defender. Downs has a higher floor and reminds me of Buddha Baker, my official comp, while Thienemann has a higher ceiling and reminds me of Eric Weddle. Both should be very good to great players but I’d be uncomfortable taking either in the Top 10 and consider Downs overrated. He didn’t run the 40 for a reason and it’s because he probably wouldn’t run a 4.4. It’s obvious on film as his “heat seeking missile” film is always with plays in front of him where he reads it quickly. You don’t see elite range by him on the back end when he’s moving backwards and he has good hands but doesn’t project as a ball hawk. I gave Buddha Baker a mid 1st grade years ago out of Washington and see Downs similarly as one dimensional elite run stoppers. Whether you want to take that type in the Top 10 is up to each GM but I don’t see enough versatility to make it worthwhile and SS is as easy to moneyball as RB so it’s not good positional value either. In the end I left Downs as my #1 safety due to his elite character and high floor but think he’s overrated and have no issues with those putting Dillon as their #1 safety as he will impact the game more in coverage. Mid 1st as my #1 S 4/18/26.
2. Dillon Thieneman Oregon 6’0 ⅛ 201 Jr. He ran a 4.35 40 (elite), ‘41 vertical (elite), 10’5 broad (very good), and measured ‘31 ⅜ arms (solid length, very good for his height) with ‘9 hands (small). He’s a true junior, early declare who doesn’t turn 22 till August so he’s a younger prospect. He started his career at Purdue and was immediately a star as a true freshman in ‘23 (106 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 FF, 2 PBUs, 6 INTs), had another very good year in ‘24 (104 tackles, 1 sack, 7 PBUs), and then transferred to Oregon where he was a star in ‘25 (96 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs). His 8 INTs in 3 seasons is elite production as a ball hawk and his 3 straight years with 96 or more tackles is elite production as a run stopper so his production profile is THE BEST in this safety class. On film Dillon is a good sized, thicker FS/SS tweener who is a stud against the run but surprises with his fluidity and ball skills vs. the pass. He’s a special player as his run support is so good that a lot of people want him at SS on early downs and nickel LB on passing downs. Yet his range and ball skills are so good that many see him as a CF type and don’t want him taken out of the back end. I see both arguments but prefer the former and see him as a SS with elite cover skills who can be moved all over the field like a chess piece. Eric Weddle is a good comp as that similar type who runs like a CB but hits like a LB and was a perennial Pro Bowler. I’m not sure all of his elite 4.35 40 translates to the field but he’s still plenty fast in the open field and his closing speed is noticeable on ball carriers. His fluidity is good not great and I don’t love him in man coverage and prefer him in zone, the primary reason I prefer him at SS than FS. I’ve seen people comp him to Derwin James due to his versatility but I don’t agree due to James being the most fluid SS I’ve ever graded and Dillon being a little stiff in man coverage. PFF gave him an elite 91 grade in ‘25 (6th out of 936 S) and it showed on film. At Purdue in ‘24 he was more of a SS while he moved around more in ‘25 at Oregon with 118 snaps in the slot, a few at DL and outside CB, and 247 on the back end as a deep safety. As a SS he’s a little weak at the POA and isn’t a big hitter. You can see that in the ‘25 Indiana game where Hemby ran him over in the hole from the 3 yard line. Downs would not have been run over there and is both a more sure tackler and a bigger hitter than Dillon. Yet I find myself preferring Dillon due to far superior athleticism and better cover skills. Both are SS types that work best in the box but can play FS yet only Dillon projects as a ballhawk back there while Downs is more of a “limit the big play” type. Dillon’s INT rate of 1.37% is 2.5x better than Down’s 0.55% rate. They aren’t even close when comparing them solely as coverage DBs. Add in the fact that Dillon actually had around 50 more tackles the last three years than Downs, his supposed strength, and aced the Combine while Downs wouldn’t even put an official 40 on his profile (I’d guess he’d run a low 4.5 at the Combine) and it’s easy to lean Dillon > Downs. The down to down consistency though is where Downs shines over Dillon as there were a number of Oregon games where I barely noticed him. Downs had fewer tackles but that’s probably due to playing next to Styles/Reese the past few years as his run defense is elite and a tier above Dillon’s. I see them as very comparable prospects and do not see Downs as a blue chip prospect while Dillon is a late 1st, which is the consensus view. To me they are both SS types and similar in value, with the preference being more subjective than objective in nature. Do you want a run stopping demon like Buddha Baker or a more versatile player like Eric Weddle who can impact the game better in coverage? There’s no right answer and I see Dillon as a slightly better athlete than Downs so you could argue he has a higher ceiling. In the end I left Dillon as my #2 safety but it was neck and neck and I consider Downs overrated and Dillon underrated vs. the consensus. Dillon has a great chance to be the best safety from this draft class when we look back in three years as he projects as a +100 tackles a year guy with high INT totals and possibly high sack totals. Mid 1st as my #2 S 4/18/26.
3. AJ Haulcy LSU 5’11 ⅝ 215 Sr. He ran a 4.52 40 (good) and measured ‘30 ⅞ arms (short) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average). He’s a 4th year senior who turned 22 in January so he’s an average aged prospect. He started at New Mexico and was immediately great in ‘22 (87 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 FF, 3 PBUs, 2 INT), transferred to Houston and had another great year in ‘23 (98 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 4 PBUs), was a ballhawk in ‘24 (74 tackles, 8 PBUs, 5 INTs), and then transferred to LSU for a great year in ‘25 (88 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 FF, 4 PBUs, 3 INTs). His 8 INTs the past two seasons is elite production as a ballhawk. On film Haulcy is a shorter, thicker SS body type with good ball skills and great instincts which make him a well rounded ballhawk on the back end. He’s a tightly built guy so he’s not your man coverage type FS and needs to play a true safety role on the back end. He lacks versatility and that might put him as a SS in some schemes but whatever position he’s at, you can count on him being very good against the run and a playmaker in coverage. His 4 straight seasons of 74 or more tackles is elite production against the run and his 8 INTs the past two seasons is elite production against the pass. He’s a very cerebral player that would do well in a robber role or in quarters where his range is limited. He ran a solid 40 but isn’t a burner and I’d say he has below average speed. It’s another reason why SS might be his best fit, despite his special ball skills. He has some Xavier Watts to his game as that average athlete with elite ballhawk production who will translate to the next level. Haulcy is more athletic and fluid too but both just have a knack for getting INTs. He has arguably the quickest trigger of any S in this class in terms of reading and reacting to a QB and is what makes him a great ballhawk. He seems like a perfect Bills safety as that ballhawk with questionable athleticism, sometimes a converted CB, that McDermott made into perennial Pro Bowlers (Micah Hyde/Jordan Poyer). I highly value ball skills so it’s not surprising I’m above consensus on him despite his mediocre speed and fluidity. In two high looks he’ll be ideal at the SS position as he can crash down in run support or cover half a field or drop for a robber look and be a playmaker on the back end. He lacks elite athleticism but it’s still surprising that he’s viewed as a 3rd rounder as he looks like a high end starter to me and his production profile makes him pretty safe. Mid 2nd round grade as my #3 S who is a more athletic Xavier Watts and should have high INT totals in the pros 4/19/26.
4. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Toledo 6’3 ½ 201 Sr. He ran a 4.52 40 (good), ‘35 ½ vertical (below average), 10’2 broad (average), and measured ‘32 ⅛ arms (good length) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average). He’s a 4th year senior who turned 22 in January so he’s an average aged prospect. He played all four years at Toledo where he barely played in ‘22 (7 tackles), had a good year in ‘23 (69 tackles, 4 TFL, 4 FF, 2 INT, 3 PBUs), had a similar year but with fewer splash plays in ‘24 (61 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 FF, 5 PBUs, 1 INT), and then arguably his best year in ‘25 (77 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 3 FF, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs). His level of competition is a red flag but he’s a bonafide playmaker with 8 FF and 5 INTs the past three seasons. On film Emmanuel is a tall, rangy SS type with average speed but he’s a big hitter with great ball skills. He’s that safety who is arguably too tall as he’s nearly 6’4, long legged, and is a little stiff. He’s much more fluid than a Divine Deablo or TJ McDonald but it’s still a concern. My comp is Nasir Adderley who I loved as a SS with ball skills coming out of a small school (Delaware) but who ended as a bust. TJ Green or John Cyprien are also reasonable comps. These gangly SS ballhawks do not have a good track record but Emmanuel is a little more fluid and his ball skills are among the best from this cursed draft profile type. PFF gave him an elite 92 grade (2nd out of 936 S) and you can see the natural playmaking ability on film. He did, though miss a high number of missed tackles in ‘25 (13) but only 11 in ‘23-’24 combined. I don’t like his tackling technique as he doesn’t consistently wrap up and I worry he’ll have a lot of missed tackles in the NFL. He goes for the knock out hit too often and his fundamentals are lacking. I’m sure someone will comp him to Kyle Hamilton but I don’t see much similarity as Hamilton had elite bend and fluidity and was a good pass rusher while Emmanuel is a bit tight, I don’t love him in man coverage, and has 1 career sack. Emmanuel is not an extremely versatile, play every position like Hamilton is, and is an obvious SS who has great ball skills. He’d also make a solid nickel LB on passing downs but that’s as versatile as I’d let him be and why it’s not a good comp. He’ll be great in a two high scheme where he can be a run stopper but also stay in pass coverage. His hands are special and he has some ridiculous interceptions. One vs. Central Michigan where he laid out on the sideline on an overthrown ball is arguably the best INT this draft cycle by a DB. He can play a little man, I’d be intrigued to watch him vs. a TE, but zone or on the back end is much better for him. He’s an intriguing guy and I get why he’s hyped but I’m surprised some people have him as their #1 S. He has solid speed but it’s not elite, he played at a lower level of competition yet also only had 1 season with +70 tackles, he doesn’t have the fluidity to play in man coverage consistently, and he’s an inconsistent tackler and has no production as a blitzer. I like him as a SS with ball skills and he’ll be great in a two high but this is not a player on Downs/Thienemann’s level. Mid 2nd round as my #4 S 4/19/26.
5. Bud Clark TCU 6’0 ⅞ 188 Sr. He ran a 4.41 40 (elite), ‘38 vertical (good), 10’7 broad (very good), and measured ‘31 ½ arms (good length) with ‘9 hands (small). He’s a 6th year senior and turns 24 right after the draft so he’s one of the older prospect in the class. He played all 6 years at TCU but barely played in ‘20-’21, had a great year in ‘22 (45 tackles, 1 TFL, 5 PBUs, 5 INTs-1 pick six), had another good year in ‘23 (33 tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PBUs, 3 INTs), had another great year in ‘24 (67 tackles, 1 FF, 3 PBUs, 3 INTs), and then his best year in ‘25 (56 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack, 7 PBUs, 4 INTs-1 pick six). His 15 career INTs (in 4 seasons too) is elite production and the most since Covid, second most is Quinyon Mitchell/Emmanuel Forbes (both 1st rounders) with 12. On film Clark is tall, very thin FS type with good athleticism, elite ball skills, and outstanding experience. I’m shocked that a guy with a 9.32 RAS Score and elite production profile (most INTs of any player in the past 6 drafts) is a fringe Day 2 prospect to most people. He’s ranked 117 on PFF’s Big Board yet I see no real flaws to his game except his advanced age and his slender frame. His missed tackles of 15 the past two years COMBINED is an elite number (Downs has 19 in the same time frame) and would be the primary risk for his thinner frame so I’m not even very worried about that red flag. He’s not just a sure tackler but is very physical and has a lot of big hits on his film. I have no issues with him in run support. In pass coverage he has elite instincts as he jumps routes better than any safety in the class and is outstanding at playing the ball in the air, whether it be in front of him or behind him out of his backpedal. His hands are also elite, watch the ‘25 Colorado game where he somehow made an INT on a throw well over his head due to perfectly timing his jump (the QB didn’t even see him as a threat as he was so far removed from the target), and he projects as a future high INT total guy in the NFL. He also has outstanding versatility and experience as he had four straight very productive years at TCU and has +900 snaps in the slot, +700 snaps at SS, and +350 snaps at FS the past three seasons. My preference for him is FS but slot corner would work in a zone heavy scheme, as he’s great in run support, or SS would work in a man heavy scheme. Also his age is worrisome but he’s likely to go in the 3rd or 4th round so those aren’t “foundation pieces” and he’ll only be 27 when he hits free agency so he’ll be older but not so old you’d be worried to give him a second contract. Safeties regularly play into their early 30s so he should have 8-10 years of an NFL career. Also his “late breakout” is valid as he didn’t play much till his 3rd year but that 3rd year he had a career high 5 INTs, including an amazing pick six vs. JJ McCarthy in the BCS Semifinals, so it was an impressive breakout, albeit late. I see the red flags on Clark but am not terribly concerned with any of them as his production was elite, his Combine was very good, and his film was outstanding. He was one of my favorite players to scout this draft cycle as I love the ballhawks and he’s clearly one so I’m much higher than consensus. Late 2nd as my #5 S 4/18/26.
6. Jalon Kilgore South Carolina 6’1 ⅜ 210 Jr. He ran a 4.40 40 (elite), ‘37 vertical (good), 10’10 broad (elite), 4.32 shuttle (below average), and measured ‘32 ⅞ arms (very long) with ‘9 ⅜ hands. He’s a true junior and one of the younger prospects (doesn’t turn 22 till next January). He played all three seasons at SC and was great as a true freshman in ‘23 (76 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 FF, 6 PBUs, 1 INT), made more big plays in ‘24 (48 tackles 3 TFL, 5 PBUs, 5 INTs), and then had another good year in ‘25 (54 tackles, 10 PBUs, 2 INTs). His 8 INTs in three seasons is an elite number. On film Kilgore is a DB/LB tweener who some will view as a SS, others a FS, and others a nickel LB. He has great versatility as he moves incredibly well and actually shows good man skills as a slot corner. I have no idea how the NFL will view him but I like him more in coverage than in run support and think his ball skills are among the best in this entire DB class. He’s a very smart player who understands route concepts and is quick to jump routes. He’s long legged, which I usually detest, but he’s fluid and has good short area quickness. I see him as a safety but with ‘33 arms and a 4.40 I could see some teams view him as a press corner. My preference is FS with some man cover skills as I see ballhawk more than corner or thumping SS. PFF gave him a poor grade of 70 (384th out of 908 CBs) but then his passer rating against him was a low 68 so I’m not really understanding that combination. I saw his film as being inconsistently great as he did have some poor film but also had a lot of outstanding plays and I see him as a versatile playmaker. His 40 time was elite for his size but I don’t see it fully translating. I worry CB will be too much for him and think FS where man coverage is used but isn’t on every down as being his best fit. I know some view him as a nickel LB but I found his run support tape to be bad at times. He is easily engulfed at the POA vs. OL or even TEs and he’s not the toughness player. His versatility is interesting but I definitely see him as a FS before anything else. He’d be ideal to pair with a Kyle Louis as two interchangeable types with outstanding cover skills. Overall I’m a big fan of Kilgore’s as his man cover skills are very good and his ball skills are among the best in this class. South Carolina probably moved him around too much and it’s hurting his draft stock but put him at FS with man cover responsibilities and I suspect he’ll shine as he’s a natural playmaker with high end traits. Early 3rd round as my #6 S 4/12/26.
7. Genesis Smith Arizona 6’2 ¼ 202 Jr. He didn’t run but had a ‘42 ½ vertical (elite), 10’8 broad (very good), 32 ½ arms (very long) with ‘8 ⅞ hands (small). He ran a 4.43 40 at his pro day. He’s a 3rd year junior, early declare who doesn’t turn 22 till November so he’s a younger prospect. He played all three seasons at Arizona and was a bit player in ‘23 (24 tackles, 1 INT), had a great year in ‘24 (63 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 FF, 6 PBUs, 3 INTs), and a similar year in ‘25 (77 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 FF, 8 PBUs, 1 INT). On film Smith is a tall, lanky SS type with very good athleticism and physicality. His 4 FFs and 4 INTs the past two seasons speaks to his versatility as he can impact the game as a run or pass defender. He’d be ideal in a two high safety scheme as I wouldn’t want him as a CF type but also want him to have some coverage responsibility and not be a pure box safety. His range and ball skills are his biggest positives. His biggest negative is clearly his inconsistency as a tackler as he had 33 missed tackles the past two years combined, very poor numbers. As a run defender his best game was vs. Baylor in ‘25 (16 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF) and as a pass defender his best game was vs. Kansas State in ‘25 (84 PFF grade, career high 3 PBUs, 7th highest grade game for a safety by CFB Impact Database, almost the best INT of any S this draft cycle with a leaping INT over his head in the end zone that fell out of his hands when he hit the ground). His instincts are solid but his 4 INTs the past two years are more about high end ball skills than instincts. His ‘24 INT vs. New Mexico was stunning as he raced halfway across the field and jumped the WR and slid under another WR for an INT 99% of DBs would drop. Also his Kansas State PBU was so close to being THE INT of the draft cycle and was incredible despite it going incomplete. He reminds me a bit of Calen Bullock as a tall, thin ballhawk type who is a poor tackler. Bullock was a little bit more instinctive but Smith is more physical and I think his tackling issues are easier to fix. It’s primarily a technique issue as he doesn’t consistently wrap up and gets lazy with a big hit and no follow through. Bullock went in the 3rd and has been a productive starter for a top defense and I could see the same occur with Smith as he’s very talented, just raw. Bullock is my official comp but he also has some Cobee Bryant out of Kansas last year and that is worrisome. Bryant was a lanky kid with elite ball skills but terrible tackling film and an attitude who went undrafted despite being one of the best ballhawks in the class. After a certain point as a poor tackler, the NFL will stop being interested in you as you’re too much of a liability. Smith isn’t on Bryant’s level but he needs to dramatically improve as a tackler and put better effort on film. When the effort and technique are there, he looks physical and capable, but it’s inconsistent. Overall I tentatively really like Genesis as his ball skills are among the best in this safety class, he’s very young, and he’s an elite athlete with outstanding range and versatility. He needs to dramatically improve as a tackler but his range and ball skills on the back end give him a very high ceiling, albeit also with a high bust potential, so he’s a risk/reward type. Mid 3rd as my #7 S 4/18/26.
8. Zakee Wheatley Penn State 6’2 203 Sr. He didn’t run a 40 but had a ‘32 ½ vertical (terrible), 10’2 broad (average), and measured ‘31 arms (average length, poor for 6’2) with ‘9 ½ hands (above average). He’s a 5th year senior and recently turned 24 so he’s one of the older prospects in this draft. He played all five years at Penn State where he barely saw the field in ‘21, was solid in ‘22 (27 tackles, 1 FF, 1 PBU, 2 INTs), had a similar year in ‘23 (24 tackles, 0.5 TFL), had his best year in ‘24 (96 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 4 PBUs, 3 INTs), and then a good but slightly down year in ‘25 (74 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 INT). On film Wheatley is a tall, lanky SS type with good run stopping ability and solid ball skills. His arms measured ‘31 at the Combine but they are extremely long on film and look ‘33 to my eyes so possibly it’s another example of poor measuring by the Combine official. He has versatility as he could play SS or FS and it’ll be more about the scheme. I prefer SS a bit for him as his run stopping is very good and I liked his film closer to the LOS. In coverage though he shows solid instincts and ball skills and would not be a liability in zone or two high. He’s a little tightly built so I wouldn’t want him in man coverage, maybe vs. a TE or RB, and is a long legged guy which limited his short area quickness. He looks really good as a blitzer and it surprised me he did it so rarely for them (1 sack the past two years) as there were glimpses of it vs. Ohio State in ‘25 that impressed me. I’m sure it’s partly the helmet but I can’t help but see poor man’s Kevin Winston with that lanky frame, good range, and long arms. Winston was a better athlete but Wheatley is a similar style player. Penn State last year played a lot of two high but he was the farthest defender (FS) when they split and it shows his versatility as he played more in coverage but still had 74 tackles and very good film around the LOS. If putting him at SS I’d bulk him up a bit as he’s skinny with his lanky frame but at FS he’d probably play at his current weight. He’s a solid tackler but has had issues with missed tackles in the past as he had a very high 20 in ‘24 but improved in ‘25 to 11. I see him as a versatile safety with great range but I don’t see a ballhawk and his slender frame might cause some issues at SS. He projects as an average starter not a high end playmaker but I really like his traits and thought his film was good and his production profile was great. Mid 3rd round as my #8 S 4/18/26.
9. Michael Taaffee Texas 5’11 ⅞ 190 Sr. He ran a 4.50 40 (average) and measured ‘29 ¼ arms (extremely short, bottom 1% for DBs, shortest of the 54 DBs the Combine) with ‘9 ⅜ hands (average). He’s a 4th year senior who just turned 22 so he’s an average aged prospect. He spent all four years at Texas and was a bit player in ‘22 (22 tackles, 1 PBU), had a good year in ‘23 (48 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 PBUs, 3 INTs), had his best year in ‘24 (78 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 10 PBUs, 2 INTs), and then a similar year in ‘25 (70 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 PBU, 2 INTs). On film Michael is the quintessential white safety as he has a below average size/speed ratio but is a sure tackler with good instincts and decent ball skills. He’s the lunchpail guy, the overachiever with sneaky speed, etc. His arm length is terrible but it doesn’t really show up on film as he had limited missed tackles (7 in ‘25) and doesn’t play corner so it doesn’t impact him in coverage very often. He’s a FS/SS tweener but probably a FS. He lacks the speed to be a true CF type but in quarters or with varied schemes he’d be solid in coverage. He also lacks the fluidity or speed to be in man coverage but has enough fluidity to be good covering RBs out of the backfield. He has poor traits so he’ll probably go late on Day 3 but his film was actually very good and he has good instincts and quality hands so his 7 INTs the past three seasons isn’t surprising and I expect him to get a decent INT total in the NFL if he can get on the field. Teams that play man would probably want him at SS, and he’s very solid against the run, while zone teams would prefer him at FS. He’s good at everything, great at nothing (yep another cliche) but I like him due to his ball skills and see him as a solid Day 3 pick as he projects as a playmaker. He’s very quick on the trigger when seeing a play develop in front of him and he has very few false steps. His fluidity grew on me the more I watched him and he maybe could play slower slot receivers in man coverage. He’s either a low end #2 safety or a high end #3 safety who could also play a little nickel LB. He’s an interesting kid and I’d like him in a varied scheme as his tackling ability was outstanding in space and he has very good quickness and agility so if a team can limit the range he has to cover, he could be very good. Overall I’m a big fan of Michael despite mediocre traits as he has a high football IQ, is a very sure tackler, and he has good ball skills. I’d prioritize him early on Day 3 as I could see him being a long time NFL starter if put in the right scheme. Late 3rd round as my #9 S 4/18/26.
10. Kamari Ramsey USC 6’0 ¼ 202 Sr. He ran a 4.47 40 (very good), ‘36 vertical (below average), 10’0 broad (average), and measured ‘30 ⅝ arms (short) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average). He’s a 4th year senior but won’t turn 22 till August so he’s still a younger prospect. He began his career at UCLA but barely played in ‘22 (6 tackles), had a good year in ‘23 (40 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 4 PBUs, 1 INT), transferred across town to USC and had a better year in ‘24 (60 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT), and then ended on a down year in ‘25 (27 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 PBUs in only 9 games). On film Ramsey is a hard hitting SS with good athleticism but questionable ball skills and production, especially in the passing game. In ‘24 he was a box safety and played deep whereas in ‘25 he primarily played in the slot but his drop in production is still concerning. He’s a big hitter but I don’t see much playmaking ability against the pass. His 2 career INTs in three full seasons of play is very poor and he’s always head hunting. PFF gave him a 73 grade (273rd out of 936 S) so they considered him an average player last year. It was a down year across the board stat wise for him but in ‘24 he had a pretty high number of missed tackles (15 on only 60 tackles) and that’s supposed to be his strength. His size/speed ratio is very good and NFL caliber but he’s in a style I’ve never been a fan of and the NFL doesn’t seem to be too into. Very poor man’s Johnathan Abram is not a flattering comp. He can unload on a ball carrier if given an opportunity but he projects as a low end #2 safety or a nickel #3 safety. His production profile would have been mediocre without the down year so he’s a risky prospect. I do think he played out of position and am confused why they’d play him as a slot corner since he showed no ball skills at safety but a team drafting him is drafting traits and hoping to get a bounce back year from him. It’s hard to determine his consensus grade as many are out on him but I’d roll the dice in Day 3 for a bounce back as he was highly rated going into his senior year. I would have been lower than consensus on him if he’d had a good year as this is not my style of safety but at some point he’s worth a dart throw as a run stopping, enforcer type. Mid 4th round as my #10 S 4/19/26.
11. Will Lee III Texas A&M 6’0 ½ 189 Sr. He ran a 4.52 40 (bad), ‘42 vertical (elite), 11’0 broad (elite), and measured ‘32 ¾ arms (very long) with ‘9 hands (below average). He’s an older prospect (turned 23 before the draft) despite only playing three seasons of college football. He started at Kansas State and was good in ‘23 as a sophomore (42 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 FF, 6 PBUs, 2 INTs), transferred to Texas A&M and was good in ‘24 (42 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 FF, 10 PBUs, 2 INTs-1 pick six), and then had another good year but one without big plays in ‘25 (50 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 8 PBUs). PFF gave him a 67 grade (514th out of 908 CBs) and he had a terrible QB rating vs. him at 108 in ‘25, 83 in ‘24. On film Lee is a tall, long corner with poor speed but very good fluidity and physicality. Lee is a top evaluation as he’s outstanding against the run (3 straight years of +40 tackles) and has great arm length as well as good mirror skills. The problem is he’s slow in a straight line and he’s right on that line of whether he’s athletic enough to be a corner at the next level. His Combine measurables made sense as he had a bad 40 but great vertical and broad. He’s a fluid, smooth athlete and his change of direction is outstanding for a 6’0 corner but he doesn’t have makeup speed. If leaving him at CB he’ll need to be schemed around and have safety help over the top. I’d be curious with him as a FS though as his physicality is among the best in this CB class and he has the length to matchup against tight ends. At FS he’s a conversion player and probably would need a redshirt year and at CB he’s a liability due to his speed so he’s a Day 3 dart throw either way but I like a lot of his traits and thought the film was decent. He allowed 4 TDs and +400 receiving yards each of his three seasons in college so you can argue that he plateaued and maybe won’t be able to take the next step in the NFL. Also his frame is pretty wide for a CB and makes me think safety is a better fit. In the end I moved him to FS as I think his speed and his film speak to him not being athletic enough to stay at CB. He’s a very fluid athlete and has some intriguing tape though so I’d be interested in him as a Day 3 safety conversion project. Late 4th round as my #11 S 4/12/26.
12. Jalen Stroman Notre Dame 6’1 201 Sr. He wasn’t invited to the Combine. He’s a 5th year senior but doesn’t turn 23 till after the draft so only a little bit older of a prospect. He began his career at Virginia Tech but barely played in ‘21, had a solid year in ‘22 (43 tackles, 2 FF, 2 PBUs), a similar year in ‘23 (55 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 PBUs), had an injury redshirt year in ‘24 (only played in 1 game), and then transferred to Notre Dame and was solid in ‘25 (37 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 2 PBUs, 1 INT-1 pick six). His 0 INTs going into his 5th year is a huge red flag as is his no-Combine invite. On film Stroman is tall, tightly built SS with average ability vs. the run and a player who lacks the range or fluidity to be an impact in the passing game. He has to be a SS as his range is very questionable and quarters would be the only scheme I’d be comfortable with him on the back end. His 1 career INT in 5 years is terrible and shows on film as he’s a liability in coverage. In run support he’s good not great and doesn’t show any elite talent in this area to make me want to keep him on the field in coverage so I see him as a late round/free agent type. He was the last safety to make my list to scout and it was a poor addition as he projects as a career backup, special team type. He did have a blocked punt on special teams and has NFL size/speed so he’ll maybe carve out a niche as a #3 or #4 safety but I suspect he’ll be a bust. In run support he occasionally flashes with a big hit but one season of +50 tackles as a SS isn’t anything great and he only had 2 career games, out of 50, with greater than 5 tackles so his production profile is poor. In coverage he’s tight but also lacks instincts and most of his PBUs were just hitting a WR after the catch for a breakup. It worked sometimes but it showed he was always a second late on the play as he has almost no film of making a play on the ball in the air. I’m very unimpressed and consider him a free agent, camp invite type. Free Agent as my #12 S 4/18/26.

2026 LB Rankings

1. Sonny Styles Ohio State 6’5 244 Sr. He ran a 4.46 40 (elite), ‘43 ½ vertical (elite, historic as it’s the highest vertical of anyone +6’4 and the highest of anyone +240 lbs since 2003), 11’2 broad (elite), 4.26 shuttle (elite), 7.09 3 cone (very good), and measured ‘32 ⅞ arms (long but below average for 6’5) with ‘10 hands (big). He’s a 4th year senior but is only 21 ½ on draft day so still a younger prospect. He spent all four years at Ohio State where he started as a safety and barely played in ‘22 (9 tackles, 1 TFL), was a good player in ‘23 (53 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF), had a great year in ‘24 (100 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 FF), and then moved to full time LB (was more of a rover the prior 3 years) and had a slightly down year in ‘25 (82 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 INT). On film Styles is a tall, huge MLB with elite explosiveness, strength, and athleticism that reminds me of Bobby Wagner. He has comparable movement skills to Jihaad Campbell last year but is taller, heavier, and much stronger at the POA. He’s as good of an athlete as you’ll find at the LB position as he scored a 10.0 RAS ranking him 1st out of 3,215 LBs since 1987! He’s not just a blue chip on the field but a blue chip character guy as well. He was given a standing ovation during a team interview at the Combine. He’s described as “the best leader in the program.” If there is a flaw in his game it’s that he does miss a decent amount of tackles. He had 19 missed tackles in ‘24, a very high number, but cleaned that up with an elite 2 missed tackles in ‘25. It speaks to his steady improvement as he improved in ‘25 throughout the year as a LB and had outstanding film vs. Indiana in the phone booth. In ‘24 they had him more as a versatile LB/EDGE (Reese’s role in ‘25) and it probably hurt his LB play a bit. The reason Ohio State had him in that role in ‘24 though is because he has the potential to be moved to EDGE like Micah Parsons did. No one talks about it but Ohio State gave him 317 snaps at EDGE which is very close to the 333 snaps Reese had at EDGE yet only one is a potential conversion candidate? He also had a comparable number of pressures/sacks to Reese in that similar sample size and has very good film as an EDGE and the frame to play there if a team wanted. I could see MLB on early downs, blitzer/WDE on passing downs being how he’s used. He’s a very well rounded player with 7 sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT but his splash plays are not elite like Rodriguez or even Hill. It’s a bigger red flag for me than his missed tackles in ‘19, as he cleaned that up. I don’t agree with those saying he’s overrated but his impact overall last year was not up to a Top 5 player and his Miami game (national championship) he was very quiet (2 tackles). I see him as a foundation type player as he has no holes and will be good in coverage, great as a rusher, has sideline to sideline range, is outstanding in the phone booth due to his size/length/physicality, and is an elite leader. I get that his big plays were not quite up to his draft grade but he checks every box and I suspect they’ll come. Using him more as a rusher probably would unlock more splash plays and a LB with +100 tackles, 3 FF, and 6 sacks will pretty regularly make the Pro Bowl. He also shows decent route recognition in coverage and showed a feel for it if a team wants him to drop more than rush. For me he’s right on the Top 5 cusp and I left him with a blue chip Top 5 grade as his film was very good and his Combine was historic. He’s a physical specimen and I’m not going to overanalyze his lower splash plays as he’s not an athlete over football player and had very good film the past two years at arguably the top program in the country. He’s a future star LB in the NFL and easily could be a perennial Pro Bowler. Top 5 as my #1 LB 4/17/26.
2. Jacob Rodriguez Texas Tech 6’1 ⅜ 231 Sr. He ran a 4.57 40 (good), ‘38 ½ vertical (very good), 10’1 broad (average), 4.19 shuttle (elite-1st in LB class), 6.90 3 cone (elite-1st in LB class), and measured ‘30 ⅞ arms (very short) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average). He’s a 5th year senior, turns 24 in September so an older prospect. He started his career at Virginia where he played QB in ‘21. He gave up that dream, added 20 lbs, and popped up as a LB at Texas Tech where he was a bit player in ‘22 (29 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 FF), had a similar year in ‘23 (32 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 FF, 1 INT in only 5 games), and then had back to back great years in ‘24 (127 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 INT) and ‘25 (128 tackles, 11 TFL, 1 sack, 7 FF, 4 INTs). His 10 FF and 5 INTs the past two seasons, to go along with +250 tackles, is elite production and well rounded. Two time team captain. Described as “humble” and a “leader of men” by coaching staff. On film Jacob is an undersized, extremely quick and instinctive MLB who projects as a future Pro Bowl LB despite his mediocre size. I say mediocre because people are acting like this kid is Dat Nguyen or something. He’s nearly 6’2, ran a sub 4.6 40, and led the LB class in both quickness drills, to go along with a very good ‘38 ½ vertical. He’s not tiny and he’s not a bad athlete, he’s just not Sonny Styles size wise or Kyle Louis speed wise. What he is though is the most prolific, instinctive run stopper in this class and it’s not close. He has the highest single season run stop rate by P4 LB since 2014 (17.1%) and does it by being a sure tackler and knowing where the ball is going pre-snap. He’s not the biggest but I rarely saw him engulfed at the POA and he’s a classic undersized 4-3 MLB who needs big DTs in front of him to keep him clean. That’s pretty normal and I never heard anyone complaining about that when Roquan Smith went in the Top 10 (1 inch shorter, 5 lbs heavier, and 0.06 seconds faster than Rodriguez). Against inside runs he’ll be very good as he’s adept at shooting gaps to make a TFL (21.5 the past two years). On outside runs he’s a little less stellar as he has solid speed but not elite speed. It’s one of his weaker spots but he’s still no worse than average on outside runs. What differentiates him vs. other linebackers in this class are his elite instincts and his elite cover skills. Watch his leaping one handed INT vs. Utah and then his effortless pluck of a ball in stride vs. Houston and you can immediately tell that he’ll be among the league leaders in INTs for a LB quite a few times in his NFL career. His ability to be a turnover machine vs. the run and pass is what has me so above consensus on him. He has perfected the “Peanut Punch” and is why he had such a huge increase in forced fumbles in ‘25 (7) vs. the rest of his career (6). I don’t buy the “he’s not a good athlete” label on him and think it’s downright racist. His Combine numbers are good to elite across the board. His RAS score was a 9.60 so stop lying that the kid is a slow white guy as he’s ranked as the 135th most athletic LB out of 3,346 LBs since 1987! He’s quicker than fast but he’s not just quick, he’s the quickest LB in this class and it’s going to make him great in coverage. PFF gave him an elite 92.9 coverage grade and it shows on film as he’s everywhere. His arms are shorter and it occasionally does result in him missing tackles. His missed tackles are actually pretty high (20 in ‘25) but it’s due to him being all over the field so he gets in position to make more tackles than anyone in the country. Back to back +120 tackle seasons speaks to that as does the historic 17.1% run stop rate (best since 2014, mentioned again because it really is historic). Comp wise he’s a mix of Roquan Smith and Logan Wilson as he’s going to be a superstar in coverage, something Roquan is not. Wilson isn’t in his prime anymore but he’s still 3rd in the NFL for LBs in INTs the past five years and Jacob is going to be in that company. Expect +100 tackles, 3 FF, 3 INTs a year from him and he’ll immediately help a team’s turnover margin. He lacks the physical traits of a blue chip like Styles but he’s a special playmaker and I think his athleticism is being slept on so I’m much higher than consensus on him as I have no doubt that he’ll translate and be a Pro Bowler in the NFL. Mid 1st as my #2 LB 4/15/26.
3. Anthony Hill Texas 6’2 238 Jr. He ran a 4.51 40 (elite), ‘37 vertical (average), 10’5 broad (good), and measured ‘32 ⅜ arms (long, very long for his frame) with ‘9 ⅝ hands (above average). He’s a 3rd year junior so a true early declare who is only recently turned 21 years old so he’s one of the younger prospects in the draft. He was very good at Texas as a true freshman in ‘23 (67 tackles, 8 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF), had his best year in ‘24 (113 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 8 sacks, 4 FF, 1 INT), and another very good year in ‘25 (69 tackles, 7 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 FF, 2 INTs). His 7 FFs in only 3 years is elite production and speaks to his physicality. On film Anthony is a long, lean inside linebacker with outstanding physicality and aggressiveness against the run but questionable fluidity and coverage skills. As a run defender he’s one of the best in this class as he has borderline elite length, very good speed, and is an extremely hard hitter. As a pass defender he’s not very good as he’s tightly built, doesn’t change direction well, and has only decent ball skills. He had 3 career INTs so he shows some hands but he’ll be a liability at time in coverage and it’s his weakness. I’d just blitz him as he’s great when going downhill and his 12 sacks the past two years is elite production. It makes 3-4 ILB an interesting option, though 4-3 SLB is my preference. He was arguably the most productive LB in the country in ‘24 but fell off a bit in ‘25. Combine his young age with his very good traits and his elite production profile and it’s not hard to argue he’s a late 1st/early 2nd round type but I’ve seen him mocked in the 3rd round regularly which surprises me. His poor fluidity is worrisome to me but a lot of linebackers aren’t great in coverage and the fact that he’s outstanding as a blitzer, makes it an easy problem to scheme around. Also his INT vs. Georgia in ‘25 showed me good instincts and route recognition so he won’t be able to play man but he could be a good zone defender with his good hands and big hitting ability. I really like Hill and see him as being undervalued. He’s a very safe prospect with a decently high ceiling. I expect him to be more of a high end starter than Pro Bowler but he’s one of the better linebackers to come out of the draft in the past few classes. Early 2nd round as my #3 LB 4/15/26.
4. CJ Allen Georgia 6’0 ¾ 230 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ½ arms (shorter but decent for his frame) with ‘10 ⅛ hands (big). He’s a third year junior so he’s a true early declare and just recently turned 21 so he’s one of the younger players in the draft. He played all three years at Georgia and was solid as a true freshman in ‘23 (41 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack), had a good year in ‘24 (76 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 INT), and then his best year in ‘25 (88 tackles, 8 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF). On film CJ is a shorter, squat linebacker with good physicality at the POA and solid, showing sideline to sideline range. He and Anthony Hill are pretty similar players with Hill being a little bigger and more physical at the POA and Allen being a little faster and more fluid. He’s one of the most consistent tacklers in this LB class as PFF gave him only 13 missed tackles the past two years COMBINED! Rodriguez had 42 in the same time frame, Styles had 21, Hill had 21. He isn’t a super big player but he plays bigger than his size, possibly due to his huge, heavy hands, and he’s very solid at working around or through OL in the phone booth. Described as the heart and soul of the defense. Kirby Smart, “He wants to win so bad. I don’t know that I’ve seen a kid care more about the team performance.” I like CJ a lot as a high floor, high polish day 1 starter but do not see an elite player here and am a little surprised he’s getting so much first round buzz, sometimes even mid 1st. He ran a 4.47 40 at his pro day but he doesn’t play that fast. He plays more like a mid 4.5 guy and has range but won’t be elite on sideline outside zone runs. He also is fluid but I never saw anything special coverage wise from him. He has 1 career INT and was never a big time turnover machine vs. the run or pass (2 career FF). He’s a solid blitzer but nothing special in that department. He’s very physical but I rarely saw big hits on his film. He’s going to be that above average to very good starter but will never make a Pro Bowl, won’t make a lot of turnovers, and won’t be a big splash play guy. He’ll be consistent, very good against the run, and a high character locker room guy but all of that makes me think he’s a clear 2nd round LB not 1st round LB. His consistency as a tackler and his high character might get him overdrafted but he has no bust potential and is one of the safer prospects in this draft, just has a lower ceiling. Mid 2nd as my #4 LB 4/17/26.
5. Kyle Louis Pittsburgh 5’11 ⅞ 220 Jr. He ran a 4.53 40 (very good), ‘39 ½ vertical (elite), 10’9 broad (elite), 4.26 shuttle (elite), 6.97 3 cone (elite, 2nd among all LBs), and measured ‘31 ¼ arms (good length for his frame) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). Kyle hit my radar when he was 2nd to Jacob Rodriguez in the shuttle and the 3 cone. Both measure quickness and change of pace and he’s elite at it. He’s a small LB but his numbers would be outstanding for a SS so he’s an elite athlete, just a small one. He played all three seasons at Pittsburgh and was a bit player in ‘23 (19 tackles, 1.5 TFL), had his best season in ‘24 (101 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 FF, 4 INTs-1 TD), and then another good year in ‘25 (81 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FF, 2 INTs). On film Kyle is a fast, instinctive linebacker who is good against the run but elite against the pass and is the epitome of the new, modern linebacker. He’s basically a bulked up SS but moves like one too and his instincts and understanding of zone concepts and where to cover in space is outstanding. He’s the best linebacker in this class, solely based off pass coverage, and arguably the best cover linebacker I’ve ever graded. His change of direction and fluidity in his backpedal is special. He allowed a QB Rating of 56 when throwing in his area as he’s great in zone or man coverage and isn’t just good in coverage but is a playmaker with the ball in the air (6 INTs the past two seasons). He’s a true junior but just turned 22 so he is average aged. His RAS is a 9.1 and it fully translates to the field as he has elite range and looks like a DB in coverage. If playing a 4-3, he’d be an ideal WLB, if playing a 3-4 he’ll probably be a nickel linebacker and the team will have to determine if they use him as a SS on early downs or he’s only a specialist off the bench. I prefer him in a 4-3 but SS wouldn’t be a huge stretch, especially for teams using their SS predominantly around the LOS. He’s in the Jabril Cox mold but I like his run defense more than Cox and think he could be a full time starter. Starter vs. nickel specialist will determine whether he’s a Day 2 or Day 3 pick. He’s also a very good blitzer (10 sacks the past two seasons) so he’d be a perfect fit in a fire zone scheme where he’d be a blitz/drop linebacker. His backpedal is elite for a SS and he’s extremely smooth in coverage. The more I watch him, the more I think SS in base and LB in nickel could be a fit for his skill set. At the POA he isn’t great but he’s very physical and has no issue with fighting OL. He gets engulfed, but most WLB get engulfed by OL, and he’ll need to be kept clean. I don’t see it being a huge issue. You can’t put him next to Taurean York but if he’s next to a big, physical MLB then he’ll be fine. Overall I love Louis in pass coverage and think he’s an ideal LB for today’s NFL. I don’t think there’s a huge drop from him to a Patrick Queen type and Queen went in the first round. He’s solid in run support, great as a zone blitzer, and great in coverage so I see high end starter, possible Pro Bowler here. Mid 2nd round as my #5 LB 3/29/26.
6. Josiah Trotter Missouri 6’2 237 Soph He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 ¼ arms (very good length) with ‘10 ¼ hands (huge hands). He redshirted in ‘23, had an amazing year in ‘24 (92 tackles, 4 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 INT), and then another great year in ‘25 (84 tackles, 13 TFL, 2 sacks). On film Trotter is a physical POA 3-4 ILB who shows great instincts, can stack and shed, and is one of the best “in the box” linebackers in this class. His instincts are outstanding but especially so when realizing he’s only 20 years old. He has the versatility to play in any scheme but I really like him as a 3-4 ILB as he’s great in the box and is very comfortable battling OL. He has good length and big, heavy hands that show up on film as his strength is like a DE not a 237 pound LB. He’s also very agile and bends well for his frame. He had one play where the OL had him dead to right on the goal line and he slipped around him, great bend, and tackled the RB short of the end zone. The OL yelled and slammed his hand on the ground as he was sure he had Trotter blocked. He’s very slippery and if he was two inches taller and one inch longer arms he’d be an incredible EDGE rusher as he’s a natural, bending around the edge of an OL. It’s also why 3-4 OLB is his best fit as he’ll be a very good blitzer as he can win after contact, something most linebackers can’t do. Trotter is one of my sleepers in this LB class as he has high end starter written all over him and likely goes late Day 2/early Day 3 so he’ll be a steal. He shows no weaknesses in run defense as he reads keys very well, stacks and sheds, is elite at slipping blocks, and had great production each of the past two years. He’s a complete LB but for some reason isn’t getting his due. Late 2nd round as my #6 LB 3/29/26.
7. Jake Golday Cincinnati 6’4 ½ 239 Sr. He ran a 4.62 40 (below average), ‘39 vertical (very good), 10’5 broad (elite), 4.34 shuttle (good), 7.02 3 cone (very good), and measured ‘31 ⅞ arms (shorter) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). He’s a JUCO kid (turns 23 in May so a bit older) and had a solid year in ‘24 (58 tackles, 7 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 FF) and then a huge year in ‘25 (105 tackles, 6 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF). On film Jake is a tall, bigger LB (former EDGE) who is one of the most versatile players in the LB class. He played +400 snaps the last two years in the slot due to his outstanding cover skills. That makes his +160 tackles the past two years even more impressive as he was a glorified DB at times. He is a very good but not elite athlete and his change of direction is much better than his pure speed. His change of direction is among the best in this LB class, nowhere close to Kyle Louise’s elite level but up there with anyone else and it’ll make him a very good coverage linebacker. You can see that with his 3 cone time (7.02) which was 5th best in the LB class and especially impressive for him being one of the bigger linebackers at 239. He has great versatility but I like him the most as a 4-3 SLB and one that is utilized in coverage. I’d be curious if he could stick with tight ends in coverage as it’d make a base defense less susceptible to the pass and give it more versatility. He also has some decent film as an EDGE rusher so 3-4 ILB with some blitzing could work. He’s a bigger LB too and very good with OL engaging him so he’d be good in a scheme that doesn’t keep their LBs clean. Jake is very versatile but it makes his evaluation difficult. His run stopping was good but I didn’t see elite instincts on film and he’s slower so he’ll need to be utilized correctly. Also his speed is below average enough that I worry his change of direction won’t translate as his lack of speed will keep him out of coverage. His quicker than fast style works well in man coverage but will a team trust a 4.62 40 LB cover a TE consistently? In zone, he shows good instincts in coverage but he has 0 career INTs so it’s hard to call him a playmaker. He does have a lot of film of sensing a route early and ruining a play for a PBU due to those instincts. Overall I’m a big fan of Golday as his versatility and change of direction are both borderline elite. I worry about his speed and his lack of production as a pass defender but he does a lot of things well and I think he’s a late bloomer who could be a high end starter for a long time. Early 3rd round as my #7 LB 4/13/26.
8. Deontae Lawson Alabama 6’3 226 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ⅞ arms (below average length) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He’s a 5th year senior (turned 23 in February so a bit older) who spent all four years at Alabama. He was a very solid freshman in ‘22 (51 tackles, 2.5 TFL), improved in ‘23 (67 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3 sacks), continued improving in ‘24 (76 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT), and had a similar year in ‘25 (89 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.5 TFL, 2 FF). On film Lawson is tall, lean linebacker with outstanding range and a well rounded, versatile game that is ideal for the modern NFL. As a pure run stopper he’s good not great as his instincts are only solid, he missed some tackles (has poor technique, 17 missed tackles in ‘25) on the film I watched, and he’s not a heavy hitter or elite in the phone booth. Yet he’ll have his fans in GM rooms as he’s fast, versatile, and a good enough inside run stopper that he could play anywhere in a LB corp, in any scheme. 4-3 SLB is probably my preference for him but he could play any spot in a 4-3 and 3-4 ILB would work as well too. He also has an outstanding burst and looks really good on outside runs where his plus speed shows up. In coverage he’s a mixed bag as his athleticism is obvious and he shows great range. He also gets his hands on a lot of balls and had a number of PBUs (12 PBUs the past three years). Unfortunately his hands are very poor and is seen by his 1 career INT as he had a number of dropped INTs on film I saw. He also has questionable instincts in coverage and I don’t see him ever being a playmaker in that phase. He reminds me of Quay Walker as that very good athlete who is extremely versatile but has holes in his game and will never be an elite player. He’ll be a long term starter but maybe just an average starter and that likely will mean he’s overdrafted. His versatility is what is most intriguing to me as he could literally pair with any LB and adjust to any role. I love his range and his versatility but I can’t be too high on a guy who drops easy INTs, misses tackles, had an ACL injury in ‘24, is older, and doesn’t show great instincts vs. the run or pass. I’ll be lower than consensus on him but he’ll be a starter and should be solid, if overdrafted. Early 3rd round as my #8 LB 4/13/26.
9. Taurean York Texas A&M 5’11 226 Sr. He didn’t run but did a 4.48 shuttle (average) with a 7.32 3 cone (bad), and measured ‘30 arms (very short) with ‘8 ½ hands (tiny). He came in absolutely tiny but that’s to be expected. He played all three seasons at Texas A&M and was immediately a stud as a true freshman in ‘23 (74 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FF), had a similar year in ‘24 (82 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT), and another similar year in ‘25 (73 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1 sacks). On film York is a short, small LB with elite instincts, very good tackling ability, and a guy who will always outperform his athletic ability. He’s an easy evaluation as he’s a tiny guy with elite football IQ and he’ll be a playmaker as long as a team keeps him clean. He’s a scheme guy as he has obvious strengths and weaknesses and you will have to scheme around him. If you do, he’ll be a stud. If you don’t, he’ll be a bust. Some teams don’t want to scheme around LBs and I get that but if you have a dominant DL and a stud, athletic LB he’d be an ideal addition to that defense. He lacks the athleticism but he has a similar game to Roquan Smith. He’ll still be 20 on draft day and was an early breakout as his ‘23 stats were outstanding and are comparable to his other seasons. He never had that elite +100 tackle season you’d prefer, and it speaks to his lower ceiling, but he’s a guy that will be near his ceiling as a rookie and could immediately be an impact defender. Roquan is far superior to him athletically so the comp is more style wise but a decent talent comp is Nakobe Dean. Dean was 5’11 231 out of Georgia, with similar athleticism and size concerns, and has been a solid player for the Eagles. I see the same thing with York and would have him as an auto-draft selection in the 4th round, if I were a GM, as he’s a very sure thing who just needs to be utilized correctly. He can’t stack and shed with his T-Rex arms, he won’t have the speed to go sideline to sideline, and he won’t be a pass rusher but his instincts and sure tackling will make him a very valuable player and he’s going to be a steal for someone. His size is more like a SS than LB but he moves like a RB and is extremely agile and quick. He’s also pretty solid at weaving through OL traffic so he doesn’t have to be kept perfectly clean but he can’t ever be a stack and shed type of player and needs that type around him. He will always go around blocks, not through them, and some teams hate that but he’s such a dynamic playmaker I don’t see why you don’t make an exception for this kid. WLB in a 4-3 is probably his best fit but MLB works too and it’s really about teaming him with a bigger, more physical LB that matters the most. It surprises me the NFL still misses out on these freebies every year as he’s going to go on Day 3, be a very good starter for super cheap for 4 years, and earn a second contract. It’s easy money but every GM in the league will pass on him 3-5x before someone finally is smart and takes him. Mid 3rd round as my #9 LB 3/29/26.
10. Harold Perkins LSU 6’1 223 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ⅜ arms (average length) with ‘8 ⅛ hands (tiny, some of the smallest I’ve ever graded). He played all four seasons at LSU where he was a dominant freshman in ‘22 (73 tackles, 14 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 4 FF, 1 INT), had another great year in ‘23 (75 tackles, 13 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 INT), missed almost the entire year in ‘24 (17 tackles in 4 games), and then had a down year in ‘25 (56 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 3 INTs). Perkins is an odd kid as he had two great seasons and was talked about as a possible Top 10 pick, then got hurt, came back and had a good not great year and is now most likely a Day 3 pick? The issue is some people saw him as a pass rusher at the next level despite him being tiny for a LB at 6’1 220. Him switching from EDGE to LB is disappointing but he still has outstanding athleticism and is a versatile playmaker. Unfortunately he’s not a very football smart player and has poor instincts so a 4-3 team would be wise to make him a SLB or WLB with limited responsibilities and utilize him heavily as a blitzer. Ignoring his injury shortened ‘24 season he’s had 21 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 4 FF, and 4 INTs the past two seasons. That is elite production and shows great versatility so I don’t really get why he’s so disliked by the scouting community. He isn’t great in man coverage, as he’s somewhat tightly built and not that agile, but he is a natural playmaker and good with the ball in the air. He also is a big hitter so zone coverage LB makes sense as he can jump routes or lay a hit on a WR. Zone blitzer also makes a ton of sense as a blitz or drop LB fits his style. His closing speed as a blitzer is elite and he has good production after being hit by an OL or RB so he’s a blitzer that can win even if not schemed with a free run. As a run stopper he’s good not great. He lacks instincts and is weak at times at the POA. In space he misses a lot of tackles and doesn’t have good angles to the football. His short area quickness is bad and he’s a very angular player who looks like a star moving forward but struggles laterally. It’s not a good look for him as a LB but I still am very intrigued with his versatility and his splash plays. He has a knack for making plays in the passing game and is very good at jumping routes, reading a QB. It might mean he’s a career nickel LB or only a zone blitz LB but I didn’t see such bad film to make him this pariah by the scouting community. Leo Chenal, Trenton Simpson, and Willie Gay are all recent profiles who had better splash plays than down to down consistency and they’ve worked out relatively well. I think Perkins is a high end blitzer and coverage linebacker and will be solid as a WLB in a 4-3 in other areas. He’ll need to be schemed around a little bit but his splash plays are evident and I expect them to continue in the NFL so I think he’s a steal and being unfairly downgraded by the scouting community. Mid 3rd as my #10 LB 3/29/26. 
11. Red Murdock Buffalo 6’2 232 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 arms (short) with ‘10 ⅜ hands (huge). He played all four seasons at Buffalo, barely played in ‘22 (6 tackles), had a good year in ‘23 (60 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 4 FF), had an incredible year in ‘24 (156 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 7 FF, 1 INT), and then another great year in ‘25 (142 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 6 FF). His 13 FF the past two seasons is the highest two year stretch I’ve ever scouted. His 17 career FF (all in a three season span) is the most in NCAA history (2nd most is Khalil Mack at 16). He was 2nd in the nation in tackles per game (11.8). On film Murdock is a slow, extremely physical linebacker with poor range but is probably the biggest hitter in this class. Some of his highlights make me worried for his opponents health after the play as he just unloads on these kids at a lower level of competition and it’s unfair. He has no coverage ability and won’t be able to work sideline to sideline, so he’ll need to be paired with an extremely athletic LB next to him, but his film in the box is some of the best in the entire class. His 17 career forced fumbles is no accident as he destroys people and is always hunting for the “peanut punch”. He’s extremely slow though, 5.0 40 is not out of the question for him, and isn’t very agile so he’s going to have a very high bust potential. My comp is Vontaze Burfict, as that tightly built, slow LB who is a huge liability in coverage but a big hitter. Burfict had great production in college but ran a god awful 5.09 40 and went undrafted but had a very solid career with even a Pro Bowl on his resume. Murdock is also a big hitter but he’ll have a target on his back and has to be in zone as a head hunter in coverage, or used as a blitzer. He’s solid as a blitzer (9 career sacks) and that could work to keep him on the field, otherwise he’ll be a two down run stopping LB. His hands are gigantic (‘10 ⅜ is huge for a 6’6 OT let alone a 6’2 LB) and also makes his forced fumble stats legitimate. This kid is an odd mix of elite and terrible so he’ll have to be schemed around but I’d roll the dice on a kid with his splash plays. His ‘24 stats are probably among the 5 best LB seasons in the past 20 years in college. He’s one of only 4 LBs the past 6 years with +150 tackles, his 7 FF is the best in the past 20 years, and his 16.5 TFL is just the cherry on top as that’s an elite number for a pass rusher. He was everywhere and I think he could be a star if put in a 3-4 scheme and kept in the box and left as a head hunter in coverage. It’s asking a lot but the tape is special, the stats are special, and he’s one of the biggest hitters I’ve ever seen. Less athletic, more physical Devin Bush is my comp and he was a 1st rounder so he’s worth scheming around and has bust potential but could be a steal for whomever takes him on Day 3. Late 3rd round as my #11 LB 3/29/26.
12. Keyshaun Elliott Arizona State 6’2 231 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ¼ arms (short) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He’s a 4th year senior (turns 23 in December so average age) and began his career at New Mexico in ‘22 (27 tackles, 0.5 TFL), had a huge year in ‘23 (111 tackles, 10 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF), transferred to Arizona State and had a solid year in ‘24 (65 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT), and then had his best year in ‘25 (98 tackles, 14 TFL, 7 sacks). On film Elliott is a smaller, instinctive linebacker who excels as a run stopper. He’s one of the better LBs in this class at slipping OL blocks and is adept at working through the wreckage to the ball carrier in the box. On outside runs you can see his below average speed, especially for his smaller size, and he looks like a 4-3 MLB who will need to have better athletes around him. He’s also not a huge hitter. He is a sure tackler but doesn’t head hunt and I didn’t see many big hits. His 1 career FF speaks to that as he’s more of a wrap up tackler. He also isn’t great in coverage due to his speed and the fact that he’s a little tightly built. His 1 career INT also speaks to that as I didn’t see anything special in coverage. He’s an old school run support LB and that won’t be ideal for every team but he’s outstanding in the box against the run and I see him being a long term starter, albeit possibly in a two down LB role. His instincts are very good, he shows outstanding strength for 230s (takes on OL very well), he’s great at slipping blocks, and he has been a consistent producer for three straight years. He’s a highly polished, low ceiling type but one that I expect to stick. He’ll have to be schemed around and is probably a two down LB but his run support is so good that he should find his niche. Early 4th round as my #12 LB 4/13/26.
13. Bryce Boettcher Oregon 6’1 233 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 ¾ arms (very short), ‘9 hands (small). He played four seasons at Oregon, barely played in ‘22 (2 tackles), was a bit player in ‘23 (37 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF), had a great year in ‘24 (94 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF), and was one of the most productive linebackers in the nation in ‘25 (136 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 1 INT). He was 6th in the nation in tackles last year. On film Bryce is a smaller MLB type with good instincts, below average athleticism, and is a liability in pass coverage. He’s a very good run stopper as he has good instincts, attacks the LOS extremely aggressively, is a sure tackler, and had great production each of the past two seasons. Unfortunately he’s very tightly built and doesn’t change directions well so he’ll struggle in pass coverage and is more of a heat seeking missile than a great linebacker with agility and bend. He’s too small to stack and shed, not agile in space, and will struggle in coverage so he’s a limited guy but what he does, he does well. He has very short arms and doesn’t do well when an OL engages with him. York is smaller than him but much more agile and quick so he works well around OL while Boettcher struggles to avoid OL and also to get off blocks once engaged. It’s a big red flag for me and makes me worried he’ll be a bust. He’s also a good tackler but not a big hitter and his lack of size is worrisome as arguably a two down LB. I value production but he has a lot of low end traits and I worry he’ll be the latest highly productive, overachieving white LB who is a backup/special teamer for a rookie contract and then disappears. He had one great blitz vs. Washington where he looked like he was shot out of a cannon. I was intrigued as if he could be a high end blitzer, it’d cover his coverage issues but it was his only sack last year and he actually was a pretty ineffective blitzer in other film I watched. Also his tackle numbers are a bit overrated as Oregon had 15 games. His tackles per game is “only” 19th in the nation and wouldn’t have been in the Top 20 any of the prior 5 years so it’s arguably not an elite number. A little worrisome as his “elite production” is probably the best thing about his profile. Overall I’m not a big fan of Bryce as he’s undersized and isn’t good at stacking and shedding or an athlete in space. He’s a solid, tough MLB but one that projects as a backup in the NFL and I wouldn’t have him on my draft board. Mid 4th as my #13 LB 3/29/26.

2026 EDGE Rankings

1. David Bailey Texas Tech 6’3 ⅝ 251 Jr. He ran a 4.50 40 (elite), ‘35 vertical (average), 10’9 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ¾ arms (very good length) with ‘10 ¼ hands (very big hands). He’s a redshirt junior (turns 23 in August so normal age) who began at Stanford and was solid as a true freshman in ‘22 (46 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 FF), had another solid year in ‘23 (34 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks), had a similar year in ‘24 (31 tackles, 8 TFL, 7 sacks, 5 FF), and then transferred to Tech and had a monster ‘25 (52 tackles, 19.5 TFL, 14.5 sacks, 3 FF). His 8 FF the past two years is elite and shows on film as he’s extremely physical. On film Bailey is a skinny legged, top heavy pass rusher who uses his long arms, big hands, good technique, and elite speed to be the best pass rusher in college football. When I first watched Bailey I saw him as a one dimensional speed rusher but as I got more into his tape I realized he’s actually a pretty well rounded rusher who is adept at hand fighting and can win with power. His 4.50 40 time fully translates to the field as he consistently gets the edge against OTs. That elite pure speed is even more dangerous as he is arguably the best in the class off the snap and he times it well, plus gets to full speed immediately. He’s a speed rusher for sure but he has nearly ‘34 arms and huge, heavy hands that give him more power than you’d expect at 251 lbs with his underdeveloped lower body. He also has an outstanding spin move which he uses regularly. Finally his hand fighting is probably the best in the class and he rarely stays blocked for long. His ability to win late in a play is outstanding for a speed rusher as those types usually get a quick kill or fail to get to the QB. He’s not a one year wonder, as he had 14.5 sacks the prior 3 years, but he did seem to plateau at Stanford and his ‘25 season was a little surprising as to how dominant he was. He had some poor opponents last year but he also did get 5 sacks vs. his 5 ranked opponents so he had good production against quality OTs (Utah and Oregon being his most talented opponents last year). What’s unequivocally true is that his tape against lesser opponents is the best of any EDGE in this draft, and it’s not close  (Howell a distant second). His sacks vs. Kent State (he shoved the LT 8 yards into the backfield right off the snap!) and Kansas (he beat the LT regularly with speed in the 1st half and then did his spin move going untouched for a quick sack to the inside) are among the best I scouted this draft cycle. He was a beast when an OT wasn’t good. His analytics profile is elite and the best in class as his 20.0% pass rush win rate was 2nd (Tucker) among the Top 30 EDGE prospects and his 19.0% pressure rate was also 2nd (Barham). You could see it on film as he was consistently beating his OT assignment and getting pressures, sacks, FF, or TFL. He was the most impactful EDGE last year in the country and was a key reason for Tech’s success. He had a sideline incident with a camera man that was very concerning as he seemed to have lost it for a few minutes. He also has had some questions about his motor. I noticed it a bit on film but wouldn’t say it was bad, just not an all out motor like a Young or Barham type. Also his pressure rate almost dropped in half against Utah/Oregon/Arizona State when he faced NFL OTs. He still won more than he lost in those matchups but he wasn’t as dominant. Finally his skinny lower body worries me a bit as a run defender at the next level. He got away with it in college with his long arms and heavy hands but in the NFL he might get engulfed at times due to his inability to anchor. I rarely saw him get pancaked so I might be overthinking it but it is a risk. He’s a lean, gangly speed rusher so it’s not the end of the world if he’s only an average run stopper but it is a concern. His physicality is so good for his size though that I’m not worried about him being bullied, just don’t think he’ll ever be able to anchor well and will have to be always in attack mode which will have him running around not through blocks. Overall I am a huge fan of Bailey’s and see him as the only stud pass rusher in this class. He’s multiple tiers ahead of Arvell Reese, my #2 EDGE this year, as he has a much better production profile, wins in a more varied way, and has far superior film. I’m shocked so many people have Reese over Bailey as I never considered it very close. Bailey’s speed is elite and, unlike Reese, he actually knows how to use it and will probably be the favorite for DROY. His solid but not great production till ‘25, his slightly advanced age, and his skinnier frame (especially his lower body) barely keep him out of a Top 5 great but I expect him to be a high end pass rusher from Day 1 and easily EDGE1 for the 2026 draft. Top 10 as my #1 EDGE 4/11/26.
2. Arvell Reese Ohio State 6’4 ⅛ 241 Soph He ran a 4.46 40 (elite) and measured ‘32 ½ arms (below average) with ‘9 ½ hands (below average). He’s a redshirt sophomore/early declare and doesn’t turn 21 till August so he’s one of the youngest prospects in this draft. He redshirted ‘23, was solid in ‘24 as an off-ball LB (43 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks) and then worked more as a pass rusher in ‘25 (69 tackles, 10 TFL, 6.5 sacks). His sack production (7 career sacks) is atrocious for a Top 10 pick, even when accounting for his position conversion. On film Reese is an uber athletic LB/DE tweener in the Abdul Carter mold. Carter had a more EDGE look to him while Reese is skinnier and isn’t as long (Carter with ‘33 arms, Reese ‘32 ½, Reese 9 lbs lighter than Carter) but both are ridiculous specimens being drafted on traits/potential vs. production. I’m okay with that as Reese has all the traits of a future star, the question being whether it’s at LB or EDGE. He’s so much smaller than Carter that I’d be worried about him as a 4-3 DE. I think 3-4 OLB is his best fit but would really consider 4-3 SLB if a 4-3 team drafted him as he wouldn’t be able to hold up as a true DE. That might hurt his value as off ball LB is a far less valuable position than EDGE but 3-4 teams will be salivating for him. His speed is elite as his 4.46 40 translates. He’s a great blitzer and most of his big plays came as a blitzer from off-ball LB. It shows his talent in that area but it’s a huge red flag if considering him as an EDGE. 4.5 of his 6.5 sacks came as an off-ball blitzer where he either faced the guard or was unblocked to the QB. His best sack of his career is vs. Illinois when he steamrolled the RT. It was an amazing play but I was shocked to realize it was one of only 2 sacks he had when lined up outside. I heard everyone talk about how he’s a superstar pass rusher but where are those reps? He has elite speed but I only saw one sack (‘25 Penn State) where he had a sack from speed off the EDGE. 1 career sack and we’re just projecting everything else? He has elite traits as he’s not just fast but he’s agile and quick. He also has rare strength for his size and he flashed that power by sometimes beating OTs who were 60-80 lbs heavier than him. The kid is a physical freak and still only 20 so I get the high ceiling but I’m surprised he’s been mocked as the 2nd Overall pick with a career high of 6.5 sacks, career total of 7 sacks, and almost no film of him you know rushing the passer. I don’t like him as a 4-3 DE and would have him as an off-ball LB. In a 3-4 I could be talked into him as a 3-4 OLB but 3-4 ILB, with regularly blitzing duties, might be his best bet. In almost all of these scenarios, he’d have to be a star off-ball LB to make it worth his draft capital. Sonny Styles was clearly the superior player last year in almost every facet. Styles is far better when the run is at him, a little better when the run is away from him, is better in coverage, and has much better instincts. Reese in coverage has potential, as his change of direction is outstanding, but he doesn’t instinctively understand route concepts and doesn’t show any ballhawk skills (2 PBUs, 0 INTs in two seasons). He won’t be a liability but he also won’t be a playmaker. I don’t want to be too low on this kid due to his rare traits but he is such a projection, I worry he’ll be considered a bust if/when he starts slow. The best way to play him is as a 3-4 LB and rotate him between ILB and OLB so he can gain reps as a pass rusher while still making an impact at ILB where he’ll be most effective day 1. If he goes to a 4-3 team and they line him up as a pure rusher immediately, I think the results will be very bad. Overall I love Reese’s traits but think he’s a huge projection and am shocked he’s in everyone’s Top 5. His ceiling is extremely high but that’s off once every few games splash plays while the down to down play of Reese is good not great. His highest floor is as an off-ball LB, but his mediocre instincts make me think he’ll never be elite at that spot, and as an EDGE he’s more of an idea than an actual prospect. My comp is rich man’s Chop Robinson as that elite athlete people want to talk into being a superstar. He’s even toolsier than Chop was but it wouldn’t surprise me if this kid got a GM fired when they stupidly take him in the Top 5. Late 1st as my #2 EDGE who is one of the most overrated prospects in this draft 4/8/26.
3. Zion Young Missouri 6’6 262 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 arms (average length) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). He started his career at Michigan State and was okay as a freshman in ‘22 (21 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack), improved in ‘23 (26 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), transferred to Missouri and had a good year in ‘24 (42 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF), and then his best year in ‘25 (42 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 FFs). On film Young is a tall, extremely physical 4-3 SDE who excels more as a run stopper than pass rusher. Everyone is obsessed with Keldric Faulk’s ability as a run stopper, especially at the POA, but I see Young’s film as superior. He just turned 22 years old, so he’s not an old prospect, and his pure strength is the best in this EDGE class. Watch the ‘25 Alabama film and he stacked and shed both of their huge tackles, including future first rounder +350 lbs Kadyn Proctor. He’s also MUCH more agile and bends better than Faulk and I could actually see him develop into a decent pass rusher. It’s somewhat based on potential, as 10.5 sacks the past three seasons is poor production, but his film shows he’s quick, agile, has good length, and elite strength. He lacks good speed or elite overall athleticism but his combination of power, quickness, and bend make me think he’ll be a decent pass rusher. He’s your 4-3 SDE who is dominant against the run and solid against the pass. I saw a comp to Michael Bennett and think that’s very solid. My comp is an old one but I see Greg Ellis, who also was 6’6 265 and excelled as a run stopper. He’ll get you 8-10 sacks a year, be dominant against the run, and be a 10 year starter at a high value position. He’s not an elite sack artist, like everyone is looking for, but he’ll be the perfect #2 rusher across from one and I love the edge this kid gives a defense. His power is elite and he’s up there with Bain as the most physically intimidating player in this EDGE class, something that might get him drafted much earlier than people expect. The risk is he’s Jermaine Johnson 2.0 a big, physical guy who couldn’t ever become a quality pass rusher. I see a much more fluid athlete here than Johnson, but it’s the risk. Young’s closing ability in the open field is also very impressive. His rush film was good so it’s surprising he only had 6.5 sacks last year. Also his 10 TFL, excluding sacks, is among the best in the class and speaks to his elite run stopping ability. Overall I’m a huge fan of Young’s and think he’s one of the best pass rushers in this class. He has a lower ceiling than the top guys but one of the higher floors of any rusher and I see him as a far superior prospect than Keldric Faulk. He’s the best run stopper in the class but also has good pass rush film and the traits to be a quality #2 pass rusher. Late 1st as my #3 EDGE 4/5/26.
4. Gabe Jacas Illinois 6’4 260 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 arms (average) with ‘10 hands (big). He ran a 4.69 40 which is solid for his bigger size. He played all four years at Illinois (turns 22 in May after the draft so he’s a young 4th year senior). He was immediately effective as a true freshman in ‘22 (35 tackles, 5 TFL, 4 sacks), had a similar year in ‘23 (31 tackles, 4 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF), had a great year in ‘24 (74 tackles, 13 TFL, 8 sacks, 3 FF), and then another great year in ‘25 (43 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 11 sacks, 3 FF). His two year span of 117 tackles, 26.5 TFL, 19 sacks, and 6 FFs is elite production and comparable to some Top 10 draft picks of recent years (Hutchinson had 62 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 14 sacks, 2 FF in his final year, Will Anderson had 51 tackles, 17 TFL, 10 sacks, 0 FF in his final year, etc.). On film Jacas is a full sized 4-3 DE with good quickness, bend, length, and strength but one who lacks any elite traits. If he has one elite trait, it’s his heavy hands as he is very powerful with them and it’s not surprising he has 6 FFs the last two years and a special 74 tackle season as he beats up OL with his mitts. I’m surprised he’s not liked more by the scouting community as he put up two straight seasons of Top 15 pick type production and his traits aren’t elite but he has no real holes. He has a solid burst, good length, good bend, outstanding strength, elite production, and has been a playmaker for Illinois since his freshman year. I’m not really understanding why Jacas isn’t in the late 1st round mix, especially with DE being a high value position. He’s definitely quicker than fast as his pure speed in the open field isn’t great. Yet his lateral agility is outstanding and he bends and changes direction very well for a full sized DE. I think he has the versatility to play SDE or WDE. At WDE, and prioritizing pass rush, he should stay in the low 260s. At the Senior Bowl he was 270, and it looked good on him as he had a very good week of 1x1s vs. NFL OTs. He could easily play at 275 if a team prioritized him as a run stopper as a 4-3 SDE. He’s a slippery player who doesn’t stay blocked long. He has a good stack and shed with his heavy hands and good arm length but mixes it up with a rip move and is a hard player for OTs. He and Zion Young are two guys who will be steals if they go on Day 2, as expected, as they both project as high floor, long term starters and guys I think are being underrated as future pass rushers. His 14.5 % pass rush win rate was 13th out of the top 30 EDGE prospects so average. That’s not terrible though as this guy is also an outstanding run stopper and that’s the role I envision him in. He’ll be perfect as a 4-3 SDE in a one gap scheme or a 4-3 WDE in a two gap scheme where they want both DEs to prioritize the run first before turning into a pass rusher on a play. For that scheme, he’s ideal as he can stack and shed, has heavy hands, and is that combo rusher of speed to power or power to speed that wins but often takes a little bit longer on his wins. In the end he barely didn’t make the 1st round cut but I’m a huge fan of this kid and think he’s being slept on. Early 2nd round as my #4 EDGE who is a well rounded 4-3 DE with elite production and no holes. High floor, medium ceiling starter at a high value position who probably goes a round later than he should 4/5/26.
5. Cashius Howell Texas A&M 6’2 ½ 253 Sr. He ran a 4.59 40 (elite), ‘32 ½ vertical (bad), 9’7 broad (below average), and measured ‘30 ¼ arms (extremely short, historically 1% short) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He’s a 5th year senior so he’s older but not dramatically (turns 23 right before the draft). He began at Bowling Green but barely played in ‘21, was a bit player in ‘22 (22 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 sacks), became a playmaker in ‘23 (28 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 1 FF), transferred to Texas A&M and was their best pass rusher despite being a backup to Stewart and Scourton in ‘24 (40 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT), and then had his best year as a sack artist in ‘25 (31 tackles, 14 TFL, 11.5 sacks, 1 FF). On film Howell is a smaller, very short armed player with an elite burst and bend who will have to overcome his size/length issues with that rare athleticism. His tape is among the best of any EDGE in this class as he consistently wins the edge with his speed and has this mini-step or jump step he uses which sneaks past an OL and completely wins the rep. He’s a very smart rusher who understands angles and is extremely slippery. His pure speed is good not great but his short area burst, quickness, and bend are all elite. His 19.7% pass rush win rate is 3rd in the class (Tucker/Bailey) and his 19.0% pressure rate is 2nd in the class (Barham) so it’s not hard to argue that analytically he was the best pass rusher in the nation last year. Yes Bailey had 3 more sacks but played in more games and had a much easier schedule (ESPN mid-season SOS ranking had A&M 15th, Tech 58th). The issue with Howell is his arm length and overall frame. His ‘30 ¼ arms are so short they are technically 0% stats as they are the shortest on record and the database had to expand for him. It’s a very scary arm length. You can also see it affect him at times in his play. His best game was probably LSU. It was only his 3rd highest single game sack total (Utah State/Mississippi State) but it was a big game, he dominated both OTs, and he trash talked them and intimidated them throughout. On the other side though is the ‘25 Texas game, which was his worst, as he faced a very high end future NFL LT in Trevor Goosby and was neutralized. In the middle was the ‘25 Miami game where he again faced a future starting OT in Francis Mauigoa but had an okay game, small win for Francis IMO, as he got a pressure, did well vs. the run, and had a few pass rush wins but largely was neutralized. I think that’s going to be Howell in a nut shell. He’ll struggle against top OTs, due to his smaller frame and terrible length, but put him in an advantageous matchup and look out. The kid has too many elite traits to throw him away due to one terrible trait. He’ll be a matchup rusher but when he has a poor opponent, he’ll dominate and that can be seen throughout his film in college. He also has very good agility and could be a 3-4 OLB. I’d leave him as a 4-3 WDE but he has versatility. I get why some are very down on him as he maybe will be a pass rush specialist and he will very likely be neutralized against top tackles but dominant pass rushers are worth $40 mil a year and he’ll be dominant against certain tackles. Inconsistently great is still highly valuable for teams. It’s hard to clearly quantify that value but I’d still be very comfortable taking him with a Top 50 pick as I think his elite burst and bend will translate and make him a dangerous player to defend. Later career Von Miller is not a bad comp to what his style is and what his future role will be in the NFL. Early 2nd round as my #5 EDGE 4/4/26.
6. Jaishawn Barham Michigan 6’3 ½ 240 Jr. He ran a 4.64 40 (average), ‘33 vertical (bad), 10’3 broad (average), and measured ‘32 ⅜ arms (below average length) with ‘10 ¼ hands (big). He started his career at Maryland and was immediately a stud in ‘22 (58 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF), had a similar year in ‘23 (37 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 INT), transferred to Michigan and was more of an off-ball LB in ‘24 (66 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack), and then had his best season in ‘25 with more pass rush opportunity (32 tackles, 10 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF). On film Barham is a good sized LB/DE tweener in the Jalon Walker style who is fast, strong, and athletic. He’s an extremely versatile defender but that appears to have hurt his draft stock as he’s flying a little under the radar as teams aren’t really sure if he’s a LB or EDGE. 3-4 OLB probably would be his best role if given one position only but I really like him as both ala Micah Parsons his rookie year or Abdul Carter with the Giants. As a LB he’s a bigger guy who works best in the phone booth so 3-4 ILB is also an option for NFL teams. He isn’t great sideline to sideline and his instincts are solid but nothing special. For those reasons, I wouldn’t make him a 3-4 ILB unless a team blitzed that position regularly as his film is better as a rusher than an off ball LB. 4-3 SLB also would be interesting as he stacks and sheds at the POA well and could rush. An Anthony Barr role would be very good for him. As an EDGE he’s undersized but I didn’t really notice it on film as he’s so physical that he plays bigger than his 240 weight. 4-3 WDE would be an option but he’d probably have to be in a rotation as he probably would tire out as a full time DE at his weight. His EDGE film in ‘25 was outstanding and I first noticed him in the ‘25 USC game while scouting Derrick Hall as he kept popping on film as the opposite EDGE. He’s very agile for a DE and seems to give OTs trouble with getting their hands on him. As a pure rusher, he has more film and better film than Jalon Walker. Walker was a little more physical, in both positions, but I was always underwhelmed by him as a pure rusher. Barham bends better, is a more fluid athlete, and seems to have a better burst. It all speaks to Barham being underrated as I see him as a better Jalon Walker and he went mid 1st while Barham has Late Round 3 grades right now. He’d be ideal in a Seahawks type system where they try for “block destruction” meaning you don’t just stack and shed a block but blow the blocker back ruining not one but two gaps and moving the LOS backwards. Barham’s film is littered with that kind of play. He’s a tough guy to value due to his versatility/tweener status but I see such high film from him as a pure EDGE that I’d have no issue with him going in the Top 50 picks. 3-4 OLB, 4-3 SLB, or 3-4 ILB are all possibilities but he could also gain 10 lbs and be a smaller 4-3 WDE in a wide 9. His analytics profile is borderline elite as his 14.4% pass rush win rate is good but his 19.3% pressure rate is elite (best in class, 2nd is Bailey at 19.0%). There’s too much elite tape here for me to be too concerned with the tweener label as I think he’ll be a high end playmaker in any of a number of roles given to him. For the record, 4-3 SLB as an Anthony Barr role would be the easiest projection for him, with 3-4 OLB and 4-3 WDE probably being his highest upside positions, 3-4 ILB being my least favorite (lowest ceiling, preferred his EDGE tape to LB tape). Early 2nd round as my #6 EDGE 4/5/26.
7. Dani Dennis-Sutton Penn State 6’5 ⅝ 256 Sr. He ran a 4.63 40 (very good), ‘39 ½ vertical (elite), 10’11 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ½ arms (good length) with ‘10 ⅛ hands (big). He played all four seasons at Penn State and was a playmaker as a true freshman in ‘22 (17 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 INT), improved in ‘23 (26 tackles, 6 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF), had a huge year in ‘24 (42 tackles, 13 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT), and an eerily similar year in ‘25 (42 tackles, 12 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 3 FF). On film Dani is a big framed, long DE with good strength, good bend, and good athleticism. His bend in particular stood out to me as he’s an agile guy for 6’5 256. He’s that prospect who checks all the boxes and it gives him a very high floor. He’s long, strong, productive, and athletic so it’s surprising he’s not getting more love from the scouting community. As a pass rusher his 16.2% pass rush win rate is 9th out of the top 30 EDGEs in this class and he consistently gets pressure. Also a number of the guys higher than him are much smaller and more pass rush specific while he’s a full sized 4-3 DE who can stack and shed and had back to back +40 tackle production in a Power 4 conference. He fits best in a 4-3 but he had 2 INTs in his career and is pretty agile so he could play in a 3-4. In a 4-3, his best fit is as a WDE but he won’t be an elite sack artist so it’d be preferable if he went to a team that wanted run containment from their WDE, not a wide 9 “pure pressure” team. His Combine was elite but he isn’t quite that athlete. He doesn’t show 4.63 40 speed on film and is more agile than explosive. I like his film and love his floor, as he checks all the boxes, but he’s either a late bloomer or his tools aren’t quite up to his Combine measurements. He projects as an above average starting DE who can stack and shed and get you 8-10 sacks a year as a #2 pass rusher. It’s not an extremely high ceiling but it still sets him up as a steal this draft as he’s currently projected to go in the 3rd round which is far too low for this well rounded DE. Mid 2nd round as my #7 EDGE 4/4/26.
8. Akheem Mesidor Miami 6’3 259 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 ⅛ arms (short) with ‘10 hands (big). He’s a 6th year senior so he’s one of the oldest prospects in this class (turned 25 a few days before the draft). He started at West Virginia and was solid in ‘20 (32 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 5 sacks) and ‘21 (38 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks), transferred to Miami and was good in ‘22 (38 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 FF), redshirted in ‘23 due to injury (only played in 3 games), had another solid but not great year in ‘24 (32 tackles, 9 TFL, 5.5 sacks), and then exploded in ‘25 (63 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 12.5 sacks, 4 FFs). He’s a huge red flag as a one year wonder and only when he was in his 6th year as a 24 year old. On film he’s good framed 4-3 DE with a great combination of burst, power, and hand fighting. He moved around the DL throughout his career and at times was more of a DT than DE so it’s surprising that a guy with limited time as a pure EDGE rusher is so technically sound. Mesidor always looked like the better rusher vs. Bain whenever I watched Miami as he’s a very agile athlete. He looks longer on film, I was surprised by his only ‘32 ⅛ arms, as he gets off the snap quickly and often long arms OTs in his power rush. He has some outstanding reps at DT so I expect a lot of teams to move him around the DL and put him at DT at times on passing downs. 4-3 SDE as a run stopper and 4-3 DT as a pass rusher would make sense but he’s the rare guy that can really rush well from either spot and moving him inside isn’t a necessity. His agility in the kill zone and when running the hoop is outstanding for 260 lbs. His analytics are solid but underwhelming as his 14.5% pass rush win rate was 13th out of the Top 30 prospects, hardly elite for a guy expected to go in the 1st round. Add in his advanced age and his mediocre production till ‘25 and he has a lot of red flags. The highlights are outstanding as he flashes elite talent at times. Considering he was a 280 lb DT/DE “DL” tweener till last year, there is an argument that he was just in the wrong position and shouldn’t be discounted as a one year wonder. It’s a lot of red flags though for a 1st rounder and it makes me lower than consensus on him. His frame is somewhat narrow, surprising for a DT convert, and he sometimes gets engulfed in the run game. He’s not an elite run stopper and I’d be fine with him at 4-3 SDE but 4-3 WDE might be a better fit. He’s quick and agile but isn’t an elite athlete and is more of a technician than athlete in how he attacks OL. Miami raved about his work ethic and the amount of effort he put into transforming his body from a DT to DE. He trips a lot on his rushes and doesn’t have good contact balance. You can see it in the run game as he ends on the ground too often but also as a pass rusher, he can get stoned easier than I like. I love his flashes but his down to down consistency isn’t there and does match his average PFF grades as a rusher. The hope is that he’s just tapping into his potential, as a new DE, and he’ll keep polishing his game and become even better. I have a problem with that for a 25 year old prospect though and consider Mesidor a bit overrated. It wouldn’t shock me if he went in the 1st round and had a number of Pro Bowls in his career but I see him more as a #2 rusher and his inside rush is my favorite part of his game. He lacks elite athleticism, is a one year wonder, has short arms, has a narrow frame that limits him as a run stopper, and he’s 25. I think people are falling in love with highlights and don’t realize how poor the ROI is if you draft this man in the 1st round. Mid 2nd as my #8 EDGE who is very talented but overrated by the scouting community as they are ignoring a lot of red flags 4/8/26.
9. Rueben Bain Jr. Miami 6’2 ¼ 263 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 ⅞ arms (extremely short, around the 1% mark historically for an EDGE) with ‘9 ⅛ hands (very small, shocking too as he’s very heavy handed). His wingspan is 77 ⅜ which is 10th percentile, and that’s still bad but not ‘30 ⅞ arm length which is 1% and atrocious. He’s a true junior and played all three seasons at Miami (turns 22 in September so he’s a slightly older early declare). He had a great year as a true freshman in ‘23 (44 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 3 FFs), had a down year in ‘24 due to injuries (23 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks), and then a bounce back ‘25 (54 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT). On film Bain is a shorter, extremely thick 4-3 DE with terrible arm length and poor speed but good bend, great hand fighting, and elite power. He’s been one of the most talked about prospects in this draft as his film is very good, I’d argue against calling it elite, and he was one of the top players on Miami’s team last year which almost won a national championship but there are a lot of red flags to sort through. His arm length is worrisome but it’s hardly his only red flag as he never had a double digit sack season, he has poor speed, his pressure rate of 13.6% is 11th among the Top 30 EDGE prospects, his body type of short and thick is rarely seen for EDGE rushers, and his arm length and hand size are both very poor. That’s a lot to dismiss for a guy that is considered a sure-fire Top 10 pick, maybe Top 5. I’ve never seen Bain as a blue chip player. He moves much more like a DT than a DE and almost never wins the edge on OTs. What I love about Bain though is his hand fighting, which I almost never hear anyone talk about, and his physicality. He tries to blow up blockers and is very slippery. He’s effortlessly getting off blocks and that will translate to the NFL. Notice his pass rush win rate (19.9%) is 3rd best in class but is 6% higher than his pressure rate which is good not great at 13.6%, 11th. It speaks to his game as he beats blocks but doesn’t have the athleticism to get sacks. Also his 9.5 sacks last year are very flukey. It came in 16 games and his 3 sack performance vs. A&M is the only reason he even sniffed double digits. Those sacks were not great plays by Bain but coverage sacks or late in the play sacks and I did not think his A&M game was more than good (was regularly hyped as an incredible performance). Watch his ‘25 Ole Miss film: he spends almost the entire game outside and is a very good run stopper and is relatively disruptive but rarely wins the edge. Then there are like 3 reps inside and he’s destroying people. He pancakes the center on one rep with a right swing (I guess it’s technically a swim move but it really was just a right hook) and it was unequivocally his best play of the game. That is how he can be a star so it’ll be extremely important to see where he goes and how they line him up. He just isn’t a good enough athlete to win consistently outside so if a team sees him as a star, it’s him being a disruptive Jadeveon Clowney type on early downs at DE and then moving him inside to DT. Without a move inside, he won’t be a star. I left him at EDGE because he’s such a high profile player and few people have him moving inside but as an EDGE he’s not a 1st rounder on my board. As a one gap DT, I’d be intrigued, but still his body type is already very thick in the 260s so I’m not sure how much more weight his frame can really gain. He’d probably be a 6’2 280 DT but one with outstanding physicality and great technique. He shrugs off blockers probably better than any DL in this class and inside his bend, quickness, and strength would work better than outside where his poor length allow OTs to get him stoned too frequently. I’m not saying he’ll be a bust as an EDGE as there are a few outliers like him who have made it work with his kind of frame/game (Brandon Graham is a good comp, James Harrison also is reasonable). Yet how can someone put a Top 5 grade on an outlier? He’s vastly overrated as he’s a tweener type who didn’t have elite production in college. 13x the past two years he went sackless in a game (12x he had a sack) and that 50/50 proposition is just not impressive. I like him as a 4-3 SDE who is a run stopper/disruptor on run downs and a DT on passing downs. It’s intriguing but nowhere near worth the price he’ll cost a team as I consider him one of the most overrated prospects in this draft. Mid 2nd round as my #9 EDGE 4/5/26.
10. Malachi Lawrence UCF 6’4 253 Sr. He ran a 4.52 40 (elite), ‘40 vertical (elite), 10’10 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ⅝ arms (good length) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He’s a true senior (turns 23 in July so a little older prospect) and spent all four years at UCF. He barely played in ‘22 (2 tackles), had a very good year in ‘23 (27 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 7 sacks), a down year in ‘24 (15 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF), and then his best year in ‘25 (28 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 FF). His ‘23 and ‘25 were solid production but overall it’s not great for a four year player, especially the tackles as it’s a red flag showing he’s probably soft against the run. On film Lawrence is a big framed, tightly built 4-3 DE with great explosiveness and athleticism but very inconsistent film. He has some spectacular splash plays where he shows off his very good athleticism and physicality. It’s an impressive highlight reel but then you put on his game tape and he’s invisible far too often. His analytics profile is solid with a 15.6% pass rush win rate (11th among the Top 30 EDGE Prospects) and a 13.6% pressure rate (also 11th). His best game was vs. Baylor where he was everywhere with 7 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF (all career highs). It was an amazing game by him but it confuses me as to why he was invisible so often in other games. He’s more explosive than fluid and doesn’t have great bend or agility. I’d bulk him up as he’ll never be a great speed rusher with his tightness but if he could be at 265 he’d be intriguing. 6’4 265 with good length and explosiveness is a starting DE. He’s a long, gangly, explosive athlete and I think he’d play much better at 265 with his frame. He doesn’t have good football IQ and seems a second late to most plays. It’s not the end of the world for a DE not being instinctive but it also makes me think 3-4 OLB isn’t a good fit for him. He’s fast but he isn’t 4.52 40 fast and his elite Combine (9.90 RAS Score) doesn’t fully translate. He has one “Excel filter stat” that is very intriguing. He’s one of only 4 players with a sack rate of +4.0% and a RAS Score of +9.89 joining Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and Montez Sweat. That’s special company but again I don’t see him playing up to those Combine measurements while the other three showed more on the field. His run defense is very worrisome for me. His teammate on the other DE spot Nyjalik Kelly had 99 tackles the past two seasons while Lawrence only had 43. Career highs of 7 sacks and 28 tackles are both low numbers but especially the 28 tackles. He has the size and arm length to be a good stack and shed player but I saw no evidence of that on film. It also matches his pass rush reps as he struggles to get off blocks once he’s engaged. His athleticism and power stand out but he has no real hand fighting ability and stays blocked far too long for my taste. Add in his poor instincts and I think he’s just a lower IQ player and probably will never have the polish the technician pass rusher types have. He’s been a late climber in this draft cycle, and I get the hype a little bit due to his measurables but his film isn’t very good and I see him as more of an athlete than football player. He has starter traits and maybe can develop down the road but I do not see him as one of the top rushers in this class and am surprised he’s getting first round buzz. He’ll be an inconsistent #2 rusher for a team and overdrafted if he goes in the 1st round. Late 2nd as my #10 EDGE 4/11/26.
11. Keldric Faulk Auburn 6’5 ⅞ 276 Jr. He didn’t run but had a ‘35 vertical (good), 9’9 broad (average), and measured ‘34 ⅜ arms (very long) with ‘9 ⅞ hands (average). He played all three years at Auburn and was solid as a true freshman in ‘23 (35 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack), had a great year in ‘24 (45 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 FF), and then a down year in ‘25 (29 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks). He’s an early breakout, true junior, who doesn’t turn 21 till early in his rookie year and is one of the youngest prospects in this draft. On film Keldric is a long, huge DE with poor speed and average overall athleticism but elite strength which he utilizes to be the best run stopping DE in this class. The question is whether he’s really a DT not an EDGE at all, and I’m very open to the transition inside. He’s already in the 270s but still looks skinny so he might get up to 290 even if a team leaves him at DE as that does seem like his future. At DT he could be in the 300s effortlessly and 6’6 310 with ‘34 arms and ‘10 hands is very enticing to me. He’s outstanding at stacking and shedding so he’s either going to be a dominant run stopping 4-3 SDE or a 4-3 DT. In the latter role, he might get a pass rush boost but it’s a bit of a projection. Auburn played him more like a 5 technique than a 3 technique when he played inside so he doesn’t have a ton of snaps as a true DT. He has a few, the OU game he was pass rushing at DT a bit, but he doesn’t look amazing as a rusher inside either. He’s just more of a run stopper than a pass rusher and lacks the bend, quickness, or burst to really dominate in either spot as a rusher. As a run stopper, he’s special and it’s highly likely that he’ll be one of the better run stopping EDGE in the league. He’s also much stronger and more consistent than Tyree Wilson, who went in the Top 5 and is a decent comp. Mykel Williams is also a decent comp as all are long armed, big framed run stoppers with questionable athleticism and pass rush productivity. Wilson/Williams both went in the Top 11 picks so Faulk will be drafted very highly but the NFL values these guys more than I do. I like Faulk’s tape but I could see him average 5 sacks a year at DE and that’s just not worth a high end pick. After watching a lot of tape, I left him at DE, as I don’t see elite pass rusher inside either. He’ll be that 4-3 SDE in run downs, DT in passing downs, and be a very good player but elite run stopper and below average pass rusher isn’t a profile I seek and will be comfortable being lower than consensus on Faulk. His pass rush win rate of 10.3% is half the efficiency rating of Bailey/Howell around 20% and ranks 27th out of the Top 30 pass rushers. It’s not hard to argue he’s one of the worst pass rushers in this class so 2 down DL might actually be his long term role. Mykel Williams at least showed good bend and quickness so I thought pass rush might come down the road for him. With Faulk it just isn’t there and only his extremely young age prevents me from saying he for sure will never be a pass rusher at the next level. Overall I’m not a fan of Faulk except as an elite run stopper and think he’s highly overrated by the scouting community. His pass rush isn’t mediocre, it’s terrible, and you don’t take guys like him in the first round. Shemar Stewart, Tyree Wilson, Lukas Van Ness are all recent examples of elite size/length guys with no pass rush production in college who were overdrafted in the first round. Faulk will be the next. Late 2nd round as my #11 EDGE 4/4/26.
12. TJ Parker Clemson 6’3 ⅝ 263 Sr. He ran a 4.68 40 (average), ‘34 vertical (below average), 10’0 broad (average), and measured ‘33 ⅛ arms (average length) with ‘9 ½ hands (small). He was a 4 star recruit (#6 DL in the country, Top 50 recruit overall). He played all three seasons at Clemson (21 ½ on draft day so a younger prospect) and immediately was good in ‘23 (32 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks), had a great year in ‘24 (57 tackles, 19.5 TFL, 11 sacks, 6 FF), and then a down year in ‘25 (37 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 5 sacks). His 6 FFs in ‘24, with 0 the other two seasons, is an odd stat but historic level production (2nd in the nation that year, would have been 1st in any of the prior 4 years). On film Parker is a top heavy, tightly built player with poor speed and quickness but good length and strength along with elite production. After seeing his ‘24 production I was expecting elite film but it’s not really anything special. He’s very tight and struggles to bend or move laterally. His hand fighting though is good and he’s very heavy handed to go with solid length so he’s more of a battler type EDGE than a speedster or bendy athlete type. Tuli Tuipulotu is a decent comp as that 6’3 265 lb tightly built edge with good battling skills. I was low on him coming out a few years ago and he just had a 13 sack season in ‘25 for the Chargers so this type can be successful at the next level. My issue is that he’s coming off a down year, though all of Clemson players are coming off a down year, his stats from ‘24 seem inflated (0 FF in two seasons/6 in ‘24, 5-5.5 sacks in two seasons/11 in ‘24), and his ‘24 Georgia film was atrocious. He got his ass kicked all game long and it worries me that he’s a guy who just exploited non-NFL caliber OL. His 16 sacks the past two seasons came in only 10 games with 0 sacks in the remaining 16 games so he clumps them together. He has a good long arm and uses it well. His style is not flashy and he has a lot of later in the play sacks, due to his battling style, but he’s effective, young, and I think he’ll be a low end starter. Tuli is my comp but Jonah Elliss is a decent comp as well. A full framed 4-3 DE with heavy hands and good battling ability is basically the template. I’ve been much lower on these types in prior years but their hit rate is actually very solid, probably due to the high technique ability which allows them to translate quicker to the pros, and am giving him a higher grade than my film review would normally warrant. Late 2nd round as my #12 EDGE 4/4/26.
13. Romello Height Texas Tech 6’2 ¾ 239 Sr. He ran a 4.64 40 (very good), ‘39 vertical (elite), 10’5 broad (good), and measured ‘32 ¼ arms (average length) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). He’s a 5th year senior so he’s older (turned 24 right before the draft). He started at Auburn but barely played in ‘20, was a bit player in ‘21 (19 tackles, 3 TFL), missed the entire ‘22 season (shoulder injury), transferred to USC and had a solid year in ‘23 (20 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks), transferred again to Georgia Tech and improved in ‘24 (34 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 FF), and transferred again in ‘25 for his best year with Texas Tech (38 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 10 sacks, 2 FF). He’s the new era of college football as he played for four schools over 6 years and his only great year was when he was 23 years old, beating up on 18 year olds. Huge red flag but the Combine was very good to great and his film is outstanding. On film he’s a shorter, smaller 3-4 OLB type pass rusher with good bend, technique, and an outstanding burst to the ball. He’s predominantly a speed rusher but does it in an unorthodox way with bend and hand fighting more than an immediate burst off the ball. He’s probably a third tier EDGE prospect, and understandable due to his age and poor production till his final year, but he has one of the best burst and is one of the best closers in the kill zone of anyone in the entire class. He’s also strong for his size and he plays much tougher than 239 lbs would indicate. His 4 FFs the past two years is a borderline elite number and speaks to the physicality in his game. 3-4 OLB is obviously his best fit but 4-3 WDE could work due to that higher physicality than expected. Unfortunately his run stopping numbers are mediocre (only 1.5 TFL not related to sacks, 38 tackles is a good not great tackling number) so there’s a very real possibility his role will be as a designated pass rusher off the bend. He had a great Senior Bowl, especially in the 1x1s, and showed one of the most extensive pass rush repertoires of any EDGE in this class. He wins with speed but that sets up a nice spin move inside or a power move/long arm which he surprises people with due to rare strength for his size. I’m a big fan of his and think he’s the rare EDGE after Round 2 that I’d be very interested in. To me EDGE, QB, and LT are three positions you don’t want to take deeper than the first 50 picks because you either have the talent to play that high value position or you don’t. There’s little value in an EDGE with no pass rush, just put a DT out there, or a LT or QB that isn’t top notch. Height is the rare case as at worst he’ll be a good pass rush specialist but he’s so damn strong I think he’ll be a starter. His pass rush win rate of 17.1% is 8th best out of the Top 30 EDGEs in this class and he is highly unlikely to go in the Top 10-12 EDGEs. His age, smaller size, and late breakout all are red flags but his film is great, his production last year was very good, his Combine was elite, and his analytics are very good. He’s the rare guy I’d roll the dice on in Round 3 as I think he surprises and becomes a starter not a pass rush specialist off the bench. Early 3rd round as my #13 EDGE 4/4/26.
14. Nadame Tucker Western Michigan 6’1 ⅞ 247 Sr. He ran a 4.73 40 (below average), ‘33 ½ vertical (bad), 9’11 broad (average), and measured ‘31 ⅜ arms (short) with ‘9 hands (small). He started his career at Houston and barely played in ‘22-’24 (10 tackles, 1.5 TFL) and then transferred to Western Michigan where he had a huge season (55 tackles, 21 TFL, 14.5 sacks, 4 FFs). It’s a huge red flag he didn’t even get on the field till his final season but possibly Houston was out to get him as how could they keep him on the bench and not even get rotation snaps when he had a top 3 productive season (tied for 1st with David Bailey in sacks, 1st in TFL) at Western Michigan when he finally got on the field? On film Tucker is a shorter, well built 3-4 OLB type with a smaller frame but outstanding explosiveness and power. He’s a one year wonder, has short arms, has small hands, and played poor competition (only 1 ranked opponent, North Texas) so there’s plenty of reasons to dismiss him but statistically he was probably the best defensive player in college last year and his tape is very good. He didn’t get coverage sacks or lucky cleanup sacks. Most of his sacks and TFL were him destroying an OL and getting to the ball carrier extremely early in the play. He bends very well around the edge, has a better burst than his 4.73 40 would indicate, and is best as a speed rusher from the outside. His 40 and arm length make me worried that won’t fully translate but on film he’s good at hand fighting and battling through contact. That bend is huge for him as he’s a difficult block and bends, chops, and breaks through contact regularly. He’s very heavy handed and plays much stronger than I’d expect for his smaller frame. He has a strong core and often is seen bouncing off contact and staying in his rush for a pressure/sack. He’s outstanding in the kill zone and has elite lateral agility that allows him to “run the hoop” better than most edge rushers. His small frame is best as a 3-4 OLB but he’s so strong I’d consider him as a 4-3 WDE. I’m not sure how much weight he can gain but he doesn’t look fully filled out so he maybe could get to 255 lbs. As a run stopper he’s actually very good at the POA and absolutely destroys TEs when they line up across from him. His film is phenomenal as he often beat double teams for his splash plays. A good example is against Ball State midway through the year as he was known by then, had 5 sacks going into that game, they doubled him regularly and he still got 3.5 sacks on them! At some point you stop blaming the level of competition and I’m at that point with him as he just obliterated everyone in the MAC. He has a number of red flags but this is special tape and his bend, burst, agility, and strength all are high end traits. He was literally the last EDGE on my list, barely made the cutoff to scout, and isn’t well regarded but this kid is dangerous. He reminds me of Mohamed Kamara a few years ago as this poorly regarded, heavy handed, undersized rusher with elite stats. Tucker has better bend and agility though so he has a better chance to translate but most likely Tucker is a Day 3 guy despite his Top 5 pick production (his production is better than Bain’s, comparable to Bailey’s). His 25.5% pressure rate ranks 1st in this EDGE class, 2nd is Bailey at a much lower 20.0%. He’s a smaller guy so sometimes his inside rushes result in him getting pancaked. It makes me more hesitant to be a 4-3 DE but I think he could still do it, would be a Donovan Ezeiruaku type. Western Michigan was an underrated team last year, 10 wins/won the MAC Championship, and he was a key reason for their success. He has a number of red flags but 1st round production and a lot of starter traits so I’m much higher than consensus on him and think he’s a sleeper. Early 3rd round as my #14 EDGE 3/29/26.
15. Joshua Josephs Tennessee 6’3 242 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘34 ¼ (elite length) with ‘10 hands (good size). He played all four years at Tennessee (standard age 22) as he was a bit player in ‘22 (12 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack), improved in ‘23 (20 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks), continued improving in ‘24 (39 tackles, 9 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 3 FFs), and had a similar year in ‘25 (33 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 FFs). His 6 FFs the past two seasons is elite. On film Josephs is a smaller, lighter EDGE with long arms, good quickness, and heavy hands. His traits are enticing and his film is solid but his production leaves a lot to be desired. 5.5 sacks the past two seasons is very poor so it leaves him as a risky prospect with an odd mix of elite and terrible metrics. His 16.2% pass rush win rate is good, 9th out of the 30 top EDGE prospects, and his frame looks like he can comfortably add another 10-15 lbs which should really help his power game. He’s very tightly built, one of the tightest in the class, and I think that’s what causes him to have lower productivity. You can see the elite power and physicality when he disengages from an OT but it struggles with it and his tape is inconsistent. Some of the discrepancy between his good efficiency stats and his poor counting stats are related to Tennessee being one of the quickest subbing teams in the country so he was off the field a lot, despite being a starter. It’s not surprising he didn’t run as he looks high 4.7s and that’s very poor for his 242 weight. So his size/speed ratio is very bad but his long arms, very good strength, and outstanding closing ability in the kill zone are all good to great traits. I’m not really sure what to do with him as he has an NFL frame but if he loses any speed when bulking up into the 250s, it’ll be bad as he’s already on the slower end. Also his film doesn’t match his metrics as he goes long stretches without pressure. Some of that is him being subbed out but some is him being invisible on the field. He ended his season with 0 sacks in the final 8 games (6 played, 2 missed). 5.5 sacks is worrisome enough but only 1 sack the past two seasons being vs. a ranked opponent (‘25 Georgia) makes him even more risky. He reminds me a bit of Landon Jackson last year as that prospect with some elite traits, poor production, and inconsistent film. You can see flashes of dominance and then you fall in love with the traits but their pretty big dice rolls. 6 forced fumbles and his tape shows some flashes of elite physicality but he’s 242 lbs, maybe can’t keep the weight on, has a bad size/speed ratio, and bad production so he’s too risky for me. I see the traits but consider him a much lower prospect than others due to the red flags. Mid 3rd round as my #15 EDGE 4/4/26.
16. Derrick Moore Michigan 6’3 ⅞ 255 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 ⅜ arms (solid length) with ‘9 ⅛ hands (tiny). He played all four years at Michigan, was a bit player in ‘22 (8 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks), had a solid year in ‘23 (34 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF), had a similar year in ‘24 (23 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks), and then he broke out with a very good year in ‘25 (30 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 10 sacks, 2 FF). He’ll be 23 ½ on draft day so he’s an older prospect. On film Moore is a thick, strong power rushing 4-3 DE with limited versatility. He has a narrower frame and looks more like a LB than a DE but he’s not very athletic so he won’t be able to be a 3-4 OLB. He’s tightly built and doesn’t bend well so he works only in a 4-3. His heavy hands and good motor are what are intriguing about his profile as otherwise he’s a below average athlete with a narrow frame and poor bend. At the Senior Bowl you saw this heavy handed power and it impressed a lot of scouts as he had quite a few good reps in 1x1s, primarily using power. He’s an absolute beast vs. TEs in the run game and seems to take it personally that they assign one to him. He has a lot of pancakes vs. TEs, not nearly as many vs. OTs. His pass rush win rate was 18.6%, 5th best out of the top 30 EDGE prospects. It speaks to him possibly being an underrated prospect. I liked his film but didn’t love it and was a little surprised by that borderline elite metric. Part of my reluctance with him is his run stopping as he doesn’t have great tackle numbers and his 3.5 TFL, excluding sacks, is an atrocious number. He’s a high motor guy as a pass rusher but you can’t say the same about him as a run stopper. He and Cashius Howell are complete opposites as rush styles but role might be the same in the NFL as they both are inconsistently dominant based on their matchup. Watch the ‘25 Michigan State film and Moore looks like a Top 10 pick as he power rushes the LT into the QB for a sack on one play (one of the more dominant reps I saw of any EDGE this cycle) and then later wins with speed for a nice sack against the same OL. He’s a power to speed type but if you stop his power, he’s kind of stuck. He has okay bend but not great, his speed is average, and he doesn’t have elite length or hand fighting so he’ll be a matchup type rusher who excels vs. OTs with poor anchors. One intriguing thing about him is that he doesn’t look 255 on tape and his frame could add another 10 lbs. 6’4 265 will better help him play his power game and could unlock some pass rush potential for him. He’s an inconsistent player both snap to snap and year to year as he had a good ‘23 and ‘25 but a poor ‘24. I worry about that lack of consistency, his mediocre run defense, and the fact that he had 0 sacks in his 3 games vs. ranked opponents. Also it doesn’t help that he regularly looked inferior to teammate Barham as a rusher in the games I watched. His analytics say he’s one of the best pass rushers in this class but I didn’t see it on film and think he’s more of a low end pass rusher unless he has a good matchup where he can exploit with power. Overall I like Moore but am lower on him than consensus as he has a few red flags that worry me. If he can add weight and develop some hand fighting then he could become an above average starter 4-3 DE as a team’s #2 pass rusher. If he cannot then he might be more of a #3 EDGE in a rotation as his power game doesn’t work against everyone but in the right matchup he can be dominant. Mid 3rd round as my #16 EDGE 4/4/26.
17. Keyron Crawford Auburn 6’3 253 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ⅛ arms (very short) with ‘10 hands (big). He started his career at Arkansas and was okay as a freshman in ‘22 (14 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sacks), had a great year in 23 (44 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 2 FF), transferred to Auburn and had a down year in ‘24 (22 tackles, 1 TFL), and then had a bounce back year in ‘25 (36 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF). On film Crawford is a decent framed 4-3 DE with short arms and poor speed but good quickness and bend. It’s disappointing he doesn’t have long arms as he’s be an ideal 4-3 DE with great length but his ‘31 ⅛ arms are extremely short for his 6’3 frame and he lacks the athleticism to move to 3-4 OLB. Despite being only 253, he’s a power rusher with good strength and enough quickness and bend to play that game. He doesn’t have good speed to gain the edge but his quickness, strength, and bend are a solid combination and gives OTs some trouble. He projects as a very low end starting DE as someone’s #2 pass rusher, or a high end #3 EDGE off the bench in a rotation. I like him but he has a low ceiling due to that poor speed and prefer guys with more juice at that coveted position. Nonetheless his combination of traits are good enough for him to be a 5-7 sack a year rotational type and that is valuable. He looks skinny at 253 so he could add weight and be a more well rounded player with 6’3 265 being possible. It might unlock something for him as currently he’s underwhelming as a run stopper and more of that #3 EDGE. Overall I like Crawford but consider him a medium ceiling rusher. He’s an intriguing guy with his frame, quickness, and bend but he never had great production and isn’t an elite athlete or very big so I lean towards him being a high end rotational type vs. a clear cut starter. Late 3rd as my #17 EDGE 3/29/26.
18. R Mason Thomas OU 6’2 ¼ 241 Jr. He ran a 4.67 40 (above average for an EDGE, below average for a 241 speed EDGE) and measured ‘31 ⅝ arms (short) with ‘8 ⅞ hands (tiny). I was expecting a high 4.5s time from him so this is disappointing, plus the hands are the smallest of the 63 DL at the Combine and is a huge red flag. He played all four seasons at Oklahoma (doesn’t turn 22 till August so he’s a young redshirt junior) where he barely played in ‘22-’23 (16 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks COMBINED), was an effective pass rush specialist in ‘24 (23 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 9 sacks, 2 FFs), and had a similar but slightly down year in ‘25 (26 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 FFs). On film Thomas is a short, small speed rusher who is a one trick pony and looks like a high risk prospect who will either be a bust or a designated pass rusher. I pretty quickly wasn’t interested in him with his sub ‘9 hands, sub ‘32 arms, very mediocre 40 time for a speed rusher, late breakout, and one dimensional tape. He gets an outstanding jump off the ball and I think that’s more his “speed rush” than his actual speed. I worry he’ll have a lot of encroachment penalties due to his habit of timing the count. He also bends very well and is a good rusher, once he gets the edge. Unfortunately 4.67 40 is bad for a speed rusher and I don’t see elite speed like a Nic Bonitto on film. He’s short and bends well so he gets very low and it seems to affect an OT’s ability to reach him. I’d like to see him vs. a Markel Bell type to see how effective he could be vs. those mammoth OTs who struggle to bend. He’s definitely a matchup pass rusher as he could eat vs. bad, slow OTs but for the most part he won’t be a dominant pass rusher. Also he never had a double digit sack season for his career, his 17 career sacks in 4 years is a mediocre number, and his 14.8% pass rush win rate (12th out of the top 30 EDGE prospects) is above average at best. It all speaks to him being a good not great pass rusher and that’s worrisome since he’s worthless vs. the run and won’t have any value outside of the pass rush. Everyone compares him to Nic Bonitto but that’s just lazy helmet scouting. Bonitto ran a 4.54, was a true junior declare, and had 15 sacks in his soph and junior seasons combined. Thomas ran a 4.69 and had 10.5 sacks in those seasons combined. Both are one dimensional speed rushers from OU but one was very good and the other was just average. In his matchup vs. Kayden Proctor he was underwhelming and only won 2-3 reps vs. him, with all being of the late win/borderline win variety. That’s worrisome to me as he looked like a child next to Proctor in the run game yet couldn’t consistently win the edge against a slower LT type. I think Thomas will struggle against most NFL LTs. He projects as a pass rush specialist off the bench and a lower level version of that archetype so I’m not a huge fan of him. A team needing this type will be interested but average pass rush specialist is underwhelming to me and I’d go another direction. Howell and even Height both have pass rush specialist as a possible outcome but would be much higher ceiling players than Thomas so I’m a little surprised he’s so highly rated. Late 3rd round as my #18 EDGE 4/5/26.
19. Tyreak Sapp Florida 6’2 273 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 arms (below average) with ‘9 ½ hands (below average). He played all four seasons at Florida and was solid as a true freshman in ‘22 (20 tackles, 0.5 TFL), improved in ‘23 (24 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 FF), had a very good year in ‘24 (47 tackles, 13 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 FF), and then a down final year in ‘25 (34 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack). On film Sapp is a good framed, thick 4-3 DE with shorter arms, mediocre athleticism, but good bend and strength. He’s a 4-3 scheme guy only as he isn’t athletic in space and projects more as a 4-3 SDE than 4-3 WDE. His work outside is solid but nothing special. He rarely gets the edge with speed but is strong and physical with solid hand fighting and gets some late sacks with his motor and hand fighting. His bend is also solid, very good for his thicker frame, and intrigues me. What’s most interesting though is his inside pass rush work as Florida regularly moved him down to DT on passing downs and he popped more often in that role. My plan for him would be 4-3 SDE on run downs, DT on passing downs. Even in this role he won’t be a great rusher but he’ll be solid enough to be a starter and that would make him a steal as he’s probably going to go late due to poor speed and the fact he’s coming off a down year. He probably goes in the 3rd round if he left for last year’s draft but his stats declined across the board in ‘25 and I’d be surprised if he didn’t go on Day 3. He’s pretty slow and looks like a 4.8 40 to me. His film inside at DT is so good that a full conversion to DT might make sense as he is definitely a better rusher from there but his run support work there is also solid. I’d be fine with either approach as he can’t win with speed but he’s big, physical, has good bend, and a high end motor so I don’t want to throw him away just because he’s slow. In either role, he’ll be a low end starter but I’m intrigued with him inside and think he could be a steal if used properly. Late 3rd round as my #19 EDGE who is slow but has a lot starter traits to him if converted to a DT or as a 4-3 SDE/DT type based on down/distance 3/29/26.
20. Mason Reiger Wisconsin 6’4 ½ 251 Sr. He ran a 4.78 40 (bad), ‘40 vertical (elite), 10’5 broad (very good), and measured ‘32 ⅝ arms (solid length) with ‘10 ⅜ hands (very big). He started his career at Louisville and was a bit player in ‘21 (9 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF), improved in ‘22 (18 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF), had a solid year as a rusher in ‘23 (22 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF), missed all of ‘24, and then transferred to Wisconsin for a good final year in ‘25 (33 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks). On film Reiger is a tall, skinny long legged rusher who was basically a designated rusher in his career with limited tackles but good sack and forced fumble production (4 career FFs). He isn’t an extremely fast or bendy guy but he has a great burst and good quickness which gets him off blocks quickly. He’s a confusing guy as he lacks the speed to stay as a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB but his quickness, strength, and frame are all interesting so I think he could be an NFL starter, just not as an EDGE. 4-3 SLB would be interesting to me as he’s really good at stacking and shedding. It seems extreme but bulking him up and making him a 4-3 DT also is intriguing. He has some good film as a pass rusher at DT. He obviously couldn’t hold up at 251 lbs but 6’4 285 with nearly ‘33 arms and ‘10 ⅜ hands sounds pretty amazing to me. That’s requiring the kid to add 34 lbs so unlikely but my point is he’s not an EDGE but he’s talented and athletic so I like him as a conversion guy. The more I watched his film the more I liked him as a DT. He’s quick, agile, and heavy handed. Most of his wins at DE were with quickness or beating an OT inside. He won’t survive as a DE with poor speed and mediocre bend so I’d leave him at DE and bulk him up to first be a 4-3 SDE and then move him down to DT on passing downs. Eventually, maybe he could make the full time switch to DT but 4-3 SDE, where he bulks up to 270, would be a good middle stop before the final weight gain to 290 as full time DT. Long story short, he’s a unique athlete but not ideal for DE and it’s disappointing Wisconsin didn’t bulk him up. 6’4 251 is downright skinny and he could have used additional weight to be a better run stopper. He’s a Day 3 conversion type to me, I want no part of him as a 250 lb DE with poor speed, and is likely to be a bust but there’s talent here and I’d be interested if he could gain weight and become a stronger player. Early 5th round as my #20 DE who I’d bulk up with the intent to eventually make him a DT 3/29/26.
21. Anthony Lucas USC 6’5 ½ 256 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 ½ arms (good length) with ‘10 ¼ hands (big). He started his career at Texas A&M where he was a bit player in ‘22 (10 tackles, 1 TFL), transferred to USC and again barely played in ‘23 (10 tackles, 3.5 TFL), had a similar year in ‘24 (16 tackles), and then a solid year in ‘25 (37 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FF). His production profile is a massive red flag with 0 sacks in his first 3 seasons, a career high of only 3 sacks, an inability to get on the field till his 3rd season, and a quick transfer from Texas A&M after he saw the DL talent there in 2022. On film Lucas is a huge framed, long armed, big handed guy with below average speed, questionable strength, and terrible football IQ. I can see the traits with this kid but he’s a big, dumb jock who has no idea what he’s doing. I’m not at all surprised by his poor production as the light isn’t on with this kid. He’s long legged with poor agility and has to be a 4-3 DE. 80% of his highlights were plays he wasn’t blocked on, very worrisome from a guy with 3 career sacks in 4 years. He’s a one speed rusher who doesn’t have any real moves and is an easy cover for OTs outside of his good length. He occasionally stacked and shed and showed promise there but it was inconsistent and not enough to be drafted solely for that role. He’s a flat out bad pass rusher. I get the idea of him being a late bloomer as his frame is fantastic, he has long arms/big hands, and he could add weight and develop his stack and shed to be a 4-3 SDE run stopper but I highly doubt it happens. His tape is pretty meh and he doesn’t play as strong as he should. He’s that high ceiling type that to me isn’t worth mentioning the ceiling because the odds of hitting it are so low. I’d take him off my board as he was soft, unaware on plays, and I really think offenses left him unblocked on purpose because they didn’t think he could make a play. There were far too many plays, he did make, where he wasn’t ever touched by an OL that makes me think it was their strategy. “Leave this guy unblocked, he’ll only hurt us 25% of the time,” is not a guy I want on my roster. The dream is he adds weight and is 6’5 270 with ‘33 arms, ‘10 hands, and stacks and sheds well as a 4-3 SDE. I see the vision but it won’t happen. Mid 5th round as my #21 EDGE 3/29/26.
22. Mikail Kamara Indiana 6’1 262 Sr. He wasn’t invited to the Combine. He started his career at James Madison where he was a solid player as a freshman in ‘22 (14 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF), had a huge year in ‘23 (53 tackles, 18.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 4 FF), followed Cignetti to Indiana and had another great year in ‘24 (47 tackles, 15 TFL, 10 sacks, 2 FF), and then had a down year in ‘25 (34 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks). On film Kamara is a short, thicker DE who lacks the speed or length I look for in a DE or the agility, quickness to be a 3-4 OLB. He’s a very physical player who is good at the POA. He also has a great motor and solid speed when he breaks free of OL. He just lacks the length to consistently separate from OL and isn’t nearly fast enough to win the edge with speed vs. OTs. I like him more as a 3-4 DE style wise but 6’1 is just too small for that role so he’s a tweener that has a very real chance of being a total bust in the NFL despite being a very productive collegiate. His 46 QB pressures in ‘25 is elite and speaks to his effort level and disruptive nature, even if he only had 7 TFL and 3 sacks last year. Most likely he sticks as a backup, rotational type as he’s very physical and has a great motor so he’ll probably overachieve and carve out a role in the NFL. Unfortunately I’m pretty low on him due to his poor traits and would not have him on my board as I highly value DEs who can consistently pressure the QB and he’ll never be that guy. Late 5th round as my #22 EDGE 3/29/26.
23. Vincent Anthony Jr. Duke 6’5 ⅝ 258 Sr. He ran a 4.84 40 (bad), ‘32 ½ vertical (terrible-worst of the 63 EDGE at the Combine), 10’3 broad (average), and measured ‘34 ⅛ arms (long) with ‘10 hands (good size). He played all four years at Duke and was a bit player in ‘22 (28 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks), had a similar year in ‘23 (17 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks), improved in ‘24 (25 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 5 sacks), and had his best year in ‘25 (33 tackles, 13 TFL, 7.5 sack, 1 FF). On film Vincent is a tall, skinnish DE with great length and an outstanding frame. I get his appeal as he has a very “NFL look” to him and it makes you initially intrigued. Unfortunately he’s “all frame no game” and just isn’t athletic or agile enough to be a real pass rush threat. Annoyingly he had his best career game vs. my OT sleeper JC Davis of Illinois and dominated him with 3 sacks. Outside of that game and the two games vs. lower level Elon (3 sacks in 2 games the past two years) he had 6.5 sacks the past 22 games! He just cannot get pressure against any level of talent at OT. That’s also seen by his atrocious 9.2% pass rush win rate (29th out of the top 30 EDGE prospects) and 9.9% pressure rate (also 29th out of 30). In every metric this guy sucks so someone will burn a pick in Round 3 or 4 on him solely off of his frame and think they can fix him. He has very little actual talent and will be out of the NFL in a few years. Free Agent as my #23 EDGE who is one of the most overrated prospects in the entire draft 4/4/26.

2026 DT Rankings

1. Lee Hunter Texas Tech 6’3 ½ 318 Sr. He ran a 5.18 (average but decent for his size), ‘21 ½ vertical (horrific, maybe the worst vertical I’ve ever seen, 2nd worst vertical by a DT this year was 27!), and measured ‘33 ¼ arms (very good length) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He started his career at UCF and was okay as a freshman in ‘22 (17 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack), had a huge breakout in ‘23 (69 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks), had another great year in ‘24 (45 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 1 sack), and then transferred to Texas Tech for a third great year in ‘25 (41 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF). Three seasons of +40 tackles is elite production from a run stopping DT. On film Hunter is a big, physical DT with long arms and enough athleticism to be a decent pass rusher. His 3.5 sacks are deceiving as he actually gets pressure semi-frequently and is just bad or unlucky at not getting the QB to the ground. PFF gave him 19 hurries in ‘25 and the same in ‘24 so he isn’t just a run stopper. I counted 5x where he had the QB in his grasp yet came away with a measly 0.5 sack on those plays. Watching his film, he consistently beat the man in front of him. He’s a good technician who understands how to win with strength and quickness. He works the edges of an OL constantly and his pass rush moves take an extra second, so he’s a late pressure type, but he regularly ends plays with him having beat his OL and heading to the QB. He has outstanding film and isn’t getting the hype he deserves as he’s running into 4 other potential 1st round DTs. Among the top 5 DTs, he was second in pressure rate (14%, Banks 1st) and speaks to him being just as good at those more heralded types. Unfortunately he’ll probably be a pressure not sack guy in the NFL too as he lacks great speed. He beats OL regularly but his closing speed is mediocre and he’ll probably be a 3-5 sack a year type, good but not anything special. His run stopping those is borderline elite and makes him a very well rounded DT. He stacks and sheds about as well as any DT and is a 3 down DT who can make plays in every way. He’s a bigger DT but he trails plays very well and is seen by his outstanding tackle totals, among the best in the class. His ‘23 season in particular, with 69 tackles, is rare production and also speaks to his extremely high motor. He’s an older prospect and will turn 24 his rookie year. He’s a good not great athlete and is more a “good athlete for his size”. Overall I see Hunter as one of the best DTs in this draft and a guy who projects to be a very good starter for the next decade. He’s more of a high end starter than Pro Bowl type but he easily could make a Pro Bowl or two when he gets lucky and his sack total jumps from 4 to 7 or something as he’s always around the action. He’s being overlooked this draft cycle and probably goes in the 2nd round but this is a really talented, well rounded player and gets the rare 1st round grade from me for a DT as he is dominant against the run and a very solid pass rusher as well. Caleb Banks has a much higher ceiling but Hunter edged him as my DT1 this cycle as he’s high floor, consistent, productive, and has no red flags. Late 1st as my #1 DT 3/28/27.
2. Kayden McDonald Ohio State 6’2 326 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 ¼ arms (average) with ‘9 ¾ hands (average). He played all three seasons at Ohio State and barely played in ‘23 (1 tackle), had an okay year in ‘24 (19 tackles, 1.5 TFL), and then a huge year in ‘25 (65 tackles, 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 FF). His 65 tackles is an elite number but especially for a year 20 season. He just turned 21 before the draft and is one of the younger DTs in this class. On film McDonald is a good framed, slightly short armed player who is dominant at the POA and one of the best run stoppers in this class. He isn’t a pass rusher by his film or traits so it’s hard to give him a 1st round grade but he is dominant in run support and is arguably the safest DT prospect in this draft. He’s young (just turned 22), extremely strong, has great film, and his production numbers in ‘25 were elite. I’m sold on him as a high end starter and one who will be an immediate impact player. I’m not sold on him as a pass rusher and I’d be surprised if that part of his game develops. He weighed at 326 lbs at the Combine and I wouldn’t be surprised if he played in the 330s-340s at Ohio State. He has a belly and lacks a burst so I think he knows he’s a run stopper and I doubt he’ll touch 320s in his NFL career going forward. Among the top 5 DTs, he was tied for last in pressure rate (9%, Banks 1st almost double, 17%). I’m not as worried about his mediocre pass rush skills since he’s built like a run stopper and has elite run stopping film and production. The pass rush numbers will be a bonus and he’ll get a few. He’s quicker than fast and does move well laterally for his size. He just can’t close quickly and lacks the length to get consistent separation. He does have a good motor and is a hard worker. Overall I’m a big fan of McDonald as an elite run stopper but I don’t see him ever developing as a pass rusher. He’s on the late 1st/early 2nd bubble and I’d have no issues with him being taken late 1st by a contender that has run stopping issues as he’d solve them immediately. It is a little rich for me as I prefer more well rounded DTs but McDonald is a very high floor, very safe DT and is one of the best DTs in this class. Early 2nd round as my #2 DT 3/28/26.
3. Caleb Banks Florida 6’6 ¼ 327 Sr. He ran a 5.04 40 (very good), ‘32 vertical (good), 9’6 broad (good), and measured ‘35 arms (elite length) with ‘10 ⅞ hands (rare size). He started at Louisville but barely played in ‘22 (2 tackles), transferred to Florida and was solid in ‘23 (19 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack), improved in ‘24 (23 tackles, 7 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 FF), and then had an injury plagued ‘25 (6 tackles, 1 TFL in only 3 games). He broke his foot in training camp in ‘25, reinjured it early in the year and missed the rest of the year. Unfortunately after his Combine performance they saw that he fractured his foot and had to do another surgery and is out till June. Hypothetically this isn’t a big deal, as he’ll be ready for training camp, but it’s basically foot issues on 3 separate occasions for an entire year so it’s a big red flag. On film Banks is a massive man with elite arm length, huge hands, and rare athleticism. He looks like the most talented DT in this class both by traits and film. Unfortunately his production has been very mediocre and injuries can only account for one season of that mediocrity. He’s 23 years old, didn’t have a +20 tackle season till he was 21, never had a +30 tackle season, only had one season with 2 or more sacks, etc. His production profile is terrible for a 1st rounder. Yet sometimes these big guys are late bloomers and he reminds me of Derrick Harmon, my DT1 last cycle, as this gigantic man with great length and athleticism who can actually rush the passer. Among the top 5 DTs, he was first in pressure rate (17%), matching Mason Graham’s rate last year. 17% is an elite number and all indications, under the hood, were that he was going to have a massive 2025 season if healthy. His ‘24 LSU and Ole Miss games were dominant. He has huge hands and is strong but he doesn’t have good grip strength and misses tackles too often. He also doesn’t have extremely heavy hands for his size which is surprising to me. He’s a tall kid and doesn’t play with great leverage. He gets away with it because he’s so strong and long but if he could come off the ball lower then he could be truly dominant and I think that is why his film is inconsistent. He has the highest ceiling in this class, and it’s not that close, but he’s a real risk. Ignoring his health issues which are an obvious red flag, he’s not extremely productive, is older, and his height/inconsistent film make me worried he’ll never be a dominant player but more of an inconsistent player with some wow plays occasionally thrown in. Hunter and McDonald are for sure high end starters and will be on Day 1. Neither project as All-Pros but they are very safe players. Banks is the opposite as he flashes superstar potential but where’s the production, is he injury prone, why is he not more physical on film? It’s not hard to see some Jalen Carter in his highlights. The issue is his down to down impact and it’s lacking. He is blocked very easily at times and struggles to get separation. He doesn’t always have a plan of how to attack OL but did seem to get dramatically better in ‘24. In the ‘24 opener vs. Miami he didn’t even start and was a backup throughout the game. By the end of the year vs, LSU and Ole Miss he was their best DL and outstanding. I get the argument that he’s just getting it together and was derailed by injuries but there’s too many red flags and “draft on potential” here for me to give a 1st round grade. He has 1st round highlights but Day 3 production and a risky injury profile on top of that. He’ll be one of the more interesting ones to watch where he’s drafted as his range is anywhere from 20 to 50 but someone will roll the dice. Early 2nd round as my #3 DT 3/28/26.
4. Kaleb Proctor SE Louisiana 6’2 291 Jr. He ran a 4.79 40 (elite, even at his lower weight), ‘33 vertical (very good), 9’5 broad (very good), and measured ‘33 arms (long) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). He’s a small school who had a great year in ‘25 vs. poor competition (43 tackles, 13 TFL, 9 sacks). On film he’s a superstar interior rusher as he’s extremely fast, heavy handed, and bends very well. His level of competition is bad but some of his highlights are absolutely stunning. His closing speed is phenomenal and completely unrelated to how talented the QB is he’s tracking down. Also he played LSU in ‘25 and was dominant in that game as well, sacked Garrett Nussmeier, so his skills look like they translate. His bend is elite and he has that natural flexibility and understanding of how to slide through crevices that makes him extremely slippery. He understands leverage and is constantly working edges on OL. He’s a very polished pass rusher and l expect it to translate to the next level. He had 39 pressures in ‘25 and was dominant both at the Senior Bowl and vs. LSU, when the competition level increased. His 9.51 RAS is elite and shows up on film with speed, quickness, and explosiveness. He’s an undersized DT but has heavy hands and is a solid run stopper. One complaint I’ve seen of him is his 18.2% missed tackle rate in ‘25. It’s a very high number but I dismiss it as he’s flying all over the place and is sometimes out of control. It reduces his sack numbers but increases his overall havoc and I’m fine with it. If he was a little more constrained, he’d probably have fewer tackles, fewer pressures, more sacks, and a much lower missed tackle rate. He should be a 3 technique and shoot gaps, be allowed to freelance, and needs to be in attack mode. He won’t fit every system but he has the traits, film, and metrics that make me think he’s a future high end sack artist as a DT and that is worth its weight in gold. He is eerily similar to mid 1st rounder Byron Murphy. Proctor is 6’2 291 with a 4.79 40 and a ‘33 vertical with 9 sacks vs. Murphy’s 6’1 306 with a 4.87 40 and a ‘33 vertical with 5 sacks. Murphy had tougher competition at Texas but the traits are close and the film is similar as explosive, heavy handed bendy athletes who are natural pass rushers. Proctor has an incredibly high ceiling and I’m surprised how many people have a Day 3 grade on him. Byron Murphy is my official comp but Milton Williams is a reasonable one as well as he came from a smaller school and went on Day 3. Williams is a Pro Bowl DT on a +100 mil contract though and speaks to how valuable interior pass rushers are and I see Proctor as a comparable player to those two stars. He’s not quite as big as Murphy or quite as athletic as Milton but he’s in the same range and his bend and slippery style make him incredibly tough to block. He’s my sleeper of this DT class and I consider him one of the most underrated prospects in the draft, regardless of position. Early 2nd round as my #4 DT 3/27/26.
5. Darrell Jackson Jr. FSU 6’5 ½ 315 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘34 ¾ arms (extremely long) with ‘11 hands (huge). He’s a 5th year senior but only turns 23 around the draft so younger for his designation. He started at Maryland and was a bit player in ‘21 (22 tackles), transferred to Miami and improved in ‘22 (27 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks), transferred to FSU but missed almost the entire ‘23 season with injury (1 game), had a good ‘24 (32 tackles, 4 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF), and then his best year in ‘25 (45 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sacks). On film Darrell is a huge framed, long armed run stopping DT. He has some of the longest arms in this DT class and is very good at stacking and shedding. He doesn’t really do a ton else but that’ll translate to the NFL and he’s a perfect two gap DT as he’s long, strong, and physical at the POA. He could add weight and be a NT but most likely he’ll stay in this range and be a 4-3 DT. He’s not fast, agile, or quick so he’s rarely trailing plays for tackles or getting into the backfield. It’s why his TFL and sack numbers are low but he’s incredibly physical and gets a lot of tackles by being impossible to move on inside runs. He’s in the Deone Walker category as a gigantic, long armed man but Jackson bends a little better and I like his film more than Walker or Zxavian Harris this year. His physicality is on another level and he really jars OL and gets a push backwards. I’d let him add weight, he rarely trails plays anyway, and be a 6’5 330 lb with ‘35 arms and ‘11 hands. His traits are intriguing and make me think he could be one of the better run stoppers in the NFL. At worst, he’s a one dimensional starting DT and will pair well with a more athletic pass rusher type but I’m higher than consensus on him as he seems like a T’Vondre Sweat tier run stopper. Late 2nd round as my #5 DT 3/27/26.
6. Chris McClellan Missouri 6’4 313 Sr. He ran a 5.05 40 (very good), ‘29 ½ vertical (average), 9’0 broad (average), and measured ‘34 arms (very good arm length) with ‘11 hands (gigantic hands). He started his career at Florida where he decent in ‘22 (23 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), had a similar year in ‘23 (23 tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sacks), transferred to Missouri and had a very good year in ‘24 (39 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF), and then his best year in ‘25 (48 tackles, 8 TFL, 6 sacks). On film Chris is a tall, long armed DT with very good athleticism. He has an elite frame with ‘34 arms and ‘11 hands at 6’4 and his Combine shows well above average athleticism. He only had 4.5 sacks his first three years but something clicked last year and he had 6 sacks and showed some real promise as a pass rusher. He does a good job stacking and shedding, with those long arms, and is an interesting DT with the versatility to be a factor against the run and pass. He’s not in the Top 100 by PFF and that’s surprising as he has 2nd round tools and his PFF grade of 78 (75th out of 913 DT) is good. He’s a versatile player as he has the length to be a good two gap DT but also the athleticism to be a one gap penetrator. I prefer him in a one gap as he has a really good burst. If in a two gap, he needs to add weight as he sometimes can get bulldozed as his frame is arguably too long and he’s a little light anchor wise. In a one gap he’ll be fine as is and he’ll use his length and speed to penetrate. He doesn’t have any counter moves and gets stuck too easily. He’s solid at stacking and shedding but more so as a run stopper than pass rusher and he needs to learn a push/pull move or a rip move to be more effective. He has great length and very good straightline speed but doesn’t have great quickness and it’s easy for an OL to get a hold of him. He has heavy hands and gives a good push against OL. You can tell that he’s a difficult block for them and his physicality is noticeable. Overall I see Chris as one of the sleepers in this DT class. He has the traits of a 2nd rounder and the film of a 3rd rounder so I don’t really see why he’s so poorly ranked. He has the ability to be good against the run and the rare potential to be very good as a pass rusher, with his long arms, good strength, and good speed. At worst he’s a solid starting DT who plays three downs but if he can improve his pass rush technique and get better at hand fighting, getting small in creases, stacking and shedding, etc. then he could be a high end starter. Early 3rd round as my #6 DT 3/27/26.
7. Christen Miller Georgia 6’3 ¾ 321 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 arms (good length) with ‘10 hands (big). He played all three seasons at Georgia and was a bit player in ‘23 (14 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack), improved in ‘24 (27 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), and then had a similar year in ’25 (23 tackles, 4 TFL, 1.5 sacks). Miller is a good framed, bendy DT with long arms and solid overall athleticism. He’s not an elite athlete and doesn’t really do much as a pass rusher but he’s a well rounded athlete who trails plays well and can pressure the QB when a play breaks down. He’ll be best in a two gap scheme as his long arms and good strength are evident on film. He stacks and sheds very well and is strong at the POA. He has an outstanding body, weight wise, and looks well put together despite being one of the heavier DTs in the class at 321 lbs. He could easily add 10 lbs if a team wanted to prioritize run stopping, and I think it’d be the way to go as he plays the game mentally as a run stopper. Among the top 5 DTs, he was second in pressure rate (14%, Banks 1st). I don’t see this level of pressure and consider it a little overrated by PFF. 14% pressure rate was identical to Lee Hunter but Hunter was constantly beating his OL, albeit often later in the play, while Miller did far less frequently. I do love his bend though as he gets low to the ground and has great leverage. He’s going to be an above average starter for a long time but he isn’t first round caliber in my eyes. He’s another overrated Georgia defender but will be good. He’s an ideal pairing with a more athletic pass rusher type in a one gap scheme where you want both to attack but one to prioritize the run. That or a 2 gap scheme, where his athleticism is a little wasted, but is fine as he’s far better in run support than as a pass rusher. His body really is impressive for his weight as he looks 300 lbs not 320 and wears it well. “Traits teams” will be more into him as he’s svelte for his weight, has long arms, and bends well so they’ll say they can coax a rush out of him but I highly doubt it. He doesn’t get skinny very well and often would beat an OL but couldn’t quite get entirely off him and it ruined the rush. He also doesn’t have a great burst or closing speed and doesn’t change directions that well. It all points to him being an athletic run stopper and that’s fine. Most DTs don’t become pass rushers in the NFL and it’s better to be overly critical and expect borderline types like him not to be than naive and overdraft a guy who never did it in college. Overall I really like Christine but consider him overrated. Lee Hunter and Kaleb Proctor have much higher ceilings than he does and he’s getting the yearly “Georgia bump” for his profile. They are clearly a tier higher than Miller and I prefer Darrell Jackson’s run stopping far more than Miller’s and thinks McClellan has a better chance at being a real pass rusher but is older (Miller is still only 21 ½) so they get a comparable grade. He’ll be an above average starter but is not an elite player by athleticism, production, or film and is overrated. Early 3rd round as my #7 DT 3/28/26.
8. Peter Woods Clemson 6’2 ½ 298 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ¼ arms (very short) with ‘’9 ⅛ hands (small). He played all three seasons at Clemson and was solid as a true freshman in ‘23 (26 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 FF), improved in ‘24 (28 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FF), and had another similar year in ‘25 (30 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks). On film Woods is a good framed, lighter DT with solid athleticism. He’s quick and agile but also is strong for his lighter weight and stacks and shed well at the POA. He’s a very good athlete but unfortunately he isn’t fast and I don’t see high end pass rusher here. My comp is Ross Blalock from a few drafts ago as that well rounded, bendy athlete but with traits that don’t clearly make him a pass rusher. He’s bendy and agile but without elite speed/burst he can’t get to the QB so it doesn’t impact production as much as a 4.9 40 does. You can see that from his PFF hurries as he had 22 the past two years while Banks had 21 just in ‘24 and Hunter had back to back seasons of 19. 22 (11 avg) is just not a high end number and you can see it on film. Among the top 5 DTs, he was tied for last in pressure rate (9%, Banks 1st almost double, 17%). It again speaks to his mediocre pressure/pass rush potential. If you’re selling me on Woods it’s that he’s one of the youngest DTs in this class as he just turned 22 years old before the draft. The argument being that he’s still improving and is already a good, well rounded starter. He is extremely agile for his size and has some JJ Pegues vibes with his ability to play goal line back for Clemson and move so well for his weight. I can see some good traits but I still question his burst/speed and think he’ll be the latest overdrafted run stopper. I don’t pretend DTs will eventually develop unless they have truly elite traits as usually guys who don’t show it on film or with production in college don’t suddenly change their style once OL become bigger, stronger, and more athletic. I project Woods to be a run stopping guy with sneaky athleticism that won’t translate to being a high end pass rusher and therefore have him nowhere near the 1st round. His tape is good but what also worries me is he isn’t an elite run stopper so he has the potential to be extremely overdrafted if he’s a lighter non-pass rusher. Also his frame is somewhat narrow and I don’t think he’d look good at 320 lbs, if a team gives up on him as a pass rusher and prioritizes the run stopping role. He’s the opposite of Christin Miller who effortlessly carries 320 lbs and could handle 330. At 330 Woods would look bad and would not move well. Woods also has shorter arms and smaller hands so I’m less inclined to hear about his traits and how he’ll develop as his traits really aren’t even that great. Overall I am not a huge fan of Peter. His film is good not great, his traits are unique but don’t directly impact his ability to rush the passer, and his frame is smaller so he will always be a lighter DT. He projects as a player who will be taken in the first 40 picks off potential and will underperform his draft status but not be a clear bust. Good starter but he’s no pass rusher and is a 3rd round talent not late 1st/early 2nd. Mid 3rd as my #8 DT 3/28/26.
9. Zxavian Harris Ole Miss 6’8 330 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘34 ⅝ (elite arm length) with ‘10 hands (big hands). He played all four years at Ole Miss where he barely played in ‘22 (3 tackles), had a solid year in ‘23 (30 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack), had a similar year in ‘24 (32 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), and then exploded for a huge year in ‘25 (58 tackles, 9 TFL, 3 sacks). On film Harris is a gigantic DT with poor bend, elite arm length, and outstanding strength. My comp is Deone Walker and is probably everyone else’s as he looks like the exact same prospect from a year ago. I faded Walker as guys with their height struggle to stay low and are more easily blocked than they should be but Walker was one of the best rookie DTs last year and a steal. Walker was a little heavier and stronger at the POA while Harris is a little faster and more agile but lesson learned, I won’t be fading this type again. Harris film is outstanding as he is adept at staying up while blocked and keeping in a play. A lot of his film is him blowing through an OL or working for a tackle while the OL holds on to him so he’ll be an ideal NT or two gap DT as he works through contact about as well as any DT in this class. He also has surprising speed and showed a little pass rush. 4.5 sacks the past two years isn’t anything special, and he might end up as a two down run stopper, but he shows enough twitchiness that I’d roll the dice he could be a full time DT. He’s a long legged guy and doesn’t bend well so the risks are there. He’ll occasionally be too high, not put much effort into a play, and get bulldozed 5 yards backwards. His effort level is inconsistent and he usually does not show much speed as he’s lumbering around a play. It makes me think rotation will be his fit but in spurts he’s a load to handle. He gets a good push of the pocket and will be ideal to help outside rushers. He isn’t a very aware player and struggles to see the ball at times. He has a lot of film of being surprised when the ball is suddenly around him as he didn’t track a play correctly. He looks lazy and dumb but it’s hard to teach his elite size, length, and strength so I like him nonetheless. Walker was a more consistent, physical player but both have similar strengths/weaknesses and Harris seems “too big to fail” so I’m in despite a questionable motor and mediocre skills. He’ll work best as a 3-4 NT or 4-3 two gap DT and will need to rotate regularly but he’s very difficult to block and should be a starter. Mid 3rd round as my #9 DT 3/27/26.
10. Landon Robinson Navy 6’0 287 Sr. He wasn’t invited to the Combine but had an elite 9.4 RAS. He was at Navy he whole career, didn’t play in ‘22, was good in ‘23 (28 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4 sacks), had a huge year in ‘24 (61 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 FF), and then his best year in ‘25 (64 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks). His tackle totals as a DT are elite as it’s rare to see a DT with two +60 tackle seasons. Teams rave about his leadership skills. On film Robinson is a very short, lighter DT with an outstanding motor to go along with incredible quickness, agility, and strength. He’s a tiny wrecking ball who is incredibly physical and moves like a RB more than a DT. He reminds me a little of Ed Oliver as that shorter guy with very good athleticism but who is also super physical at the POA. Robinson is small and low on most lists but his production was elite and he’s not an undersized pass rusher. He will battle in the trenches and win most matchups so I don’t see him as a late round type. He’s quicker than fast and is best when he’s moving laterally around the LOS. He’d be ideal in a stunt heavy DL, like the Bills, and he’s good at penetrating. He isn’t a good enough athlete to be a star 3 technique type but he’d be good as a DT in a one gap scheme or as a 3-4 DE. He’d be pretty fun to line up as a SDE on run downs and see how he did as he’s an incredible run stopper and I’d be intrigued with him as more of a DL than DT and him move all around the line to find mismatches or get snaps off down and distance. I didn’t get arm length but it appears short and he’s a shorter, thinner DT so he could be a liability at the POA. He won’t fit two gap schemes and might need to be a rotational player to avoid him getting too beat up. I love his film but Navy has an atrocious track record and their players come with commitment issues so it’s hard to tell if he’ll even be drafted. He’s very interesting though and I see 3rd round talent here. I love his ability to be a small DT or a big DE and think he could be a 3 down player if a team moved him around situationally. Poor man’s JJ Pegues is a decent comp as that well rounded athlete with great versatility. Overall I really like Landon but his Navy commitments, unorthodox game, and undersized body make him a fringe Day 3 guy. I’ll root for him and would gladly take him if I was a GM but a lot of teams avoid these types so I’ll be higher on him than the league will. Late 3rd as my #10 DT 3/27/26.
11. Tyler Onyedim Texas A&M 6’3 ½ 292 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘34 ⅛ arms (very long) with ‘10 ⅛ hands (big). He’s a 5th year senior so he’s an older prospect (he’ll turn 24 during his rookie year). He began at Iowa State but barely played in ‘21-’22, had a good year in ‘23 (42 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks), a somewhat down year in ‘24 (33 tackles, 2.5 TFL), and then transferred to Texas A&M for his best year in ‘25 (48 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF). On film he’s a tall, skinny DT with very good movement skills. He is very thin for a DT so he’ll need to either add weight or be in a one gap scheme. Even in a one gap scheme I’d like to see him more in the 300-310 range but his thinner frame does allow him to be extremely quick and disruptive. He also has a thinner lower body so even with the added weight he might not anchor very well. It’s an odd body type but Tyler does well with it as he’s quick, long armed, and heavy handed. He’s skinny but he’s strong skinny and he can battle with OL. He was far superior to his backup Albert Regis and the talent drop off was noticeable when he subbed out of the game. He plays too high and doesn’t bend very well. I don’t think it’s fixable but it makes him even easier to block. The more I watch him the more I think he has to be a 3 technique as his thinner body, skinny legs, and upright style are a bad fit for anchoring on run support. He’s very quick, long, and has good strength for his undersized body so he’s more pass rusher or disruptor than run stopper. I see him on the bubble of starter/backup but he flashes big time. He’s an inconsistent player but he had big games vs. top competition. His ‘25 LSU game was good and his ‘25 Texas game was probably the best game of his career as he was all over the place (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack). In that game he looked quicker and more agile than normal and it was in the regular season finale so it might speak to him developing as a pass rusher. The tools are there for him to be a low end starting DT as the designated pass rusher opposite a big run stuffer. He also is very good at trailing plays for tackles, has two seasons of +40 tackles, and he has a strong motor. At worst he’ll be a high end #3 DT off the bench and his length will intrigue NFL DL coaches as they can develop his stack and shed technique and possibly turn him into a more consistent pass rusher. Overall I like Onyedim as a developmental DT with underrated pass rush potential. He seemed to get better every year and played his best against top competition. He has starter traits and could develop into a well rounded DT down the road. Late 3rd round as my #11 DT 3/27/26.
12. Dontay Corleone Cincinnati 6’0 ½ 340 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ⅞ arms with ‘9 ½ hands. He played 4 seasons for Cincinnati and was immediately a star as a freshman in ‘22 (44 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 FF), had a similar year in ‘23 (39 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FF), had a down year in ‘24 (26 tackles, 5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, missed time with blood clots), and then a very down year in ‘25 with injuries (13 tackles in 10 games, severe ankle injury throughout). It’s a very odd career as he peaked as a true sophomore but his first two years were special. On film Corleone is a shorter, very thick DT who has the build of a run stopper but he’s actually very athletic and has good pass rush ability. He could work as a two gap DT due to his huge size but I prefer him in a one gap as he is quick, has good technique, and an outstanding motor for his size so let the big boy hunt! He understand leverage and has good bend so he gets low, blows up under an OL and controls him. He is very good at stacking and shedding, it’s too bad he wasn’t a little longer but he has nearly ‘32 arms which is long for his shorter frame. The issue with him is his health as he’s a gigantic man and already has had two straight down seasons due to issues related to his weight. His blood clot issue in ‘24 might take him off some draft boards entirely as it’s very serious and will warrant a detailed analysis by doctors. It points to the likelihood that he has a short career. His PFF grades have literally gone down every year of his career, peaking as a true freshman where he was one of the highest graded players in the country. Going off his ‘23 tape and ignoring his health issues, I’d give him a mid 2nd round grade as he’s strong and physical at the POA but also has the athleticism to trail plays and be a pass rusher. It’s impossible to grade him though due to his health issues and his continued declining play so I have no idea where he’ll go or how the NFL views him. His ‘25 health issue of an ankle shouldn’t linger so there’s an argument that he’s setting up to be a steal and will be a star as a rookie but he could also be permanently damaged goods and never play a snap in the NFL. Hard to tell but the ‘22-’23 Dontay Corleone was a stud and I’d roll the dice on him on Day 3 hoping he can regain that level of play. Early 4th round as my #12 DT. He’s a mid 2nd rounder talent wise but has serious health issues and is an extreme roll of the dice 3/27/26.
13. Rayshaun Benny Michigan 6’3 298 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘’33 ⅜ arms (good length) with ‘9 ¼ hands (small). He’s a 5th year senior so he’s older (turns 24 right after the draft). He barely played in ‘21-’22, had a solid year in ‘23 (27 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF), had a similar year in ‘24 (29 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), and then had his best year in ‘25 (35 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks). His production plateaued and was never more than good. On film Benny is a good framed DT with good quickness, length, and strength who projects as a very solid run stopper. He’s not a pass rusher as he lacks the speed for it but he’s an extremely agile, quick player with outstanding bend. He also is very strong and battles OL well despite being a slightly undersized rusher. He’s a versatile DT who could play in a one or two gap scheme, or maybe as a 3-4 DE. In any scheme though he’s primarily a run stopper due to the lack of explosiveness and you can tell that by his 4 sacks the past three years. He’s a bit of a cheap shot artist and regularly blind sides OL late in plays. His technique and bend are very good. I wish he could gain weight but he looks close to maxed out and is pretty thick already. He’s an odd prospect as his numbers aren’t great, he’s not a pass rusher, he lacks explosiveness, and he isn’t a super big guy but he has good film. It would not surprise me at all if he was an 8 year starter in a two gap scheme or next to a more athletic pass rusher type. He’d be a low end starter but he’s a solid player. A team wanting a rotational run stopper with good technique and decent athleticism would be happy with him. My only issue is he isn’t an elite run stopper with huge size and he has very little pass rush upside so I lean towards him being more of a #3 DT and think he’s a little overrated. It’s surprising PFF gave him a Top 100 grade over Proctor or McClellan who both have far better traits and a higher ceiling. Benny is a medium floor medium ceiling type who has little bust potential but his ceiling is as a low end starter. His bend, technique, and quickness will earn him a spot in the league but he won’t be a high impact player. Early 4th round as my #13 DT 3/27/26.
14. LT Overton Alabama 6’3 274 Sr. He ran a 4.87 40 (terrible), didn’t do other drills, and measured ‘33 ¼ arms (good length) with ‘10 ⅝ hands (very big). He began his career at Texas A&M where he was okay as a true freshman in ‘22 (31 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack), had a down year in ‘23 (17 tackles), transferred to Alabama and improved in ‘24 (42 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF), and then had his best year in ‘25 (42 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks). On film Overton is a very thick DT/DE tweener with good strength and heavy hands but poor athleticism. To me he’s clearly either a 3-4 DE or a 4-3 DT as he’s very slow and struggles both to get pressures and to convert them into sacks in the kill zone. His 4.87 40 is terrible and his 7 sacks in 4 years is also terrible so those two metrics speak for themselves and match the film exactly as he is just not athletic enough to consistently generate pressure from the outside. He technically got a sack vs. Freeling but it was a coverage sack where the QB tried to scramble and Overton jumped him as he left the pocket. Overton was stoned by Freeling on the play and was easily handled, something that happens frequently on film. I converted him from EDGE to DT and would bulk him up. He’s already pretty thick in the 270s though so I don’t see him looking good at 310. 6’3 290 with ‘33 arms and ‘10 ⅝ hands is pretty interesting though and I’d roll the dice on him as a DT conversion project on Day 3. Not a big fan but he has traits and is very strong and agile, just slow…very slow so I’m out on him as an EDGE. Late 4th round as my #14 DT 4/4/26.
15. Gracen Halton Oklahoma 6’2 ⅝ 293 Sr. He ran a 4.82 40 (elite), ‘36 ½ vertical (elite), 9’6 broad (elite), and measured ‘31 ⅛ arms (below average) with ‘10 hands (big). He played all four seasons at OU, barely played in ‘22-’23, had a good year in ‘24 (30 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 FF), and a similar year in ‘25 (33 tackles, 7 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF). On film Halton is a decent framed, lighter DT who is a 3 technique penetrating type with outstanding athleticism. His RAS score was 9.70 which ranks 63 out of 2046 DTs since 1987. He had a lot of elite scores at the Combine and he’s athletic but it doesn’t fully translate to the field. He has a great burst but is very short armed, his ‘31 ⅛ at the Combine seems generous as it shows up on film, isn’t that strong, and doesn’t really have a plan. He has flashes of being an inside pass rusher but they are few and far between. His favorite move is his swim move and if it doesn’t work then he’s pretty mediocre. Overall his film was average and did not match his Combine performance. In the open field you see his speed so he’s good at chasing down plays, trailing plays, closing on a ball carrier but his lack of strength and length is noticeable in the trenches. He’s also tightly built and doesn’t do well getting small, sliding off blocks, and staying unblocked. He gets stuck a lot on film and he has serious bust potential. He works best against zone as he can shoot gaps as the OL is moving and does much better than vs. gap. He’s a little top heavy as his legs are skinny. He is solid at the POA 1×1 but cannot handle a double team and gets engulfed easily in that scenario. Overall I see Halton as more athlete than football player and consider him extremely overrated due to his Combine which mainly does not translate to the field. His short arms, mediocre quickness, and average strength give him high bust potential. He shows enough as a one gap disruptor that makes me think he’ll be a backup, rotational DT in a one gap scheme but I see career backup as his most likely scenario so he’s extremely overrated by the consensus at this time. Late 4th as my #15 DT 3/27/26.
16. Domonique Orange Iowa State 6’2 322 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 ⅜ (long arms) with ‘10 ¼ hands (big). He played all four years at Iowa State, barely played in ‘22, was okay in ‘23 (16 tackles, 2 TFL), improved in ‘24 (24 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack), and had a down year in ‘25 (18 tackles, 0.5 TFL). He has probably the coolest nickname this cycle in “Big Citrus”. On film Orange is a big, thick run stopping DT. He’s a big guy but less well built than other big space eaters like Darrell Jackson. He runs on the fat side and is very unathletic. He didn’t run at the Combine but I’d argue he’s a 5.3 40 type and it shows on his poor tackle totals (0 seasons with even 30 tackles) as he has very poor range. He does a good job of stacking and shedding and playing with good technique. He bends well for his size and gets low. Unfortunately he isn’t nearly as strong at the POA as I was expecting and he regularly was pushed out of his hole. That is extremely disappointing as he can’t do ANYTHING else (1 career sack, 0 seasons of +30 tackles, 1 season of +20 tackles) so I was shocked that he wasn’t that great of a run stopper. I’d heard about him many times this year and I think he’s overrated because of his nickname. His film is good not great as a run stopper and is literally terrible in every other area. I’m out on him and am very surprised how high he’s ranked by scouts. I don’t see much of a difference between him and Tim Keenan who is projected to go 3 rounds later. They are two down run stoppers and aren’t elite run stoppers so buyer beware if you take Big Citrus in The Top 75 picks as he isn’t who you think he is. Late 4th as my #16 DT 3/28/26.
17. Jordan Vandenberg Georgia Tech 6’3 310 Sr. He didn’t get invited to the Combine. He began his career at Penn State but barely played in ‘21-’22, was a bit player in ‘23 (11 tackles, 0.5 TFL), transferred to Georgia Tech and improved in ‘24 (23 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack), and then had a big season in ‘25 (44 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks). He didn’t make my first cut but popped on my radar when he had a perfect 10 RAS score (2nd best since 1987). He was a rugby player in South Africa, moved to the states at 10. His grandfather is a former Mr. Universe and he has great genetics. I can’t verify but he might be the oldest prospect I’ve ever graded as some reports say he’s 30 years old. PFF does not list his age and he’s from overseas so I’m not sure. On film he’s thick, squat 3-4 DE/4-3 DT type with elite strength and very solid overall athleticism. I don’t see 10.0 RAS on his film but he’s quick and agile for a thick, strong DL. He plays with outstanding leverage and bend and gets under OL shoulder pads as a power rusher. Once he disengages he has good quickness and burst but not great speed. He’s a short area burst type who can close in the kill zone but he won’t be catching a ball carrier from behind. He has elite hustle and just never stops. At worst he’ll be a solid bench player to come in as a change of pace as his energy is infectious. He goes all out but ends a lot of plays on the ground. He has good leverage but still gets engulfed too often. He also overextends himself regularly with his hustle so I think some of that could be cleaned up if a team asking to be a less less chaotic or they might love the disruption and be okay with his penchant for getting pancaked. His film is very inconsistent but he does cause a lot of havoc and I love his hustle. I see him as a high end backup off the bench to provide hustle and run stopping and think he could be a 4-3 SDE on run downs if a team wanted. He’s a unique player but he is not an uber athlete and his 10 RAS Score is probably more related to his family’s weight lifting background than anything. He’s a good not great athlete and more of a hustle player than freak athlete. If he really is 30 years old, he’s a camp invite but I suspect it’s an incorrect age. If he’s 24, as would be my guess for him, then I’ll give him an early 5th round grade as my #17 DT 3/28/26.
18. Tim Keenan Alabama 6’1 327 Sr. He ran a 5.31 40 (bad), ‘30 vertical (average), 8’4 broad (bad), and measured ‘30 ½ arms (short) with ‘8 ⅝ hands (tiny). He played all four years at Alabama, barely played in ‘22 (1 tackle), had a solid year in ‘23 (38 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack), improved in ‘24 (40 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks), and then had a down year in ‘25 (16 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF). On film Keenan is a short, squat NT type who excels as a NT or two gap DT but has poor athleticism and shows no pass rush ability. He’ll be a backup or two down run stuffer and is decent at it but there’s no versatility here and I doubt anyone sees it differently. He’s short with short arms so he sometimes struggles to stack but he bends well and has an outstanding anchor so he gets away with short arms. He’s an ideal anchor against double teams as it’s very hard to root him out of his spot. Alabama actually gave him pass rush reps, pretty surprised by that, and he was terrible at it so there’s no hidden ability here. He’s a good space eater but he doesn’t stack and shed that well, is very bad at trailing plays, and he has no pass rush so he’s as one dimensional as they come. I like him as a low end two down starter or high end rotational DT for running downs but he has a low ceiling. The positive is his body and strength are both ideal for his role and he’ll be near his ceiling as a rookie. Early 5th round as my #18 DT 3/27/26.

2026 WR Rankings

1. Jordyn Tyson Arizona State 6’2 ⅛ 203 Jr. He began his career at Colorado and was effective in 2022 (22 470 4 TDs in only 9 games) but transferred for vague reasons. Deion this year said “He got his confidence up. He got his work ethic right, and I’m proud of him.” The quote makes it sound like he wasn’t doing the right things but there have been no personal issues, outside of availability, during his time at ASU. He transferred so he sat out the 2023 season and then was a dominant wide receiver in ‘24 (63 925 8 TDs) and ‘25 (61 711 8 TDs in only 9 games). He didn’t play in 2 games in ‘24 and 4 games in ‘25 so availability is somewhat of a concern but it seems more like a fluke hamstring injury. Before his hamstring injury he was dominant with a +100 yard game in 4 of his 7 games and 1-2 TDs in 6 of his 7 games. He has inconsistent hands as he had an 8.5% drop rate in ‘24 (improved it in ‘25 dramatically). Much of this is related to grip strength and overall play strength and also shows up in his 3 fumbles the past two seasons and inconsistent film vs. press coverage (Kelley Jones in ‘25 being the most clear example). Tyson vs. Lemon is a fun exercise but is more about style or type of WR you prefer than anything. Tyson more easily separates, has a far higher YPRR vs. man (4.63 vs. 3.26), and has better speed to threaten a defense down the field. Tyson is your Z WR and will be ideal in a Jefferson/Wilson/Lamb type role. Lemon is the analytics darling as he was the higher rated prospect out of HS (5 star recruit), had an earlier breakout season (year 2 vs. year 3), higher peak PFF grade (91.4 vs. 85.3), and higher career YPRR (3.02 vs. 2.71). He’s also far superior vs. zone coverage (3.6 vs 2.34), has never had drop issues, and is slightly better on contested catches (57% to 52%). Lemon is your slot WR and will be ideal in an Aman St. Brown role. Both project as blue chip, elite WR prospects and are in the same tier in my opinion. Also you can see certain scouts bias when they say things like “earlier breakout” or Lemon is a 3rd year early declare while Tyson isn’t, it’s basically bullshit. Tyson played 3 seasons of college (sat out a year on transfer is the only reason he’s not a “3rd year early declare”) just like Lemon and is 2 months YOUNGER than Lemon. If you go by year out of HS, Lemon was an earlier breakout, if you go by age then they are identical-again it’s just bullshit. My official comp is slightly faster Garrett Wilson as they both have the same size/fluidity and are eerily similar as prospects. Wilson came out of Ohio State a little quicker and more fluid while Tyson is noticeably faster and has more potential as a deep threat but both are among the most toolsy WR prospects in recent memory. Tyson is going to be a dynamic intermediate route runner and is natural at it. His change of direction is borderline elite and, coupled with his outstanding speed, is why he’s practically unguardable in man coverage. Arizona State put him in motion often but much of his usage was very basic and he won off routes, speed, and quickness on an NFL route tree. It’s great to see, as those are the more valuable reps to scouts and is why I find myself gravitating more towards Tyson as WR1 than Lemon. Concepcion is the only other WR in this class anywhere near Tyson in terms of ease of separating and those two will be immediate impact players as rookies as they fit any system and won’t need to be schemed. Tyson’s hamstring injury occurred vs. Texas Tech early in the 3rd quarter yet he still ended with a dominant stat line (10 105 1 TD), showing great toughness to gut it out. Leavitt is an incredibly toolsy QB but he wasn’t very efficient last year (6.8 YPA, 129 QB Rating-89th in the country right next to John Mateer). That is worth mentioning when people throw out Lemon’s slightly superior YPRR stats as Maiava was 13th in the country in QB Rating and Lemon was constantly being schemed up by Lincoln Riley. Tyson was in a far worse situation QB and scheme wise yet had comparable counting and efficiency stats last year. Also Tyson’s deep speed is being slept on as he looks like a legit 4.3 athlete and will threaten the defense more than a Lamb or Wilson type. He effortlessly separates on 9 routes and that can be seen in the ‘25 TCU game where he had an easy 57 yard TD vs. man coverage. The TCU game would be my pick for his best career game as he won in every way. He also showed great hands in the game with a diving catch, a sliding catch, and a pluck away from his body on a poor throw by Leavitt. He had drop issues in ‘24 but I’d point to the TCU game if anyone says Tyson has bad hands. He has inconsistent hands but also makes spectacular catches regularly and the drops weren’t an issue last year. The negatives on Tyson are the Colorado transfer (is he a future diva?), his poor YAC numbers ( 6 missed tackles forced last year vs. 21 for Lemon), his availability issues, and his good but not great contested catch rate. He is a slightly soft wide receiver, something you can’t say about Lemon, and I do wish he came down with more tough catches as he left a few too many out there, especially in the red zone in ‘25. Overall though I see Tyson as a blue chip WR prospect and am comfortable giving him a Top 5 grade as my #1 WR. Lemon is the analytics darling but Tyson has superior tools and beats defenses in a more valuable way. Tyson can stay outside, beat DBs with speed, quickness, or routes and will be that rare intermediate and deep threat who scares defenses. Lemon will be a star slot receiver who is schemed a million touches but Tyson seems like the more talented player overall (taller, heavier, faster, slightly younger, needs less scheming to get open) so I give him the slight edge as my WR1 1/11/2026. He didn’t run or do drills at the Combine but it was interesting to see he came in at 6’2, tying Carnell Tate, weighed 11 lbs more than Tate (203 vs. 192), and then went on the bench and had 26 reps (2nd best all-time!). I think he took the “he’s not very physical” thing to heart and showed everyone he’s a legit #1 WR that can do it all. No change for me, he has been a Top 5 grade as my #1 WR the entire draft process as I see future star 3/28/26.
2. Makai Lemon USC 5’11 ⅛ 192 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but still worried people as his interviews were creepy and weird. Also his hands were ‘8 ¾, absolutely tiny. I dismiss that as I’ve already said he has some of the best hands I’ve ever graded so a measurement gets overshadowed by actual film/results but it was still a bad Combine for him. He was a 5 star recruit out of HS and went to USC where he was a bit player in ‘23 (6 88 0 TDs), had a very good year in ‘24 (52 764 3 TDs), and then a dominant year in ‘25 winning the Biletinikoff Award (79 1,156 11 TDs). On film Lemon is a shorter, thick wide receiver with a good burst, elite hands, and rare polish for a true junior. He’s a natural slot receiver but he has a decent amount of film at USC as an outside receiver and he can win out there as well. He’s extremely difficult to tackle and he projects to be a YAC specialist working the middle of the field but his good speed and elite hands give him some JSN vibes as well. His Iowa game was the best single game by any WR this season and coach Ferentz mentioned how special it was. “That No. 6 is as good as I’ve seen. I mean, going back 20-plus years, I don’t know if anybody has impacted the game more.” He’s dangerous with the ball in his hands and he gets up to top speed extremely quickly. Makai is also extremely fluid and everything thrown to him feels like it’s in rhythm because of how polished of a wideout he is. He’s the best WR in this class vs. zone coverage and he will likely be an elite zone beater in the NFL. He will probably be his QB’s best friend and a security blanket as he reads defenses like a QB. He was one of three 5 star WRs in his USC class (Jakobi Lane and Duce Robinson were the others) and he established himself as the alpha wideout very quickly, even resulting in Duce transferring. That is telling and makes me less worried about his mediocre size/speed ratio as they both were bigger and faster than him and he still was more productive. That being said, his size/speed ratio is mediocre at best. JSN and Amon had similar issues but it should be addressed that Lemon looks like a low 4.5 speed guy on film and is sub 6’0 and sub 200 lbs. He overcame it in college but if he isn’t a star in the NFL it will likely be due to his mediocre physical traits. His stats were a little inflated by some poor competition as his best two games were vs. Georgia Southern and Northwestern (319 yards and 3 TDs combined). He also only had one 100 yard receiving game vs. a ranked opponent (in 5 games the past two seasons). That does worry me a bit as he is an extremely fun player to watch but it’s noticeable that a lot of his touches are schemed and good defenses can shut that down. He’s elite with the ball in his hands but you wonder how much of his tape is transferable to the NFL and he will need to be utilized correctly to get the most out of him. If he goes to the Bears, it’s over, and he’ll be one of the best WRs in the NFL but if he goes to say the Titans and is doubled every snap and has a mediocre OC it could be mediocre output by him. Tyson vs. Lemon is a fun exercise but is more about style or type of WR you prefer than anything. Tyson more easily separates, has a far higher YPRR vs. man (4.63 vs. 3.26), and has better speed to threaten a defense down the field. Tyson is your Z WR and will be ideal in a Jefferson/Wilson/Lamb type role. Lemon is the analytics darling as he was the higher rated prospect out of HS (5 star recruit), had an earlier breakout season (year 2 vs. year 3), higher peak PFF grade (91.4 vs. 85.3), and higher career YPRR (3.02 vs. 2.71). He’s also far superior vs. zone coverage (3.6 vs 2.34), has never had drop issues, and is slightly better on contested catches (57% to 52%). Lemon is your slot WR and will be ideal in an Amon-Ra St. Brown role. Both project as blue chip, elite WR prospects and are in the same tier in my opinion. Lemon has a higher floor than Tyson with his elite hands, better overall analytical profile, and extremely high missed tackles forced (21 last year, a borderline elite number) but I do worry sometimes about his size/speed ratio. He should be able to make up for it with his nuanced route running as he is outstanding at adjusting tempo and getting DBs off balance but he lacks that second gear Tyson has and it is my one concern. My official comp is Amon and it’s an easy one due to the body measurements, style of play, and the USC ties. Amon is a little quicker and Lemon is a little stronger, more physical but they are extremely similar. Lemon should be a dominant player attacking the middle of a defense and could regularly put up +100 catch seasons. His physical traits not only aren’t elite but are mediocre (below average height, average long speed) but he’s about as natural of a playmaker as you will find. His hands are also elite and, borderline historic, as I compare them to Larry Fitzgerald’s hands. He is great at the contested catch (see the Iowa game where he held on despite getting speared in the side by a DB), makes a ton of acrobatic catches (see the Michigan game where he made a leaping catch behind his head vs. tight coverage), is consistent with his hands (had a 2.5% drop rate-elite), and his polished “late hands” are probably the best in the class (see the Iowa game where he used his hands late on the post to avoid the PBU attempt). Lemon is a high floor, high ceiling WR who easily could be the most productive wide receiver from this draft class. I consider him an elite, blue chip prospect and give him a Top 5 grade but he ends as my #2 WR due to a mediocre size/speed ratio, him being best utilized in the slot, and him being helped by Lincoln Riley’s schemes and Maiava being a quality QB. Tyson offers a little more upside and isn’t scheme dependent so he barely edges Lemon out as WR1 but Lemon could just as easily be a perennial Pro Bowler and could be the star WR from this class if he goes to the right team 1/11/2026. He didn’t run at the Combine but ran a 4.52 40 (which I predicted to the hundredth of a second). It fits his profile as he isn’t fast and projects as a slot receiver with some flexibility to play outside but it’s not his ideal role. His Combine interview was weird and creepy. No way around it, but it’s probably not a major issue. He has some ghetto vibes to him, so he might be on a police blotter, but he has an elite work ethic, is loved by all of his teammates, and doesn’t seem like a bad dude. I love him but the traits aren’t elite so I dropped him slightly to the next tier as a Top 10 grade as my #2 WR. I still think he can become Amon St. Brown but the more I watch him the more I’m worried he’s more Jarvis Landry. In the perfect situation he could be a star, in a bad situation we’ll wonder why he went so high 3/28/26.
3. Carnell Tate Ohio State 6’2 ¼ 192 Jr. He ran a 4.53 40 (below average), didn’t do any other workouts, and measured ‘31 ¾ arms (good length but was hoping for longer) with ‘10 ¼ hands (huge hands). He was a 5 star recruit, played immediately as a true freshman at Ohio State in ‘23 (18 264 1 TD), was 3rd fiddle to Smith/Egbuka in ‘24 (52 733 4 TDs), and then 2nd fiddle to Jeremiah Smith in ‘25 (51 875 9 TDs). It’s easy to ignore him never being the top guy with Harrson, Smith, and Egbuka as teammates but it is disappointing he couldn’t ever have a 1k receiving season. On film Tate is a big framed X receiver with good routes, great hands, great ball skills, great body control and solid overall athleticism. He lacks top end speed but is still a deep threat due to his ball skills and big frame and wins contested catches at a high rate. You can see that in his ‘25 opener vs. Texas as he didn’t separate all game but still had two nice chunk plays including a 33 yard TD with the CB draped all over him. The problem is he only caught 2 balls all game and it’s a common theme with him as he doesn’t separate consistently enough to warrant a high target percentage. He’s similar to Tet last year in that he’s best as a big play #2 WR. I value that type, and actually have him graded higher than Tet’s late 1st grade I gave last year, but it’s hard to stomach using a Top 10 pick on a high end #2 splash play WR. Also ‘25 was the first year he looked like a stud. His career YPRR is only 2.27 as he was the #3 WR for Ohio State his first two seasons. Also Tate is an incomplete WR profile as he’s mediocre in YAC (0.14 MTF, 4.8 YAC per reception-both below average) and is bad even when adjusted for his deeper route tree (-0.5 yards after catch over expected). He struggles against press coverage and can easily be shut out if a defense presses him and gives safety help. He had less than 50 yards receiving in 3 of his 4 games last year vs. ranked opponents (Texas, Indiana, Miami) and it’s a concerning trend with him. I love his frame and hands but he too often will be a guy who does nothing except one or two chunk plays all game and I don’t see him being a WR1 at the next level. Also some of his production last year was just terrible defense. The ‘25 Minnesota game is the best example of this as he two times ran down the field unguarded and then juked a shitty safety for a +40 yard reception. It had no translation to the NFL and it’s his only career game of +130 yards. In 2025 he caught 85% of his contested targets (12/14), along with 0 drops. That is a huge improvement from his good but not elite contested catch rate of 55% (10/18) in his prior two seasons. I lean toward YPRR but YPT is another stat out there and it absolutely loved Carnell Tate as he had the highest YPT (15.0) of a Power Conference WR since 2017. It’s an impressive top 5 too as he beats out Chase, Lamb, Higgins, and BTJ. It’s also a good stat for him as he’s a big play, chunk guy and won’t be a 100 receptions type but will impact the game with his catches. My comp this entire year for him has been George Pickens as they move like each other and have very similar bodies and styles. Tate is an overrated player this draft cycle but one I still like. I view him as a very high end #2 WR and think he’ll complement a star player very well as he can beat a defense deep and will be an outstanding red zone threat. Higgins, BTJ, and Pickens all have similar stats and/or styles and look best as dynamic #2 types. Tate is in that mold and that type of WR gets +30 mil/year contracts so maybe it is worth a Top 10 pick. WR inflation is a real thing but I still think you can’t rank Tate too highly as he’ll never be the focal point of an offense and will disappear too often during games. Mid 1st as my #3 WR who projects as a high end #2 WR in the Pickens/Tet mold who will excel on chunk plays, never have +100 receptions but will have high YPR, and be red zone threats 3/26/26.
4. KC Concepcion Texas A&M 5’11 ⅝ 196 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘30 ¼ arms (short but normal for his sub 6’0 frame) with ‘9 ¼ hands (below average). He began his career at NC State and was one of the best freshman WR in the nation in ‘23 (71 839 10 TDs receiving, 41 320 7.8 ypc 0 TDs rushing), he then had a terrible year in ‘24 (53 460 6 TDs), and transferred to Texas A&M where he was great again in ‘25 (61 919 9 TDs). On film KC is an average height, thicker WR with outstanding athleticism and YAC. I think a lot of people confuse him with smaller WRs as I see Zay Flowers as a comp all the time but Zay was 5’8 182 and KC is basically 6’0 200. Their body types are not similar, nor is their game. My comp for KC is CeeDee Lamb as CD was 6’1 5/8 198 so KC is 2 inches shorter and 2 lbs lighter. Both have good not great speed but enough speed and quickness to run a full route tree and consistently get open from the outside and their super power is YAC as both break tackles and are far more difficult to bring down than expected at their size. KC’s career is one of two phases. At NC State he was predominantly a slot receiver (85% slot rate), his aDOT was short (6.9), and he was utilized regularly as a RB. At A&M he was predominantly an outside receiver (35% slot rate), his aDOT doubled (12.3), and he rarely was used as a rusher. One of my favorite things about him is that versatility as he was dominant in both roles and could be a slot or Z in the NFL. He also had 2 TDs as a punt returner last year and 1 as a rusher so he can beat you in every way imaginable. His ‘24 was terrible but I blame it on NC State and move on. No WR even had a 500 yard receiving season that year, he led the team in receptions and receiving TDs in that down year, they ran the ball 52% of the time, and CJ Bailey was a true freshman and extremely raw. It’s not ideal to ignore an entire season, especially his 2nd most recent, but if you do then everything does seem to match film/stats wise and does seem like a plausible explanation (terrible scenario, struggled along with everyone else to be productive). The other red flag is his hands as they are inconsistent and too often are very bad. His career drop rate is 9.3%, a terrible number, and 2nd worst to Skyler Bell. His total drops are 19 for his career, in only three years, 2nd worst to Bell as well. His analytics profile is a mix of elite and bad and is due to his odd career of being great in ‘23 and ‘25 and bad in ‘24. His 0.43 dominator rating is the best of any under 19 year old since 2004 with Megatron being 2nd! He’s a natural playmaker, early breakout, versatile in how he can win and where he can line up, and he’s been very productive for two of three seasons in the best conference. There’s a lot to like and it surprised me how so few were viewing him as a Top 4, instead being lumped in with lower talents like Boston/Cooper/etc. The buzz has since grown with him but I’ve had him neck and neck with Tate as WR4 since early March and consider him one of the best skill players in this entire draft. My comp is CeeDee Lamb but he has shades of Stefon Diggs and Jayden Reed to his game as well. He’s a very underrated route runner and separates naturally. I see low 4.4s on film and he looked faster than Mansoor Delane, who ran a 4.38, so he might clock in the 4.3s at his pro day later this cycle. I like adjusted stats as they provide nuance and among WRs in YAC over expected he’s 2nd in the class to only Branch at +1.5 per reception. That’s telling as his route tree is much deeper than Branch, Cooper, or even Lemon and he put up very good YAC numbers. Adjusting those numbers makes a good argument that he’s actually better than Lemon/Cooper and shows the kind of ceiling he has. Lemon is a superior route runner, has MUCH better hands, and is tougher but KC is a better athlete, more versatile, and can win without schemed touches. The difference can be seen when they both faced Notre Dame as KC regularly got open and Lemon was shut down except for one good rep where he barely beat star CB Leonard Moore and had some YAC. KC projects as a high end Z receiver who could be a star if put in the right scheme like how Lamb is used in Dallas or JSN was used last year by Kubiak in Seattle. Kubiak is now with the Raiders and him and Mendoza would be an ideal pairing as he’d the primary motion man and target getter among WRs and let Nailor, Tucker, Bech, Thornton be the lesser roles. Also his analytics profile needs an asterisk in ‘25 as it was good but would have been better if Reed was more accurate. He regularly had to jump for balls, also why his elite YAC talent is more hidden analytically, and missed a lot of deep ball chances as Reed was often hesitant to pull the trigger. Tyson is my favorite WR in this class but KC is second. I see a potential star here and why my comp is CeeDee Lamb. The only reason he’s WR4 is because Lemon and Tate have fewer red flags and because Lemon’s film is so damn good. Tate is a prototypical X receiver and has an extremely high floor and Lemon could average +100 catches a year for the next 8 years. You don’t fade either profile but KC is right up there in grade and could easily be one of the best WRs from this class 3 years from now. Mid 1st as my #4 WR 3/28/26.
5. Denzel Boston Washington 6’3 ⅝ 212 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 arms (good length) with ‘9 ¾ hands (above average). At his pro day he didn’t run the 40 but had an elite 6.80 3 cone, very good 4.30 shuttle, and solid ‘37 ½ vertical. He’s a redshirt junior technically as he barely played at Washington in ‘22 (2 15 0 TDs), barely played again in ‘23 (5 51 0 TDs), had a good year in ‘24 (63 834 9 TDs), and then his best year in ‘25 (62 881 11 TDs). It’s a risky profile due to his late breakout and poor analytics but he did play with Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Germie Bernard so he did have tough competition. Nonetheless he’ll have one of the lowest career YPRR (2.02) if taken in the 1st round this year. On the plus side though is he has some of the best hands in this class (61% contested catch success rate), his quicker than fast style is evident by his elite 3 cone time and translates to the film, and he’s a big, physical WR who plays the part. There are two schools of thought around guys who can’t separate: Go for the guy who maybe can improve and get better at separating or go with the guy who can win without separating and be a contested catch artist. Boston is the latter as he has very strong hands, is extremely physical, and has great ball skills. He had 20 TDs the past two seasons and a lot were in the red zone due to those traits. He was PFF’s #1 ranked run blocking WR and will be a weapon as a run blocker on the edge, could be in a Hines Ward type role. He also runs very good routes and utilizes his quickness to get a little bit of separation, which is all he needs to play his game. He’s the classic X receiver and it’s a body type/style type that isn’t very common so many teams will be quite excited to get Boston despite Twitter giving a collective yawn around him as a prospect. Squint hard enough and you can see poor man’s Drake London. Poor man’s Tee Higgins is my comp as London’s a bit more athletic than Boston or Higgins who both will always struggle to get open. He’s very good on jump balls and can be a deep threat from the jump ball. He also surprises you with a little separation at times deep when he jukes out a safety with his route running and speaks to his polish as a player. He has some bust potential as a low YPRR guy with poor YAC (0.11 MTF, one of the lowest in the class) and as a late breakout but I think he’s more of a low ceiling player than a high bust potential prospect. He’ll be a one dimensional guy but he’ll be an asset in the red zone, as a run blocker, as a slant artist, and he’ll occasionally get open for a big play with his route running. His contested catch fade TD vs. Rutgers was one of the best catches of this draft cycle and it epitomizes how he’ll play. A CB will be right next to him but he’ll still win, especially against smaller/weaker players. He projects as a very good #2 WR and one who should play a very long time. Low ceiling but high floor and he wins in a unique way that is highly coveted by NFL teams. Late 1st as my #5 WR 3/25/26.
6. Chris Bell Louisville 6’1 ⅞ 222 Sr. He didn’t workout at the Combine due to his injury (ACL). He played all four years at Louisville where he was a bit player in ‘22 (7 105 0 TDs), improved in ‘23 (29 407 2 TDs), had a good year in ‘24 (43 737 4 TDs), and his best year in ‘25 (72 917 6 TDs in 11 games). He tore his ACL in the SMU game, missed the final 2 games, and expects to be ready for his rookie year but it will depend on the team and how much they want to push him. On film Bell is a huge, extremely physical AJ Brown/Deebo Samuel type wideout. He doesn’t separate extremely well and doesn’t run a full route tree but his size and physicality make him intriguing, despite the injury. He’ll be a shallow cross/slant/schemed touch type wideout and should be effective in that role. His MTF numbers are surprisingly pedestrian (0.17, below average) and is a red flag since that is the role I’d want him in but he looked like a YAC artist on film so I’m a little confused by his poor stats in that area. He is though good on contested catches (56%) and his strong hands are evident on film. His film is good but his analytics profile is bad (2.01 YPRR, below average separator, poor YAC numbers, senior, etc.) and he feels like a boom/bust prospect. On some film he looks like a mid 4.4s guy with a huge frame, strong hands, and someone that can be a well rounded #2 WR. On other film he struggles to separate, doesn’t do a lot, and his YAC is more of the “they never got him to the ground” than “made people miss for more yardage”. He works much better on short and intermediate routes than deep routes and works better on in breaking routes than out routes and comebacks. He’s very fluid though and has some film of working back shoulder routes which intrigues me. His QB Miller Moss, weird name, was very mediocre (75th in the nation in QB Rating) and washed out of USC the prior year so there’s an argument to be made that Bell was a relatively productive player despite a poor supporting cast. I definitely see the risk with Bell but he still intrigues me with his size, strength, strong hands, and fluidity/agility. I don’t think Louisville put him in great positions for YAC and miscast him as their primary X receiver. It gave him volume but hurt him efficiency wise and I’d like to see him work as a big slot in the NFL. He was very good on slants and that should be his most common route. He has much better film in the middle of the field than on the outside and “big slot” would put him more often in that area. Also shallow cross or quick out on a schemed touch from motion would be ideal for him and I almost never saw it. Put in those positions and he’d improve his mediocre YAC numbers as his size, speed, and physicality should translate to better YAC numbers and film than he had. Late in the draft cycle I saw a stat that Bell averaged +10.1 YAC on crossing routes and slants! That makes sense as his MTF/YAC numbers are pedestrian but his Miami film was stunning as he was blowing past the entire defense on YAC off crossing routes multiple times. You can make the argument that he had a good year despite being miscast as an X receiver (only had 9% of his targets from the slot-2nd lowest in the class) and if he had been used as a big slot or even Z receiver, with a lot of motion, he would have had +1,300 yards and have a much better analytics profile. Overall Bell is a risky boom/bust prospect as his analytics profile is below average, his film was good but not great, he doesn’t have the speed to be a deep threat or separate consistently down the field, and he’s coming off an ACL injury. Nonetheless there is a lot of talent here and I think Louisville played him out of position and gave him an odd route tree which he did the best he could with. Landing spot will be crucial and his role, big slot would be ideal but Z as the motion man would make sense, will also go a long way into determining if he’s successful or not. I see some Tre Harris in him, a little AJ Brown, and even some poor man’s Malik Nabers. He’s a stud athlete, has better routes and hands than you’d expect, and has grown on me the more I’ve watched him. He’s a size/speed ratio guy with outstanding physicality and I think he’s going to be a better pro than collegiate. Early 2nd round as my #6 WR 3/26/26.
7. Omar Cooper Jr. Indiana 6’0 ⅛ 199 Jr. He ran a 4.42 40 (very good), ‘37 vertical (good), and measured ‘9 ⅝ hands (big). I was surprised he didn’t do the quickness drills as I would have expected those to be his best numbers. He spent 4 years at Indiana, redshirted in ‘22 (played in 4 games), was a bit player in ‘23 (18 267 2 TDs), had a solid year in ‘24 (28 594 7 TDs), and then he had his breakout year in ‘25 (69 937 13 TDs). He’s an average aged prospect and will be 22 ½ on draft day. He was great with Mendoza and led the team in receptions, yards, and almost TDs (13 vs. Sarratt’s 15). Indiana ran a very structured offense where Sarratt was consistently the X receiver outside and Cooper was almost always the slot receiver who they motioned regularly. He was also their gadget guy and was given a lot of schemed touches. His counting stats weren’t great for his career, only one season of +600 receiving yards, but his underlying metrics are good (2.47 career YPRR) to great (0.31 MTF/reception) as is his film. His counting stats are even more dubious when you realize he had an epic game (10 207 4 TDs) in the 73-0 blowout vs. Indiana State. When I initially watched him I thought he was more of a Wandale Robinson type as that is how they used him but he’s much more versatile and I actually think he can win consistently on the outside as a Z receiver with motion. His routes are crisp and he has outstanding change of direction. For the most part he ran short routes, to accentuate his YAC, but he looks like he could be a very good intermediate route runner and you can see that on some film (example: ‘25 1st Oregon game with an extremely smooth 15 yard out as an outside receiver), though admittedly it was limited. Indiana focused on him being a YAC artist so he has a lot of screens, shallow crosses, etc. He has really good contact balance for a WR, almost RB like, and bounces off a decent amount of tacklers. His 27 MTF last year are tied with Eric McAlister for first in the class. He’s great in the role but it limited him and I think he’s being unfairly cast as that role in the NFL. He’d be a very good slot receiver but I prefer him as a Z and suspect people will be surprised when they see how fast he is and how good of a route runner he can be. His burst is exceptional, one of the best in this class, and his hands are borderline elite as well. He had a 4% career drop rate, was 56% on contested catches, and his hands are extremely strong and can hang on vs. contact (example: ‘25 Illinois game where he is absolutely leveled on an extended catch over the middle yet somehow still hangs on). He’s also a natural playmaker who effortlessly finds the end zone. 20 receiving TDs the past two seasons is impressive and is better than pretty much everyone except Jeremiah Smith (27!) as it tied Boston (20), bested Tyson (16), Antonio Williams (15), Lemon (14), Tate (13), etc. I see that continuing in the NFL due to his great hands (example: ‘25 Penn State toe tap TD in back of the end zone late in the 4th quarter), good size, and ability to be used in motion to give him an angle for his YAC ability to finish. End arounds, screens, slants, and quick outs will all be great for him but if he can develop as a route runner he could become a high end #2 WR. Brandon Aiyuk is a comp I’ve seen recently for him that makes some sense. Rashee Rice is another which I’m a little lower on but my official comp is Jalen Royals. Royals was 6’0 205, great YAC artist, and ran a 4.42 and Cooper is 6’0 204, great YAC artist, and looks like a high 4.4-low 4.5 guy. I was obsessed with Aiyuk coming out of Arizona State, his deep ball potential was much higher than Cooper or Royals was, and I was obsessed with Royals last year out of Utah State so it’s not surprising that Cooper is one of my favorite wideouts in this class. Royals was a little faster, Cooper is a little stronger at the catch point but they are pretty similar players. Overall I see Cooper as an versatility wideout who projects as a low end #2 WR/high end #3 WR initially that is primarily used in the slot or as a YAC artist with lots of short passes. Yet his size, hands, quickness, and speed make me think he could develop into a more well rounded, high end #2 WR and run a full route tree. He’s a bit of a projection for the ceiling but his floor is well established as he should at least be a very capable slot receiver, #3 WR type which is how Indiana utilized him. Early 2nd round as my #6 WR 1/25/26. He came in faster than I expected with a 4.42 and a lot of analytics say he’s underrated (#1 YAC WR in the class, 2.47 YPRR being better than Tate/Boston/KC) but I lowered his grade a bit as he had a lot of production from the slot (46%), he didn’t separate that well on the outside, and his career YPRR is a bit overrated because he was so bad his first two seasons (267 yards total) that he barely saw the field! For instance, he’ll have the worst YPG (58.6) in his best season of any WR taken in the 1st round since 2014! The other 3 next to him are a very bad group (Matthew Golden, Henry Ruggs, Phillip Dorsett) yet he underperformed them all. He’s going to be a very solid player but he’s become overrated this draft cycle due to a great finish to his year and elite analytics which I see as a bit overrated when you mix his efficiency stats (great) with his counting and early breakout stats (terrible). Mid 2nd round as my #7 WR 3/25/26.
8. Chris Brazzell Tennessee 6’4 198 Jr. He ran a 4.37 40 (elite) and then didn’t do other drills but also measured ‘32 ⅜ arms (long) with ‘9 hands (small). He was pulled over in August ‘25 for going 60 in a 35 and subsequently arrested when they reviewed his DL and found it suspended the past year due to missing a court date on a previous violation in August ‘24. He began his career at Tulane where he barely played in ‘22 (1 catch), had a solid year in ‘23 (44 711 5 TDs), transferred to Tennessee and had a down year in ‘24 (29 333 2 TDs), and then had his best year in ‘25 (61 1,017 9 TDs). On film Chris is a tall, lean speedster type with unique fluidity and ball skills. There aren’t many wideouts as big framed as Chris is with the fluid hips and ankles that allow him to be a quality route runner. Watching him run routes after a Sarratt, Lane, or Boston type shows you how special he is as he’s their height but just moves differently than they do. The problem is he’s still very skinny and him coming from the atrocious track record of wideouts that Tennessee is doesn’t do him any favors. Chris Henry is a decent comp that intrigued me but my official comp is BTJ as Brian was 6’3 209 and ran a 4.33 while Brazzell is 6’4 198 and ran a 4.37. BTJ is a little faster and more polished as a route runner while Brazzell has better ball skills but they both have that rare fluidity for guys their size and why I consider it a good comp. It speaks to how much I like Brazzell that I lean more BTJ than Henry as I think he has one of the highest ceilings in this WR class and think low end #1 WR is a possible outcome. His BMI at the Combine was 24.1, which is bad but not terrible. It’s the 43rd worst BMI by a WR since 2000 but puts him with the same BMI as Jordan Addison who has never seemed too small to me. Chris Henry was 24.0 and BTJ was 26.1 to put Brazzell’s BMI in perspective of my comps. Analytically he’s a mixed bag as his 2.09 YPRR is solid but his contested catch success rate of 42% is bad and his MTF (0.07) is atrocious (worst in class). His aDOT is high though so his route tree isn’t ideal for YAC but it’s still bad and both metrics speak to him being somewhat of a soft wide receiver. He needs to gain weight but if he can do that, a real risk as he was listed at 195 in ‘23 at Tulane so maybe he can’t keep the weight on, then I’d expect his YAC and contested catch metrics to both improve and he could be a complete wide receiver. Worst case scenario, Chris is a deep threat #2 WR in the Jamison Williams/Christian Watson mold but he’s so much more fluid than Williams and is stronger and more productive than Watson coming out of college. Chris also has an above the rim game which makes him a legit red zone threat. Tennessee didn’t utilize it as much as I wished but you saw flashes of him being special in that area (Mississippi State and Georgia in ‘25 being great examples). Also his stats didn’t look like former Tennessee busts Donte Thornton (maybe too early to call him a bust) or Jalin Hyatt where they were schemed wide open on a deep route. Chris won with good releases, smooth routes, and strong hands. His route tree was more extensive than prior Tennessee types, excluding Cedric Tillman, and it looked more translatable. Also it felt like there was a lot of meat left on the bone in his ‘25 film and, despite having 4 games with +100 yards and a TD along with +1k receiving yards last year, it seemed like he dominated more than that and could have had +1,300 yards and 12 TDs. Overall I’m a huge fan of Brazzell as I think people are helmet scouting him and don’t realize how unique of an athlete he is. He has some bust potential but I think his ceiling is one of the highest in this entire WR class as BTJ with better ball skills is in the range of outcomes. His fluidity, short area burst, and long speed are a very enticing combination to go with his 6’4 frame. If he can’t gain weight then he’ll be a Chris Henry/Jamison Williams type as a designated deep threat but if he can gain 10 lbs over the next few years then he could be a very well rounded wideout and potentially be a #1 WR. He has a wide variance of outcomes so I dropped him slightly below more sure WR profiles like Bell/Cooper but I still think he has one of the highest ceilings in this entire class. Mid 2nd round as my #8 WR 3/7/26.
9. Germie Bernard Alabama 6’1 ¼ 206 Sr. He ran a 4.48 40 (good for his size), had a ‘32 ½ vertical (bad), 10’5 broad (good), and a 6.71 3 cone (elite, 1st among WRs). He started his career at Michigan State where he was a bit player as a freshman in ‘22 (7 128 2 TDs), transferred to Washington where he improved in ‘23 (34 419 2 TDs), and then transferred again to Alabama where he had two solid years in ‘24 (46 714 2 TDs) and ‘25 (64 862 7 TDs). On film Bernard is an extremely thick, strong WR with questionable speed but great fluidity and quickness. His Combine only surprised me with his better than expected 40 time as he is not an elite athlete but he’s thick like a RB and surprises you with his quickness and fluidity for that power receiver. He’s both an easy evaluation and a hard one as it’s obvious what his strengths and weaknesses are but it’s hard to put a value on them. He has zero chance of being a star #1 WR but he projects as a very well rounded #2 or #3 WR who gives a team great flexibility. He’s one of the strongest wideouts in this class and it projects to him being an elite run blocker. He could play a Hines Ward/Puka Nakua and block DEs at times as he has special strength. He also is very good at breaking tackles (0.24 MTF) and has the quickness to make people miss in the open field. He’ll be a natural on shallow crosses and schemed touches where he’s given a few yards head start and will make the most of these moments. Alabama utilized him extensively in this role and they lined him up in the backfield and gave him quite a few rushes out of that alignment (18 rushes in ‘25). He could fit into the Deebo Samuel role quite well and would be a good gadget wide receiver. He also has elite hands, 0-1 drops last year (depends on the source), and his powerful grip allows him to make contested catches frequently (see the amazing highlight vs. Oklahoma where he caught the ball on the back of the defender on a very underthrown deep ball). I could see him being a very solid red zone threat on fades if given the opportunity. He also is great as a zone beater and is a very polished player who knows where to sit down and get open for a QB. YAC artist, run blocker, schemed touch gadget type, red zone threat, zone beater, etc. He’s a very versatile player that can do a lot for a team. Unfortunately getting separation vs. man coverage, especially on outside the numbers routes, is not one of them and his lack of deep speed or the ability to separate does worry me. Elite corners will lock him up and that was seen regularly late in the year with Alabama as he didn’t have a big game in their final 3 matchups vs. Top 15 teams (Georgia, Oklahoma, Indiana). He also has some atrocious analytics as his 1.70 YPRR in ‘25 would be the 2nd worst final year YPRR of any WR taken in the first 3 rounds since 2015! I get why some dislike Bernard, as he has a lower ceiling than a lot of WRs in his range, but he has a very high floor, is very polished, and the way he wins is perfect for what an NFL team is seeking in their complementary wide receivers. I was slow to come around on him as a prospect but his versatility, toughness, elite hands, and well rounded game make me very interested in him opposite a top wideout. I’ve seen comps like Robert Woods and Michael Pittman for him, both reasonable and speak to that career #2 WR role I envision for him, but my official comp is Jauan Jennings due to the elite strength and very good YAC. He won’t be a star and he won’t be great as a man beater against top cornerbacks but he can pretty much do everything else at a good to great level and I suspect we’ll look back and realize he was underrated by the scouting community. Mid 2nd round as my #9 WR 3/1/26.
10. Zachariah Branch Georgia 5’8 ⅝ 177 Jr. He ran a 4.35 40 (elite), ‘38 vertical (very good), 10’5 broad (very good), and measured ‘29 ⅜ arms (extremely short, shortest of any 46 WRs at the Combine) with ‘9 hands (small). He’s a former 5 star prospect out of HS, #1 ranked WR. He started his career at USC where he was a bit player in ‘23 (31 320 2 TDs). He was in a stacked WR room with Lemon, Lane, Duce Robinson, Tahj Washington, Brenden Rice, etc. He had a better year at USC in ‘24 (47 503 1 TD) and then was the rare transfer TO Georgia where he was their #1 WR in ‘25 (81 811 6 TDs). On film he’s a short, thin WR with elite athleticism and has one of the oddest analytics profile I’ve ever seen. His profile literally breaks databases as his 45.7% receiving production from screens is the highest on record (2nd highest is 8% lower at 37.4% in Malachi Corley and is the only other example +30%! He’s basically 50% higher than the 3rd highest screener ever!). It’s also a disgusting list of WRs he’s leading with Corley 2nd, Kadarius Toney 3rd, Parris Campbell 5th! YUCK! He’s the most screen merchant I’ve ever graded so normally I’d be out (Burden, Corley, WanDale). I’ve been much lower on this type since my obsession with Rondale Moore failed so badly. Yet Branch is so damn good in space he might be worth overlooking the red flags. He is arguably the most athletic player in this entire draft. He and Brennen Thompson have insane bursts and Branch is much more elusive and quick. I’m a big fan of adjusted stats and one that stood out to me was that his adjusted YAC (downgrades screen production, values more down the field YAC as that is less common) still put him #1 in the class at 2.0 adjusted YAC per reception. So he runs a fucked up route tree but he runs the shit out of it. Just put on the film and it’s evident he’s a top 5% athlete as he gives me Tyreek Hill vibes. It’s also telling that his schemed touches worked…in the SEC. Put on the Alabama or Tennessee games and he’s making big plays on schemed touches against NFL caliber DBs. His hands are good as he has a 4.8% drop rate (well above average), his career YPRR is solid (2.03), his best PFF receive grade is good (82.6), and his MTF is good (0.20). Squint and he’s an analytics darling but the details make him scary. His film makes them less scary though as he is an elite athlete and natural playmaker. On the normal routes he did run, he looks good in and out of his breaks, and gets separation. At worst he’ll be a good slot receiver, elite gadget guy, and outstanding special teamer as PR/KR. At best, he can be versatile and line up inside or outside, run a full route tree, and be Jaylen Waddle mixed with WanDale Robinson. His pure speed is very good but sometimes underwhelming. What is special is his short area burst and start/stop ability as he gets to full speed in two steps and is what makes his change of direction so dangerous. It makes me think he’ll be a short and intermediate route runner more than a pure deep threat but he’ll still be able to transition to a more normal route tree and not just be a screen merchant. One example of that future route tree is late in the year vs. Georgia Tech as he caught a 4 yd out vs. a safety in the middle of the field and juked him for an easy TD. It was a Wes Welker type option route and I think he could run that route tree to devastating effects as well as mix in some intermediate routes from the outside. He has an odd penchant of jumping to catch balls, which ruins his YAC ironically, and makes me think his hands aren’t as good as the analytics say as he likes to body catch it too often and in moments where he shouldn’t be attempted that. He’s never had drop issues but I think he might have a mild hands issue in the NFL. His teammates love him and he seemed to be the favorite guy on that offense. He’s my #1 guy in the “I don’t fully know how he’ll turn out but suspect he’ll be very good” category. As such he gets a late 2nd round grade as I see very high end potential here but admit he has a ton of red flags. In the end I was sold on his improved route tree as the year went on at Georgia and his elite athleticism. His short area burst is among the best I’ve ever graded and makes me think he’ll figure out a productive niche in the NFL. Late 2nd round as my #10 WR 3/28/26.
11. Ted Hurst Georgia State 6’3 ⅞ 206 Sr. He ran a 4.42 (very good, elite for his size), ‘36 ½ vertical (good), 11’3 broad (elite-best among all 46 WRs at the Combine), and ‘9 ¾ hands (very big). He did the JUCO route (Valdosta State) and then transferred to Georgia State where he was very good in ‘24 (56 961 9 TDs) and ‘25 (71 1,004 6 TDs). In ‘24 he was primarily a deep threat (17.2 YPR!) and the defense took some of that away in ‘25 but he had a more varied route tree and showed improvement on intermediate routes. On film Hurst is a top, slightly skinny speedster with surprising quickness and fluidity for his bigger frame. I see high 4.3/low 4.4 speed on film and will be curious what he runs at the Combine as he’s a legit deep threat. What makes him interesting though is his versatility as he also has some great tape of him making contested catches on red zone fades and then shows elite fluidity for his frame on intermediate routes and you’re left wondering just how high his ceiling is. It’s not hard to make the argument that he’s up there with Tyson/Tate in terms of overall traits as he’s 6’3 207, has ‘33 arms, ‘10 hands, very good deep speed, strong hands, and the rare ability to sink his hips and change direction at his size. I didn’t know anything about him until the Senior Bowl and then was impressed by his 1×1 clips as it’s rare to find that quickness and bend in a big framed X receiver. My comp is Nico Collins, who also has rare agility to go with an elite size/speed ratio. He was underutilized in Michigan so he flew under the radar and Hurst was on a 1-11 team at lowly Georgia State and will also likely be underdrafted but the traits are rare. He’s also a pretty polished route runner as he varies his stride, opening it up to eat up the CB’s cushion but then also being short and choppy for quick cuts. He has the size of an X receiver but his game fits best as a Z where he’ll rotate between the slot and outside and run a lot of intermediate and deep routes. His underlying metrics are average to above average but dampen my enthusiasm a bit for him. His career YPRR is 2.25 (average), his zone YPRR is improved at 2.63 (good) and is a little surprising as I expected the opposite due to his elite traits and great routes. Also his MTF rate is 0.21% (above average) and is arguably better since his aDOT is very high as a primarily intermediate and deep route runner. If taking a chance early on Hurst though it’s not the counting stats or efficiency metrics you’re getting excited about but the rare size/speed ratio and potential to be a do everything #1 WR. The package is there for all to see and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Hurst was a Top 5 WR out of this class when we look back in 3 years. His hands are inconsistent as he drops too many easy ones (9% drop rate-7 drops in ‘25), speaks to concentration issues, but he has legit above the rim skills and could be a dynamic red zone threat. His one handed catch on a contested deep ball at the Senior Bowl is a great example as he has received some AJ Green/Dez Bryant comps due to that skill set. He also is very good at adjusting to poorly thrown balls and could develop into a high end back shoulder artist. The fact he has such promise as a red zone threat, contested catch artist but also has high end deep speed and rare fluidity to run the full route tree leaves me higher than consensus on him as his ceiling is one of the highest in this class. Outside receivers who can win with speed, routes, and quickness are worth their weight in gold and I see ample evidence that he is this archetype. His lower level of competition, inconsistent hands, and good not elite production are red flags but he has one of the highest ceilings in this class and I love his film so I’m comfortable betting on him early as his ability to separate outside is among the best in this class. Late 2nd as my #11 WR who is a boom/bust type but one I am a huge fan of as I see Nico Collins 2.0 in his film 2/8/26.
12. Bryce Lance North Dakota State 6’3 ⅜ 204 Sr. He ran a 4.34 40 (elite), ‘41 ½ vertical (elite), 11’1 broad (elite-best among 46 WRs), 4.15 shuttle (average), and 7.00 3 cone (very good). He also measured ‘32 ⅛ arms (long) with ‘9 ¼ hands (average). He had two very good years in ‘24 (75 1,069 17 TDs on 2.81 YPRR) and ‘25 season (51 1,079 8 TDs on an amazing 3.58 YPRR). He’s an older prospect as he turns 24 before the start of his rookie year. On film Lance is a tall, lanky deep threat with elite deep speed, decent routes, and decent ball skills. First off, he runs like a woman. Not sure exactly why my eye picks up his running style as feminine (Extra straight back? Dainty movements?) but he does. Watch him, it’s true! Anyway Lance is a classic secondary receiver who won’t run a full route tree and will be often used on clear out routes. His size/speed ratio is elite and his 4.34 40 fully translates. He got most of his production from the outside and it wasn’t flukey, outside his level of competition. He was helped a lot by Cole Payton’s elite deep ball and many of his highlights were getting a few steps separation and gliding into the end zone off a perfect throw. His routes are hard to grade as he didn’t run a full route tree. His release package was solid though and he has better size and strength than a lot of deep threats. The question is whether he can be more than just a #3 WR who runs 9 routes. It’s hard to say as he didn’t show much on film in terms of come backs and in breaking routes. Also his hands are solid but I never saw anything special ball skill wise and don’t see him being an above the rim player, despite being 6’3 with a ‘41 vertical. It’s hard to not make the Christian Watson comparison as it’s pretty valid, even without the jersey bias. Devontez Walker is another decent comp as Walker was a good deep threat at UNC and had a lot of perfect passes from Drake Maye and his one dimensional game hasn’t made an impact in the NFL. Lance is more agile though than Walker and at least shows signs that he can maybe be a well rounded #2 WR. Another comp, probably his ceiling comp, is Jamison Williams. Williams did it at a much younger age and in the SEC though so I wouldn’t make that comp but I do see a pretty high ceiling and think he’s in the middle. His lateral agility is mediocre and makes me question if he’ll ever be a great route runner. He’s a linear athlete, doesn’t have great polish in his routes, and can get jammed up by a corner. His analytics profile is borderline elite with one of the lowest drop rates in the class (2.9%), one of the lowest percentages of his production coming from the slot (9%), one of the top YPRR (3.07), and one of the better contested catch success rates (61%). The film shows high end talent and the analytics are great so I’m leaning towards him being underrated and more than just a deep threat. He’s one of my hardest evaluations, and I’m still not 100% sure on him, but I’m going to ignore the advanced age, poor competition level, and high end QB play around him and say he’s going to be a #2 WR at the next level and closer to Jamison Williams than Devontez Walker. Late 2nd as my #12 WR who is risky but his elite athleticism and elite analytics are worth the roll of the dice 3/25/26.
13. Elijah Sarratt Indiana 6’2 ½ 210 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but did measure ‘10 hands (huge). He played at James Madison with Cignetti in ‘23 and was dominant (82 1191 8 TDs), transferred to Indiana with him and was very good in ‘24 (53 957 8 TDs), and then had a similar year in ‘25 (65 830 15 TDs). He’ll turn 23 a month after the draft so he’s a slightly older prospect. On film Sarratt is a tall, bigger possession wideout with outstanding hands and body control but questionable athleticism. His stats are a little inflated as he had 97 yards and 3 TDs vs. Kennesaw State. He had big games against two ranked opponents, Iowa (7 156 1 TD)  and Oregon-1st time (8 121 1 TD) but the Iowa game is also deceiving as he had a 49 yard TD on a simple slant when the defender fell down. He had bad games vs. Ohio State (3 41 1 TD), Alabama (4 40 1 TD), and Miami (3 28 0 TD) so his production clearly dipped vs. ranked opponents. He’s kind of a poor man’s Denzel Boston as you know what he can do, and he’s elite at it, but he has very little else to offer. He will be outstanding as a back shoulder specialist who excels on contested catches and wins on short and intermediate routes. Unfortunately, he seems to struggle against top CB talent and there’s every indication that he was helped tremendously by having Mendoza throw to him. He’s perfect for a Mendoza QB who wins with accuracy and timing on intermediate routes. I don’t think he can beat NFL corners deep though so they’ll sit on those back shoulder routes even more and could shut him down. Analytically he has a very solid profile with a 60% career contested catch rate (very good, borderline elite), an elite drop rate (3.6%, 3rd best in class), and his career YPRR is very good (2.60). His MTF rate though is only 0.12 (very bad), he lacks deep speed, and separates okay but only in certain areas so he needs to be paired with a QB he has chemistry with and he’ll still have a limited route tree. He reminds me of Hakeem Nicks from the Giants years ago as that 6’1-6’2 possession receiver with limited separation but elite hands. Sarratt has a high floor due to his polished routes and elite hands but I also see a lower ceiling with him. Mid level WR2 in an offense is probably his peak and I could see him not reach it. Other reasonable comps are Cedric Tillman, Jayden Higgins, or Michael Pittman. All speak to him being a quicker than fast possession receiver that wins with routes and finishes the play with strong hands vs. with easy separation or winning with pure athleticism. None of the players in the above comp have been dominant and Pittman, the most successful, is a taller player with better YAC. I like Sarratt but he won’t fit every offense. Some QBs don’t like to throw back shoulder passes, Ben Johnson notoriously hates them, and some offenses try and set up YAC (49ers, Rams, Bears) which he’s downright bad at. Also he’s big but he’s on the X and Z bubble unlike Denzel Boston who is a clear X power wide receiver. He’s more polished than these types and is quicker, so he separates a little better than them, but he does have some similarities to recent huge busts Bryan Edwards, N’Keal Harry and JJ Arcega-Whiteside who excelled as possession receiver, contested catch wideouts. One third of his targets at Indiana were contested. Of +200 drafted WRs since 2018, only JJ Arcega-Whiteside has a higher contested target rate. If he busts we’ll look back on it being due to Mendoza being a perfect fit with him and him going to a team that didn’t know how to utilize him properly. That’s my biggest worry as he isn’t a YAC guy or a deep threat guy so he’s a bit of a one trick pony. I’m still a fan of his though as great route running and strong hands translate well to the NFL but high end #3 WR in an offense with very good TD totals (Marvin Jones 2.0?) wouldn’t be shocking. Overall I see Sarratt as a high polish, high floor/low ceiling WR2 and one that only wins in a certain way (intermediate routes, possession receiver). He’s not an ideal fit for every offense but if he’s paired with the right QB he should be a capable WR opposite a more athletic, star wideout. Early 3rd round as my #13 WR as the analytics are elite but the tape is less so and there are red flags galore with his profile so he’s a tough analysis 2/1/26.
14. Brenen Thompson Mississippi State 5’9 ⅜ 164 Sr. He ran a 4.26 40 (borderline historic) and skipped the other measurements. He began his career at Texas where he barely played in ‘22 (1 catch), transferred to Oklahoma where he again barely played in ‘23 (7 241 2 TDs), had a similar year in ‘24 (19 230 2 TDs), and then transferred again to Mississippi State where he had his breakout in ‘25 (57 1,054 6 TDs). His YPR in ‘25 of 18.5 is an elite number and speaks to his deep ball prowess. His analytics profile is terrible as he had under 300 yards every year till his senior year, he turns 23 the summer before his rookie season starts, his contest catch success rate (35%) is the worst of any WR I graded this cycle, and his 164 lb frame will make him one of the 5 smallest players in the NFL. Yet the kid can absolutely fly. His 4.26 40 fully translates to the field and he’ll immediately be one of the fastest players in the NFL. He also isn’t just straight line fast but has an elite short area burst which allows him to start and stop with the best of them. He runs good routes, shows outstanding quickness, has good hands, and is very good at tracking and adjusting on the deep ball. He also was a dominant usage player in ‘25 for Mississippi State as he had 36% of his team’s receiving yards, an elite number. His hands are very underrated as he plucks the ball effortlessly and is a much more polished, well rounded wide receiver than he’s given credit for. He separates effortlessly due to his speed, routes, and quickness and is 1st in the class in “adjusted contested target rate” (penalizes slot heavy and low aDOT players). He ran a big boy route tree and consistently got open, usually from the outside not slot. A team will need to hide him in the slot or bunch formations or with motion to get the best out of him but his release package is so good that I consider him a legit starting wide receiver and not just a gadget type. He’s sub 5’10 and sub 170 so he’s a risk but at worst he’s a #3 WR in the Kavontae Turpin mold and his quickness, routes, and hands all speak to the Turpin comp being unfair to him. Arguably a better comp is faster Josh Downs as they both have a smoothness in their routes, along with great hands, that speaks to a potentially higher volume role than you’d expect at their tiny size. His short area burst is special and his measurements aren’t that far off Elijah Moore or Josh Downs (both 5’10 178) who have been given the opportunity to be legit #2 WRs for an offense. Thompson is much more fluid than Moore and much faster than Downs so I could see him surprise and be more than just a one dimensional deep threat. His one year wonder status worries me but his ‘25 film was spectacular and the polish he showed as a route runner, with his elite short area burst and elite long speed, make him a very dangerous player. At worst, he’ll be a Marvin Mims type but I’m higher than consensus on Brenen as I think his route running and hands make him a more well rounded player than most think. Yes he’s midget, but he’s a well rounded midget thank you very much. Mid 3rd as my #14 WR 3/7/26.
15. Malachi Fields Notre Dame 6’4 ½ 218 Sr. He ran a 4.61 40 (terrible), ‘38 vertical (very good), 10’4 broad (good), and had a surprisingly good 3 cone drill at 6.98. He also measured ‘32 ⅛ arms (long overall but average length for 6’4 ½). He’s an older prospect and will be 24 years old in July, before his rookie season even begins. He began his career at Virginia where he barely played in ‘21 or ‘22, had a good year in ‘23 (58 811 5 TDs), another similar year in ‘24 (55 808 5 TDs), and then transferred to Notre Dame where he had similar stats in ‘25 (36 630 5 TDs). On film Fields is a huge WR with strong hands, good body control, and a guy who is adept at making the highlight reel catch. Unfortunately that’s about all he does as he doesn’t consistently separate so most of his stats come from deep throws on jump balls that he wins. He’s great at it but it’s still a low percentage play and he doesn’t seem to win in any other way. His 74% open rate is one of the worst in the class, his 0.17 MTF rate is average (not really a YAC guy), and his contested catch rate (his supposed strength) is only 47% (average). Add in his advanced age and it’s easy to fade this kid as a one trick pony. His analytics are atrocious and puts him in very bad company. One odd stat I saw was that he was one of only 8 WRs since 2019 with an ADOT +8.0, contested target rate +⅓ (can’t get open), and a YPRR vs. zone less than 2.25. He joined other busts like Denzel Mims and N’Keal Harry as big guys who can’t separate and aren’t zone beaters. His profile is a risky one and I have no idea how he got 1st round buzz in the draft community, thankfully his 4.61 put an end to that, but he does have one clear strength and that profiles works relatively well for #3 WRs. Removing his draft capital expectations, I’d be interested in him as a red zone specialist and deep ball specialist due to his very good hands and ball skills. Elic Ayomanor, Michael Wilson, and Kenny Golladay are all reasonable comps where guys who couldn’t separate but had big frames, strong hands, and good ball skills carved out a niche in the NFL. If I were a GM, I’d take him off my board as the hit rate on these types is very low but you can’t fully dismiss them. Fields also has very good fluidity and his 3 cone time surprised me but shouldn’t have as he’s clearly a quicker than fast type wideout. At Virginia he was more of a possession receiver, and did relatively well in that role, while he was the deep jump ball specialist at ND (his YPR jumped by 4 yards from VA to ND). He’ll be more successful in the NFL playing in his VA role than his ND role and he seems like a natural as a slant/shallow cross type wideout, though I didn’t see much film of him in that role. Overall I’m not a fan of Fields as I highly value the ability to separate when scouting wideouts. Add in his advanced age, 0 seasons of +1k receiving yards (in 5 years), his limited route tree, and his mediocre contested catch rate despite it being his supposed strength and I’m out on Fields and would take him off my board. The one glimmer of hope though is his fluidity, quickness, and big frame/strong hands all are intriguing as a possession receiver and maybe some team can mold him into a well rounded high end #3 WR like an Elic Ayomanor type and see how he develops from there. Mid 3rd round as my #15 WR 3/1/26.
16. Lewis Bond Boston College 5’11 190 Sr. He was not invited to the Combine. He’s a 5th year senior but will only be 22 on draft day so he’s a normal age. He spent all 5 years at BC, barely played in ‘21 (1 catch), was a bit player in ‘22 (5 catches), had a solid year in ‘23 (52 646 7 TDs), had a similar year in ‘24 (67 689 3 TDs), and then his best year in ‘25 (88 993 1 TDs). On film Lewis is a shorter, thicker wide receiver who excels on screens and short routes due to very good quickness. At BC he switched between slot and outside receiver, primarily slot, but his body type and traits make him a clear slot receiver. He’s quicker than fast, has a great understanding of where to sit in zone coverages, and he has strong hands that allow him to regularly make the contested catch. I worry about his ability to separate as he doesn’t look fast. Add in his extremely low aDOT and he has a lot of red flags but his hands are some of the best in this class and really impressed me. It’s also telling that he had 88 receptions while everyone else had less than 50. He was the focal point of the offense and had a very high usage rate. My comp is Anthony Miller out of Kentucky a number of years ago as that very polished pure slot receiver with questionable athleticism. His body style though is eerily similar to Makai Lemon and he has a nuanced route running style which intrigues me. He’s a below average athlete but he makes the most of it and slot is the spot where you can win as a mediocre athlete with a brain (Crowder, Cobb, Welker). He also has some decent YAC ability and breaks tackles, is quick to make a person miss or dive forward for a few more yards. I’ve heard a few analysts mention him as a sleeper so he made my list and I’m glad he did as he was an interesting prospect to scout. His hands are phenomenal with the way he plucks away from his body and he has some of the strongest hands in this class. His hands are huge (9 ¾) for a sub 6’0 receiver and makes sense as he plays bigger than his listing and catches everything. His 80% contested catch rate was 1st in the entire class and speaks to him having Cooper Kupp level hands. He played RB in HS and it shows on film with his physicality and contact balance. In fact his YAC was 3rd best in the entire class (0.27 MTF/att, Cooper 1st at 0.31, McAlister 2nd at 0.30, Lemon 4th at 0.26) so his analytical profile is borderline elite. The more I watched him the more I saw Lemon and it makes me very intrigued by him. Dollar Store Makai Lemon is my comp and with Lemon projected to be a Top 20 pick, it makes Bond a likely steal on Day 3 when he’s selected. The fact he wasn’t even invited to the Combine makes it possible he goes VERY late Day 3 but this is one of the most polished wideouts in the entire class and I’d love to see him go to the right situation (Rams, Saints, Raiders all make a lot of sense). Late 3rd round as my #16 WR who is a slow, pure slot and has no draft hype but his film is good and his analytics profile is great so I’m a believer 3/1/26.
17. Eric McAlister TCU 6’4 194 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘32 ⅝ arms (good length) with ‘9 ¾ hands (above average). He began his career at Boise State and was a big play guy as a true freshman in ‘22 (11 259 4 TDs), had a good year in ‘23 (47 873 5 TDs), basically quit on his team late in that year and disappeared and then popped back up at TCU in ‘24 (39 762 5 TDs), and ended his career on a high note in ‘25 (72 1,190 10 TDs). On film Eric is a tall, physical athlete with big play potential and is a dominant YAC artist. I don’t get into character on prospects but McAlister is arguably the #1 dice roll as he literally quit on Boise State in ‘23 with 3 games remaining, as the leading receiver, and just left the team. He then was arrested in ‘24 on aggravated assault at a Whataburger when he pulled a gun on someone. He then was re-arrested in ‘24 after he broke bail by failing a drug test. A lot of teams will probably have him off their draft board entirely but for those that don’t, they could be getting a steal. On the field he’s tall, fast, and physical. He was the #2 receiver at TCU in ‘24, ahead of Savion Williams and behind Jack Bech, and was their big play threat with a gaudy 19.5 YPR. His tackle breaking ability is arguably the best in this WR class as he has a ton of film of having to be gang tackled by half the team to get him down. His 27 MTF last year are tied with Omar Cooper for first in the class. He isn’t very elusive but his contact balance is elite and he has a lot of film of him bouncing off tacklers for YAC and is more about toughness and balance than being slippery or tough to hit. He’ll be very dangerous on the shallow cross and in breaking routes and would be great in a 49ers type scheme that accentuates YAC opportunities. He reminds me of a faster Jauan Jennings as his physicality and ability to break tackles is elite. It’s interesting how good his YAC ability is because his BMI is extremely low. He’s the 25th lowest BMI among WRs since 2000 and his 23.6 is eerily close to string beans like Troy Franklin’s 22.6, Xavier Worthy’s 23.0, and Devonta Smith’s 23.1. None of those guys are YAC types in the NFL and makes me wonder how much of that skill will translate. His film is impressive though and he’s also extremely fast. It’s disappointing he didn’t run at the Combine but I see 4.4 speed and high 4.3 wouldn’t shock me. He also has a borderline elite analytics profile with a great 2.86 career YPRR, a 0.30 MTF (best in class), and a 7.4 YAC/reception (2nd in class, Branch 1st). His contested catch success rate is poor (45%) and he has the third most drops in his career (16) so his hands are a legit concern but overall he’s always been a very productive player in his career. 3 straight years of +700 yards and at least 5 TDs, vs. solid competition, is also impressive as is his 6 100 yards games last year. In 2024 he looked skinnier, both years listed at 205 by TCU, and he was primarily a deep threat. His YPR were +19, he ran a ton of vertical routes, and he was less involved. In 2025 he looked more muscular, ran more intermediate YAC routes, which Bech ran in ‘24, and his receptions/yards/TDs went up but his YPR dropped to 16. It shows his versatility as his deep threat ability is being slept on since he’s so good at YAC. He’s a long legged kid and I don’t think he’ll ever be a full route tree type but go, post, slant, and shallow crosses would fit him perfectly. I’m very interested in him as a prospect but most likely his success will come down to if NFL teams want him or not. I could see him go in the late 3rd round and immediately be projected as a WR3 for a team or go undrafted and be lucky to be in camp. His legal issues are worrisome but quitting on his team is unheard of and he might never recover from it. If he does, and goes to a good fit where his YAC skills can be accentuated, then he could be one of the steals in this WR class. Late 3rd round as my #17 WR 3/26/26.
18. CJ Daniels Miami 6’2 202 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘31 ¾ arms (average) with ‘9 ¼ hands (somewhat small, especially for 6’2). He’s a 6th year senior so he’s much older, turned 24 in January. He began at Liberty in ‘21 and had two decent years and then an injury plagued year. He finished there in ‘23 with his breakout season (55 1,067 10 TDs), transferred to LSU and had a mediocre year in ‘24 (42 480 0 TDs), and then transferred again to Miami with a better year in ‘25 (50 557 7 TDs). On film CJ is a tall, well built WR with great hands and fluidity but poor speed. I wish he was a better athlete as there’s talent here and you can tell he’s a smart player who knows how to get open and has great ball skills. His one handed leaping catch TD vs. Notre Dame early in the year is one of the best plays by anyone in this WR class. It’s very odd he had 0 TDs at LSU in ‘24 as he had 28 in his other 5 years (21 at Liberty, 7 at Miami) and is very clearly a jump ball artist who excels on the fade route/back shoulder throws. His analytics profile is solid overall as he had a 2.21 career YPRR and a very nice 2.71 zone YPRR along with an elite 81% contested catch success rate. Unfortunately his 1.49 man YPRR is very bad. It all matches his tape as he’s slow but has elite hands and is very smart and understands concepts. He’s a sleeper to me as he’ll get discounted by his poor speed and advanced age but I suspect he’ll surprise as a team’s #3 WR very quickly. A QB will love his cerebral feel for the game and his bigger frame and elite hands will make him a sneaky good red zone threat. Carson Beck clearly knew how to utilize him and I see a very obvious role for him in the NFL. Dontayvion Wicks is my official comp, Pat Bryant is a decent one as well. Guys who win with strong hands and do the dirty work but will surprise with some highlight reel TDs. I wish he was a little faster but his game will translate as a zone beater due to his mind and a fade/jump ball artist, slant specialist vs. man. Early 4th round as my #18 WR 3/8/26.
19. De’Zhaun Stribling Ole Miss 6’2 ⅛ 207 Sr. He ran a 4.36 40 (elite), ‘36 vertical (good), 10’7 broad (very good), and measured ‘31 ⅝ arms (average) with ‘10 hands (big). He’s a 5th year senior so he’s an older prospect (turns 24 in December of his rookie year). He started at Washington State and was a solid player in ‘21 (44 483 5 TDs), improved in ‘22 (51 602 5 TDs), transferred to Oklahoma State but barely played in ‘23 (14 198 1 TD in 4 games), had a great bounce back year in ‘24 (52 882 6 TDs), and then transferred again to Ole Miss and had another very good year in ‘25 (55 811 6 TDs). On film Stribling is a tall, physical kid with huge hands and ball skills like a possession receiver but one who has very good straight line speed and can make a big play. He’s an odd receiver as he spends most of his time being a good possession receiver with outstanding hands, and then breaks a tackle and sprints down the sideline looking like the fastest player on the field. He doesn’t have a great short area burst or quickness so he doesn’t look extremely fast much of the time but if he can get a few seconds to get to top end speed then he shows his elite 4.36 speed. That long legged, poor agility is a risky profile though so it’ll be interesting to see how he is used at the next level. My comp for him is Josh Reynolds as that good not great possession receiver who makes a ton of fantastic catches. He’ll be a dangerous deep ball guy as he can beat a defense with speed but also with ball skills on a jump ball. He also is very physical and would be an ideal shallow cross type with his speed and aggressiveness. It’s hard to tell what Stribling’s ceiling is as his production was good not great, his Combine was elite but he’s a long legged speedster and it’s inconsistent in his film, and his mediocre route running make him dicey as a possession receiver. He never had a 1k yard season, and is an older prospect, but no one else had a 1k season with him on the roster and he was neck and neck the past two years for top receiver in both yards and TDs. He projects as a high end #3 WR in that Reynolds role or Demarcus Robinson’s role the past few years with the 49ers. He has some of the most impressive jump ball highlights of any WR in this class and his hands/ball skills are very good. He’s an intriguing kid who has a unique skill set that makes him just talented enough to maybe be a low end #2 WR down the road but he’ll need to be used correctly too or he could be a bust. Reynolds is my official comp but Michael Pittman would be his ceiling comp. He’ll need to work on his route running and see if he can get a little quicker in and out of his breaks. His release package is actually pretty advanced but he struggles to change directions and is a linear athlete. It results in mediocre separation at times and makes him have a lot of contested catches. He’s very good at it but it’s not the easiest. He also should develop his back shoulder catch skills as he was good at it but wasn’t on the level of a Sarratt. Overall Stribling is very intriguing as an unorthodox WR with good size, great ball skills, and underrated deep speed. He is great at some things bad at others but he could be an underrated gem from this class if he’s schemed correctly as a big play #3 WR. Early 4th as my #19 WR 3/25/26.
20. Eric Rivers Georgia Tech 5’10 ⅛ 176 Sr. He ran a 4.35 40 (elite), ‘37 vertical (good), 10’7 broad (very good), and measured ‘9 hands (small). He’s a 5th year senior and will turn 24 early in his rookie year. He started at Memphis but barely played in ‘21 (1 tackle as a DB), didn’t play in ‘22, transferred to FIU and was a bit player in ‘23 (32 370 2 TDs), had his best year in ‘24 (62 1,172 12 TDs), and then transferred again to Georgia Tech where he had a solid but down year in ‘25 (46 658 2 TDs). On film Rivers is a shorter wideout who has the frame of a slot receiver but the speed and game of an outside receiver. He plays like a 4.3 kid and is a legit deep threat as corners have to play him with cushion, which sets up his slants and curls. Most of his film was from the outside and was a legit route tree. Georgia Tech had a very underrated QB in Haynes King but they were still a very run heavy team, one of the heaviest in the nation, so his lower counting stats in ‘25 doesn’t concern me. His analytics profile is good with his YPRR at 2.40 and his zone YPRR better at 2.78. He also had an open target rate of 87.5% (among the best in this class) and was 2nd in the class in “Adjusted Contested Target Rate” so basically he regularly was able to separate. His small frame, terrible contested catch success rate (37.5%-worst in class), and very mediocre elusiveness speak to him being a one dimensional player but he’s very good in that role and a true deep threat is always valued by NFL teams. Poor man’s Kyle Williams is a decent comp but Williams was much heavier and had better releases, so I went with Tre Tucker as my official comp. Tucker was 5’8 185 so Rivers has a better frame but at 176 needs to add a little weight. Both Rivers and Tucker have slot size but play a speedster game and can work in the slot on deep routes or on the outside with a full route tree. I’m a big fan of Rivers game but he probably has a ceiling of a high end #3 WR. Scheme and QB fit will be key for him as he can’t do a ton other than 9 routes, posts, and curls but if he goes to a team like the Seahawks, Patriots, or Panthers he’d be an intriguing player in those deep pass heavy schemes. His lack of elusiveness disappointed me as it limits his appeal as an end around, gadget guy like a Kavontae Turpin type. He’s more of a pure wideout and isn’t much of a YAC guy, despite his elite speed. I like him but he has a somewhat high bust potential due to being one dimensional and Kyle Williams doing nothing as a rookie doesn’t help matters. Nonetheless I’ll stay higher than consensus on him due to his good routes, elite speed, and solid analytics. Mid 4th round as my #20 WR 3/7/26.
21. Caleb Douglas Texas Tech 6’3 ½ 206 Sr. He ran a 4.39 40 (very good), ‘31 ½ vertical (bad), and 10’6 broad (good). He started his career at Florida where he was a bit player in ‘22 (10 175 2 TDs) and ‘23 (11 133 1 TD), transferred to Texas Tech where he was immediately their WR1 in ‘24 (60 877 6 TDs), and had a similar year in ‘25 (54 846 7 TDs). On film Caleb is a big, long legged deep threat with an outstanding size/speed ratio. He has poor fluidity and quickness though so he’ll be a deep threat specialist in the NFL but he might stick in that role as his speed is immediately noticeable on film and he seems to effortless separate. He also has very solid hands and came up with his fair share of contested catches. He’s a size/speed ratio guy but his ability to make the tough catch was seen more often than I expected. My issue with his is his long legged frame and questionable fluidity as it limits him as a route runner. He does a good job of changing his pace and sometimes uses a rocker step move effectively but he’s primarily going to be a post, fly, and come back type route tree. Texas Tech gave him the full route tree, and it probably did him a lot of good but in the NFL he’ll be a #3 WR clear out type. Comps for him are that one dimensional deep threat (Dyami Brown, Gabe Davis, Tez Walker, MVS). Most had better productivity profiles than Douglas but the NFL will notice his 4.39 at 6’3 206 and his film was better than I expected so he’ll probably be drafted in the middle of Day 3. I will also mention that I see him as a one dimensional player but he did impress me with his toughness and physicality. If he could develop that a little bit and be more of a YAC threat then he’d have a chance to be a low end #2 WR but usually these types never develop a more complete WR profile and stay in their deep threat niche. Mid 4th round as my #21 WR 3/1/26.
22. Skyler Bell UCONN 5’11 ⅝ 192 Sr. He ran a 4.40 40 (very good), ‘41 vertical (elite), 11’1 broad (elite), and measured ‘31 ⅛ arms (average length) with ‘10 hands (big). He’s a 5th year senior so he’s an older prospect (turns 24 in July before his rookie season starts). He began his career at Wisconsin where he barely played in ‘21 (1 catch), had a solid year in ‘22 (30 444 5 TDs), regressed in ‘23 (38 296 1 TD), transferred to UConn and had a very good year in ‘24 (50 860 5 TDs), and then had his huge year in ‘25 (101 1,278 13 TDs). On film Bell is a slightly shorter WR with a good build who is athletic and productive but has a number of red flags. He’s a unique player with an odd mix of positives and negatives. On one hand he has elite analytics as he’s one of only 2 WRs in the class with a +3.0 YPRR vs. man and zone coverage (Lemon). He also has very strong hands with a contested catch success rate of 65% in ‘25 and outstanding MTF numbers his last two years. He also had an elite Combine with special scores across the board that gave him a 9.82 RAS. On the other hand he led the class in drop rate (9.8%), has the most drops of his career (24, 5 more than KC in 2nd place!), his career contested catch success rate is a solid but hardly elite 50%, and his career MTF rate is also mediocre (0.14). What’s this mean? Well I’d argue he’s a very mediocre WR who then became older than everyone and finally had his breakout. It’s why his career stats are far inferior to his final season. It explains why he had under 500 yards each year for his first three seasons. Add in his poor competition level at UConn, 135 yards and 2 TDs vs. Central Connecticut State (who?) does not impress me, and his career trajectory makes more sense. The kid is explosive and has good contact balance so he might work as a #3 or #4 WR in the NFL but people need to put his analytics profile to the side as it makes him seem like a superstar sleeper. A 9.8 RAS with +100 receptions, +1,200 yards, +10 TDs, and elite YPRR makes people think he’s an early 2nd rounder and then you turn on the film and see a tightly built slot/outside receiver tweener with questionable elusiveness beating up kids 4 years younger than him playing one of the worst schedules in the country. Delaware, Central Connecticut State, Buffalo, Rice, Florida Atlantic, Army…It was the 5th easiest schedule in the nation. Bell is fast but he doesn’t play 4.40 and I question if he’ll be a deep threat in the NFL. He’s also strong and physical but is tightly built and struggles to make people miss. Ignore his MTF as his YAC plays don’t look like they translate and are more about breaking bad arm tackles than being dynamic in the open field. He does look to be versatile as he can play slot or Z receiver. He also has enough speed to threaten a defense. I don’t see deep threat but he’ll be a decent backup WR who gives you some juice and will be solid on intermediate routes. My comp is Jacob Cowing as that analytics darling who lacked the traits to translate to the NFL. Cowing was more of a slot so it’s more a comparison of analytics profiles while DaeSean Hamilton would be my comp for him stylistically. Some people were obsessed with Cowing a few years back and I see the same online with Bell. He’s older, has the worst hands in the draft, is a late breakout candidate, has film that makes his production/analytics highly questionable, and he’s tightly built. His film was some of the worst defense I saw all draft cycle and I can’t take his stats seriously. Nonetheless he is a good route runner, has good (not great) athleticism, and he’s a versatile player that has enough size/speed to stay outside but probably works better in the slot. I see average #3 WR or very high end #4 WR so I don’t think he’ll bust but consider him vastly overrated and am surprised how many analysts consider him one of the best sleepers in this deep WR class. Mid 4th as my #22 WR 3/26/26.
23. Antonio Williams Clemson 5’11 ½ 187 Jr. He ran a 4.41 40 (very good), ‘39 ½ vertical (elite), 10’4 broad (good), and 7.00 3 cone (good). He played 4 seasons, all at Clemson, and was solid immediately as a freshman in ‘22 (56 604 4 TDs), only played in 5 games (reason for redshirt) in ‘23 (22 224 2 TDs), had his best year in ‘24 (75 904 11 TDs), and then a down year in ‘25 (55 604 4 TDs). On film Williams is an average sized wideout on the slot/outside tweener. He has just enough size/speed to stay outside but I consider him a slot with a little versatility as he works much better in the slot than outside and I don’t think his 4.41 40 fully translates on film. He doesn’t threaten a defense deep with his speed and doesn’t seem to separate when running routes from the outside. His “adjusted contested target rate” was 5th worst in the class and is hidden by his 82% open target rate (very good) as most of that is from the slot. So he’s a slot WR in my eyes with limited versatility to play outside. As a slot wideout, I dislike him as he isn’t very good vs. zone (his 1.70 YPRR vs. zone is very poor) and he isn’t really a YAC guy (0.16 MTF). He reminds me talent wise not style wise of John Metchie coming out of Alabama as a lot of people liked him but his film was very mediocre and I saw nothing elite trait wise. Metchie has never been anything in the league and I expect the same for Williams as he had a non-descript career at Clemson, he lacks any elite traits (unless you think his 40 time translates which I do not), and he’s basically a tweener who lacks the elite quickness, elite feel vs. zone, or elite YAC you want in the slot. He and Malachi Fields are the two WRs in this class I’m MUCH lower than consensus on and it surprises me how many people see Williams as a sleeper. He had a lot of volume at Clemson, was schemed touches regularly, and never did much with it. He has NFL size/speed and decent hands so he won’t be a bust but I see career #3 or #4 WR here and lean towards him being a #4 for a few years and having a short career. Late 4th round as my #23 WR who I would take off my board and consider one of the most overrated prospects in this WR class 3/7/26.
24. Ja’Kobi Lane USC 6’4 ⅜ 200 Sr. He ran a 4.47 40 (good), ‘40 vertical (elite), 10’9 broad (elite), and measured ‘32 ⅝ arms (long) with ‘10 ½ hands (huge). He was a 4 star recruit out of HS, played all 3 seasons at USC, and was a bit player in ‘23 (7 93 2 TDs), improved in ‘24 (43 525 12 TDs), and had his best year in ‘25 (49 745 4 TDs). Makai Lemon dominated in ‘25 so he had more competition for touches but Lane was a very productive player, especially in the red zone with 16 TDs the past two seasons. If you’re high on Lane it’s due to that red zone potential as he has long arms, huge hands (‘10 ½-2nd biggest in this WR class), and is a natural on jump balls. He has very strong hands, rarely drops balls, and his contested catch success rate 49% is solid but I think he’s better than that. His highlight reel is special in the red zone as he has an above the rim comparable to anyone in the class except Tate or Boston and will go 1-2 rounds after them. Unfortunately that’s the best part of his game as he does not play up to his 4.47 40 and really struggles to separate. He’s a long legged runner with below average fluidity and he’ll never be able to run a full route tree. His 67.1% open target rate is worst in the class and his adjusted contested target rate is also worst in the class so no matter how you slice it, he doesn’t get open. He has a little quickness to him and runs a good slant route but I fear that NFL CBs will overplay him with inside technique and it’ll result in him struggling to win on fades and back shoulder routes. I’m not a big fan of his because I highly value the ability to separate but he will be a threat in the red zone. He also has solid YAC potential (0.20 MTF) so he could be a shallow cross specialist, and he has the frame to get bigger if he wants to lean into his bully ball style. If you’re a believer in him then a comp like Marvin Jones fits but I see bust with Lane so Xavier Legette or N’Keal Harry is a better comp. What’s interesting is that those types are in the 220s and he’s 200 but still struggles to separate so it makes me even less interested in him. Also he pushes off regularly and got away with a number of offensive pass interferences, which I think will be called in the pros. Poor man’s Elic Ayomanor is my official comp and Elic went in the 4th round so it speaks to my dislike of Lane. He struggles to separate, isn’t all that big for a possession receiver type, only has average contested catch analytics, and never had a thousand yard season despite good QB and playcalling and never a double team due to Lemon across from him. I’ll let someone else determine if he’s more N’Keal Harry, Epic Ayomanor, or Keon Coleman. Either way, he’s vastly overrated and I smell bust. Late 4th round as my #24 WR who I’d take off my board entirely as a GM due to his class worst ability to separate 3/7/26.
25. Dane Key Nebraska 6’3 210 Sr. He didn’t get invited to the Combine. He began his career at Kentucky where he was solid as a freshman in ‘22 (37 519 6 TDs), had a similar year in ‘23 (42 636 6 TDs), had his best year in ‘24 (47 715 2 TDs), and then transferred to Nebraska where he had another similar year in ‘25 (39 452 5 TDs). He kind of plateaued from his very good freshman year and never got over the hump for a huge breakout season. On film Dane is a tall, well built wideout with that angular frame that I love. He has that AJ Green frame, long and lanky which is very appealing but unfortunately he lacks anything close to Green’s athleticism. He’s a quicker than fast wideout with nice routes, fluidity, and quickness but no real deep speed to worry a corner. He didn’t run but looks mid to high 4.5s to me and he’ll be a mix of intermediate route/possession receiver and deep ball/jump ball artist. He has good hands and solid ball skills so he gives a team a little bit of an above the rim game but he’s good at it not great at it. His angular body is great for route running and jump balls but poor for YAC and he won’t be much of a shallow cross, YAC artist as seen by his mediocre analytics (0.16 MTF). His overall analytics profile is poor with a 1.78 career YPRR but he does make up for it a bit with a nice 54% contested catch success rate. It speaks to his strong hands and it’s a big deal to me as he’s a career #3 WR in the possession receiver mold so I’d be out on him if his contested catch metrics were poor. He will struggle to separate against elite talent, due to mediocre athleticism, but his routes, quickness, and hands are all NFL caliber and I love his frame so I’m higher than consensus on Key. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had a better career than Ja’Kobi Lane or other higher profile big wideouts as he isn’t as strong as them but his routes will translate better and offers a little more versatility than Lane who is purely a jump ball artist. Overall I see Key as an underrated prospect in the Cedrick Wilson/Justyn Ross mold who have a great frame, good routes, and good hands but limited athleticism. He won’t be a superstar but I could see him develop into a capable #3 WR for a team and be a well rounded intermediate and deep route runner. Late 4th as my #25 WR 3/8/26.
26. Tyren Montgomery John Carroll 5’11 ½ 204 Sr. He wasn’t invited to the Combine but did a Pro Day and did it horribly with a 4.59 40 (terrible), ‘35 ½ vertical (average), 10’8 broad (very good), 7.30 3 cone (terrible) with ‘32 ⅜ arms (extremely long) and ‘8 ⅞ hands (very small). It was an extremely inconsistent pro day with terrible and great measurements mixed around. No one had heard of him until the Senior Bowl but the Division III WR dominated practices and was one of the top WRs for the week. He had elite production last year (119 1,528 15 TDs) but I honestly had never heard of John Carroll until this draft cycle so his level of competition was probably atrocious. He’s a Z type receiver with elite bend and lateral agility that allow him to make those extreme cuts that Jordyn Tyson, Jerry Jeudy, and the route God are famous for. He doesn’t have elite speed but 4.59 isn’t doing him justice and I’d say he’s a high 4.4s guy from the film I watch. His pro day makes me think he’s not fully prepared for the NFL and didn’t prioritze the draft cycle. That’s a good thing (high ceiling) and a bad thing (raw, maybe lazy). I lean towards it being a bad thing due to his age as he’ll turn 25 a few months after he’s drafted and it makes his rawness and low level of competition very unappealing. His tape is very difficult to scout as he just runs by everyone and is bigger and faster than his competition. His Senior Bowl gives more insight and I do really like his route running, his hands, and his ball skills. He’s also a very thick wide receiver and isn’t going to be jammed at the LOS as he’s physical and has a good release package. I’m not going to get too excited for a 25 year old D3 project who runs a 4.6 but he is talented and I’d take him on Day 3 as a #4 WR and expect him to be develop into a #3 down the road. He reminds me of a bigger Diontae Johnson with those smooth cuts and his nuanced route running that effortlessly gets separation. The analytics guys won’t have him on their board but I’m very intrigued by his film and think he’s worth a shot. Also age isn’t terribly important after Day 2 as Day 3 guys are hit or miss and often not resigned, even if they hit. Late 4th round as my #26 WR 3/26/26.
27. Deion Burks Oklahoma 5’9 ¾ 180 Sr. He ran a 4.30 40 (elite, borderline historic), ‘42 ½ vertical (elite), 10’11 broad (elite), and measured ‘9 ½ hands (big for his sub 5’10 frame). He absolutely killed the Combine and had one of the 2-3 best all around Combines of any WR in this class. He’s a 5th year senior, turned 23 in January, so he’s an older prospect. He started at Purdue and barely played in ‘21 or ‘22 (16 total receptions), had a good year in ‘23 (47 629 7 TDs), transferred to OU but had an injury plagued year in ‘24 (31 245 3 TDs in only 5 games), and then had another good year in ‘25 (57 620 4 TDs). On film Burks is a short, thicker player with a noticeable burst. I don’t see 4.30 speed on film but he is very fast and has the build and body of a Rondale Moore type. The fact he was recruited to Purdue a year after Moore went in the draft probably speaks to their recruitment of him eyeing a Moore type stylistically as there are many similarities. Moore was a little quicker while Burks is a little bigger and stronger but both project as pure slot receivers who have good YAC potential. He has all the red flags a pure slot normally would, terrible aDOT, lack of versatility, etc. but his analytics profile is even worse than most as his career YPRR is an atrocious 1.35 and his contested catch rate is 37% with both numbers being right at the bottom of the class. He does have solid YAC numbers (0.23 MTF) and his Combine will help but this is more of a gadget WR than true slot and a team will need to scheme him open to be successful. With the ball in his hands though, he is very dynamic and his thicker frame makes him a dangerous player in the open field. He breaks tackles, has very good speed, and is somewhat elusive. He isn’t as elusive or jitter buggy as I would have expected but he’s a tough cover in space. He’s so thick that I’m actually a little intrigued with him as a scat back/slot receiver and it’d give him more potential opportunities. Purdue has maybe the worst track record the past 5 years of WR talent as they all were high usage, undersized players who were total busts (Moore, David Bell, Charlie Jones). Burks might be the next but at least he’s an uber athlete. His analytics profile is very worrisome but I dismiss it a bit as he’ll succeed based on scheme and usage and he projects as a #3 WR so analytics isn’t terribly important for that profile. I could see him being successful in the Chiefs system in the Mecole Hardman role or in a Kavontae Turpin type role with end arounds, screens, and deep shots. A Wandale Robinson role would be his ceiling but I continue to see gadget WR more than superstar slot as I didn’t see a consistency from him in getting open or making tough catches in traffic. He’s a deep threat/gadget WR who will need motion and scheme to win. Overall I like Burks as a dart throw on Day 3 but that’s what he is. His Combine was incredible and had me take notice, he wasn’t on my initial scout list, but his film is only average and his analytics are terrible. He’s more gadget than slot and I like him as a Mecole Hardman deep threat more than a true #3 WR so I’ll be lower than consensus on him as he probably gets overdrafted due to his Combine. Early 5th round as my #27 WR 3/8/26.
28. Hank Beatty Illinois 5’11 185 Sr. He didn’t get invited to the Combine. He played all four years at Illinois as he was a bit player in ‘22 and ‘23 (15 receptions combined), improved in ‘24 (22 310 0 TDs), and then had by far his best season in ‘25 (7 864 3 TDs). He turns 23 in the fall of his rookie year so he’s an average aged prospect. On film Hank is a smaller pure slot type WR in the New England Patriots mold. He’s a one year wonder who wasn’t invited to the Combine and he has average analytics (2.09 career YPRR, 50% contested catch success rate, 0.17 MTF) so he has a strong chance of not being drafted but I liked his film. He lacks the speed or size to win outside consistently but he is a little more than just a pure slot guy as he’s a very good route runner and has outstanding quickness. He’s also solid with the ball in his hands and has the quickness and vision to be good on end arounds and possibly be a punt returner (his 16.4 average is very good-7th in the nation if he qualified but he only had 13 last year). His routes have juice to them and he often ran a 15 yard out route from the slot and was quite effective with it. His hands are strong, he is a fluid player, and his routes/quickness are very high level. He’s a high polish, low ceiling player but I could see him work as a #4 WR for a team. He’s an example of why it’s hard to give high grades to slot receivers as guys like Hank are basically free and can be serviceable. He’s not a threat to beat you deep but he’s a smart player vs. zone, has more athleticism than you probably expect, and his YAC and punt return numbers all speak to him being a legitimate playmaker with the ball in his hands. He’s a sleeper to me. One I won’t get too excited for but I suspect he goes in the 6-7th round or undrafted and think it’s a decent chance he’s in the NFL in 3 years. Mid 5th round as my #28 WR 3/8/26.
29. Reggie Virgil Texas Tech 6’3 187 Sr. He ran a 4.57 40 (very bad), ‘36 vertical (solid), and 10’7 broad (good). He started his career at Miami (OH) and barely played in ‘22 and ‘23 (1 catch each year), had a good year in ‘24 (41 816 9 TDs), and then transferred to Texas Tech where he had a similar year (57 705 6 TDs). On film Virgil is a tall, very skinny wideout with poor long speed but good quickness, fluidity, and body control. Virgil needs to add weight as his game won’t translate to the next level with his very skinny frame. His arms are the thinnest in the entire class and I worry he’s this skinny because he can’t keep the weight on, not because he hasn’t tried. Nonetheless he needs to try some more as he isn’t fast so he’ll need to be a possession receiver in the NFL and you don’t succeed in that role with poor strength. His 40 time was pretty poor and dramatically reduced his chance to get good draft capital, undrafted is a distinct possibility, but he plays faster than 4.57 and his start/stop is very good. He’s a natural route runner, has good hands, good body control, and is a polished player. His upside is probably capped as a #3 WR but I liked his film and you can see he has NFL athleticism from his vertical and broad. Also I liked the Texas Tech WR scheme this year as they ran everything and it really accentuated Virgil and Douglas’ versatility. He’s a mid to late Day 3 talent but one with polish and versatility so I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a roster and had a little career but the ceiling is very low here due to size/speed. Mid 5th round as my #29 WR 3/1/26.
30. Kevin Coleman Missouri 5’10 ¼ 179 Sr. He ran a 4.49 40 (average), ‘38 ½ vertical (very good), 10’6 broad (very good), and measured ‘30 arms (extremely short) with ‘9 ½ hands (average). He started his career at Louisville where he was a bit player in ‘23 (26 362 2 TDs), transferred to Mississippi State and had his best year in ‘24 (74 932 6 TDs), and then transferred again to Missouri where he had a good not great year in ‘25 (66 732 1 TD). On film Coleman is a pure slot with very good quickness, speed, routes, and hands. He had a nice Senior Bowl and a decent SEC career but he appears to be a little overrated by some scouts as I think they see Josh Downs but he’s far from it. He’s a quicker than fast guy who won’t be able to play outside as he needs a free release. Add in his mediocre analytics profile and the NFL going more to 12 personnel, and I wonder just how often Coleman is going to see the field. He’s not nearly the separator Tez Johnson was out of Oregon last year and Tez was often WR5 for his team so it’s an uphill battle for Coleman. He did have a very good Senior Bowl, especially in 1x1s, but I kind of dismiss that too as quicker, smaller wideouts do best in that scenario with huge areas of the field to work with and press being limited. His analytics profile isn’t very good as his career YPRR is sub 2.0 (1.98-big red flag), he only had 9 TDs in 3 seasons, 4.49 40 at 179 lbs is a poor size/speed ratio, and his adjusted contested target rate was one of the lowest in the class (3rd worst ahead of only Sarratt and Lane). Two things that do intrigue me with him though are his YAC and his contested catch success rate. He does have very strong hands and could be a weapon in the middle of the field on short routes. He also had a surprisingly good 0.26 MTF rate and is tougher and more physical than you’d expect. He projects as a WR4 and one who will be as much punt returner as receiver. His film had far too much production of him running down the field, uncovered from the slot, and turning around for a free 8-10 yards, to make me very interested. It’s even more worrisome as he had so much fake production yet his analytics profile still is pretty poor. I don’t see a high ceiling with him and worry he’ll be a fringe roster guy for 2-3 years and then never be heard from again. His lack of deep speed or size is a very bad prospect profile and I think he’d be effortlessly jammed if a team ever tried to stop him. Late 5th round as my #30 WR 3/25/26.
31. Josh Cameron Baylor 6’1 ½ 220 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 ⅛ arms (elite length) and ‘10 ¼ hands (elite hand size). He played all four years at Baylor and was a bit player in ‘22 (22 303 0 TDs) and ‘23 (19 193 0 TDs), had a good year in ‘24 (48 685 8 TDs), and then his best year in ‘25 (69 872 9 TDs). He turns 22 just before the draft so he’s an average aged prospect. On film Cameron is a poor man’s version of Chris Bell as that huge, physical YAC monster. Baylor did him no favors playing him outside as their X WR and that won’t be his role in the NFL. He’s a tightly built player who lacks the quickness, fluidity, and long speed to get open as an outside receiver. You can see that from his analytics profile which is arguably worst in the entire WR class as his YPRR is a god awful 1.59 and his man YPRR is 1.00, maybe the worst number I’ve ever seen for a wideout. Add in his surprisingly average MTF (0.17/att) and it’s an undrafted free agent profile. His traits on the other hand are 1st round caliber as he’s 6’1 220, extremely physical, has ‘33 arms, ‘10 hands, and rarely drops passes. Analytics guys will hate him, traits guys will be intrigued. I’m on the fence with him but lean against him due to his poor fluidity and quickness. He’s a long legged player that is tightly built and is a guy who seems more athlete than football player. He struggled to separate in 1x1s at the Senior Bowl and I don’t see him being anything more than a shallow cross type guy. In that role he’s intriguing, watch the Auburn film of him bouncing off half a dozen tacklers for YAC, but it’s a very limited route tree and I smell bust. His film is entertaining and I’ll keep tabs on him, especially if he goes to the 49ers or a team that is good at scheming YAC touches for their players, but he moves more like a TE than a WR and I think he’ll struggle to separate. Late 5th round as my #31 WR 3/7/26.

2026 OT Rankings

1. Spencer Fano Utah 6’5 ½ 311 Jr. He ran a 4.91 40 (elite), ‘32 vertical (good), 9’3 broad (good), and measured ‘32 ⅛ arms (very short) with ‘9 hands (tiny). PFF graded him at 84 in ‘25 (11th out of 613 OTs). He was the starting RT the past two years and allowed 0 sacks with 5 hurries in ‘25 and 1 sack with 11 hurries in ‘24). Fano is an elite athlete with great film but is right on the OT/OG tweener line due to extremely short arms. I want my OTs to have long arms so his arm length is worrisome to me as he’s barely over ‘32 (‘32 ⅛). The good thing is that was the Combine measurement, which has been flawed the past two years, and I think it’s a bad measurement as his wingspan of ‘80 ¼ is longer than Tristan Wirfs or Orlando Brown’s, all of whom have much longer arms. Nonetheless, he probably only has ‘33 arms and they are noticeably shorter on film. I will keep him at OT though as his athleticism and agility are what I like most about him so I want him in space, as an OT, and in a zone scheme. I think LT or RT is an option, though prefer RT, and consider Fano one of the 2-3 best athletes in this OT class (Freeling/Miller are other options). He’s a much more physical and aggressive player than Lomu and his tape is much more impressive. His hands are very small (‘9) but he has a strong punch and gets good movement in the run game. He’d work well as an OG in a zone scheme, where he’s pulled regularly, but I still prefer him at OT. He had a good overall game vs. David Bailey in ‘25. He allowed 2 pressures, including a QB hit, but neutralized him for the most part after getting beat badly on one of their first encounters. It seemed like he was not ready for the strength of Bailey and then settled down and won the rest of the reps comfortably. Fano is a consistently dominant OL and won his reps more often than any other OL I scouted this cycle. He had the lowest pressure rate of any Top 100 OT, when excluding screens/quick passes, at 1.7%. It’s impressive that he was the best pass protector as I actually think he’s better in the run game and why RT in a zone scheme is so intriguing. He easily could be a perennial Pro Bowler like Sewell/Whirfs/Johnson have been at the less coveted RT position. Freeling’s potential is higher than Fano’s, as he has superior traits and has that franchise LT look to him, but Fano has one of the highest floors of any OT in this class as he has elite feet, very good strength, and very good technique. It’s hard to tell who will be the best OT in 3 years but I can confidently say that Fano is the best bet to be the top rookie OT as he will be able to immediately start at a high level for a team. RT is my preference but don’t count out LT as his feet are truly elite and he moves laterally better than any OT in this class and is among the most agile OTs from any recent class, plus his arm length is probably ‘33. Tristan Whirfs was pigeonholed as a short armed, very physical RT and has since gone on to be a franchise LT and I could see the same thing occurring with Fano. If he had ‘34 arms, he’d be the consensus OT1, but his elite feet, consistently dominant film, and very good strength all make me comfortable that he’ll be a high end starting OT and possibly on the left side. Top 10 as my #1 OT as he had the best tape, has the best feet, and has the highest floor. Freeling and others are very intriguing with their upside but Fano is as sure of an OT as you’ll find and will be a stud as a rookie 3/24/26.
2. Francis Mauigoa Miami 6’5 ½ 329 Sr. He didn’t work out at the Combine but measured ‘33 ¼ arms (solid length) with ‘10 ⅝ hands (huge). PFF graded him with an 83 in ‘25, 16th out of 613 OTs. He was the starting RT the past three seasons at Miami, allowing 2 sacks and 9 hurries in ‘25 and 1 sack and 17 hurries in ‘24. He started 43 straight games at RT and will still only be 20 years old on draft day. On film Francis is a big, thick RT with outstanding strength. He’s on the OG/RT bubble but I love his bend, agility, and length so it makes up for his mediocre athleticism and I’m very comfortable keeping him at RT. He has one of the best anchors in this OL class, comparable to Ioane and Proctor, and he probably would be a better guard than tackle. At tackle though, he’ll be good except against elite speed rushers so I’m leaving him there due to positional value but he’d be a mauler inside at guard. He’s my favorite run blocking OT in this class. Proctor gets a ton of love for his elite size but he isn’t nasty like Mauigoa, who loves to fight people. On the first play of the ‘25 Louisville game he tossed a chirping defender to the ground after a play. He was their enforcer last year and stood out, among a lot of extremely physical players, with his attitude. He’s also great at sticking on his blocks, a personal favorite metric on OL. He’s very solid at blocking smaller defenders at the next level and I’d be okay with him in a zone scheme, something I didn’t think I’d say before diving into his film. Power is still his best fit, as he’ll be a beast in the phone booth, but he’s very agile and bends well for his size. Unfortunately he isn’t fast and isn’t an elite athlete, more agile than fast, and he too often loses the edge vs. speed. He can’t play LT in the pros and a team will need to keep a TE at times in for him against a Parson type speedster. Some teams will dislike that for a 1st round OT but he more than makes up for it in the run game and will be outstanding in pass pro vs. power rushers. His 4.3% pressure rate on “true pass pro snaps” (removes screens, quick throws, etc.) is the 2nd worst of any OT in 1st round consideration (only Proctor is worse), more than double Iheanachor’s and nearly triple Fano’s. That surprised me as the tape I watched was pretty clean. His bend and anchor are so good that he gets away with lunging regularly but he needs to clean up his technique. He’s not a LT candidate and some of his metrics are mediocre but I found his tape and his traits to be outstanding so I kept a very high grade on him. He’s comparable talent wise to a JC Latham coming out of Alabama few years ago, who went in the Top 10. I see him a step below Armond Membou who was more consistent and had better technique and cleaner tape but Mauigoa is one of the better OTs to come out of college in the past few drafts. He just is running into two other outstanding OTs and isn’t getting as much love as he normally would. Top 10 as my #2 OT 3/26/26.
3. Monroe Freeling Georgia 6’7 ⅜ 315 Jr. He ran a 4.93 40 (elite), ‘33 ½ vertical (very good), 9’7 broad (elite), and measured ‘34 ¼ arms (very long) with ‘10 ¾ hands (huge). PFF graded him with a 72 in ‘25, 67th out of 613 OTs. He was the full time starter at LT in ‘25 and started half the year in ‘24 where he allowed 2 sacks and 6 hurries in ‘25 and 3 sacks and 15 hurries in ‘24. On film Freeling is a tall, twitchy OT with athleticism that pops off the film and makes me think of Lane Johnson. Freeling is a somewhat raw player but he has the highest ceiling of any OT in this class and it isn’t very close. He’s a true LT, set him and forget him for 10 years, and the only question is whether he’s good (Nate Solder), great (Ronnie Stanley), or a Hall of Famer (Tyron Smith). I see no chance that he is a bust as the tools are elite and the film is already very good. To put it into perspective about his tools, his RAS score of 9.99 is the 2nd best out of 1,548 OTs since 1987! It’s not an exaggeration to say he has historic traits. Yet he’s already one of the better OTs in football. His 2.6% pressure rate on “true pass pro snaps” (removes screens, quick throws, etc.) is very good and much lower than Miller/Mauigoa/Proctor in the +4%. His technique needs a little work as he lunges regularly and ends too many plays on the ground. He’s at his best in space as he’s the best second level blocking OL in this class and will be dangerous as a LT in a zone scheme. He’s also very good at keeping the edge vs. speed rushers as he has elite speed, very good length, and does well technique wise vs. speed rushers. He’s less impressive against power or when a player gets into his body and he’ll need to work on battling against counter moves and work on his hand fighting. I think his strength will improve as he looks somewhat skinny with his longer frame and his ‘34 arms and nearly ‘11 hands speak to him not being fully grown yet. He’s only 21 ½ years old and he should continue to grow into his body. It’s a question mark though, and one of the reasons I put a more ready player like Mauigoa ahead of him, as he could struggle a bit as a rookie. He doesn’t have heavy hands and his punch is only solid. He needs to develop strength and weight wise otherwise he’ll be a Nate Solder type LT. Even at that low floor, which I expect him to outperform, it means he’s a long time starting LT with a few Pro Bowls but if he can gain 10 lbs and be stronger at the POA then he could be scary. He also is twitchier than smooth/agile and I prefer the latter. It results in him lunging regularly, not always playing with his base set during his blocks, and worries me that he could get rag dolled at times by more powerful DL in the NFL. It also doesn’t help that Georgia didn’t utilize him nearly enough in space and it’s where he shines brightest so I hope he goes to a zone scheme. In the end, he’s a medium floor and high ceiling player who will be a starting LT for the next decade. He’s somewhat raw though so he might be only an average LT early in his career as he gains strength and a better base to go along with improved technique. If everything works out, then he probably ends up as the best OT from this class but he’ll probably be the worst rookie of the Top 3 guys and has a higher variance than they do so he ends with a Mid 1st grade as my #3 OT 3/26/26.
4. Max Iheanachor Arizona State 6’5 ⅞ 321 Sr. He ran a 4.91 40 (elite), ‘30 ½ vertical (average), 9’7 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ⅞ arms (very good length) with ‘9 hands (tiny). His PFF grade was 73 in ‘25 (65th out of 613 OTs). He was a part time starter at RT in ‘23 and the full time RT in ‘24 and ‘25 where he allowed 0 sacks and 11 hurries in ‘25 and 3 sacks and 13 hurries in ‘24. On film Max is a big framed, thick RT with long arms and good athleticism. He did not play HS football, focused on basketball, and didn’t try football till he went JUCO. It speaks to him being a special athlete that he could just effortlessly become a top OT with almost no football background. He’s a huge man but he’s a very good athlete and looks good in space so he has rare scheme versatility as he’d be great in a power scheme as a mauler but shows a lot of promise when he pulls so zone would work too. Power is a slight preference but a zone team needing to beef up their OL, without losing athleticism, would do well to target him. He’s very good in the run game and has a natural physicality to him. His hands are very small but I don’t see it on film and he’s a plus in the run game. Not quite a mauler, but he can open some holes and gets a good push. He’s even better in pass pro and took a big leap from ‘24 to ‘25 going from 3 sacks to 0. His PFF grade isn’t right as I’d argue he was a Top 20 OT last year. He’s 2nd only to Fano in pressure rate allowed on “true pass pro snaps” (removes screens, quick throws, etc.) at 2.0%. He has good lateral agility and works well at keeping the edge. Against David Bailey he was good not great but reduced his pressure rate and didn’t allow a sack. I would argue that he played Bailey better than Fano. My comp for him is Michael Oher as that LT/RT tweener who is a natural athlete in a huge frame and who had a late start to football. Max has one of the higher ceilings in this class as his athleticism is top notch (his RAS Score was an elite 9.91, 14th best out of 1,512 OTs since 1987), his film and metrics were among the best in this OT class, and I expect him to take another step as he gains more experience. Right now he’s on the 1st/2nd bubble but I’d take him much earlier than that and consider him far more talented than Lomu or Proctor. I also really like his demeanor as he’s a feisty kid that could develop into an enforcer. He plays past the whistle at times and got into a fight with Derrick Moore at the Senior Bowl, after kicking his ass on a rep. His bend for such a big framed, thicker OT is outstanding and it wouldn’t surprise me if he eventually moved to LT down the road. Overall I see Max as one of the best OTs in this draft class and very underrated. He’s one of the most toolsy OTs in this class but also had great film last year and should be able to start as a rookie. I also think he has LT potential and people classifying him as a mauler RT only type aren’t actually scouting the kid properly. He’s a true “dancing bear” and has one of the highest ceilings of any OT in this class. Mid 1st as my #4 OT 3/24/26.
5. Blake Miller Clemson 6’6 ¾ 317 Sr. He ran a 5.04 40 (very good), ‘32 vertical (good), 9’5 broad (very good), and measured ‘34 ¼ arms (good length) with ‘9 ¾ hands (good size). PFF graded him as a 79 in ‘25 (28th out of 613 OTs). He just turned 22 and is an average aged prospect. He started at RT the past four seasons (54 career starts), allowed 2 sacks and 10 hurries in ‘25, 1 sack and 15 hurries in ‘24. On film Miller is a very bendy, fluid RT with outstanding athleticism. He moves so well it’s surprising he didn’t play LT for Clemson as it took about 10 seconds of film for me to say he’s one of the better athletes in this OT class as he just moves differently. He sets in pass pro incredibly quickly and has very good technique. He’s a much better pass protector than run blocker and will be an ideal RT in a zone scheme. He could play in power but his fluidity and quickness in space fits zone much better. He’s always balanced in his movements and is a patient blocker who rarely overextends or ends plays on the ground. Filtering for “normal” pass pro snaps (removes screens, quick throws, etc.) Miller is 24th in the nation with a 4% pressure rate ahead of Mauigoa/Proctor but behind the other 1st round caliber OTs. He faced good talent in college and fared relatively well. He dominated his ‘25 matchup with SC Dylan Stewart, handled Duke speedster VIncent Anthony quite well in ‘25, and was solid in ‘24 vs. Mykel Williams. His ‘24 Texas film was the only game I saw where he really struggled and it speaks to his consistency. It’s rare he gets beat with speed as he’s one of the better athletes and has very good length but he can sometimes be bulrushes. His anchor has improved over the years but it previously was his weakness, now only against top power rushers. Miller hasn’t gotten much buzz but he’s one of the cleanest prospect profiles in this OT class as his PFF grade is very good, his Combine was very good, his position drills were outstanding, his arm length is the 2nd best of any 1st round OT (Freeling 1st), he has +50 career starts, and he seemed to get better every year at Clemson. Despite only playing around 100 snaps at LT, I see him as a LT more than a RT as his athleticism, length, and technique all project as high end starting LT to me. He reminds me a bit of Garett Bolles as that very good athlete with good arm length that people overlook for no real reason. Bolles came out much older but otherwise they look like the same type of player. Assuming Miller is a LT, and the only reason he isn’t is because people can’t think for himself, then he checks all the boxes and should be in contention for OT1. He’s much longer and stronger than Fano, much more experienced and stronger than Freeling, much more athletic and consistent than Maugoa, and is more athletic and experience than Iheanachor but right now looks like he won’t even be in the 1st round. His floor is as a Kolton Miller type with all the traits who slowly develop into a good RT. His ceiling is Bolles as a perennial Pro Bowl LT. His movement skills are vastly superior to Miller and why I see him as a future LT. It’s surprising so few agree with me but Miller appears to be a late riser and might go on Day 1. It’s warranted as he has a high ceiling and should be a Day 1 starter with his elite experience. My official comp is Taylor Decker who played left and right tackle in college and everyone expected him to be a RT only in the pros but he ended up playing LT for 10 seasons. Both were good athletes, had around 6’7 frames with around ‘34 arms, and yet both are being pigeonholed as RT only. Miller’s tape is very good. It’s a step below the elite players but he has all of the tools and I expect him to be a very good, borderline Pro Bowl OT and one that I think can be a LT not a RT. Mid 1st as my #5 OT 3/21/26.
6. JC Davis Illinois 6’4 ⅜ 322 Sr. He ran a 5.16 40 (good), ‘30 ½ vertical (average), 8’3 broad (bad), and measured ‘34 ¼ arms (very good length, especially for his frame) with ‘10 ⅛ hands (big). PFF graded him with an elite grade of 88 in ‘25 (3rd of 613 OTs). He was a 2 star recruit out of HS, went the JUCO route, and then popped up at Illinois where he was the starting LT each of the past three seasons, allowed 3 sacks and 13 hurries in ‘25, 1 sack and 14 hurries in ‘24. On film Davis is a shorter OT with good thickness who has more of a guard body but makes up for it with good length and outstanding lateral agility and fluidity. Some teams will move him inside to guard as he’s sub 6’5 but that’s dumb as he’s everything you want in an OT minus height and I care more about arm length/wingspan than height anyway. He reminds me of Charles Leno as that 6’4 guy with long arms and elite fluidity who will be unappreciated by the scouting community but then be a starting OT for a decade. Davis is how you moneyball the LT position and is the next in the Kelvin Beachum/Charles Leno lineage. He has scheme versatility but fits best in a zone scheme due to his fluidity as he’s outstanding in space. Illinois didn’t really pull him but I think he’d be ideal in that role on downfield blocks. LT or RT works but I could see him stay at LT in the NFL. He is very quick to set up post-snap and his elite lateral agility gets him into good position. His ‘34 ¼ arms are good length and help him overcome his shorter frame and he’s a strong guy that wins most battles in the trenches and anchors well. 322 lbs at 6’4 is pretty thick and I don’t worry about him vs. power. Against elite speed rushers, he could be exploited a bit, but I didn’t see it on film, except vs. Duke’s EDGE Vincent Anthony Jr., and he was one of the most consistent OL in the country last year. His PFF grade of 3rd best OT maybe is a little overrated but he had very good to great film and made a ton of snaps look effortless. He neutralized pass rushers regularly and shut down a lot of very capable players. I’m always confused how the NFL sees certain players as Kelvin Banks was 6’4 320 and went in the Top 10 while Davis is 6’4 322 and won’t go till Day 3. Banks had ‘33 ½ arms vs. Davis ‘34 ¼ and both had an 88 PFF grade. They seem eerily similar but people don’t think Davis is a starting OT so he’ll go Day 3 and be a steal for a smart team. I really like him at OT but if he moved inside to OG he’d have Pro Bowl potential and also makes him a steal as a Day 3 prospect. In the end I’m a huge fan of Davis as I love his length, fluidity, strength, and consistent film. I wish he was a little taller and a little faster foot speed wise (he’s more fluid than athletic) but I see him as an obvious starting OT and am surprised he has such a low ranking by the scouting community. My comp is Charles Leno but Kelvin Banks has eerily similar measurables and PFF grade and is reasonable as well. He sets up as one of the sleepers in this OT class as he’ll probably go Day 3 and be a long term starting OT. Mid 2nd round as my #6 OT 3/21/26.
7. Caleb Lomu Utah 6’6 ¼ 313 Jr. He ran a 4.99 40 (elite), ‘32 ½ vertical (very good), 9’5 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ⅜ arms (good length) with ‘9 ½ hands (small). PFF graded him at 68 in ‘25 (144th out of 613 OTs). He was the starting LT the past two seasons, allowed 0 sacks and 6 hurries in ‘25 and 2 sacks and 9 hurries in ‘24. On film Lomu is a tall, athletic OT but one with questionable strength and poor bend. He has good foot speed and is generally an athletic player who keeps the edge from defenders. He’s a much better pass protector than run blocker and is a somewhat soft player. You can see his small hands on film as he doesn’t have much of a punch and struggles to stay on his blocks. He’s an odd prospect as he allowed the fewest career sacks among the Top 100 OL (2, Ioane/Fano/Pregnon tied for 2nd with 3) but didn’t have a great PFF grade and I get it as his tape was hardly clean. He moves more like a RT to me than LT as he doesn’t bend well and has a hulking physique. He gets it done due to his good foot speed but I’m not as high on him as others will be as his underlying metrics and film don’t seem to match. He played relatively well vs. David Bailey (‘25 Tech) but you could see that Bailey’s speed was too much for him and I think he’ll be exploited vs. elite speed rushers in the NFL. That’s worrisome as he’ll be even more of a risk vs. elite power rushers due to his below average strength, poor punch, and poor bend. Lomu reminds me of a Will Campbell, Jonah Williams or Luke Joeckel types as they had elite metrics but poor traits and were exploited in the NFL. Lomu is a very good athlete with solid length but I don’t think he has any elite traits to him and his poor bend and poor strength will likely result in him being more of a mediocre OT than a star like some view him as. I do like him as a RT though, especially in a zone scheme, and think he has good film as a 2nd level blocker. His athleticism shines more there than in pass pro and his 4.99 40 is evident when attacking linebackers in space. Utah ran a scheme that limited his “island” looks at LT and I think it gave him better metrics than he deserved. His film wasn’t great at all yet he has been rumored to be a Top 20 pick, and considered a pure LT. I see him as an above average RT, who needs to add strength and works best in a zone scheme. To me he has decent bust potential but probably settles in as a solid starter due to his good athleticism, especially his foot speed. He’s a highly overrated player to me as a late 2nd rounder as my #7 OT 3/24/26.
8. Kadyn Proctor Alabama 6’6 ⅝ 352 Jr. He ran a 5.21 40 (poor for an OT but decent for his huge size), ‘32 ½ vertical (very good, elite for size), 9’1 broad (good), and measured ‘33 ⅜ arms (solid length) with ‘9 ¾ hands (average size). PFF graded him at 86 in ‘25 (4th out of 613 OTs). He was the starting LT each of his three seasons at Alabama and allowed 2 sacks and 15 hurries in ‘25, with 3 sacks and 9 hurries in ‘24, and an ungodly 12 sacks and 23 hurries in ‘23. On film Proctor is a gigantic man comparable to the largest OTs in draft history (Becton, Orlando Brown, Andre Smith, etc.). Proctor kind of had two seasons last year as he was atrocious to start the year (1 sack, 1 penalty, 6 pressures vs. FSU in the opener) but smoothed things out and had a really good second half of the year. His PFF grade flat out pisses me off as he wasn’t the 4th best OT last year and makes no sense how he’d be rated MUCH higher than Max when he gave up 2 more sacks and 4 more hurries? It’s a consistent pattern with Proctor as people seem obsessed with him despite inconsistent film and pretty mediocre metrics. His 4.7% pressure rate on “true pass pro snaps” (removes screens, quick throws, etc.) is the worst of any OT in 1st round consideration, more than double Iheanachor or Lomu and nearly triple Fano’s. Defenders of him will point out that he’s still only 20, turns 21 in the summer, his stats have improved every year (can’t be worse than allowing 12 sacks as a freshman but sure, he improved!), and he’s a historical specimen who is worth being patient with. His tools are intriguing as he has quick feet and bends surprisingly well. He also has extremely heavy hands and jars people naturally in pass pro. Yet how long should we be patient with a kid that never has a clean sheet and, just last year was putting up bad performances. I can be talked out of looking too deeply on his historically bad freshman year but he wasn’t even good for much of his junior year. He’s very raw technique wise and too often grabs defenders. He got away with a lot of holds the past few years and will probably be a highly penalized player. Also these gigantic OTs rarely work out. The best of them has been Orlando Brown and I’d argue it’s due to his elite arm length (‘35 arms) which Proctor doesn’t even have. Proctor also doesn’t dominate in the run game like you’d expect he would at his size. He has a lot of pancakes but most come in pass pro due to his elite anchor (1st or 2nd best anchor in this OL class behind only Ioane) when a pass rusher overextends, he barely moves, and then flattens them. In the run game he doesn’t usually get a ton of movement and often just leans on defenders and then quits on the play very quickly. He is pretty soft for a guy of his size and he doesn’t give great effort, doesn’t sustain his blocks, and is very content to stay unoccupied and take a play off if the play goes away from him. There are a lot of rumors about his work ethic and willingness to put in the time. His weight has fluctuated during his time at Alabama and I don’t love his film in the 350s-360s so it’d be a disaster if he went into the 390s like Mekhi Becton has done at times. I don’t think Proctor will be a LT in the pros. He has the size and skill set to be better at RT and a good OL coach will hopefully light a fire under him and make him more aggressive and utilize his immense strength. More likely though, he’ll be an overrated RT for a few years and then struggle with his weight, probably get a few injuries, and be out of the league by 30. It’s very rare to find gigantic OTs with long careers so his work ethic issues are even more worrisome to me. Overall I’m out on Proctor as I didn’t like his film very much, don’t think the oversized OT has a high hit rate, am concerned about his work ethic, and don’t like how soft he plays for his size. Orlando Brown is the only recent oversized OT that worked out and he came with elite arm length and a ferocity that made him an ideal run blocking RT. Proctor is more in the Evan Neal mold where the size/speed ratio is elite but the film wasn’t and everyone ignores it thinking they’re just young and raw and need more experience. Proctor has a very high bust potential and I consider him to be one of the most overrated players in this entire draft. It surprises me how many have him as a Top 3 OT and I want no part of it. Early 3rd round as my #8 OT 3/24/26.
9. Caleb Tiernan Northwestern 6’8 323 Sr. He didn’t run but had a ‘35 ½ vertical (elite), 9’3 broad (good), ‘32 ¼ arms (short, extremely short for 6’8), and ‘9 hands (small). PFF graded him with a 71 in ‘25 (99th of 613 OTs). He started at LT the past three seasons, allowed 3 sacks and 6 hurries in ‘25, and 3 sacks with 7 hurries in ‘24. On film Caleb is a very tall OT with solid athleticism and fluidity but mediocre strength and length. I was pleasantly surprised with how fluid and bendy he was at 6’8 as I was expecting a tightly built guy. Tiernan bends well, has decent lateral agility, and is a very obvious OT. I see RT though not LT as he’s a good athlete but he has short arms and isn’t an elite athlete. He’s good at latching on to defenders and he sustains his blocks very well. He’s one of the better 2nd level blockers in this OT class and makes me think RT in a zone scheme is his ideal fit. He’s a better pass protector than run blocker and some teams won’t love him at RT as he won’t be opening many holes in the run game. His fluidity in space is far better than his power in a phone booth and again makes me think zone is by far his best scheme. I wish he was a lot longer and a little more athletic so he could stay at LT but Tiernan’s film is good and his tools project him as a starting RT. He’s flying under the radar but his technique and good overall film make me think he could be a rookie starter and will be a steal for someone. The question is whether teams will keep him at OT due to his poor arm length or will they move him inside. I don’t like the move inside as he’s 6’8 and is much better in space so he loses most of his appeal as an OG. Also the Combine measurements all came in light for arm length so he’s probably ‘33 arms not ‘32 ¼ and ‘33 is usually the cutoff. He’ll be close but his fluidity is good so I’d keep him at RT and not even consider him as a guard prospect. He’s another sleeper in a deep OT class and one that should be able to go immediately, unlike a lot of the developmental types in this class. Early 3rd as my #9 OT 3/21/26.
10. Austin Barber Florida 6’6 ⅞ 318 Sr. He ran a 5.12 40 (average), ‘32 vertical (good), 9’3 broad (good), and measured ‘33 ⅛ arms (average length) with ‘9 ⅝ hands (below average). His PFF grade was 84 in ‘25 (13th out of 613 OTs). He was the starting LT the past three seasons where he allowed 3 sacks and 13 hurries in ‘25 and 2 sacks and 8 hurries in ‘24. On film Barber is a tall, well built OT who had good PFF grades but mediocre traits and projects as a RT at the next level. He played LT for three years at Florida but he doesn’t have the LT look as he is somewhat tightly built, doesn’t have Fano’s elite lateral agility, and lacks great length or athleticism. He’s a clear RT in my eyes and I’d be surprised if someone gave him a shot at LT in the pros. As a RT, he’s not an ideal fit as he’s a better pass protector than run blocker and isn’t that strong. He’d work best in a zone scheme or in a pass heavy scheme as he doesn’t make holes in the run game and isn’t a very feisty player. He regularly watches the end of plays and is comfortable not being occupied as a blocker. Put on the ‘25 Miami film and it shows his mediocre strength as that physical DL beat him up and he was very content to just get in their way. He did do a good job vs. Bain though, and used his length well to keep in front of him and neutralize him as a pass rusher. He allowed 1 pressure on a whiff but otherwise handled him comfortably. Comps for him are Matthew Bergeron or Brian O’Neil as average athletes with decent length who can be mediocre starting RTs. Barber isn’t a stud but a capable starting RT is valuable and his athleticism, length, and technique are all decent so I’d be surprised if he was a bust. He measured ‘33 ⅛ arms but that probably means he’s high ‘33, low ‘34 and that fits as he shows good length on film. His film was solid but I don’t see how PFF graded him as the 13th best OT last year. Fano was 11th best per PFF and had the best film of any OT I graded. Barber’s was above average/middle of the pack and more in line with a Tiernan than Fano. Overall I see low end starting RT with Barber. He doesn’t have great traits but also is average or better in every category so he doesn’t have an obvious weakness, and he should develop into a starting RT after probably a year as a swing tackle. Early 3rd round as my #10 OT 3/24/26.
11. Aamil Wagner Notre Dame 6’5 ⅞ 306 Sr. He ran a 5.01 40 (very good), ‘25 ½ vertical (terrible), 9’0 broad (bad), ‘34 ½ arms (very good length) with ‘10 ¼ hands (big). PFF graded him as a 68 in ‘25 (133rd of 613 OTs). He was the starting RT the past two seasons, allowed 1 sack and 4 hurries in ‘25 and 3 sacks and 23 hurries in ‘24. On film Wagner is a tall OT with great length but one with a lack of size and who is tightly built. I love his height, arm length, and upper body strength as there are a lot of high end traits with him. Unfortunately his lower body isn’t developed at all and worries me that he won’t be able to anchor against power rushers. Also his lateral agility is very concerning so he could be a liability in pass protection. He only makes sense as a RT as he isn’t fluid or athletic enough to be a LT and his tightness and poor lower body would make a poor fit at OG. His lower body issues are bad enough that I see him more as a developmental type as he has some film of getting jarred backwards by college defenders and could be very susceptible vs. power rushers as a rookie. He needs a year to develop but if he can thicken up his lower body he could be a very solid RT later in his rookie contract. He has a very strong punch and is heavy handed. His film is inconsistent as one play he pancakes a guy, the next he gets bulrushes or gives up a pressure, but he has very high end moments on his ‘25 film. His numbers dramatically improved from ‘24 to ‘25 (23 hurries down to 4!) and speaks to him being a developmental kid. He has some poor man’s Broderick Jones film with his long arms and physicality. He’s pretty solid in space on 2nd level blocks and could play in any scheme. I slightly prefer him in a power/gap scheme but his athleticism and length are intriguing in zone. In either scheme it’ll be about getting stronger and thicker but he could very easily be one of the better starting OTs from this class 3 years from now. High ceiling with decent bust potential due to his thinner lower body, limited experience, and inconsistent film so he’s a boom/bust type but one that interests me. He needs time to develop but I’m higher than consensus on him due to his very high ceiling as he has a lot of elite traits. Mid 3rd as my #11 OT 3/21/26.
12. Markel Bell Miami 6’9 ¼ 346 Sr. He ran a 5.36 40 (bad but expected at his size) and measured ‘36 ⅜ arms (historic length, 6th longest ever recorded) with ‘9 hands (tiny for any OL, especially for nearly 6’10 350!). His 87 ⅛ wingspan is the 4th widest ever recorded. PFF graded him as a 72 grade in ‘25 (72nd out of 613 OTs). He was the starting LT each of the past two years, didn’t play till ‘24. He had 0 sacks but 14 pressures in ‘25 and 3 sacks with 13 pressures in ‘24. On film Bell is a gigantic man with a lumbering style that I’ve never been a fan of. His comps are obvious as guys like him are few and far between so Dawand Jones, Bernhard Raimann, and Julie’n Davenport are all reasonable. Dawand Jones is my official comp as Bell is a thicker guy like Jones and less fluid than Raimann, the only highly successful one in the group. It’s impressive he kept the LT position from more heralded OT Francis Mauigoa. His length is elite and when he gets his hands on a defender then it’s over but his lack of fluidity and ability to bend worry me. Also he’s very strong but his lack of fluidity limits his upside as a run blocker and I didn’t see great run blocking tape from him. His strength more comes into play in pass pro where he anchors well and stops rushers dead in their tracks on quite a few rushes. In the run game, he is off balanced going forward, and doesn’t engage cleanly with defenders so it’s underwhelming film. He ends plays on the ground quite often and does not have great balance. I see him as an average starting RT and one that will need to have help by a TE chipping at times. This type rarely dominates, and often has injury issues and a short career, but the film in pass pro was very solid and I’d expect him to be a value on his rookie contract as he probably could be a Day 1 starter. The size is rare and covers up so many limitations so he’ll start earlier than expected but then probably have a shortened career as well so the size cuts both ways. He’s not scheme versatility and has to go to a power/gap scheme. He lacks the agility to get to 2nd level blocks and should be a down blocker on those types of run plays to free up an OG to pull. It won’t be hard to scheme around but many teams prefer fluidity and star athletes at both tackle spots and will remove him from their board. He won’t be a fit for everyone but he’s likely a Round 3-4 guy and likely will be considered a great value when looking back in 3 years. His A&M film was good and one I highlight because they had a decent pass rush and Howell seemed like that speedy, undersized pass rusher that could give him trouble. He was very good against him, actually better than Francis vs. Howell, and it made me wonder if LT still could be an option. Overall I see Bell as a solid starting RT. His elite length and overall size masks questionable fluidity and athleticism and should allow him to be a starter immediately. He’ll need some help at times from a TE and won’t be a scheme fit for some teams but guys with his size and film usually hit as solid starters. Mid 3rd as my #12 OT 3/21/26.
13. Drew Shelton Penn State 6’5 313 Sr. He ran a 5.16 40 (good), ‘31 vertical (good), 9’4 broad (good), and measured ‘33 ⅜ arms (decent length) with ‘9 ⅝ hands (below average). PFF gave him a 71 grade for ‘25 (96th out of 613 OTs). He has been the LT the past two years, backup LT/RT (swing tackle) in ‘23. He allowed 1 sack but 17 hurries in ‘25, 2 sacks and 14 hurries in ‘24. On film Shelton is a good framed OT with solid athleticism who projects as a tweener LT/RT but one that probably settles in as a long term RT. Shelton is a big boy with solid fluidity so I could see a few teams leaving him as a LT, especially if in a run heavy scheme or in a zone scheme that moves it’s OL regularly. His pass pro is good, not great, as he has good length and good fluidity. The issue is he doesn’t have great technique, lets defenders into his body too often, and he doesn’t have the power I’d expect for an OT with his size. His low sacks/high pressures stats makes sense as he gets the job done but it isn’t always pretty. He reminds me of Abraham Lucas who was a 6’6 315 OT with good pass pro but disappointing strength for his size. Lucas has been an above average starting RT for the past few years though, and I could see the same with Shelton as he has starter traits just low end starter traits. He also disappoints me with his lack of effort and ferocity as he is very content to not pursue defenders when he’s not engaged. He also struggles to maintain his blocks, a personal pet peeve of mine, and he’s not a heavy handed player. I’d love to see an OL coach light a fire for Shelton as there’s talent here but I worry he’ll be a perennial underperformer. The traits are there to be a good starting RT but he’s soft, doesn’t have great technique, has good not great athleticism, and isn’t a very physical, aggressive, or strong player so he might just stay a tease. Late 3rd round as my #13 OT who has starter traits but underwhelming film and seems to lack motivation or toughness 3/21/26.
14. Isaiah World Oregon 6’8 318 Jr. He didn’t work out at the Combine or get arm measurements? He tore his ACL late last year and possibly will have a redshirt year as a rookie. PFF graded him at 65 in ‘25 (poor) and 203rd out of 613 OTs. He started at LT the past three seasons and allowed 1 sack and 12 hurries in ‘24 and ‘25. On film World is a tall, good looking LT prospect with good athleticism but questionable strength and anchor. He looks the part of a franchise LT and it’s very intriguing that, with such obvious tools, he is projected as a Day 3 project type and had poor PFF grades last year. He battles hard and isn’t soft but he has poor technique and is not very strong. His hand fighting is some of the worst I saw when scouting this OT class as he regularly was beat up by guys despite seemingly having long arms (I didn’t see an official measurement but they look like ‘34 arms). He needs to go to a good OL coach and be retaught everything as he’s always lunging, ends on the ground regularly, and gets beaten up far too often for a kid with his talent. The tape was inconsistently good and, maybe PFF graded him a little too harshly, it wasn’t great film. It’s also worrisome because he played next to the best OG in the nation, in Pregnon, and that usually results in getting helped out of some bad spots. This is a developmental project for sure and it starts with him healing his ACL but then needs to result in improvement in technique and for him to build up his lower body. His anchor is very poor and he’ll be susceptible to power until that is fixed. He also is more athlete than football player and isn’t the most fluid player. His kick slide looks very good, something he practices all the time, but his general fluidity on non-confirming moves is flat out bad. I wonder if that can be taught as he looks like a clumsy giant at times. In other instances though, he looks like a freakin All-Pro LT so his ceiling is extremely high. I question how likely it is he hits it though as he’ll need to recover from his ACL before he can even start to add weight to his lower body or work on his technique. His ACL injury puts him a year behind, and he was always a developmental guy, so it might be 2028 before he should be starting. That’ll be a tough pill to swallow for some teams but he has some elite traits and someone will take a dice roll on him on Day 3. Ideally he goes to a team like the 49ers with an aging but still starting LT and World can watch and learn for a year or two. Overall I see World as a major boom/bust prospect and one I’m intrigued with but admit is probably years away from contributing. He has some incredible flashes of dominance but his film was generally underwhelming and his ACL injury pushes his potential contributions out pretty far. His traits though are rare and I see him as a potential high end starting LT so he’ll be one to watch in 2027 as he’s unlikely to see the field in 2026. Early 4th round as my #14 OT 3/21/26.
15. Jude Bowry Boston College 6’5 1/8 314 Sr. He ran a 5.08 40 (very good), ‘34 ½ vertical (elite), 9’7 broad (elite), and measured ‘33 ¾ arms (good length) with ‘10 ¾ hands (huge). PFF gave him a 66 grade in ‘25 (182nd out of 613 OTs). He was the starting LT the past two seasons, gave up 0 sacks and 12 hurries in ‘25, 2 sacks and 15 hurries in ‘24. On film Bowry is good framed OT with very poor balance, questionable athleticism, and is a tweener who lacks the athleticism for LT or the power/physicality for RT or inside at guard. He has great measurables and I see some of it translate to the field but he’s a tightly built player with very bad balance and I was not a fan of his film. His Combine shows elite athleticism but it’s more above average on film and he won’t be able to stick at LT. At RT, he’ll need to add weight, especially in his lower body, and he works better in space than in a phone booth so a zone scheme would be preferable for him. He’s a developmental kid with some good traits but he’s not ready to start as a rookie. His athleticism pops from time to time on film but his film was pretty mediocre and he was beat a lot. He has poor technique, lost a lot of hand fights that I saw, and is overly aggressive. He lunges regularly and ends a lot of plays on the ground. It’s very surprising to me that he’s ranked ahead of JC Davis by PFF as Bowry looks like a likely bust while Davis looks like a ten year starter. He has some starter traits so he maybe can be drafted Day 3, sit for 2 years, and develop into a starting RT but the more likely scenario is he’s a bust and is never heard from again. Early 5th round as my #15 OT who I consider very overrated and would not have on my draft board 3/21/26.